Agent Orange Symptoms

Agent Orange exposure is strongly associated with a variety of health problems. These symptoms of Agent Orange exposure can range from the inconvenient to debilitating and even life-threatening.

If you are a Vietnam war Veteran or you otherwise experienced Agent Orange Exposure, and you are experiencing any of these Agent Orange exposure symptoms, you may be eligible for VA health care, VA disability benefits, and possibly other Agent Orange benefits.

Agent Orange Presumptive Benefits and Conditions

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has classified these Agent Orange-related diseases as presumptive. If you served in the military in Vietnam or on the Korean DMZ between specific dates of Vietnam Era, or you are otherwise known to have been exposed to the defoliant during your military service, and you are diagnosed with certain health problems, the VA will presume that your condition has service connection.

This makes it much easier to qualify for both VA health care and disability compensation. If you are an eligible Veteran (see below for eligibility criteria), you don’t have to prove that Agent Orange caused your condition or made it worse.

Eligibility for Agent Orange benefits.

To qualify for presumptive VA benefits for Agent Orange exposure, you must be able to show:

• A medical record of having been diagnosed with an Agent Orange-related illness or condition, AND any of the following:
  • Service in Vietnam for any length of time between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975, OR;
  • Service in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) for any length of time between September 1, 1967 and August 31, 1971, OR;
  • Service aboard a U.S. military vessel that entered the inland waterways of Vietnam, OR;
  • Service aboard a vessel operating not more than 12 nautical miles seaward of the demarcation line of the waters of Vietnam and Cambodia (c.f. Public Law 116-23, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019),
    OR;
  • You were exposed to herbicides in a location other than Vietnam or the DMZ, such as by loading, transporting, or storing them while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Certain Veterans who operated from Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) bases near U-Tapao, Ubon, Nakhon Phanom, Udorn, Takhli, Korat, and Don Muang, near the airbase perimeter anytime between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975 may qualify.

Army Veterans who served on these installations may qualify if you were a military policeman or can otherwise provide evidence you were stationed around the security perimeter of these bases.

C-123 crewmen and maintenance airmen may also qualify if they worked on C-123 planes between 1969 and 1986.

History of Agent Orange

During the Vietnam War, U.S. forces sprayed Agent Orange and other powerful defoliants over large swathes of the Vietnamese landscape. The U.S. military used over 20 million gallons of Agent Orange and other herbicides in Vietnam in order to strip the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army of cover and concealment and to kill off crops they depended on to feed their fighters.

It was common for U.S. forces to operate in the immediate vicinity of areas that were sprayed with defoliant. Thousands of U.S. service members were directly exposed to high concentrations of Agent Orange.

Agent Orange and Dioxin Exposure

Because of a manufacturing error, Agent Orange contained large amounts of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, or TCDD. This compound is a particularly toxic form of dioxin. Dioxins are common chemicals that often result from burning trash and leaves and in certain manufacturing processes. TCDD is the most dangerous of these compounds.

The compound is extremely persistent: It does not wash away readily with rain, but stays in the environment for years, building up in soil and sediment and accumulating in the food chain. Dioxins are fat-soluble.

Exposure to the TCDD dioxin is known to have potential immediate and long-term health effects.

What are the health effects of Agent Orange exposure?

There is no single set of symptoms diagnosed as Agent Orange exposure. Rather, physicians look for specific medical conditions that are correlated with exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides and dioxins.

If your service dates and duty stations qualify, these are the medical conditions that qualify for presumptive status. Read below for the list of diseases associated with Agent Orange!

Here are the 14 health conditions associated with Agent Orange exposure as of 2020:

• Chronic B-Cell Leukemia
• Hodgkin’s disease
• Multiple Myeloma
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Prostate cancer
• Respiratory Cancers
• Soft tissue sarcomas
• Ischemic heart disease
• Chloracne
• Porphyria cutanea tarda
• Parkinson’s disease
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
• AL Amyloidosis

Read on below for a detailed explanation and breakdown of each medical condition that is associated with Agent Orange exposure. There is a growing body of medical evidence linking other conditions not listed here to Agent Orange exposure – we will also discuss those below!

