AN OPEN LETTER BY BOB MOODY:

Here is some VERY important information that has been provided by Ron Liggett (USS Conway shipmate 65-68) concerning VA benefits for those Conway sailors who were on-board during the 66 West Pac cruise.

I will only provide you with a snap shot of what I am talking about since Ron has provided us with documentation that is attached to this email that fully explains everything. Ron has given me his permission to provide this personal information to his shipmates from the 66 WESTPAC Cruise.

In 2001 Ron was diagnosed with Diabetes II. No one in his family had ever suffered from this disease and was unsure how or why he contracted this disease. A few years later, a co-worker of Ron’s informed him that he also has Diabetes II and was receiving VA benefits due to his exposure to Agent Orange while “In-Country” in Viet Nam which caused his condition. Armed with this information, Ron filed a claim with the VA in 2004. The claim from the VA came back declined since he could not prove he was “In-Country” in Viet Nam. At that point Ron gave up his hopes of any VA benefit.

Ron retired in 2008 and decided to use the VA for medical coverage. A nurse from the VA at that time told him that he should resubmit his claim. About that same time, our Conway Veterans Association Historian’s (Tom Keane, Jim Zolnik, and Stacey Hicks) asked in a blanket email if anyone had any of the letters from the West Pac Cruise. Ron’s mother passed away in 1998 and all of her stuff went to the attic. He remembered that there were letters in her belongings and went to check it out and sure enough they were in a box of hers in the attic. He sent the letters to the Historian’s as they requested and the letters were copied and sent back to him. Ron read those letters for the first time since they were packed away and discovered indeed the Conway was “In Country” with a family gram letter from Capt. Douglas, the skipper of the USS Conway. Ron went back to the VA and asked his VA representative if this was what was needed for verification of being “In-Country”. The VA stated that this was the proof needed to secure his disability. Ron knew of two other Conway sailors, whom he is still very good friends with that were also fighting to get benefits because of their illness relating to the Conway/Vietnam tour, which exposed them to Agent Orange. They too were denied due to needing proof of being “In Country”. They acted quickly with the letters and both received benefits and both received their VA Disability benefit. Although Ron cannot disclose the two other Conway sailors personal medical information he stated he can assure you it's not just diabetes as is the issue with him, it's many other diseases and medical conditions related to herbicide exposure.

If you remember, Capt. S. Douglas would send family-grams to the families of Conway Sailors to keep them abreast of what they were doing during their deployment. The attachment # 4 in this email is a copy of one of the family-grams from Capt. Douglas in which he states that the “USS Conway was 13 miles up the river from Vung Tau toward Saigon”. This important piece of proof and information is what enabled Ron to obtain his deserved disability benefit.

The family gram letter dated August 7,1966 is proof that the Conway and all it's crew on board at the time were in fact "In Country" and exposed to HERBICIDE EXPOSURE" by being 13 miles up the river from VUNG TAU toward Saigon. This entitled any and all benefits from this exposure.

I am sending this email to all shipmates on my roster who I have listed as serving in 1966 on board the Conway. If you are still in touch with shipmates from that era that you do not see included in this email, please let them know also. I will be more than happy to add them to our roster so just have them contact me. There is no way for me to know which of you were actually on-board the USS Conway during the 66 West Pac cruise so I am doing it this way to cover all bases. In addition, I will see if I can get this information and attachments posted on our web USSCONWAY.COM. The 66 Westpac family grams and cruise book is already downloaded onto our website for your viewing.

If you have any question regarding this issue, Ron Liggett has offered to help anyone if he can. Ron’s home phone number in Cleveland is 440-428-7200 and his email is ron_an_sher@windstream.net

Bob Moody (DC2 1969)
President, CONWAY Veterans Association, 2008-2009
724-452-7065