Citation Nr: 21016175
Decision Date: 03/22/21	Archive Date: 03/22/21

DOCKET NO. 16-11 577
DATE: March 22, 2021

REMANDED

Service connection for cause of death is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran had active service in the Navy from February 1958 to April 1977. He died in January 2012. The Appellant is his widow. 

The Appellant is seeking service connection for cause of death. The Veteran’s death certificate shows that the primary cause of death is cardiopulmonary arrest due to bronchogenic carcinoma.

The Appellant testified at her Board hearing in March 2021, stating that the Veteran had served in Vietnam. His military records (DD214) showed that he had foreign service for more than two years. However, there are no other military personnel records associated with the claim’s file showing which ships the Veteran served on and when he served on them.

Therefore, the matter is REMANDED for the following actions:

1. Obtain the Veteran’s personnel records. 

2. Make a determination as to whether the Veteran served on any ship(s) during the Vietnam War era within the 12 nautical mile territorial waters of Vietnam, or otherwise served in the Republic of Vietnam (to include the actual landmass or on the inland waterways of the Republic of Vietnam). 

 

 

MATTHEW W. BLACKWELDER

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans’ Appeals

Attorney for the Board	Q. Wang, Associate Counsel

The Board’s decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.