Yankee Station Agent Orange

Yankee Station Agent Orange – Blue Water veterans can now get presumptive service connection.

The Yankee Station

Yankee Station was a fixed coordinate off the coast of Vietnam where U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and support ships loitered in open waters.  Starting in April 1964, it was initially located at 16 degrees North latitude, 110 degrees East longitude.  However, with a massive increase in operations over North Vietnam in 1966, the military moved Yankee station about 145 miles northwest.  During the Vietnam War, Yankee Station served as a launch site for air strikes over North Vietnam where the aircraft carriers of Task Force 77 played a leading role in these strikes. 

Yankee Station was the northern Blue Water Navy staging area.  Its southern counterpart, Dixie Station, was in the South China Sea off the Mekong Delta.  The Yankee Station remained in use until August 1973.

Blue Water Navy

The Blue Water Navy refers to ships designed for open-ocean sailing.  The most perfect example of a Blue Water navy ship is the aircraft carrier, which can easily sail across an ocean but is less able to travel on inland waters.  Several aircraft carriers of the Seventh Fleet operated at Yankee Station.  In addition, numerous smaller ships assisted the carriers with support operations. 

Yankee Station & Dixie Station

At any given time, Yankee Station and Dixie Station included by two to four active duty carrier groups. Carrier crews varied in size depending on the class of the ship, but each carrier required a crew of about 3,000 to 5,500 men.  Therefore, thousands of sailors who served in the Blue Water Navy in Vietnam served aboard aircraft carriers.

Operation ranch hand, Agent Orange

During the Vietnam War, the United States military sprayed nearly 20 million gallons of various chemicals, including Agent Orange.  Known officially as Operation Ranch Hand, this mission was designed to clear trees and plants.  As a result, Agent Orange exposure has caused many health problems to those who came into contact with it.  By passing the Agent Orange Act of 1991, the U.S. government conceded a relationship between herbicide exposure and 14 medical conditions.  However, VA had interpreted this law to exclude Blue Water veterans who never set foot in Vietnam.

Effects of Agent Orange Exposure, Yankee Station

One of the most toxic byproducts of Agent Orange is called dioxin.  Dioxin is a highly-persistent chemical compound that lasts for many years in the environment.  Most human exposure is through food because dioxin accumulates in the fatty tissue of fish, birds and other animals.   However, exposure is also possible through airborne transmission.   Consequently, anyone who served at Yankee Station could have been exposed to Agent Orange.

VA presumes that the following conditions are related to exposure to herbicides such as Agent Orange:

1. Chronic B-cell leukemia,
2. Hodgkin’s lymphoma,
3. Multiple myeloma,
4. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma,
5. Prostate cancer,
6. Respiratory cancers, including lung cancer,
7. Soft tissue sarcomas,
8. Amyloid light-chain (AL amyloidosis),
9. Chloracne,
10. Diabetes mellitus type 2,
11. Ischemic heart disease,
12. Parkinson’s disease,
13. Peripheral neuropathy, and
14. Porphyria cutanea tarda.

In addition, VA presumes certain birth defects in children of Vietnam and Korea veterans are associated with Agent Orange exposure.  Until recently, VA refused to grant claims secondary to Agent Orange exposure for Navy veterans who served exclusively at Yankee Station.  However, January 1, 2020, this changed for the better.

Call Disability Help Group, 1-855-855-8992 , If You Were Exposed to Agent Orange at Yankee Station or while serving.

You were most like exposed to Agent Orange if you served on Yankee Station.  Ships that fall into one of the following categories during the Vietnam War era probably qualify for Agent Orange exposure:

1. primarily or exclusively on Vietnam’s inland waterways,
2. temporarily on Vietnam’s inland waterways,
3. docked to shore or pier in Vietnam,
4. Vietnam’s close coastal waters for extended periods with evidence that crew members went ashore, and
5. Vietnam’s close coastal waters for extended periods with evidence that smaller craft from the ship regularly delivered supplies or troops ashore.

Yankee Station Agent Orange Ships

The current list of Yankee Station Agent Orange Ships is available here, even if your ship is not listed, you can still prove exposure with the ship logs.  Furthermore, you can find Navy deck logs at the National Archives site by clicking this link.

If you answer “Yes” to the following questions call us immediately:

• Did you serve on a Navy ship offshore Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975?
• While you were on board, did the ship come within 12 nautical miles of the Vietnamese coast?
• Do you have one of the 14 disabilities VA presumes related to herbicide exposure?

What If VA Denied My Claim?

Keep fighting!  After fighting for over 20 years, Blue Water Navy Vietnam veterans are finally eligible for the same presumptions as those who served inland.  Firstly, VA’s previous denial does not necessarily mean that you don’t deserve benefits.  Secondly, VA may have misunderstood the law or overlooked evidence.  Thirdly, you might need just one more piece of evidence to complete the puzzle.  But the experts at Disability Help Group can guide you through the process. 

Disability Help Group, Call Now for a Free Case Review, 855-855-8992 

Has VA ever denied your Agent Orange exposure claim because you are a Blue Water Navy veteran?  You may be entitled to significant compensation.  Contact us now for a free consultation.

Additional Articles You May Find Helpful

• Blue Water Agent Orange Update – 2020
• Can I Get VA 100% for Blue Water Exposure?
• Blue Water Veterans Get Agent Orange Benefits
• Blue Water Navy Veterans
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• What are VA TBI Residuals?
• What is VA Permanent and Total Disability?
• Can I Work and Get TDIU?
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• VA Disability Rating for PTSD
• VA Permanent & Total Disability