Navy Times recently reported that the 47 additional ships had been added to the list of those whose crews may have been exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam war.
Looking into this a little further, it appears that all Coast Guard vessels that participated (WAK, WHECs, WLBs, WPBs) are included in the list. Go here for more information. Any Vets who set foot in country are also presumed to have been exposed.
“Veterans must meet VA’s criteria for service in Vietnam, which includes aboard boats on the inland waterways or brief visits ashore, to be presumed to have been exposed to herbicides.
“Veterans who qualify for presumption of herbicide exposure are not required to show they were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides when seeking VA compensation for diseases related to Agent Orange exposure.”
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 
Well Crap! Just read the article in Navy Times about my exposure to Xrays due to working LORAN, now this.
Maybe one cancels out the other.
Please read THE IOM REPORT minor Rev. 3 Jan. 2012…Blue Water Navy Report (yes, that’s minor Rev. 3 Jan. 2012…Blue Water Navy Report). The Report (3 Jan. 2012) is …”A must READ”…for all Vietnam Veterans and THEIR OFFSPRING. The Department of Veterans Affairs has been sitting on it for several months now. The Department of Veterans Affairs does not conform to THE IOM REPORT: The ” DVA ” likewise continues to delay, to deny, to use “false truths” for veterans to overcome, and wrongfully revoke claims… in existence …to force veterans…to have to meet the approval of Dr. “FOOT ON GROUND” or Dr. “BOOT ON GROUND”. My claim was denied because: SERVICE treatment RECORDS do not contain complaints.treatment,or diagnosis. THE DECISION is “A false TRUTH” : IT can take 20 to 40 years for symptoms and/or illnesses to surface…after exposed to agent orange. THE IOM REPORT (3 Jan. 2012) indicates that The Blue Water Navy was in the worst of situations,conditions,and atmosphere …exposed to agent orange…to distillation of water for boilers…and WATER FOR DRINKING. THE IOM REPORT (3 Jan. 2012) supports… “THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING”…the blood sausage… that agent orange made of my body is “EQUAL GROUNDS” for The Department of Veterans Affairs to honor my claim of having been exposed to agent orange. Please read THE IOM REPORT…yourself.
I also am a Blue Water Navy who served on the USS Walker DD517 from 1964 – 1966. I have Diabetes, Ischemic Heart Disease, Neuropathy, Sarcoma, as well as other diseases associated with Agent Orange. We distilled our water. I rescued the bodies of our pilots that were shot down. I was in the actual water pulling them in our dingy with no gloves or any protection from the Agent Orange floating in the water. Can’t I get any help?
Richard Wilkinson
tinawilkin04@aol.com
@Richard Wilkinson,
I checked the list of individual ships and Walker was not included, but there is apparently a procedure for adding ships. You can start the procedure here:
http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/shiplist/not-on-list.asp
Good luck.
Recently saw another reference to this so thought I would post the link to the current list. http://www.publichealth.va.gov/PUBLICHEALTH/exposures/agentorange/shiplist/index.asp
Looks like all the Coasties who went to Vietnam are probably eligible.
This seems to be in conflict with what was reported above. https://www.propublica.org/article/once-again-the-va-turns-down-navy-vets-for-agent-orange-benefits
The administration is now opposed to a bill that would have allowed the VA to extend Agent Orange benefits to crews of vessels that served offshore during the Vietnam War. https://www.military.com/militaryadvantage/2018/08/02/va-rips-blue-water-agent-orange-bill-urges-senate-sink-it.html
More on the “blue water” controversy. https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2018/09/20/former-va-secretaries-spar-over-blue-water-navy-benefits/