Veterans who served in Vietnam have something referred to as Presumptive Conditions. There is a list of conditions Veterans can service connect for as long as they served in Vietnam and were Boots on Ground. Essentially, a Veteran who is boots on the ground is one who stepped foot in the country. Meaning you had a stay in the country for at least a few hours. Veterans who served on ships during the Vietnam conflict aren’t subject to the same rules. These Veterans must have served on a ship that is on the official agent orange ship list released by the VA. The ship list does change from time to time, and it was just updated again last month. In total, 19 new ships were added and changes were made to nine existing agent orange ships.
Here the new ships and the changes:
NEW AGENT ORANGE SHIPS LIST
USS Arnold J. Isbell (DD-869) sent a small boat ashore while anchored in Da Nang Harbor on April 12, 1970.
USNS Barrett (T-AP-196) carried US Army 2nd Transportation Company to Qui Nhon during August 1965 and transported additional troops to Vietnam from April to December 1968 and January to May 1969.
USS Bennington (CVS-20) [Anti-Submarine Aircraft Carrier] entered Qui Nhon Bay Harbor to pick up Bob Hope for an onboard Christmas show on December 26, 1966.
USS Berkeley (DDG-15) sent small boats ashore at Da Nang and elsewhere for gunfire support missions during May-June 1970.
USS Brinkley Brass (DD-887) conducted a fire support mission in Rung Sat Special Zone during February 9-11, 1970; sent crew ashore for work details and liberty leave while anchored at Da Nang, Cam Ranh Bay, and Vung Tau during April-May, 1970.
USS Carpenter (DD-825) sent medical team ashore at Song Tra Village on December 20, 1968.
USS Fox (DLG-33) sent a small boat ashore from Da Nang Harbor with Captain for mission briefings on October 24, 1967.
USS Kennebec (AO-36) provided fuel to vessels while in Ganh Rai Bay during August 1969.
USS Mobile (LKA-115) docked to pier at Da Nang on April 16, 1971; transported troops and cargo to/from Da Nang and elsewhere July-September 1970, during April 1971, October-November 1971, and January-July 1972.
USS Persistence (MSO-491) docked to piers at Da Nang and Cam Ranh Bay during October 1970.
USS Pyro (AE-24) [Auxiliary Explosive, Ammunition Ship] sent a small boat ashore from Da Nang Harbor with an injured crew member for medical tx on September 29, 1972.
USS Quapaw (ATF-110) provided tow on Saigon River with deliveries to inland river base at Nha Be during June 1966.
USS Stoddard (DD-566) operated on Saigon River during September 1965.
USS Taylor (DD-468) operated on Ganh Rai Bay during August 1967 and November-December 1968.
USS Truxtun (DLGN-35) sent small boats ashore from Da Nang Harbor on June 2, 1968, and October 25, 1969.
USS Vescole (DD-878) operated on Saigon River during December 1965-February 1966.
USS Walker (DD-517) operated on Saigon River during December 1968.
USS Welch (PG-93)
USS Wilhoite (DER-397) sent crew members onto an enemy vessel in De Sey Ky River during July 16, 1965, and sent a landing party ashore from Vung Tau Harbor on September 28, 1968.
UPDATES TO EXISTING AGENT ORANGE SHIPS
USS Catamount (LSD-17): ADD: traveled up Saigon River to Saigon during November 1962.
USS Firm (MSO-444) ADD: docked to piers at Cam Ranh Bay February-April, 1971.
USNS Geiger (T-AP-197): ADD: transported troops to Qui Nhon and Vung Tau from September to December 1965 and additional troops to Vietnam January to February 1967 and July 1969.
USS James E. Kyes (DD-787): ADD: provided naval gunfire support on Song Ca River during October 1967.
USS John W. Thomason (DD-760): ADD: operated on Mekong River Delta for Operation Deck House III during August 1966.
USS Procyon (AF-61) docked to Pier #1 at Da Nang Harbor on August 18-19, 1967.
USS Renville (APA-227): ADD: May-August 1965, and March-October 1966.
USS Rupertus (DD-851) ADD: sent motorized whaleboats ashore while in Da Nang Harbor on January 4, 1973.
USS Shelton (DD-790): ADD: conducted small boat inland waterborne logistics craft (WBLC) surveillance of Cua Viet River on August 16, 1972.
Please keep in mind, the ships listed above are just the ones that were added or were changed. To see the complete list of ships. We know that a lot of Vietnam Veterans aren’t aware of the changes, so please help us spread the word.
If you’re a Veteran who served in Vietnam and would like more information about our services, call us toll-free, 1-877-526-3457. Or, if you’re not available now, fill out this form, and a specialist will call you at a better time.