Cancers associated with Agent Orange

• Chronic B-cell leukemia
  • Weakness and fatigue
  • Fever
  • Pain in upper left abdomen (enlarged spleen)
  • Frequent infections
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Small red spotting in skin
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Night sweats

Hodgkin’s lymphoma

• Weakness and fatigue
• Fever
• Pain in upper left abdomen (enlarged spleen)
• Frequent infections
• Unexplained weight loss
• Small red spotting in skin
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Night sweats
• Severe itching
• Increased sensitivity to alcohol
• Pain in lymph nodes after drinking alcohol

Multiple myeloma

• Bone pain, especially in chest or spine
• Fatigue
• Confusion/mental fogginess
• Weight loss
• Weakness
• Numbness in legs
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Excessive thirst
• Constipation

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

• Loss of appetite
• Nausea/vomiting
• Headaches
• Night sweats
• Skin rash/itching
• Coughing/shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Abdominal pain
• Bone pain
• Headaches
• Abdominal swelling/fullness
• Chronic fatigue or weakness

Prostate cancer

• Difficulty urinating/weak stream
• Blood in semen
• Bone pain
• Erectile dysfunction
• Pelvic discomfort/pain

Respiratory cancers

• Cough that does not go away, or gets worse
• Chest pain, aggravated by laughing, coughing or deep breathing
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of voice/hoarseness
• Weakness/fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Bronchitis and pneumonia infections that keep recurring

If lung cancer spreads to other areas of the body, you may experience:

• Jaundice
• Swelling of lymph nodes in neck or collarbone
• Bone pain

Soft tissue sarcomas (other than osteosarcoma, mesothelioma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, or chondrosarcoma).

• A growing lump under the skin
• Bowel or stomach blockage
• Blood in vomit or stool
• Black, tarry stool

These symptoms are usually caused by conditions other than a sarcoma. But they still warrant prompt medical attention.

Heart conditions

Ischemic heart disease

• Chest pain (angina)
• Chest pressure
• Shortness of breath
• Commonly asymptomatic
• Heart attack/myocardial infarction

Skin conditions and skin disorders associated with Agent Orange

Chloracne (or similar acneiform diseases)

• Excessively oily skin
• Blackheads/pimples, especially around the eyes and temples. Severe cases see blackheads and lesions spread to the rest of the face, neck, arms, and behind the ears.
• Fluid-filled cysts
• Dark hair growth

Porphyria cutanea tarda

• Blistering or increased hair growth on areas of skin exposed to sunlight
• Scarring
• ‘Crusting’ of skin
• Hyperpigmentation
• Liver damage

Chloracne and porphyria cutanea tarda must be diagnosed within 1 year of exposure and be at least 10% disabling to qualify for presumptive VA disability and benefits.

Neurological disorders associated with Agent Orange

Parkinson’s disease

• Tremors
• Slowed movement
• Rigid muscles
• Loss of ability to perform unconscious movements, such as blinking, swinging arms while walking, etc.
• Difficulty writing, or small handwriting
• Slurring or hesitation when speaking

Peripheral neuropathy

• Prickling, numbness or tingling in feet and hands
• Extreme touch sensitivity
• Muscle weakness
• Sharp, throbbing, burning or jabbing pains
• A feeling in hands like wearing gloves
• Paralysis
• Sensitivity to heat
• Extreme sweating
• Inability to sweat
• Blood pressure changes resulting in lightheadedness or dizziness
• Digestive, bowel or bladder problems

Other presumptive diseases associated with Agent Orange

Type 2 diabetes mellitus

• Patches of dark skin
• Excessive thirst
• Slow healing of cuts and scratches
• Fatigue
• Frequent urination
• Blurred vision
• Constant hunger
• Neuropathy
• Itching and yeast infections
• Sexual dysfunction
• Foot numbness or pain
• Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome

AL amyloidosis

• Enlarged tongue, sometimes “scalloped” around the edge
• Swelling of ankles and legs
• Difficulty swallowing
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue/weakness
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Numbness or tingling in hands and feet
• Irregular heartbeat
• Unexplained weight loss of 10 pounds or more
• Skin changes, including easy bruising, thickening and dark or purple patches around eyes.

