Air Force Study of Contaminated C-123K Report Located!

Patches Tail 362 at Wright-Pat

Trolling through the Internet hoping to learn where I "caught" cancer I was able to locate a 2003 study by the Air Force Institute for Operational Health (Brooks) about toxic contamination of the aircraft stored in Davis-Monthan AFB's boneyard. The entire C-123K/UC-123K (aka Ponderous Polly, Bug Bird, Pork Hauler, Thunder Pig, etc.) collection is grouped behind a barbed wire fence and the aircraft are sealed and removed from public sight, as well as labeled "extremely hazardous" (note: all were destroyed April 2010). This report lends tremendous weight to the argument that post-Vietnam Provider crews were exposed to Agent Orange and other toxins, and I strongly suggest bringing this study and the other materials we've located to the attention of your local Veterans Affairs representative!
The study can be downloaded at: http://airforcemedicine.afms.mil/idc/groups/public/documents/afms/ctb_021403.pdf.
In particular, I'd like to provide this paragraph dealing with "Patches" at the Air Force Museum, an aircraft many of us invested hundreds of hours flying, maintaining, training, sleeping, eating, etc:
 "a.  In 1994, AFIOH/RSRE (then AL/OEMH) evaluated a C-123 aircraft located in the museum annex at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (AL/OE-CL-1994-0203, 19 Dec 94).  Museum personnel planned to restore the aircraft and staff raised concerns prior to restoration since the aircraft reportedly carried and sprayed Agent Orange to support defoliation efforts in Vietnam.  Four samples were collected (3 inside, 1 under the wing); all four samples tested positive for dioxin congeners.  At the time, museum staff secured the aircraft to prevent entry.  The tanks and sprayers, stored at a separate location, were not sampled.  AL/OEMH staff made recommendations to limit exposure to aircraft restoration personnel and allow the public to view the exterior of the plane.  The recommendations would not result in the complete decontamination of the aircraft."