A lot of years have passed since I departed Mars in May 70.

I have been fighting with the VA as are lots of other NAM vets. These Message pages have several Mars NAM vets fighting with the VA also. Blue water Navy and Air Force NAM vets all have been turned down be the VA. The judicial system so far has sided with the VA.

Help may be on the was with HR2254 Agent Orange Equity Bill, currently in committee in the House,if approved, and signed into law will make the need for all this documentation mute.

For anyone who does not understand the problem: to file a successful "exposure to Agent Orange" claim you have to prove you set foot on the ground inland Vietnam. The VA has taken a harsh interpretation on Agent Orange. Their interpretation is Agent Orange drifted in the air but drops to ground at the shore line and didn't drift out to sea.

Proving that you had "boots on the ground" is the problem. One of the main documents needed would be deck logs. Some say crossing the plain of the shore line; entering Cam Raun Bay, Da Nang, the mouth of the rivers where we anchored becomes important.

Anyone who gets a hold of the Mars Deck logs from 67-70 which shows the ship entering NAM ports and/or anchoring in Vietnam waters are essential.

If someone gets any of these pages I would love to get copies of them. Contact me at kenneth_1513@msn.com.

----------
SK2(Stew)Ken Stewart
Hold Capt. Cargo Hold 5
Dec 68-May 70

As part of the MARS history that I have right now that will be in Oklahoma City during our reunion in October there is a "FAMILY GRAM" sent from Capt. A. E. Knutson dated April 30, 1971.

In the letter to families of crewmembers at that time there is a story about a "beach party" with 1/2 of the crew going to Cam Ranh Bay for a day of hot dogs, hamburgers, and soft drinks. A good time was had by all. After another line swing Mars was re-stocked in Subic and went back on line and the other 1/2 of the crew had their Cam Ranh Bay shore party.

There is at least one shipmate that this Family Gram has already helped with their VA claim.

If you think this might help you...or ANYONE else thinks it might help them...send me an e mail at hotlapsbob@hotmail.com and I will make copies to send or fax to you.

As I said above, the Mars history books will be at the reunion in Oklahoma City for and all to look at and then they will be sent to California for the reunion in 2010.

BOB SCHORFHEIDE EM2 1967/68

----------
SK2(Stew)Ken Stewart
Hold Capt. Cargo Hold 5
Dec 68-May 70