If you have a condition not listed here, but you believe it is related to Agent Orange exposure, you may still qualify for benefits. To apply, you will need to show scientific evidence that your condition is related to Agent Orange exposure. A study published in a peer-reviewed medical or scientific journal may be acceptable.

You may also show medical evidence that your problem was caused by, or aggravated by your military service.

There are several other medical conditions that appear to be strongly linked to Agent Orange exposure, but which have not yet been added to the presumptive list:

Bladder cancer

• Blood or blood clotting in urine (hematuria)
• Burning sensation when urinating
• Frequent urination
• Difficulty urinating
• Lower back pain on one side
• Pelvic pain

Hypothyroidism.

• Constipation
• Dry skin
• Puffy face
• Weight gain
• Muscle weakness
• Hoarseness

Hypertension (high blood pressure)

• Severe headaches
• Blurred vision
• Chest pain
• Breathing difficulties
• Blood in urine
• ‘Pounding’ feeling in chest, neck, or ears
• Fatigue
• Confusion

Parkinson’s-like Tremors

• Symptoms were similar to Parkinson’s disease above.
• Voice problems
• Increased symptoms when in motion (Parkinson’s is more evident when at rest).

Again, if you have any symptoms that are severe or that worry you, you should seek medical attention, either through the VA health care system or your own providers.

Agent Orange and birth defects

Agent Orange exposure doesn’t just affect the Veteran. Tragically, exposure to Agent Orange and TCDD dioxins is associated with birth defects in exposed Veterans’ children. Developing fetuses are sensitive to dioxin exposure, and Agent Orange exposure is linked to increased miscarriage rates, spina bifida, and other brain and nervous system disorders.

Is there health care available for Veterans exposed to Agent Orange?

If you are a Veteran diagnosed with a qualifying condition, and you meet the service criteria outlined above, you may be eligible for VA treatment of your Agent Orange-related condition.

Health benefits may also be available for children of Veterans who have been exposed to Agent Orange, if they have certain birth defects, including spina bifida, cleft palate or cleft lip, Poland syndrome, congenital heart disease, and others.

Agent Orange Registry Health Exam

Eligible Veterans can receive an Agent Orange Registry Health Exam, free of charge. There is no obligation to do so. However, Veterans who qualify and participate in this program receive a free medical exam, lab tests, and free referrals to medical specialists if appropriate. Participation is voluntary.

Your Agent Orange Registry Health Exam will include:

• A physical exam
• Any necessary blood test, x-rays, imaging, or other tests and procedures
• History of known or suspected exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides
• Your health history

You do not have to enroll in the VA health care system to receive a registry health exam.

You do not have to submit to an Agent Orange Registry Health Exam to receive other VA benefits.

If you do have an Agent Orange-related disability or health condition, you may receive free health care for those conditions through the Veterans Administration. To receive care, you must enroll in the VA health care system.

Apply for VA health care

In some cases, you may be referred to one of the VA’s three War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) facilities – Washington, D.C., East Orange, NJ, and Palo Alto, CA. These three centers assist Veterans with deployment health concerns and difficult diagnoses.

Agent Orange Disability Compensation

If your service-connected condition is disabling, you may be entitled to VA disability compensation. Compensation is based on the condition, its severity (defined according to standard VA tables and physicians’ guides), and your familial status.

VA disability ratings range from zero to 100%, in ten-percent increments. The higher your assigned disability percentage, the greater the monthly compensation.

If your disability rating is 30% or higher, you may also qualify for additional monthly compensation if you are married or have dependents.

The Department of Veterans Affairs publishes the current monthly disability compensation tables here.

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TheU.S. military used Agent Orange to clear plants and trees during the Vietnam War. If you served inVietnam or in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) during the Vietnam Era—or in certain related jobs—you may have had contact with this herbicide. We refer to this as having a presumption of contact. Find out if you can get disability compensation and other benefits for illnesses we believe are caused by Agent Orange.

Can I get disability benefits from VA?

