dod tactical herbicide sites - United States Department of Defense

Terminal Services to furnish labor, hoses, and heavy equipment for the redrumming ofthe remaining inventory. SAAMA furnished new drums, marking and shippinginstructions. The Army Corps of Engineers (Gulf Detachment) disposed of thecontaminated soil and empty damaged drums.The redrumming operations were completed on 7 November 1969. Contaminated soil andthe damaged drums that had been flattened were hauled to a Hurricane Camille “dumpingarea” where they were plowed underground. Salvaged drums were placed on pallets anddelivered to the Gulfport Docks for loading and shipment to Vietnam. After thecompletion of the operation, Port Officials and Air Force Logistic Command personneldetermined that 171 drums of Herbicide Blue and 74 drums of Herbicide Orange/OrangeII were missing from the inventory and despite recovery efforts, they were never found.The issue of these “lost drums” was the subject of a Freedom of Information Request tothe Air Force Logistics Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and asubsequent newspaper article in The Sun/The Daily Herald, Biloxi, Mississippi, 11March 1985.Sources: Craig DA (1975): Use of Herbicides in Southeast Asia. A History Preparedfor the Directorate of Energy Management, San Antonio Air Logistics Center, Kelly AirForce Base, Texas.Miller RA, Shafts PA, Stieritz SF, Termena BJ (1980): The Disposal of HerbicideOrange, 1971-1979. Office of History, Air Force Logistics Command, Wright-PattersonAir Force Base, Ohio.Rose C (1985): Freedom of Information Act, Case 85-325. Headquarters United StatesAir Force, Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC. (dated 9 April 1985)55