The Air Force and Herbicides in Southeast Asia 1961-1971

9,03

MB

258

stron

3534

ID

Department of Defense

2003

rok

Contents

Page

Author's Acknowledgements ii

Foreword m

I. The Development of a Military Herbicide Capability 1

II. The Decision to Send Spray-Equipped C-123s to South Vietnam 9

III. The Deployment of Spray Aircraft to South Vietnam and Initial Defoliation Operations 23

IV. Early Evaluations and Expanded Operations 45

V. Crop Destruction Begins and Washington Further Relaxes Controls on Defoliation 69

VI. Ranch Hand's Mission Expands and Becomes Routine 87

VII. Herbicide s Reach Their Peak While the War Deepens and Widens 109

VIII. Herbicide Use Declines : 137

IX. Ranch Hand Ends Its Work 157

X. Epilogue 177

Appendices

1. Characteristics of Herbicides Used in Southeast Asia 195

2. Summary of Herbicide Operations

Table 1—Major Herbicide Mixtures Used in Vietnam . 199

Table 2—Herbicide Disseminated, Jan 62-Dec 64 199

Table 3—Herbicide Disseminated, Jan 65-Feb 71 200

Table 4—Acres Treated, Jan 62-Feb 71 200

Table 5—Herbicide Operations in Laos 201

3. Ranch Hand Organizational Designations 203

4. Key Leaders 205

Notes 207

Glossary 223

Bibliographic Essay 229

Index 231