. Veterans of the Gulf War share a similar risk, with 12 percent of them developing PTSD, or 660,000 of the 5.5 million American military personnel in that conflict. In 1973, when the POWs were released, roughly 2,500 servicemen were designated missing in action (MIA). Helicopter crew deaths accounted for 10% of ALL Vietnam deaths. 3. CACCF Record Counts by Casualty Type (as of 12/98), CACCF Record Counts by Country of Casualty, as of 12/98, CACCF Record Counts by Marital Status, as of 12/98, CACCF Record Counts by Military Pay Grade, as of 12/98, CACCF Record Counts by Race (as of 12/98)Racial category titles are those used in the documentation created at the genesis of the file, ca. The Consultant's (Vietnam) Corner Jun 00. Why did soldiers hate the M16? 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. 8 American military women were killed the Vietnam War. US casualty information was derived from the Combat Area Casualty File of 11/93, and The Adjutant General's Center (TAGCEN) file of 1981, available from the National Archives. It included men who might sometimes fire on the adversary, but that was not their primary responsibility. What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? More than a third of the 1st Cavalry Division veterans fired on the NVA or VC less than 15 times while in-country. On six separate occasions, I explained to individual reporters, that Vietnam was making constant economic progress and their overall economy was healthy. Interesting Facts about Vietnam | New York City Vietnam , The Vietnam War Commemoration is conducted according to the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act to help honor and pay tribute to Vietnam Veterans and It Didnt End Well. By comparison, at the peak of the War there were 545,000 US Military personnel in Vietnam. Then, using the age-old tactics of mass and maneuver, they defeated the South Vietnamese Army in detail. In Vietnam the comparable average was 5 per 1,000 troops. In 1969 Nixon started troop withdrawals that were essentially complete by late 1971. It can light up a dark room, focus on your target far away, or even , When youre hunting or surveying distant objects, it would be ideal to have a good pair of tactical binoculars. what percentage of the military sees combat, What Percentage of the Military Sees Combat, To Name Unknown Soldiers, Military Mulls DNA Analysis Technology, How Do Men and Women Experience Gender Harassment Differently in the Military. Learn more, Written byEverett Bledsoe / Fact checked byBrain Bartell. A mans duty position was one critical element. This at a time when America had drawn its Cold War battle lines and as a result had the US Navy protecting Taiwan, 50,000 troops in South Korea and over 300,000 troops in Western Europe (Which has a land area, economy and population comparable to that of the United States), along with ironclad guarantees that if Communist forces should cross any of those Cold War lines or Soviet Armor should role across either the DMZ in Korea or the Iron Curtain in Europe, then there would be an unlimited response by the armed forces of the United States, to include if necessary, the use of nuclear weapons. Anyone who thinks the US lost the Vietnam war should reconsider their definition of "lost". | CherriesWriter, Your email address will not be published. Marshall, or Slam, concluded in a series of military journal articles and in his book, Men Against Fire, about Americas World War II soldiers. What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. Even experienced men could find such situations difficult; they were potentially terrifying when first encountered. At 5,000 feet Capt. It was the only year during the U.S. participation in the conflict in which more than 10,000 Americans lost their lives. Vietnam War troops hated the M16 and dubbed it the "Mattel 16" because it felt more like a toy than a battle rifle. Seventeen year-old James Calvin Ward was one of them. Using combat records for the first time, a landmark study in the journal Science comes up with a number lower than the onetime estimate of 30 percent but still significant: close to 20 percent. Two other C-5A's were previously destroyed in a fire while on the ground. The question was whether there might be an existing problem in the U.S. armed forces. REAL Vietnam War veterans are all those who are officially authorized the Vietnam Service medal and possess official military-issued documentation to confirm their medal authorization. Fact: Assuming KIAs accurately represented age groups serving in Vietnam, the average age of an infantryman (MOS 11B) serving in Vietnam to be 19 years old is a myth, it is actually 22. Ce dernier bilan comprend a la fois les victimes de la guerilla vietcong et les soldats nord-vietamiens qui les eacute paulaient. Why are Vietnam vets dying so fast? Was thailand involved in the vietnam war. Respected researchers interviewed those who had accompanied him in World War II and also pored over his personal notes during the mid-1980s. Two, three and four tours were not uncommon and the author personally knows an Air Force NCO who spent six years in-country. Long Beach CA 90805-7549 97% of Vietnam-era veterans were honorably discharged. 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) What was the worst battle of Vietnam? (66% of U.S. armed. 82% of veterans who saw heavy combat strongly believe the war was lost. We compiled these facts from AP & UPI articles that appeared in the Seattle Times, Seattle P-I and New York Times from 4 April to 8 April of 1975. Marshall had been assigned as a military analyst for the U.S. Army in both the Pacific and Europe. Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60% . During that (6 year, 3+ month) period the 173rd lost 1,601 (roughly 31%) of its men killed in action. But what some people may not be aware of is the purpose , A tactical flashlight comes in handy for doing missions or outdoor activities in the dark. You will not necessarily be seeing combat even if you are an infantry soldier. In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. Once again, the Media descended on Vietnam, in mass. Today, about 9 percent of veteransor 1.7 million are women. Actually served in Vietnam: 38% Marine Corps Draft: 42,633. The second basic group consisted of others who accompanied those of the first group. What did the . Fifty four percent of the Americans killed in Vietnam were killed in the four northernmost provinces, which in addition to Quang Tri were Thua Thien, Quang Nam and Quan Tin. The answer is simple. Don't forget that of the 500,000 men (and a few women) in Vietnam at the height of the war, only about 10% were "ass in the grass" at any given time. Jannah is a Clean Responsive WordPress Newspaper, Magazine, News and Blog theme. Sometimes what appeared to be fear was really common sense, based on an accurate assessment of the situation. General Dung's account of the final battle for South Vietnam reads like it was taken right out of a US Army manual on offensive military operations. During its Normandy battles in 1944 the US 90th Infantry Division, (roughly 15,000+ men) over a six week period, had to replace 150% of its officers and more than 100% of its men. Conscientious objectors accompanied infantry units into combat as medics, ammunition bearers for machine guns, or in other noncombatant roles. Given the difficulty of inserting a patrol in many instances, preserving secrecy could easily outweigh the immediate benefit of a few enemy taken under fire. I threw the water can at the enemy, but the round fell way short.. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . However, most of them were logistical / support types. Why are Vietnam vets dying so fast? The end came in the form of a cross border invasion. What percentage of vietnam veterans actually saw combat? The chances that a man would die during his first three months in Vietnam were virtually equal to those for the last nine months of his tour combined. (Answered). By service period, Post-9/11 veterans were the youngest with a median age of about 37; Vietnam Era veterans had a median age of about 71; and World War II veterans were the oldest with a median age of about 93. The flight-recorder was recovered by a Navy diver on 7 Apr 1975 from the bottom of the South China Sea. Pop!. The American fighting man made sure that these concerns were short-lived. Roughly 40% of those who join the military never get deployed to a combat zone at all. Led mainly, by those prominent media types who made their bones (and in the process garnering fame and fortune to boot) back in the Good old days by reporting bad things about Vietnam. He didnt respond to the `get down yells by other troops. Another soldier concluded that when someone failed to fire, it was usually during their first firefight experience and was mainly due to fear or the unsure feeling of how to respond. A third admitted that this was undoubtedly the case for at least one rifleman: himself. Some did it over and over. And the bloody maggots. The US military never sends Active Duty, Reservist or National Guard military personnel to any war zone without officially documenting that service for the obvious reasons of compiling factual death stats or notifying next of kin in the event of injury or death. This totally conventional force (armed, equipped, trained and supplied by the Soviet Union) launched a cross border, frontal attack on South Vietnam and conquered it, in the same manner as Hitler conquered most of Europe in WW II. The NVA reinforced with their 325th Division and began moving their 10th and 304th Divisions into position. The concern was fundamental to the nations military readiness. The new training was effective, and as a result, 55 percent of the infantrymen in the Korean War fired their weapons, and 90 to 95 percent fired them in Vietnam. When asked what portion of their fellow soldiers fired during any given engagement, the veterans estimated that about 84 percent of a unit's men armed with individual weapons (rifles, pistols, grenade launchers, shotguns) and approximately 90 percent of those manning crew-served weapons (generally the M-60 machine gun) did so. Military casualties were 1.1 million killed and 600,000 wounded in 21 years of war. (Reuters Health) Higher than average death rates among Vietnam War veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) suggest that combat trauma may still be affecting veterans health even decades after the war, according to a new study. The Hanoi government revealed on April 3 that the true civilian casualties of the Vietnam War were 2,000,000 in the north, and 2,000,000 in the south. For one to feel vindicated, as opposed to being vindicated, one must have first been feeling guilty. (Time Converter Included), What Military Bases Are in Arizona? In the course of that battle, Hitler's General Rommel (The Desert Fox) inflicted 3,100 US casualties, took 3,700 US prisoners and captured or destroyed 198 American tanks. Recommended reading: A good example of this number pandering can be found in a 1969, The most glaring example of the existence of the dodging guilt syndrome can be found in a statement made by the ranking head dodger himself. Without a doubt, you will more likely be going into combat if there is a war involving your country. The BTA is about commerce, contracts and money. (Detailed Answer), What Does XO Mean in Military? ", Air Force Sgt. In the Korean War, Major General F. Dean, commander of the 24th Infantry Division in Korea was taken prisoner of war (POW). Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in combat, provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack. 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