Vietnam Veteran News

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Spraying herbicides in Vietnam.

Episode 2897 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature the story of Agent Blue and its use during the American Vietnam War. The story was told in a new paper by Authors: Kenneth R. Olson and Bryan R. Higgins. ¹Kenneth R. Olson enlisted in the US Army and served as a Clerk Typist (SP5) at Fort Knox, Kentucky and as a Supply Sergeant in the US Army Reserves at Cleveland, Ohio during the Vietnam Era (1969 to 1973). Professor Emeritus of Soil Science, NRES, ACES, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois Email: krolson@illinois.edu

Bryan R. Higgins is a Distinguished Service Professor of Geography and Planning Emeritus at the State University of New York. He was drafted into the US Army and served as a Science and Engineering Aid in the Neurophysiology Section of the US Army Chemical Corps during the Vietnam era. Email: higginbr@plattsburgh.edu

Their paper titled: The Secret Toxic Legacies of Chemical Warfare: Agent Blue Use During the 2^nd Indochina and Vietnam Wars in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam (1961 to 1971) tells about the use of Agent Blue in the American Vietnam War.

The paper begins in 1942, as it recount how biological warfare scientists at Camp Detrick, Maryland, began investigating the possible uses of defoliant herbicides, based on Dr. Arthur W. Galston’s scientific discoveries, while working with TIBA. The U.S. Department of Army’s Chemical Corps Biological Laboratories initiated a major program in 1952 at Camp Detrick, Maryland to develop both the herbicide formulations and aerial spray equipment for potential deployment in the Korean Conflict. The Agent Blue precursor reagent, cacodylic acid, was invented at Fort Detrick in 1957

The paper ends with these questions: The primary objective is to determine why no major news organization in the United States, including the New York Times and Washington Post, have never investigated Agent Blue use during the 2nd Indochina and Vietnam wars? Why did the use of Agent Blue story, used to destroy Laotian, Cambodian, and South Vietnamese civilian food (rice) sources and production sites, received only very limited coverage by US print media news organizations during the last 64 years?

Listen to Episode 2897 and discover more about the Agent Blue story.

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Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia

Episode 2896 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature the story of Agent Blue and its use during the American Vietnam War. The story was told in a new paper by Authors: Kenneth R. Olson and Bryan R. Higgins. ¹Kenneth R. Olson enlisted in the US Army and served as a Clerk Typist (SP5) at Fort Knox, Kentucky and as a Supply Sergeant in the US Army Reserves at Cleveland, Ohio during the Vietnam Era (1969 to 1973). Professor Emeritus of Soil Science, NRES, ACES, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois Email: krolson@illinois.edu

Bryan R. Higgins is a Distinguished Service Professor of Geography and Planning Emeritus at the State University of New York. He was drafted into the US Army and served as a Science and Engineering Aid in the Neurophysiology Section of the US Army Chemical Corps during the Vietnam era. Email: higginbr@plattsburgh.edu

Their paper titled: The Secret Toxic Legacies of Chemical Warfare: Agent Blue Use During the 2^nd Indochina and Vietnam Wars in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam (1961 to 1971) tells about the use of Agent Blue in the American Vietnam War.

The paper begins in 1942, as it recount how biological warfare scientists at Camp Detrick, Maryland, began investigating the possible uses of defoliant herbicides, based on Dr. Arthur W. Galston’s scientific discoveries, while working with TIBA. The U.S. Department of Army’s Chemical Corps Biological Laboratories initiated a major program in 1952 at Camp Detrick, Maryland to develop both the herbicide formulations and aerial spray equipment for potential deployment in the Korean Conflict. The Agent Blue precursor reagent, cacodylic acid, was invented at Fort Detrick in 1957

The paper ends with these questions: The primary objective is to determine why no major news organization in the United States, including the New York Times and Washington Post, have never investigated Agent Blue use during the 2nd Indochina and Vietnam wars? Why did the use of Agent Blue story, used to destroy Laotian, Cambodian, and South Vietnamese civilian food (rice) sources and production sites, received only very limited coverage by US print media news organizations during the last 64 years?

