HM-12
I was in Hm-12 as an AZ on USD Dubuque.det Alpha we had the opportunity to set off only one mine.Memories start after seeing others here.They are all good ones.
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On 27 January 1973, American and North Vietnamese officials signed a protocol to the Paris agreement that called for the United States to neutralize the mines that the Navy had dropped in North Vietnam's coastal and inland waterways.
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Help with a VA Claim
My name is Brad Matthews, I was on the Tripoli from August of 72 until August of 73, I was attached to S-7 as DP Tech, but also served as Mess Decks Master at Arms and later as a Master at Arms under the Chief Master at Arms ( a very large Hawiian Master Chief who's name I cannot remember).Since our government was somewhat lax in keeping records, my records don't indicate that the Tripoli replaced the New Orleans as REAR ADM McCauly's Flag Ship in June of 73 and that the Tripoli was located in…
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I was an aircrewman during Operation End Sweep. At the time I worked in the MCM (Ordenance ) shop rigging our planes with minesweeping gear at night and flying minesweeping missions during the day. I went home for 14 days on emergency leave and arrived back to the squadron in time to volunteer for our next campaign in Hyphong Harbor. Following End Sweep I deployed to the Med for Operations Nimbus Star and Nimbus Moon, clearing mines from the Suez Canal in 74 & 75.
Read more…ANYBODY REMEMBER KO TANG BEACH / RESUCE OF THE MAYAQUEZ 5-15-75
IWAS ON THE CORAL SEA AS A BT WHEN WE WENT TO RETRIVE THE SHIP. ANYBODY OUT THERE THAT WAS IN SUPPORT. TO ALL THE SERVICEMEN THAT WERE PART OF THIS AND TO ONES WE LOST MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE FAMILIES. WE WILL NEVER FORGET.
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Comments
Anything new? I could show you all letters I wrote to my senators and reps 30 years ago. Could also show the condescending replies..."Thank you so much for contacting me. Blah, blah, blah." Nothing has changed on that front. Hope we keep pestering the powers that be. We can put the ribbon on the uniform we get buried in.
Mike and Jeff, I've been a member of this site since I joined. I have recently retired and I'm just getting back to following this group. Everything I have read and followed is what the two of you are doing to help those who served during Operation End Sweep to get the recognation they deserved. What you said about McCain is true and has been showing his rino side more and more over the last few years. I wish you both well and a blessed Christmas and New Year and fair seas.
Jeff, thanks for the nice words and holiday wishes. I also hope our shipmates and their families enjoy the holidays.
There isn't a single person in government worthy of worship: never has been and never will be. I agree with you that although Senator McCain is worthy of great respect, specifically for the toll he has taken and for his many achievements. Senator McCain has made some great decisions and has a net positive effect on our government, but on some issues, he screwed the pooch, and I'd say the End Sweep/VSM issue is one of them. So criticisms of McCain can be justified, and your criticisms of him fall far short of disrespectful. If anyone got their feelings hurt by your comments ... oh, well.
Mr. Adams, I sincerely hope you and the rest of the Blue Water bunch are successful in your fight with the VA. It's been a long haul for many.
Thanks for the info. I’ll start hammering my state reps to get off their butts and support this bill.
Hi Mr. Adams,
Sorry to hear about your problems with the VA, but none of us are surprised. It's an old, sad story.
The Operation End Sweep/VSM issue discussed in this forum may not be much help with VA benefits, especially concerning Agent Orange. Once upon a time, the VA considered the VSM as qualifying evidence for presumptive Agent Orange exposure. That ended around 2002 when the VA decided a good way to fund outrageous executive bonuses would be to exclude Blue Water Navy sailors and set the criteria for AO presumption as "boots on the ground" (the bonuses part is my cynical interpretation, but it's surely not far of the mark). Hence, even if we are awarded VSM for participating in Operation End Sweep, it's not likely to help with VA claims, at least not now and not for AO. But who knows? Maybe the criteria for AO presumption will someday be reset to include VSM, but I'm not optimistic.
Better information about your situation (and mine) can be found with the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Association. There are two Facebook groups, "Blue Water Navy Awareness" and "Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Association", that may be helpful.
Meanwhile, it would be helpful to both issues, Op. End Sweep/VSM and Blue Water Navy AO, if you call your congressman and senator and ask for their continued support. Too late this fiscal year for congress to do anything about End Sweep, so we shall try again next fiscal year. However, please call your US Senators and ask them to support S.422 - Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2017.
Mr. Austin, Mr. Puritz I would like to become someone to help with this problem.
I live in New Mexico and have been fighting the VA over issues caused by AO from the water we drank aboard the Tripoli and the Ogden. This state will not do anything to help with medical issues unless you have a VSM on your DD214. Please count me in on contacting any senator or representative that needs to be called.
Jeff, here's the latest. We were unsuccessful in having an amendment included in the NDAA for this fiscal year. The House of Representatives had our amendment firmly in place, but during the conference process it was struck from the final version by the Senate.
Strong support for the amendment throughout the House, much support from the Senate, but Senator McCain decided he wasn't having it. I am still stunned that McCain, of all people, would be the obstructionist.
My congressman's legislative assistant, Kevin O'Keefe, has been our champion for this issue. He tells me various VSOs offer their support, including Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Association, AmVets, VFW and others. Also he has received calls from other congressmen expressing support for the Op. End Sweep/VSM initiative, so somehow the word seems to be spreading, perhaps helped along at least in part by this form. Kevin would like to hear from anyone who supports the initiative, regardless of their home congressional district, so please call him if you have anything helpful to say about it. Contact the office of Congressman Garret Graves (R-LA) at 202-225-3901 and ask for Mr. Kevin O'Keefe. Email is garretgraves.house.gov.
Personal disclaimer: at this moment I am dazed and loopy thanks to a concoction of opioids and other strange brews. I'm not even sure if I'm writing in English or Klingon, so apologies for any odd and incoherent expressions. I'm recovering from lumbar fusion surgery, authorized through the VA's Veteran's Choice program. I mention this because VA approvals for the surgery were, as you might expect, choked up at various points in the process. One telephone call to Congressman Grave's office, and within 48 hours the logjams disappeared. Certain elements of Congress may deserve the daily criticisms you hear. Some do not, because they know how to fight and get things done, even if it takes time.
No need to apologize, Jeff. The amendment can't be found in any current drafts, so it's quite reasonable to conclude it's gone and forgotten. We must simply wait and see if Senator McCain decides to drop his resistance or if a bit of legislative magic can be found to work around it.
Jeff, thanks for the message and support. I just talked to Congressman Graves' office, and it seems House Amendment 566 isn't dead yet, but surely we have no help from the Senate. I'm stunned to learn the main roadblock is from Senator McCain who, unfortunately for this matter, is the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. With his background I cannot imagine why he would oppose something like this. I’m inclined to speculate that someone in his office has led him astray, for whatever reason. I called Senator McCain’s office appealing for support, but I have no reply.
There’s a bit of good news. The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Mac Thornberry of Texas, seems to be firmly on our side. He may be able to get the amendment included, depending upon how much effort the other side wants to put into opposing it. Meanwhile, Congressman Graves’ office hasn’t abandoned us.
Bottom line is that although we may not have good reason to expect victory, neither should we admit defeat until the final version of the bill is presented to the Oval Office.
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