You may be able to get disability benefits if the below descriptions are true for you.

This must be true:

• You have an illness we believe is caused by Agent Orange (called a presumptive disease)

And at least one of these must also be true. You:

• Came into contact with Agent Orange while serving in the military, or
• Served in or near the DMZ for any length of time between September 1, 1967, and August 31, 1971, or
• Served in the Republic of Vietnam for any length of time between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975. This may include serving aboard a vessel on the inland waterways, or on a vessel operating not more than 12 nautical miles seaward from the demarcation line of the waters of Vietnam and Cambodia (as detailed in Public Law 116-23, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019).

Review our list of diseases related to Agent Orange
Learn what kinds of service may have put you in contact with Agent Orange

Who’s covered?

• Veterans
• Qualified dependents

What kind of benefits can I get?

• Health care
• Compensation (payments)
• An Agent Orange Registry health exam

How do I get these benefits?

You’ll need to file a claim for disability compensation and submit your evidence (supporting documents).

If you have an illness we believe is caused by Agent Orange

You won’t need to show that the problem started during—or got worse because of—your military service. This is because we believe that certain illnesses are the result of exposure to herbicides. We refer to these as presumptive diseases.

Review our list of diseases related to Agent Orange

• View the evidence requirements

If you have an illness that’s not on the list of Agent Orange‒related diseases, but you believe was caused by Agent Orange

You’ll need to:

• Provide scientific and medical evidence that the condition is related to exposure to Agent Orange, or
• Show that the problem started during—or got worse because of—your military service

Scientific proof may include an article from a medical journal or a published research study.

• View the evidence requirements

Get more information

Review the Veterans compensation benefits rate tables

Contact us if you have questions:

• Call the Agent Orange help line at 800-749-8387, or
• Send an email to GW/This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Note: Please be ready to give us your name, email address, telephone number, and VA file number or Social Security number.

If you think you may have had contact with Agent Orange or other herbicides while serving in the military, you can request a health exam.

Get an Agent Orange Registry health exam

• ·In Vietnam or Korea
• ·Between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, in Vietnam, or between September 1, 1967, and August 31, 1971, in or near the DMZ

• ·On U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships or other vessels in or near Vietnam
• ·Between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975

• ·On Thailand military bases
• ·Between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975

• ·On C-123 airplanes
• ·Between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975

• ·In testing and storage areas outside of Vietnam
• ·Between 1944 and a yet-to-be-determined date

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The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will begin deciding claims for the  Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 at 12:01 a.m., Philippine Standard Time, Jan. 1, 2020. The Philippines is the farthest east VA regional benefits office.

The Act extends the presumption of herbicide exposure, that include toxins such as Agent Orange, to Veterans who served in the offshore waters of the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

Signed into law Jun. 25, the law specifically affects Blue Water Navy (BWN) Veterans who served no more than 12 nautical miles offshore of the Republic of Vietnam between Jan. 6, 1962 and May 7, 1975, as well as Veterans who served in the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between Jan. 1, 1967 and Aug. 31, 1971. These Veterans can now apply for disability compensation and other benefits if they have since developed one of 14 conditions that are presumed to be related to exposure to herbicides. Veterans do not need to prove that they were exposed to herbicides. The specific conditions can be found by searching the term “Agent Orange” on www.va.gov.

“For six months, VA worked diligently to gather and digitize records from the National Archives and Records Administration to support faster claims decisions,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “These efforts will positively impact the claims process for Veterans filing for these benefits.”

To be eligible a Veteran must have served in the identified locations during the specified time period and currently have a condition(s) associated with herbicide exposures, such as Agent Orange. Blue Water Navy claims are being processed under current prioritization criteria; however, special priority is being given to Veterans who are over the age of 85 or have a terminal condition. Qualifying recipients include affected Veterans who are still living and certain survivors of deceased BWN and Korean DMZ Veterans.

Survivors can file claims for benefits based on the Veteran’s service if the Veteran died from at least one of the 14 presumptive conditions associated with herbicides such as Agent Orange. The law also provides benefits for children born with spina bifida if their parent is or was a Veteran with certain verified service in Thailand during a specific period.