Listen to Episode 2896 and discover more about the Agent Blue story.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Vietnamese rice fields that were subject to Agent Blue applications during the Vietnam War.

Episode 2895 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature the story of Agent Blue and its use during the American Vietnam War. The story was told in a new paper by Authors: Kenneth R. Olson and Bryan R. Higgins. ¹Kenneth R. Olson enlisted in the US Army and served as a Clerk Typist (SP5) at Fort Knox, Kentucky and as a Supply Sergeant in the US Army Reserves at Cleveland, Ohio during the Vietnam Era (1969 to 1973). Professor Emeritus of Soil Science, NRES, ACES, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois Email: krolson@illinois.edu

Bryan R. Higgins is a Distinguished Service Professor of Geography and Planning Emeritus at the State University of New York. He was drafted into the US Army and served as a Science and Engineering Aid in the Neurophysiology Section of the US Army Chemical Corps during the Vietnam era. Email: higginbr@plattsburgh.edu

Their paper titled: The Secret Toxic Legacies of Chemical Warfare: Agent Blue Use During the 2^nd Indochina and Vietnam Wars in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam (1961 to 1971) tells about the use of Agent Blue in the American Vietnam War.

The paper begins in 1942, as it recount how biological warfare scientists at Camp Detrick, Maryland, began investigating the possible uses of defoliant herbicides, based on Dr. Arthur W. Galston’s scientific discoveries, while working with TIBA. The U.S. Department of Army’s Chemical Corps Biological Laboratories initiated a major program in 1952 at Camp Detrick, Maryland to develop both the herbicide formulations and aerial spray equipment for potential deployment in the Korean Conflict. The Agent Blue precursor reagent, cacodylic acid, was invented at Fort Detrick in 1957

The paper ends with these questions: The primary objective is to determine why no major news organization in the United States, including the New York Times and Washington Post, have never investigated Agent Blue use during the 2nd Indochina and Vietnam wars? Why did the use of Agent Blue story, used to destroy Laotian, Cambodian, and South Vietnamese civilian food (rice) sources and production sites, received only very limited coverage by US print media news organizations during the last 64 years?

Listen to Episode 2895 and discover more about the Agent Blue story.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Vietnamese boy using a tube well.

Episode 2894 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature the story of Agent Blue and its use during the American Vietnam War. The story was told in a new paper by Authors: Kenneth R. Olson and Bryan R. Higgins. ¹Kenneth R. Olson enlisted in the US Army and served as a Clerk Typist (SP5) at Fort Knox, Kentucky and as a Supply Sergeant in the US Army Reserves at Cleveland, Ohio during the Vietnam Era (1969 to 1973). Professor Emeritus of Soil Science, NRES, ACES, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois Email: krolson@illinois.edu

Bryan R. Higgins is a Distinguished Service Professor of Geography and Planning Emeritus at the State University of New York. He was drafted into the US Army and served as a Science and Engineering Aid in the Neurophysiology Section of the US Army Chemical Corps during the Vietnam era. Email: higginbr@plattsburgh.edu

Their paper titled: The Secret Toxic Legacies of Chemical Warfare: Agent Blue Use During the 2^nd Indochina and Vietnam Wars in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam (1961 to 1971) tells about the use of Agent Blue in the American Vietnam War.

The paper begins in 1942, as it recount how biological warfare scientists at Camp Detrick, Maryland, began investigating the possible uses of defoliant herbicides, based on Dr. Arthur W. Galston’s scientific discoveries, while working with TIBA. The U.S. Department of Army’s Chemical Corps Biological Laboratories initiated a major program in 1952 at Camp Detrick, Maryland to develop both the herbicide formulations and aerial spray equipment for potential deployment in the Korean Conflict. The Agent Blue precursor reagent, cacodylic acid, was invented at Fort Detrick in 1957

 The paper ends with these questions: The primary objective is to determine why no major news organization in the United States, including the New York Times and Washington Post, have never investigated Agent Blue use during the 2nd Indochina and Vietnam wars? Why did the use of Agent Blue story, used to destroy Laotian, Cambodian, and South Vietnamese civilian food (rice) sources and production sites, received only very limited coverage by US print media news organizations during the last 64 years?

