War spray left horror legacy for veteran

A Western Bay Vietnam war veteran lay on a hospital operating table with eye cancer as politicians officially conceded that soldiers such as himself had been exposed to toxic Agent Orange.
The veteran, who asked to be identified only as "Mac", said his life - and his family's lives - had been destroyed by toxic herbicide Agent Orange, which was used to kill plants and trees used as cover by enemy soldiers in conflict more than 30 years ago.
Mac blamed Agent Orange for a massive list of medical ills he had suffered since he returned from duty in 1968.
"You just name it mate and I've got it," the 66-year-old former New Zealand Army private said.
But yesterday, as he lay in hospital, a Parliamentary Select Committee found New Zealand soldiers were exposed to the chemical. It followed decades of official denial. The committee has sent its recommendations to the Government.
Yesterday's report confirmed what Mac and 3700 other Vietnam veterans knew all along _ that many of them were subject to a "toxic environment" but stopped short of urging compensation and an apology.
Many of the veterans are now demanding compensation - not only for themselves but for their families who have also been affected by the powerful herbicide.
Mac told the Bay of Plenty Times he had been plagued with memory loss, mood swings, fungal infections, irritable bowel syndrome, heart disease, and diabetes. Not to mention eye cancer.
As a young man going into war, the last danger Mac expected to face was in the form of a odourless spray used by his own side.
"We've had a long hard bitter struggle of denials upon denials, and it would be nice to see something for our immediate families and grandchildren."
Mac said the effects of Agent Orange had been biologically passed on to his kids and grandchildren. His grandson has been hospitalised 24 times in the past year for unexplained sickness and his daughter had been plagued with illness throughout her life.
Mac's duties in Vietnam included spraying Agent Orange by hand to clear vegetation around his base.
"I actually sprayed the stuff around weapon pits and wires and all that. I even had a can of the stuff burst all over me."
And planes would periodically dump the herbicide over his southern Vietnamese base.
"You'd ask what it was and they would tell you it was for the mosquitoes," he said.
Upon return to New Zealand Mac knew he was not a well man.
"About six months after I got back my eyes went," he said.
"It all went downhill from there."
Another Western Bay veteran said his children, born after he returned home, had suffered serious health consequences as a result the chemical.
The veteran, who asked to remain anonymous, said his daughter had endometriosis - a cause of female infertility - and his son was born with three kidneys and five bladders.
"At least the Government have come clean with us - they've lied to us for so long," he said.
"But it's not us we're worried about now. Give something to the kids. We're finished - we don't care any more."
The 63-year-old former officer said he drank water that was contaminated with Agent Orange while serving his country in 1969.
He said one in three Kiwi Vietnam veterans who returned home had since died of cancer - three times higher than the national average.
Mount Maunganui Returned Services Association president and Vietnam veteran Ces Hughes said the committee report had been a long time coming.
He said many of the 3700 Kiwis serving in Vietnam between 1965 and 1972 had come into contact with the dangerous chemical.