Statistical Summary of
Herbicidal Warfare
in Vietnam

Credit: H. Lindsey Arison III
   
Updated Link - Executive Summary
The Herbicidal Warfare Program in Vietnam, 1961-1971

     OperationS 
 Trail Dust     &
 Ranch hand 
   
10 August 1961 - 31 October 1971
(3,735 days)

SUMMARY BY YEAR

YEAR
TOTAL
GALLONS
USED
TOTAL
ACRES
EFFECTED
TOTAL
SQ. MILES
EFFECTED
1962 17,171 5,724 27
1963 74,760 24,920 117
1964 281,607 93,869 440
1965 664,657 221,552 1,039
1966 2,535,788 845,263 3,962
1967 5,123,353 1,707,784 8,005
1968 5,089,010 1,696,337 7,952
1969 4,558,817 1,519,606 7,123
1970 758,966 252,989 1,186
1971 10,039 3,346 16
Year Unknown 281,201 93,734 439
TOTAL: 19,395,369 6,465,123 30,305

Herbicide drums were identified by a 4-inch-wide circular band of paint colored in correspondence with these color codes

CHEMICAL
AGENT
TOTAL
GALLONS
PROCURED
BY DOD
TOTAL
GALLONS
USED
PERCENT
OF 
TOTAL
USED
TOTAL
GALLONS
REMAINING
Green 8,208 8,208 0.04% 0
Pink 122,792 122,792 0.6% 0
Purple 145,000 145,000 0.7% 0
Blue 2,166,656 2,166,656 11.2% 0
White 5,600,000 5,239,853 27.0% 360,147
Orange 13,927,985 11,712,860 60.4% 2,215,125
TOTAL: 21,970,641 19,395,369   2,575,272

 

The 15,480 drums of agent orange stockpiled at the Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) in Gulfport, Mississippi were transferred to the Dutch-owned ship the Vulcanus and destroyed between 15-24 July 1977.

The 24,795 drums of agent orange stored on Johnston Island were subsequently incinerated on the Vulcanus in two loads.

The last of the herbicide orange once destined for the jungles of Vietnam burned on September 3, 1977.

Data Sources: SIPRI, 1976 and Cecil, 1986.

 USAF Ranch Hand Herbicides 
 (from AugUST 1965) 

Total: 8,165,491 gallons
   
Most sources use 19 million gallons as the total
number of gallons applied in Vietnam, which
indicates another 11 million gallons of
herbicide must have been applied
by means other than
fixed-wing aircraft.
   
   

Spray boom on the back of a C123
US airman removes hose after pumping defoliation spray
into tanks of a C-123 at Da Nang AB.  Note the "pop out"
insignia that could be changed from U.S. Air Force
markings to South Vietnamese markings when
the planes were used for crop destruction.
Photo credit: U.S. Air Force

   
TABLES below INDICATE NUMBER OF gallons applied by fixed-winG aircraft

 I CORPS - 2,355,322 

I Corps   Orange White Blue Total
A Shau 53,550 2,550 6,128 62,228
An Hoa 6,500 1,800 11,250 19,550
Binh Hoa 8,220 1,600 9,820
Cam Lo 80,375 8,660 12,785 101,820
Camp Carrol 78,200 5,400 5,050 88,650
Camp Eagle 14,250 14,250
Camp Esso 53,410 5,600 5,500 64,510
Camp Evans 18,690 880 19,570
Camp Henderson 68,155 7,040 4,800 79,995
Chu Lai 12,170 4,150 1,598 17,918
Con Thien 84,700 12,460 10,925 108,085
Da Nang, China Beach 13,800 2,000 15,800
Dong Ha 54,385 5,060 9,935 69,380
Duc Pho, LZ Bronco 46,225 14,400 1,175 61,800
Firebase Jack 140,875 11,900 3,280 156,055
Firebase Rakkassan 150,145 23,900 2,510 176,555
Firebase West 15,405 3,690 18,480 37,575
Hill 63 20,500 3,200 23,700
Hill 69 11,620 4,150 1,598 17,368
Hoi An 17,520 3,000 13,950 34,470
Hue 41,395   5,070 46,465
Khe Sanh, Firebase Smith 43,705 3,040 4,300 51,045
LangCo Bridge 50,610 5,600 3,500 59,710
LZ Baldy 15,430 3,000 13,950 32,380
LZ Dogpatch, Hill 327 4,490 8,250 12,740
LZ Geronimo 22,535 14,000 468 37,003
LZ Jane, Firebase Barbara 91,150 6,750 3,700 101,600
LZ Langley, Firebase Shepard 72,105 7,040 4,800 83,945
LZ Profess, Hill 55 39,300 13,000 17,209 69,509
LZ Rockcrusher, Hill 85 47,800 47,800
LZ Rockpile 110,050 15,440 7,650 133,140
LZ Ross 15,405 6,720 18,508 40,633
LZ Sandra 118,780 20,210 24,755 163,745
LZ Snapper, Firebase Leather 11,350 3,000 14,350
Marble, Hill 59 15,405 6,720 18,508 40,633
Phu Bai 54,300 3,000 120 57,420
Phu Loc, LZ Tomahawk 78,250 4,000 82,250
Quang Nai 25,605 1,800 27,405
Quang Tri, LZ Nancy 68,000 2,750 3,700 74,450

