III. Ships docked to Vietnam shore or pier
The VA Says: “This category includes large ocean-going ships of the Blue Water Navy that entered an open water harbor and docked to a pier or otherwise docked to the shore of Vietnam. As a result of this docking, it is assumed that crewmembers had the opportunity to go ashore for a work detail or for liberty leave. Therefore, any Veteran aboard the ship at the time of docking will be eligible for the presumption of exposure if that Veteran provides a lay statement of personally going ashore.”
The Department of Veterans Affairs places a ship on this list when “documentary evidence shows that it fits into a particular category.” The required evidence can come from an official ship history, deck logs, cruise books, Captain’s letters, or similar documents. A ship can be listed in more than one category, based on its activities.
For a presumptive service connection for exposure to Agent Orange or other toxic herbicides, evidence requirements may vary depending on the dates the Veteran was aboard and what ship activity occurred on those dates.
Below is the current list of ships docked to Vietnam shore or pier. What if a ship I served on is not on this VA Agent Orange ship list?
• USS Samuel Gompers (AD-37) [Destroyer Tender] multiple dockings to piers at Da Nang during April 1972
• USS Graffias (AF-29) [Auxiliary Stores Ship] docked to pier at Da Nang for resupply on February 20 and November 25, 1967, and conducted other in-port docking replenishments at An Thoi and Vung Tau during 1967
• USS Pictor (AF-54) docked to pier at Da Nang during 1969
• USS Aludra (AF-55), conducted in-port docking replenishments at Cam Ranh Bay, Vung Tau, An Thoi, and Da Nang during March-April 1969
• USS Regulus (AF-57) conducted numerous in-port docking replenishments at Cam Ranh Bay, Vung Tau, An Thoi, and Da Nang during March-November 1966, May-July 1967, February-December 1968, October-December 1969, June-September 1970, and April-July 1971
• USS Vega (AF-59) docked to on-load supplies at An Thoi, Vung Tau, Cam Ranh Bay, and Da Nang during June 1969; and docked to delivered supplies to Da Nang, Cam Ranh Bay, Con Son, An Thoi, and Hon Choi during November-December 1970
• USS Procyon (AF-61) docked to Pier #1 at Da Nang Harbor on August 18-19, 1967 and April 23, 1970, and to Pier #3 at Cam Ranh Bay on May 26, 1970
• USS Castor (AKS-1) [General Stores Ship] docked to pier at Da Nang on October 7, 1966
• USS Caliente (AO-53) [Fleet Oiler] docked for in-port replenishment at An Thoi and Vung Tau during June 1970
• USS Grapple (ARS-7) [Salvage Ship] conducted numerous repair and salvaging operations while moored to beach or piers at Da Nang, Chu Lai, Cam Ranh Bay, and Tan My during January 1967; November 1970 through April 1971; and August 1972 through January 1973
• USS Deliver (ARS-23) docked in Cam Ranh Bay to pick up DeLong floating pier July 26-28, 1973
• USS Safeguard (ARS-25) docked at Pier-2 in Cam Ranh Bay on August 14, 1971
• USS Mataco (ATF-86) [Fleet Ocean Tug] docked to piers at Da Nang during May and August 1968
• USS Arikara (ATF-98) docked to piers at Da Nang from September to December 1969 (see other category)
• USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108) [Small Aircraft Carrier: used as helicopter and troop transport] docked at Cam Ranh Bay November 13-16, 1965
• USS Braine (DD-630) docked to pier at Da Nang on November 27, 1966
• USS Charles S. Sperry (DD-697) docked at Da Nang during January 1966
• USS Wiltsie (DD-716) docked in Da Nang during January 1973, with evidence of crew members going ashore
• USS Hamner (DD-718) docked to pier with destroyer tender at Da Nang during April 11-12, 1972
• USS Epperson (DD-719) docked to Da Nang Pier on October 4, 1970
• USS James C. Owens (DD-776) docked at Cam Ranh Bay on April 30, 1968
• USS Richard B Anderson (DD-786) docked to pier at Da Nang on August 29, 1972
• USS Dennis J Buckley (DD-808) docked to pier in Da Nang Harbor to deliver drone on December 15, 1969
• USS Rich (DD-820) docked to pier at Da Nang on December 13, 1972
