The Board denied service connection for blastomycosis and right thumb and wrist disability, finding that the Veteran's blastomycosis was not incurred or aggravated in service due to lack of evidence linking it to herbicide exposure. The right thumb and wrist disability claim is considered direct service connection as there is no indication of pre-existing condition noted at entry into service.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death due to respiratory failure, blastomycosis, lung cancer, atrial fibrillation, and DVT. The Veteran's service-connected rheumatic heart disease was not found to be a material or contributory cause of his death.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected rheumatic heart disease with residuals of rheumatic valvulitis and mitral incompetency contributed to his death, specifically in relation to blastomycosis that he developed during active duty. The opinion must address whether the blastomycosis had its onset in or was otherwise related to his military service.

The Board has granted increased evaluations for the veteran's service-connected conditions, including diabetes mellitus, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, left wrist DJD, right knee DJD, blastomycosis, and peptic ulcer disease with hiatal hernia and esophageal reflux.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.