RAEME units sprayed sprayed with chemicals, Vietnam 1968 – RANCH HAND defoliant flights
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Operation Ranch Hand was a name given by the USA to the tactical project for aerial spraying of herbicides in Vietnam.
CAPTION: An American plane sprays chemicals near unit lines of 1st Armoured Squadron Workshop RAEME, at Nui Dat, Vietnam 1968. Photo by Des Kearton.
The HERBS tape is a computer file listing of Ranch Hand flights from 1965 to 1971. The Print- out of the HERBS tape used by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs was provided by the Department of Defence.
BASE AREA VEGETATION CONTROL
Perimeter defoliation was carried out at Australian base camp areas at Nui Dat, the Horseshoe, and the 1A.S.L.G. Area at Vung Tau, for security purposes. The perimeter of the Nui Dat base was some 400 to 500 hectares.
On the 25th June 1968, the HERBS tape show that 6 aircraft sprayed a total of 5675 gallons of Agent Orange along a 13km flight path, part of Squadron HQ, 1 Troop and 3 Troop, C Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment (Centurion tanks), are recorded as being in a location 2 to 5km from the nearest point of the flight path.
As a vehicle mechanic with the units named in this report, I was working with a Centurion armoured recovery vehicle (ARV), in repair and recovery of Centurion tanks of C Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment in Vietnam 1968.
Our members of 1st Armoured Squadron Workshop, RAEME, repaired fogging machines and spray tanks that were used with chemicals at Nui Dat, Vietnam in 1968.
The American planes sprayed chemicals over our unit location at Nui Dat, Vietnam, once or twice a week, depending on the weather, as you can see by the photo.
Also is a photo (right – click to enlarge) of the American flight paths spraying chemicals in Vietnam from 1968 to 1970.
Our RAEME unit and stores section, RAAOC, about 30 members have died, since Vietnam 1968 of the units total of 90 personnel, of cancer and war-caused disabilities.
We live with these medical conditions during our lifetime.
Regards,
Des Kearton
RAEME Vietnam Veteran
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