Agent Orange was a herbicide used on Vietnam during the 1950s and 1960s. It left thousands of Vietnamese civilians and U.S. veterans diseased and dead. It wiped out miles and miles of jungle and foliage across Vietnam and its bordering countries. Even though Agent Orange’s purpose was not to directly kill people, it was one of the biggest causes for death in the Vietnam War.
What Is Agent Orange? Agent Orange was a group of chemicals used in the Vietnam War. It was part of Operation Ranch Hand, a family of defoliants used on Vietnam jungle. These agents include: Agents White, Purple, Blue, Pink, Green, and of course Orange. The chemicals get their names from the color of the stripe painted on the drums that contained them. The U.S .sprayed almost 19 million gallons across jungle from 1962-1971. These mixtures of chemicals were mainly sprayed
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Vietnam reported an estimated 400,000 Vietnamese civilians dead of Agent Orange related causes. Another 500,000 next-generation children were born with serious congenital birth defects. U.S. veterans were also seriously affected. Veterans reported themselves and their families having mental and physical problems including: AL amyloidosis, chloracne, B-cell leukemias, Type 2 diabetes, Hodgkin’s disease, ischemic heart disease, multiple myelomas, Non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, Parkinson’s, peripheral neuropathy, prostate cancer, soft-tissue sarcomas, and respiratory cancers.
Another issue veterans and other military personnel were and still are concerned about is that the planes that dropped Agent Orange, C-123’s, have residue left behind on the drums and the wings. These cargo planes were kept in service for ten years after the Vietnam War, and it is likely that residue was left on cargo and medical supplies. The veterans who flew them and Air Force active pilots are still concerned about Agent Orange