For many veterans who served in the Vietnam War, the mental scars of combat were not the only things that lingered once they returned home.

Internally, the chemical dioxin known as Agent Orange was taking a heavy toll on their physical well-being.

During the Vietnam conflict, more than 11 million gallons of Agent Orange were sprayed on over 20 million acres. Despite reassurances the chemical would cause no human harm, more than two million veterans have reported a range of illnesses from Agent Orange exposure and over 300,000 have died from these complications.

Conditions currently attributed to Agent Orange exposure include leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, heart disease, soft tissue sarcoma, amyloidosis, diabetes, and cancers of the throat, prostate, lung, and colon. In some cases, genetic damage from Agent Orange has touched the second and third generations of veterans among those who were exposed.

Springfield’s Ken Gamble is one of those affected veterans. And he’s made it his mission to ensure his fellow Vietnam soldiers received long overdue recognition for their sacrifices. The result is the Orange Heart Medal Foundation, which as of September this year has distributed more than 11,300 medals at no cost to veterans affected by Agent Orange.

“Every day, 547 Vietnam veterans are dying due to Agent Orange complications,” says Ken. “We don’t have a lot of time. That’s why it’s so important for us to take action now for these veterans.”

After graduating from Greenbrier High School in 1962, Ken joined the U.S. Navy and served until 1968. His tour of duty in Vietnam was from 1964-66. Several years after returning home, his physical health began to decline. He was diagnosed with cancer caused by Agent Orange. Many rounds of radiation followed.

While being treated in 2018 at the VA Hospital in Nashville, Ken heard the anguished cries of pain from his roommate. The unnerving experience stirred Ken to action.

“I’m laying there looking at the ceiling, asking God to help us with this Agent Orange,” recalls Ken. “I got my answer in the form of a pad and pencil that was on the table beside my bed. Right then and there, I started sketching out the Orange Heart Medal.”

Using his own funds, Ken went on to design, patent, and create the Orange Heart Medal. Later in 2018, he applied for and received designation as a 501c3 organization, the Orange Heart Medal Foundation. The foundation received a $25,000 grant from the State of Tennessee Veterans Administration (STVA) to help fund the initial manufacturing and distribution of over 6,000 medals, and the STVA has recently added another $25,000 grant to the cause.

Thanks to the foundation’s efforts and the support of state and local officials, Tennessee became the first state to pass a law recognizing these veterans affected by Agent Orange. Ken says nine additional states have followed suit but adds there’s much more work to be done. He credits foundation board members Robin Spence, Bobby Tyner, and Susan Hunter for their daily efforts in helping him spread the mission.

“Our goal is to get all 50 states to recognize us,” he explains. “If we get all 50 states, then we’ll go to Washington [D.C.] and they’ll have no option but to make it a federal law. They won’t be able to sweep it under the rug anymore. We want Vietnam Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange to be recognized as combat wounded.”

In addition to the Orange Heart Medal, Ken and the foundation have seen another vision come to fruition locally – the Orange Heart Memorial, located in Springfield at the entrance of Springfield Memorial Gardens and dedicated on Veterans Day 2020. The centerpiece of this impressive memorial is the monument wall, which currently includes the names of more than 700 Vietnam veterans who made it home.

“We’ve had people from all over the country come to visit the memorial,” says Ken. “If a veteran made it home from Vietnam but has already passed, their spouse or surviving family members can have the veteran’s name added to the wall. We want to honor as many as we can.”

All Vietnam veterans who returned home and served between Nov. 1, 1955 and May 15, 1975 are eligible to have their name placed on the monument wall for a donation of $150. The cenotaph will include name, branch of service, and state. For any Vietnam veteran who has battled Agent Orange exposure of died from it, an orange heart will preface the veteran’s name.

The foundation has also succeeded in getting approval from the state legislature to rename a portion of Highway 41 fronting the memorial as Orange Heart Memorial Boulevard.

“I spend a good portion of every day doing work for the foundation, which is a good thing,” Ken says. “If I stay busy, it keeps my PTSD at bay. I’m going to fight for these veterans as long as I’m able.”

For more information about the Orange Heart Foundation, Orange Heart Memorial, and obtaining a free Orange Heart Medal, visit www.orangeheartmedal.org or contact Ken Gamble at 615-973-5279