Listen to Episode 2894 and discover more about the Agent Blue story.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Vietnamese boy using a tube well.

Episode 2893 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature the story of Agent Blue and its use during the American Vietnam War. The story was told in a new paper by Authors: Kenneth R. Olson and Bryan R. Higgins. ¹Kenneth R. Olson enlisted in the US Army and served as a Clerk Typist (SP5) at Fort Knox, Kentucky and as a Supply Sergeant in the US Army Reserves at Cleveland, Ohio during the Vietnam Era (1969 to 1973). Professor Emeritus of Soil Science, NRES, ACES, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois Email: krolson@illinois.edu

Bryan R. Higgins is a Distinguished Service Professor of Geography and Planning Emeritus at the State University of New York. He was drafted into the US Army and served as a Science and Engineering Aid in the Neurophysiology Section of the US Army Chemical Corps during the Vietnam era. Email: higginbr@plattsburgh.edu

Their paper titled: The Secret Toxic Legacies of Chemical Warfare: Agent Blue Use During the 2^nd Indochina and Vietnam Wars in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam (1961 to 1971) tells about the use of Agent Blue in the American Vietnam War.

The paper begins in 1942, as it recount how biological warfare scientists at Camp Detrick, Maryland, began investigating the possible uses of defoliant herbicides, based on Dr. Arthur W. Galston’s scientific discoveries, while working with TIBA. The U.S. Department of Army’s Chemical Corps Biological Laboratories initiated a major program in 1952 at Camp Detrick, Maryland to develop both the herbicide formulations and aerial spray equipment for potential deployment in the Korean Conflict. The Agent Blue precursor reagent, cacodylic acid, was invented at Fort Detrick in 1957

The paper ends with these questions: The primary objective is to determine why no major news organization in the United States, including the New York Times and Washington Post, have never investigated Agent Blue use during the 2nd Indochina and Vietnam wars? Why did the use of Agent Blue story, used to destroy Laotian, Cambodian, and South Vietnamese civilian food (rice) sources and production sites, received only very limited coverage by US print media news organizations during the last 64 years?

.Listen to Episode 2893 and discover more about the Agent Blue story.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Spraying herbicides in Vietnam.

Episode 2892 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature the story of Agent Blue and its use during the American Vietnam War. The story was told in a new paper by Authors: Kenneth R. Olson and Bryan R. Higgins. ¹Kenneth R. Olson enlisted in the US Army and served as a Clerk Typist (SP5) at Fort Knox, Kentucky and as a Supply Sergeant in the US Army Reserves at Cleveland, Ohio during the Vietnam Era (1969 to 1973). Professor Emeritus of Soil Science, NRES, ACES, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois Email: krolson@illinois.edu

Bryan R. Higgins is a Distinguished Service Professor of Geography and Planning Emeritus at the State University of New York. He was drafted into the US Army and served as a Science and Engineering Aid in the Neurophysiology Section of the US Army Chemical Corps during the Vietnam era. Email: higginbr@plattsburgh.edu

Their paper titled: The Secret Toxic Legacies of Chemical Warfare: Agent Blue Use During the 2^nd Indochina and Vietnam Wars in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam (1961 to 1971) tells about the use of Agent Blue in the American Vietnam War.

