Ranch Hand

• Project Ranch Hand: This was the code name for the U.S. Air Force's operation to defoliate rural/forested land in South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia using herbicides from 1962 to 1971 during the Vietnam War. • "Only You Can Prevent a Forest": The project's unofficial motto, a play on Smokey Bear's wildfire prevention slogan, reflected the unit's unique mission to clear dense jungle and expose enemy positions. • Agent Orange: Ranch Hand is most infamous for its use of Agent Orange, a powerful and toxic herbicide, which later caused severe health problems for both Vietnamese civilians and U.S. veterans. • C-123 Provider Aircraft: Specially modified Fairchild C-123 Provider transport planes, dubbed "Spray Birds," were used for the herbicide missions, flying dangerously low and slow. • Scale of Operations: Over 19 million gallons (72 million liters) of herbicides were sprayed over 4.5 million acres during the program. • First Sortie: The first operational Ranch Hand sortie was flown on January 13, 1962, targeting the Ca Mau Peninsula in South Vietnam. • Controversial Legacy: Ranch Hand's environmental and health impacts remain controversial, with the program often cited as a major example of chemical warfare. • Viet Cong Adaptations: The Viet Cong learned to counteract defoliation by rapidly moving camps and supply routes, sometimes even using the cleared areas for their own benefit. • Casualties Among Pilots: Ranch Hand crews flew in heavily defended areas and suffered significant casualties due to ground fire and the hazardous nature of their low-altitude missions. • End of the Program: Mounting international and domestic criticism, along with concerns about health effects, led to the program's termination in 1971, well before the end of the Vietnam War.