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Traildust · 10-07-2017, 12:52 AM

When I first joined the Navy in 1970 my first fleet squadron was a A7A squadron with some old TF30-P6 engines that smoked really bad. We had to add a special chemical to the engine fuel system whenever we were operating in Viet Nam area. The chemical was a smoke abatement compound called CI2 if I can remember correctly. The engine service door for the stuff had a skull and crossbones on it. We were all told it was highly toxic and to not let it get on your skin or in your eyes or a open wound. Well all of us engine mechanics ended up getting fuel with it in it all over us many times. I was exposed to many different chemicals throughout my 21 years in the Navy but this one is hard to find. I cannot find it in any of my old records and the Navy doesn't even know what it was. Now as I am starting to age I wonder what exposure to this chemical may be doing to me, if anything. Anyone out there ever work with or know anything about it? Smoke Abatement Compound (CI2). The stuff looked like a thin engine oil and had a sickening sweet smell to it.
Bill

VSPA · 10-07-2017, 07:37 AM

Being in AF Security during my early military career and plagued by AO exposure problems from early '68 while in Nam, this is the first I've heard about CI2 additive, but info on another toxic substance does not surprise me. Not that it really helped a mechanic, at least there was a warning sign. DOD knew about the problems with AO as early as the early 60s and denied it for decades. At some bases, CE was using emptied AO barrels filled with dirt as bunkers for aircraft protection.

Traildust · 10-07-2017, 04:33 PM

I was at Da Nang for about 10 months and that place was agent orange central. I never was involved in handling it because the AF did most of that. I was probably exposed in one way or another just by being there. This CI2 stuff really has me wondering though.
Bill

Carefree · 10-07-2017, 05:42 PM

CI2 is chlorine.

Traildust · 10-08-2017, 01:43 AM

The stuff I am talking about was in no way chlorine believe me. It came in 5 gallon metal cans and was label Ci2 Smoke Abatement Compound with about 10 warning on it about being highly toxic. I ended up being one of the lucky ones who actually serviced the aircraft with the stuff, had to go to a 2 day class to get certified to do it. Actually got extra flight deck pay for it, which was donated to the shop party fund at the time. Now it's as if the stuff never existed. I was just hoping that I might actually run into someone else from that time who remembered it. I saw an article about killing pilots and deck apes (as it called us) on rense.com of all places. It was talking about 1968-69 but the stuff was still around in 1970-71. When I said the AF handled all the agent orange I forgot about the Brown Water Navy guys back then. They use to spray river banks with it.
Bill

Radacravitz · 10-08-2017, 05:55 AM

you might check over at vets.yuku.com, an excellent vet/VA resource.

skypilot_1 · 10-08-2017, 06:49 AM

Turbine exhaust smoke abatement fluid used in jet engines yrs ago was Bichloride of methyline CH2 CI2 Fluid. Had very pungent odour.

skypilot_1 · 10-08-2017, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Traildust

I was at Da Nang for about 10 months and that place was agent orange central. I never was involved in handling it because the AF did most of that. I was probably exposed in one way or another just by being there. This CI2 stuff really has me wondering though.
Bill

Army had spray booms on Huey's for dispensing 245T also.

Traildust · 10-08-2017, 04:35 PM

skypilot 1 - you mentioned the magic word, CI2. Like I said in it's liquid form it had a nauseating sweet smell to it and one could smell it in the JP-5(what we used back then) also gave it a brownish tent. Really bad stuff.
I am sure lots of different groups had direct exposure to agent orange but as close as I came was at Da Nang.
Bill

Old-Biscuit · 10-08-2017, 06:04 PM

http://www.oxy.com/OurBusinesses/Che...20Chloride.pdf

Can't even begin to list ALL the stuff I have been exposed too.....
Oilfield drilling rigs, NAVY engine/boiler rooms, Power plants
Anhydrous Ammonia, Aqueous Ammonia, Asbestos, Caustic Soda, Hydrazine, Tri/Di/Mono--Phosphates, Sulfuric Acid ???????

Still 'vertical'

Traildust · 10-09-2017, 05:33 PM

Old-Biscuit, thanks for the link and the thought. I too was exposed to many things during my 21 years in the Navy. I very distinctly remember asbestos. My first enlistment on board USS Oriskany, we were told to replace a bunch of the old lace up racks with the newer submarine type. In the process we had to remove a bunch of old catapult steam lines that were wrapped in asbestos, just tore the stuff off the lines with our hands and threw it over board. Right there off the port side gun tub, yes Oriskany actually had a 5 in gun or was it a 3 inch? Still remember the Gunner's Mates test firing it once in a while. So I guess I am very lucky to still be standing at my young 67 years of age.
Bill

Ray,IN · 10-14-2017, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Traildust

I was at Da Nang for about 10 months and that place was agent orange central. I never was involved in handling it because the AF did most of that. I was probably exposed in one way or another just by being there. This CI2 stuff really has me wondering though.
Bill

Is this what you are searching for: https://community.hadit.com/topic/14...ive/#gsc.tab=0
I wonder why that thread was opened and closed in the same month/yr?

FWIW, My BIL was in the brown-water navy in RVN. He passed away last April due to lung failure, brought on by AO exposure during his tour in RVN. Contact the VA and file a claim, you are considered exposed by being stationed in RVN.

Traildust · 10-15-2017, 01:31 AM

Ray,IN - Thanks for that post. That is the first thing I've seen on the CI2 compond in a long time. The statement that guy made about the skull and crossbones sure hit on what I remember about servicing the Aircraft with it. It's really hard to get the VA to take it up because there is just so little about it I guess. Funny the thing about tinnitus on the bottom of the page, I've had it in both ears since way before I retired. Tried to claim it during my retirement physical but was told it did not qualify at the time, 1991. I am one of those strange people who has managed to survive all these years without ever using the VA. I have just used Tricare and of course Medicare now.
Bill