The paper begins in 1942, as it recount how biological warfare scientists at Camp Detrick, Maryland, began investigating the possible uses of defoliant herbicides, based on Dr. Arthur W. Galston’s scientific discoveries, while working with TIBA. The U.S. Department of Army’s Chemical Corps Biological Laboratories initiated a major program in 1952 at Camp Detrick, Maryland to develop both the herbicide formulations and aerial spray equipment for potential deployment in the Korean Conflict. The Agent Blue precursor reagent, cacodylic acid, was invented at Fort Detrick in 1957

The paper ends with these questions: The primary objective is to determine why no major news organization in the United States, including the New York Times and Washington Post, have never investigated Agent Blue use during the 2nd Indochina and Vietnam wars? Why did the use of Agent Blue story, used to destroy Laotian, Cambodian, and South Vietnamese civilian food (rice) sources and production sites, received only very limited coverage by US print media news organizations during the last 64 years?

.Listen to Episode 2892 and discover more about the Agent Blue story.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Vietnamese rice fields that were subject to Agent Blue applications during the Vietnam War.

Episode 2891 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature the story of Agent Blue and its use during the American Vietnam War. The story was told in a new paper by Authors: Kenneth R. Olson and Bryan R. Higgins. ¹Kenneth R. Olson enlisted in the US Army and served as a Clerk Typist (SP5) at Fort Knox, Kentucky and as a Supply Sergeant in the US Army Reserves at Cleveland, Ohio during the Vietnam Era (1969 to 1973). Professor Emeritus of Soil Science, NRES, ACES, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois Email: krolson@illinois.edu

Bryan R. Higgins is a Distinguished Service Professor of Geography and Planning Emeritus at the State University of New York. He was drafted into the US Army and served as a Science and Engineering Aid in the Neurophysiology Section of the US Army Chemical Corps during the Vietnam era. Email: higginbr@plattsburgh.edu

Their paper titled: The Secret Toxic Legacies of Chemical Warfare: Agent Blue Use During the 2^nd Indochina and Vietnam Wars in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam (1961 to 1971) tells about the use of Agent Blue in the American Vietnam War.

The paper begins in 1942, as it recount how biological warfare scientists at Camp Detrick, Maryland, began investigating the possible uses of defoliant herbicides, based on Dr. Arthur W. Galston’s scientific discoveries, while working with TIBA. The U.S. Department of Army’s Chemical Corps Biological Laboratories initiated a major program in 1952 at Camp Detrick, Maryland to develop both the herbicide formulations and aerial spray equipment for potential deployment in the Korean Conflict. The Agent Blue precursor reagent, cacodylic acid, was invented at Fort Detrick in 1957

The paper ends with these questions: The primary objective is to determine why no major news organization in the United States, including the New York Times and Washington Post, have never investigated Agent Blue use during the 2nd Indochina and Vietnam wars? Why did the use of Agent Blue story, used to destroy Laotian, Cambodian, and South Vietnamese civilian food (rice) sources and production sites, received only very limited coverage by US print media news organizations during the last 64 years?

.Listen to Episode 2891 and discover more about the Agent Blue story.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Vietnamese rice fields that were subject to Agent Blue applications during the Vietnam War.

Episode 2890 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature the story of Agent Orange and its use during the American Vietnam War. The story was told in a new paper by Authors: Kenneth R. Olson and Bryan R. Higgins. ¹Kenneth R. Olson enlisted in the US Army and served as a Clerk Typist (SP5) at Fort Knox, Kentucky and as a Supply Sergeant in the US Army Reserves at Cleveland, Ohio during the Vietnam Era (1969 to 1973). Professor Emeritus of Soil Science, NRES, ACES, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois Email: krolson@illinois.edu

Bryan R. Higgins is a Distinguished Service Professor of Geography and Planning Emeritus at the State University of New York. He was drafted into the US Army and served as a Science and Engineering Aid in the Neurophysiology Section of the US Army Chemical Corps during the Vietnam era. Email: higginbr@plattsburgh.edu

Their paper titled: The Secret Toxic Legacies of Chemical Warfare: Agent Blue Use During the 2^nd Indochina and Vietnam Wars in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam (1961 to 1971) tells about the use of Agent Blue in the American Vietnam War.