 II CORPS - 1,054,406 

II Corps   Orange White Blue Total
An Khe, Camp Radcliff 37,810 6,400 5,610 49,820
An Lao, LZ Laramie 68,970 490 10,570 80,030
Ban Me Thuot 16,000 9,250 25,250
Ben Het 80,495 7,230 3,000 90,725
Bon Song, LZ Two Bits 80,643 630 6,000 87,273
Bre Nhi 6,600 6,600
Cam Ranh Bay 21,227 1,373 22,600
Camp Granite 59,310 2,075 5,390 66,775
Che Oreo 1,800 1,800
Da Lat 575 575
Dak To 49,460 600 34,800 84,860
Firebase Pony 43,490 3,800 47,290
Kontum   415 415
LZ Dog, LZ English 63,073 630 6,000 69,703
LZ Oasis     No Data
LZ Putter, Firebase Bird 50,095 7,200 57,295
LZ Uplift 43,455 3,220 ,275 46,950
Nha Trang 6,950 325 7,275
Pham Rang 110 2,075 2,185
Phan Thiet 5,000 ,330 ,220 5,550
Plei Ho, SF Camp 15,300 1,260 ,110 16,670
Plei Jerang 98,220 51,235 1,800 151,255
Pleiku 1,210 11,640 1,950 14,800
Puh Cat, LZ Hammond 29,700 7,210 36,910
Qui Nhon 53,215 1,800 4,125 59,140
Song Cau 5,650 55 5,705
Tuy An 13,215 3,740 16,955
Tuy Hoa 29,565 4,485 34,050

 III CORPS - 4,086,229 

III Corps   Orange White Blue Total
An Loc 77,000 79,830 156,830
Ben Cat 87,250 83,640 20,105 190,995
Bien Hoa 35,045 124,525 3,950 163,520
Cholon 320 320
Cu Chi 59,150 67,540 14,105 140,795
Dau Tieng (Michelin) 32,370 45,800 3,600 81,770
Dien Duc, Firebase Elaine 66,850 25,500 92,350
Duc Hoa 750 750
Firebase Di An 6,000 1,595 7,595
Firebase Frenzel 13,445 57,560 900 71,905
Firebase Jewel, LZ Snuffy 219,550 146,010 7,300 372,860
Firebase Mace 34,280 23,350 730 58,360
Katum 299,420 239,395 20,000 558,815
Lai Khe 57,120 22,300 1,800 81,220
Loc Ninh 46,660 103,710 1,800 152,170
Long Binh, Firebase Concord 13,445 57,560 71,005
LZ Bearcat 17,840 75,470 93,310
LZ Fish Nook 44,000 23,800 67,800
LZ Schofield 38,640 17,210 7,800 63,650
Nha Be (Navy Base) 119,725 121,925 6,000 247,650
Nui Ba Den, Firebase Caroline 50,020 66,500 2,100 118,620
Phouc Vinh 484,383 146,576 12,810 643,769
Phu Cuong 39,845 62,230 12,055 114,130
Phu Loi 79,000 83,430 162,430
Qua Viet 50,610 5,600 3,500 59,710
Quan Loi 44,190 34,300 78,490
Saigon No Data
Song Be 1,900 9,220 11,120
Tan Son Nhut 6,320 1,595 7,915
Tay Ninh 720 3,225 600 4,545
Trang Bang 32,365 39,560 6,000 77,925
Vo Dat, Firebase Nancy 14,180 29,100 43,280
Vung Tau 7,350 7,350
Xuan Loc 23,865 58,750 660 83,275

 IV CORPS - 669,534 

IV Corps   Orange White Blue Total
Ben Luc 45,900 14,838 60,738
Ben Tre 24,800 24,750 49,550
Can Tho 15,160 13,915 11,685 40,760
Cao Lanh 1,875 2,935 830 5,640
Dong Tam 5,870 605 165 6,640
Firebase Grand Can(yon?) 1,540 1,540
Firebase Moore 9,820 9,820
Ham Long 3,275 1,620 4,895
Moc Hoa 12,400 6,590 18,990
My Tho 13,320 7,316 965 21,601
Nam Can 150,345 64,295 214,640
Phnom 184 184
Phu Quoc 19,000 19,000
Rach Gia 2,155 2,155
Seafloat 4,700 4,700
Soc Trang 3,410 2,391 1,280 7,081
Tan An 89,550 36,450 126,000
Tieu Con 8,700 8,700
Tra Vinh 9,885 8,000 17,885
Vinh Loi 30,010 30,010
Vinh Long 8,360 9,755 890 19,005

Note: These tables do NOT include US Army helicopter or ground applications, or any form of the insecticide programs by GVN or the US military.  The amount represents gallons within eight (8) kilometers of the area.  Thus, each area is 9.6 miles in diameter.

   

Description

TCDD (Dioxin) Amounts
Agent Orange 1.77 to 40 ppm
Agent Blue (Purple) 32.8 to 45 ppm
Agent Red (Pink) 65.6 ppm
Agent White (Green) 65.6 ppm
Silvex 1 to 70 ppm
2,4,5-T (Current) 0.1 ppm or less

 

     

 AO links 

Institute of Medicine Health of Veterans and Deployed Forces  New!

Agent Orange Lawsuit  Posted 7-15-03

Agent Orange
Veterans and Agent Orange - NAS study text Air Force Health Study on Agent Orange
Veterans and Agent Orange - 1996 Update Article by William A. Buckingham, Jr., PhD
Veterans and Agent Orange - 1998 Update Veterans Administration
DioxinKills Veterans' Benefits
Agent Orange Registry Poisoning of New Zealand
The Frustration Continues Agent Orange Website
Zumwalt Report - May 1990
Executive Summary - The Herbicidal Warfare Program in Vietnam, 1961-1971

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