• USS Ozbourn (DD-846) docked briefly to piers in Da Nang Harbor on February 21, April 1, and April 11, 1971
• USS Leonard F. Mason (DD-852) docked to pier at Da Nang on February 12, 1973
• USS Cone (DD-866) docked to pier in Da Nang Harbor on December 11, 1972
• USS Henry W. Tucker (DD-875) docked to pier in Da Nang Harbor on September 12, 1971
• USS Brinkley Bass (DD-887) 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 Bigelow (DD-942) docked to pier at Da Nang for one hour on April 19, 1967
• USS Morton (DD-948) docked to pier at Da Nang on February 7-10, 1973
• USS Henry B. Wilson (DDG-7) [Guided Missile Destroyer] docked at Da Nang pier on April 2, 1967 and September 29, 1971
• USS Buchanan (DDG-14) docked to pier with destroyer tender at Da Nang during April 11-12, 1972
• USS Bronstein (DE-1037) [Destroyer Escort] docked to pier at Da Nang on December 11, 1972
• USS Lang (DE-1060) docked to pier #4 in Da Nang Harbor for 38 minutes on January 5, 1972, and sent whaleboat to and from shore with “briefing personnel” on January 8, 1973
• USS Newell (DER-322) [Destroyer Escort Radar] docked at port of Nha Trang during December 22-24, 1965
• USS Durham (LKA-114) [Amphibious Cargo Ship] docked to piers at Da Nang during March 20-21, July 20-21, August 18-19, and September 7, 1970
• USS Mobile (LKA-115) docked to pier at Da Nang on April 16, 1971
• USS Ogden (LPD-5) [Amphibious Transport Dock] made numerous dockings at Da Nang to transport troops and supplies, with crew members going ashore, from February 1966 to March 1973
• USS Duluth (LPD-6) made numerous dockings at Da Nang, as well as transporting troops and supplies to Chu Lai, Vung Tau, and Quang Tri, from May 1967 to August 1972
• USS Dubuque (LPD-8) docked at Da Nang on March 15, 1970
• USS Vancouver (LPD-9) docked to pier at Da Nang on June 19, 1971
• USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2) [Landing Platform, Helicopter] docked to pier at Da Nang on October 6, 1969 and May 19-20, 1971
• USS Okinawa (LPH-3) docked to pier at Cam Ranh Bay to offload aircraft during May 1971
• USS Boxer (LPH-4) docked to pier at Cam Ranh Bay on September 9, 1965
• USS New Orleans (LPH-11) docked to pier at Da Nang on March 12, 1970
• USS Hermitage (LSD-34) [Landing Ship Dock] docked to Da Nang pier June 2-3, 1967
• USS Warbler (MSC-206) [Minesweeper-Coastal] docked to pier at Cam Ranh Bay July 22-25, 1964 and June 18 and July 6, 1970
• USS Widgeon (MSC-208) docked repeatedly to piers at Cam Ranh Bay during July 1964 and June-July 1969
• USS Whippoorwill (MSC-207) docked to pier at Cam Ranh Bay during July 22-25, 1964; March 10, 1969; July 21 and 29, August 13, and September 1, 1970
• USS Conflict (MSO-426) [Minesweeper-Ocean] docked to piers at Cam Ranh Bay on September 30, October 7, 27, 28, and 31, 1971
• USS Endurance (MSO-435) docked to piers at Da Nang at various times during March-June, 1969
• USS Excel (MSO-439) docked to pier at Cam Ranh Bay July 31, 1967
• USS Firm (MSO-444) docked to pier at Da Nang November 26-30, 1969 and docked to piers at Cam Ranh Bay February-April, 1971
• USS Force (MSO-445) while moored with other ships in Vung Tau Harbor, sent crew ashore for liberty leave March 3-7, 1967; and docked to pier at Cam Ranh Bay March 13-15, 1972 and Vung Tau April 25-May 3, 1972
• USS Fortify (MSO-446) docked to pier at Cam Ranh Bay on September 30 and November 29, 1971
• USS Guide (MSO-447) docked to pier at Cam Ranh Bay on September 30, 1971
• USS Loyalty (MSO-457) docked to pier at Cam Ranh Bay on April 9 and 25, 1971
• USS Lucid (MSO-458) docked to pier at Da Nang for off-loading and on-loading equipment during May 1967
• USS Prime (MSO-466) docked to pier at Da Nang on February 16, 1967
• USS Gallant (MSO-489) docked to pier at Da Nang during November 5-6, 1969
• USS Leader (MSO-490) docked to pier at Cam Ranh Bay on November 30, 1968
• USS Persistence (MSO-491) docked to piers at Da Nang and Cam Ranh Bay during October 1970
• USS Pledge (MSO-492) docked to pier at Cam Ranh Bay intermittently during July 1967 and May-June 1971