dod tactical herbicide sites - United States Department of Defense

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DOD TACTICAL HERBICIDE SITESSite 9Location: Eglin AFB, Florida, Test Area C-52A andHardstand 7Dates March 1962 – January 1971Activity Description: The training of the aircrews, the development of theinterface between the aircraft and the spray equipment, and the test and evaluation ofthe entire aerial spray system were the responsibilities of United States Air Force’sAir Development Test Center (ADTC), at Eglin Air Force Base (AFB). For tenyears (1961-1971), the Air Force Armament Laboratory at Eglin AFB provided thescientific, engineering, and technical support for Operation RANCH HAND inVietnam. One of the most important aspects in the development of aerial spraysystems was testing of the equipment under the most realistic conditions possible.An array of test grids was developed where the aircraft and equipment could bemonitored and evaluated using the actual herbicides that were deployed for use inVietnam. The goal was not to test the effectiveness of the herbicides, but rather theeffectiveness of the aircraft and spray equipment in disseminating a concentration ofherbicide that would be effective in defoliating jungle vegetation.Assessment: During the 10-year period, four test grids, each uniquely arrayedto match the needs of either fixed-wing, helicopter, or high performance jet aircraft,were established and operated within the boundary of Test Area C-52A. During theyears of its operation, an area of less than 1 square mile of the Test Area received15,455 gallons of Herbicide Purple (281 drums) and 18,975 gallons of HerbicideOrange (345 drums), 4,400 gallons of Herbicide Blue (80 drums). Spray equipmenttests and evaluations of the more than 400 missions over the Test Area weregenerally scheduled and conducted with environmental conditions optimal for sprayoperations. The total estimated flight time spent dispensing herbicides over the fourtest arrays was 235 hours.The program terminated in the spring of 1971, and Test Area C-52A was set-a-sideas a unique research site for the environmental impacts of tactical herbicides and theassociated dioxin. In 1978, following the conclusion of many ecological andenvironmental studies, the entire area was fenced and restricted from public access.The decision by the ADTC to allow natural attenuation to clean the ecosystem ofchemical residues prevented a major reclamation operation of an area of more 400acres.26
In support of the test and evaluation programs on Test Area C-52A, ADTC established aherbicide storage and aircraft loading site at Hardstand 7, an asphalt and concrete aircraftparking area located west of the North-South Runway on the main Eglin AFB Airdrome.Hardstand 7 was the herbicide-loading site for the approximately 400 aerial missions insupport of the aircraft and spray equipment tested on the Test Area. In 1974, 130 drumsof Herbicide Orange were removed from the Hardstand to the Naval ConstructionBattalion Center, Gulfport, MS for final dispositionIn the first years of the tests programs on Test Area C-52A, numerous US ArmyChemical Corps personnel were involved in the operations. By 1963, Air ForceArmament Laboratory military, civilian, and contractor personnel were involved in thehandling and test operations. Hundreds of military and civilian personnel were involvedin the Eglin AFB Test Programs, and subsequent ecological studies over the years from1963 to 1983.Sources: More than 25 technical reports on test operations and ecological studiesinvolving Test Area C-52A and Hardstand 7 are available in the Special Collection onAgent Orange at the National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD.Young AL, Thalken CE, Ward WE (1975): Studies of the Ecological Impact ofRepetitive Aerial Applications of Herbicides on the Ecosystem of Test Area C-52 A,Eglin AFB, Florida. Available from the Defense Documentation Center, AccessionNumber AD-A032773.Two recent articles have been published that summarize the test programs and ecologicalstudies on Test Area C-52A and Hardstand:Young AL, Newton M (2004): Long Overlooked Historical Information on Agent Orangeand TCDD Following Massive Applications of 2,4,5-T-Containing Herbicides, Eglin AirForce Base, Florida. Environ Sci & Pollut Res 11(4): 209-221.Vasquez AP, Regens JL, Gunter JT (2004): Environmental Persistence of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in Soil Around Hardstand 7 at Eglin Air Force Base,Florida. J Soils and Sediments 4(3): 151-156.27
Page 1 and 2: The History of the USDepartment of
Page 3 and 4: INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING SF 298B
Page 5 and 6: Table of ContentsPage/sAbstract 3Th
Page 7 and 8: The History of the US Department of
Page 9 and 10: eing evaluated, i.e. potential expo
Page 11 and 12: The Distinction Between Tactical an
Page 13 and 14: highly trained air and ground-suppo
Page 15 and 16: Administration (Tactical Herbicides
Page 17 and 18: Buckingham WA (1982): The Air Force
Page 19 and 20: Tactical Herbicides Deployed in Vie
Page 21 and 22: Search Strategy for Historical Docu
Page 23 and 24: DOD TACTICAL HERBICIDE SITESSite 2L
Page 29: DOD TACTICAL HERBICIDE SITESSite 8L
Page 33 and 34: aspen, and vaccinium. The 1963 test
Page 35 and 36: DOD TACTICAL HERBICIDE SITESSite 12
Page 43 and 44: extended to a height of 50 feet wit
Page 45 and 46: DOD TACTICAL HERBICIDE SITESSites 1
Page 49 and 50: Seven tests were also conducted at
Page 51 and 52: species found on the north side of
Page 57: Sources: Buckner JE (2 January 1969
Page 62 and 63: Majka JT, Cheng HH, McNeal BL (1982
Page 64 and 65: discussion, the United States Air F
Page 66 and 67: (TCDD) was complete, and preliminar
Page 68 and 69: No records could be found of how th
Page 70 and 71: Assessment: A total of 358 acres of
Page 72 and 73: Assessment: On 8 October 1973, test
Page 74 and 75: would require about 1,000 steel cyl
Page 76 and 77: e continually maintained while the
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Sources: Department of the Air Forc
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and those who participated in Opera
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