The Act includes provisions impacting the VA Home Loan Program. Veterans have more access to obtain no-down payment home loans, regardless of loan amount, and the home loan funding fee is reduced for eligible Reservists and National Guard borrowers who use their home loan benefits for the first time. VA’s website describes the eligibility of certain Purple Heart recipients who do not have to pay a funding fee as well as other benefits.

Veterans who want to file an initial claim for an herbicide-related disability can use VA Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits or work with a VA-recognized Veterans Service Organization to assist with the application process. Veterans may also contact their state Veterans Affairs Office.

BWN Veterans who previously filed a claim seeking service connection for one of the 14 presumptive conditions that was denied by VA may provide or identify any new and relevant information regarding their claim when reapplying. To re-apply, Veterans may use VA Form 20-0995, Decision Review Request: Supplemental Claim. As a result of the new law, VA will automatically review claims that are currently in the VA review process or under appeal. Visit Blue Water Navy Veterans benefits for more information or call 1-800-749-8387 for special issues.

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Tucked among the more than 1,700 pages of the the federal funding bill expected to pass Congress this week is an order from Congress to the Department of Veterans Affairs to share the VA's plan to extend disability benefits to more Agent Orange-exposed Vets.

Congress wants to know whether VA plans to add four new diseases to the list of conditions Veterans experience that are presumed to be caused by Agent Orange exposure. Those include bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, hypertension and Parkinson's-like symptoms, though the bill does not mention them by name.

The legislation requires the VA to send a report to Congress within 30 days of the bill's passage that must include the "a detailed explanation" for the years-long delay to make a decision on whether to cover those diseases. The report also must include a cost estimate for covering those diseases and a specific date when the VA expects the changes to go into effect.

The funding bill is expected to pass the House and Senate this week.

An Institute of Medicine report in 2016 found evidence that bladder cancer, hypothyroidism and symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease have likely links to the toxic herbicide. In 2018, the National Academies of Sciences found evidence linking hypertension, or high blood pressure, to the toxic herbicide as well.

Expanding the list of health conditions presumed to be caused by Agent Orange exposure could provide disability pay and health benefits to more than 83,000 Veterans.

Two years ago, then-VA Secretary David Shulkin decided to add more diseases to the VA's list of health concerns that qualify a Veteran for Agent Orange disability benefits, but White House officials stood in Shulkin's way, citing concerns about the cost of covering the additional diseases and requesting more research, according to documents obtained by a Veteran through the Freedom of Information Act and provided to Connecting Vets. Military Times's Patricia Kime first reported on the documents.

VA leaders say they're waiting on the results of two studies before making a decision:

• The Vietnam Era Health Retrospective Observational Study
• The Vietnam Era Mortality Study

Both studies are being conducted by the VA.

Earlier this year, Veterans Health Administration acting head Dr. Richard Stone told Congress the VA "hoped" to make a decision on those illnesses "within 90 days," which was previously reported by Connecting Vets.

That deadline has long passed. It's been seven months, and thousands of Veterans are still waiting for the VA to deliver on its promise.

Repeated attempts by Connecting Vets to get an update from VA officials on whether the department had a forthcoming decision are consistently met with the same statement: "VA has no announcements on Agent Orange presumptive conditions at this time."

A list of the diseases currently linked to Agent Orange and eligible for benefits can be found here.

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HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Three years after he graduated from Castle High School, Wallace Soeda joined the Air Force to fight in the Vietnam War.

"He served his country and he was very proud of it," his wife, Bianca, said.

Soeda was a staff sergeant in charge of supplies.

“He was at two bases in Thailand that were known and acknowledged to have had herbicides and defoliants used to clear the vegetation in those areas,” said his son, Mark.

Soeda’s family said he was exposed to Agent Orange and other chemicals.

"There are scores of Thailand Veterans all around the nation, in the world, that are affected and have symptoms and diseases related to herbicide exposure. It's not a coincidence," his son, Ryan, said.

Two years ago, Soeda was diagnosed with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. It’s an uncommon brain disorder that affects movement and thinking.

