It was a long-overdue homecoming for Valley veteran Steve House. As he stood there on the same soil he claims to have contaminated, he described how he once buried more than 250 drums of Agent Orange on the U.S. military base Camp Carroll. The former soldier says he was simply following the orders of his commanding officers. But none-the-less, he still feels responsible and traveled to South Korea to help correct what he calls, "A three-decade-old mistake."
Steve House had been waiting for this moment for 33 years. And the weather nearly forced him to wait even longer.
Getting to the small village of Waegwan – about 140 miles outside of Seoul - was no easy task. A torrential storm pounded South Korea and Asia that killed more than 50 people. Mudslides devastated communities and entire roads were washed away around the capital city of Seoul. House eventually traveled by Korail – South Korea's railway.
Despite the challenges, House arrived at the military base and was escorted to the heliport – the location where he allegedly buried the toxic Agent Orange. The former soldier poured over maps of the area with U.S. and Korean officials. CBS 5 Investigates was told the layout of the heliport is exactly the same as when House was stationed on the base in 1978.
The military has spent months taking soil and water samples in the area. But according to House, the tests may not have been conducted in the correct area. Standing there, House says it all came back, "I've got it straightened out with the colonel and the rest of them exactly where the burial site is. It may be off a few feet but they'll be able to find it now."
CBS 5 was the only news crew allowed to speak with Col. Joseph Birchmeier - the top ranking investigator of the joint U.S. and Korean. The task force has been searching for potential Agent Orange contamination and any evidence of the potential burial site.
"He did provide information, additional information on the location where he claims to have made a trench and Agent Orange was subsequently buried in," said Col. Birchmeier.
As for House, standing there meant something entirely different. He recognized the terrain, the view, the smell, and the feeling of being a young man in the military. It also helped him remember what he's tried so long to forget.
"Somebody asked me if I was glad to be back in Korea and I said, ‘I really never left Korea.' I'm still a 20 year-old guy standing out on that ridge with a broken heart, because it affected me that much," he said.
We're told more tests results are still expected and the joint taskforce will also start testing in the area House pointed out.
Copyright 2011 KPHO. All rights reserved.