The paper begins in 1942, as it recount how biological warfare scientists at Camp Detrick, Maryland, began investigating the possible uses of defoliant herbicides, based on Dr. Arthur W. Galston’s scientific discoveries, while working with TIBA. The U.S. Department of Army’s Chemical Corps Biological Laboratories initiated a major program in 1952 at Camp Detrick, Maryland to develop both the herbicide formulations and aerial spray equipment for potential deployment in the Korean Conflict. The Agent Blue precursor reagent, cacodylic acid, was invented at Fort Detrick in 1957

The paper ends with these questions: The primary objective is to determine why no major news organization in the United States, including the New York Times and Washington Post, have never investigated Agent Blue use during the 2nd Indochina and Vietnam wars? Why did the use of Agent Blue story, used to destroy Laotian, Cambodian, and South Vietnamese civilian food (rice) sources and production sites, received only very limited coverage by US print media news organizations during the last 64 years?

.Listen to Episode 2890 and discover more about the Agent Orange story.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Vietnam Medal of Honor recipient Marine LCpl José F. Jiménez.

Congressional Medal of Honor

Episode 2889 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature Medal of Honor recipient Marine LCpl José F. Jiménez.  Information featured in this episode comes from Wikipedia and the U.S. Citizenship and immigration Services website..

Marine Lance Corporal José F. Jiménez was a brave young man who embodied the spirit of selfless service during one of the most harrowing battles of the Vietnam War. Born in Mexico and raised in the United States, Jiménez enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 21, driven by a deep sense of duty.

On August 28, 1969, while serving with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam, Jiménez’s platoon came under heavy enemy fire. As his unit moved forward to assault a North Vietnamese Army (NVA) position, they were ambushed by entrenched forces, leaving them vulnerable to devastating fire from machine guns and grenades.

Without hesitation, Jiménez charged across open ground, fearlessly assaulting multiple enemy positions. He destroyed several enemy bunkers, clearing the path for his platoon. His courage under fire was extraordinary, but Jiménez didn’t stop there. When an NVA grenade landed near his comrades, he quickly threw himself on the grenade, shielding his fellow Marines from the deadly blast.

Though mortally wounded, Jiménez’s actions saved many lives that day. His extraordinary heroism, determination, and self-sacrifice earned him the Medal of Honor posthumously. His name remains etched in the hearts of his fellow Marines and in the annals of Marine Corps history as a symbol of ultimate bravery and sacrifice. Today, he is remembered not just for his heroic actions, but for his unwavering devotion to his comrades and his country.

Listen to Episode 2889 and discover more about Medal of Honor recipient Marine LCpl José F. Jiménez.

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Vietnam Medal of Honor recipient Army CSM Delbert O. Jennings.

Congressional Medal of Honor

Episode 2888 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature Medal of Honor recipient Army CSM Delbert O. Jennings.  Information featured in this episode comes from Wikipedia and Tara Ross.

Army Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Delbert O. Jennings was a Vietnam War hero who earned the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary bravery during combat. On December 27, 1966, while serving as a platoon leader with the 3rd Battalion, 12th Cav  Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Jennings and his unit were ambushed by a large enemy force in the dense jungles of Vietnam.

As enemy fire rained down, Jennings realized that his platoon was in danger of being overrun. Without hesitation, he charged through a hail of bullets, personally killing several enemy soldiers who had established a machine-gun position. He then organized his men and directed their defense, despite being wounded by shrapnel. When one of his comrades was injured and lying exposed in the open, Jennings crawled to his position, dragging him to safety while continuing to fight off the attackers.

Even after receiving a second wound, Jennings refused evacuation and continued leading his men, displaying remarkable courage under fire. His leadership and determination saved many lives that day, and he remained on the battlefield until the enemy was repelled.

For his gallantry and intrepidity, Jennings was awarded the Medal of Honor. His actions exemplified the highest standards of military service, embodying selflessness and valor in the face of overwhelming odds. He remains a symbol of heroism and sacrifice to the U.S. Army and the nation.

Listen to Episode 2888 and discover more about Medal of Honor recipient Army CSM Delbert O. Jennings.