Research suggests it's linked to Agent Orange and other herbicides that were used during the war.

Soeda needs round-the-clock care.

"It's very sad and I'm very hurt that he's slipping away in front of my eyes little by little," Maria said.

The VA denied Soeda's claim for compensation. Many other Vietnam Veterans are in the same situation.

Mark Soeda said it’s unfair that those who served in Thailand are now being ignored.

"Unless your boots were on the ground in Vietnam or on the perimeter of these Thai air bases you're really fighting an uphill battle," he said.

The Soeda family joined a social media campaign called Operation Orange Envelope.

Through letters they're asking Hawaii's congressional delegation to support bills that recognize Agent Orange exposure for troops who were stationed in Thailand.

“It’s been over 50 years and my dad and Thailand Veterans all over have been denied these long overdue disability benefits,” Ryan Soeda said.

The family appealed the VA's denial and have a court date in January.

They said until his illness Wallace Soeda was a healthy man, but that man is disappearing.

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Those killed aboard Tiger Flight 739 in 1962 did not get their names on the Vietnam memorial in Washington, D.C.

PORTLAND, Maine — Nearly 60 years ago, dozens of soldiers assembled for a top secret mission to Vietnam, three years before President Lyndon Johnson officially sent U.S. combat troops to the country.

They never made it. Their airplane disappeared between Guam and the Philippines, leaving behind no trace.

Ever since, their families have been fighting to get answers about the mission from the Pentagon. They also want their loved ones to be recognized on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

For the families, it's been heart-wrenching that the soldiers were not properly memorialized like others who died in the war.

"I do feel frustrated. It’s almost as if they never existed as soldiers. It’s almost like they don’t matter, that their deaths don’t matter," said Dianna Taylor Crumpler, of Olive Branch, Mississippi, whose brother, James Henry Taylor, an Army chaplain, died on the flight.

On Saturday, families of more than 20 of the fallen soldiers were on hand for the unveiling of a memorial in Columbia Falls, Maine, to honor those who perished when the plane disappeared over the Pacific Ocean. Columbia Falls is about 190 miles (305 kilometers) northeast of Portland, Maine.

"It’s incredible," said Donna Ellis, of Haslett, Michigan, who was 5 when her father, Melvin Lewis Hatt, died in the crash.

The mission, early in the Vietnam war, is shrouded in mystery.

Soldiers from across the country assembled at Travis Air Force Base in California before boarding a propeller-powered Lockheed Super Constellation operated by the Flying Tiger Line, which chartered flights for the U.S. military.

The 93 U.S. soldiers, three South Vietnamese and 11 crew members aboard Flight 739 never made it to Saigon. It departed from California and made refueling stops in Hawaii, Wake Island and Guam before vanishing on the next leg of the flight to the Philippines on March 16, 1962.

There was a report of a midair explosion witnessed by sailors on a tanker in the area, but no debris from the aircraft was recovered.

The families have spent years seeking answers to no avail. Freedom of Information Act requests by Ellis and others yielded redacted documents with little useful information about the clandestine mission.

"It turns into a rat maze," Ellis said.

Because their deaths were not in the combat zone, their names were not allowed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington.

Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat from Michigan, took up the cause and introduced legislation in 2019 to allow the names to be etched on the memorial, but it never made it to the Senate floor.

"It is past time that we properly honor those lost. That’s why I will continue to work with my colleagues and the families of those lives lost on ways we can honor the servicemembers," Peters said.

In Maine, the founder of Wreaths Across America, which places wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery and at Veteran gravesites around the world, was moved by the story and decided to create a monument. The granite stone has a marble marker with the names on it.

The unveiling Saturday featured a reading of the names, a rifle salute, the playing of taps and the laying of a wreath.

Phil Waite from the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration told the group he believes the memorial represents "a first step" to greater recognition. "I think there's more to come," he said.

The event provided an opportunity for families to get together and share stories.

"This will be closure for a lot of families," said Susie Linale, of Omaha, Nebraska, part of a contingent of six family members, including her sister and brother. They wore buttons with an image of their father, Albert Francis Williams Jr., who died in the crash.

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