That works out to about 50 per 1,000 troops. Note: NVA casualty data was provided by North Vietnam in a press release to Agence France Presse (AFP) on April 3, 1995, on the 20th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. They viewed him as one unpredictable, incredibly tough nut. 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. Yes! It was the only year during the U.S. participation in the conflict in which more than 10,000 Americans lost their lives. Philosophy (Area of concentration in Vietnam). The former South Vietnam was made up of 44 provinces. In addition to PTSD, OEF/OIF Service members are at risk for other mental health problems. If you wish to share any thoughts, leave a comment. Draftees accounted for 30.4% (17,725) of combat deaths in Vietnam. A man could be pinned down by heavy and accurate incoming fire. Former Vietnam Veteran (Medic USAF) (1968-1974) Author has 12.4K answers and 2.4M answer views 2 y It depends on how you define "action." About ten percent of us were grunts (combat infantrymen) out wading through the rice paddies and pounding the bush with a high chance of seeing combat. How many distinguished flying crosses awarded in vietnam? This time (pretty much the same fashion as before) they could often be seen grouped around their old wateringholes, atop the Rex or in the Caravel, reliving those Thrilling days of yesteryear, swapping stories and reminiscing about youthful adventures, both real and imagined. Copyright 2023 - The Soldiers Project. On this Memorial Day 2021, VA honors their service and recommits itself to . South Vietnamese sources said three militiamen on the ground were killed when the airplane fell. The question was whether there might be an existing problem in the U.S. armed forces. 997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam . They were short of gunners on helicopters, because the life expectancy was somewhere between 13 and 30 days, he said. In all those years, he never once fought against the Americans. It depends on how you define action. About ten percent of us were grunts (combat infantrymen) out wading through the rice paddies and pounding the bush, There were an estimated 58,318 U.S. soldier casualties alone. What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? According to statistics, around 60 million people in the United States suffer from being flat-footed. Can you brush your teeth with tap water in vietnam? The fact is that top-notch features are quite expensive, but some of , If you are a man of the outdoors, you know perfectly well how a good-quality headlamp is essential. 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. What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? During WW II, in the European Theater alone, over 20,000 US Military men were convicted of dissertation and, on a comparable percentage basis, the overall WW II desertion rate was 55 percent higher than in Vietnam. Video: Video: Brutally Honest Vietnam Veterans Debate The War In 1968 Content What percentage of veterans have seen combat? volunteered or even re-enlisted to remain in or return to the combat zone. PLEASE NOTE: The above numbers do not include the approximate 2500-3000 US Air Force personnel who operated in Guam, Thailand or other countries far remote from combat exposure that were authorized the Vietnam Service Medal by the USAF for providing support to air crews flying over Vietnam, but themselves did not spend any amount of time in harm's way. To put this in perspective, consider that the population of the US was 220 million during the Vietnam War. Officer casualties in Vietnam, including warrant officers, numbered 7,874, or 13.5 percent of all casualties. Vlach served with the 54th General Command as a door gunner on an UH1 Huey helicopter. Error Can not Get Tweets, Incorrect account info. Thesoldiersproject is supported by its audience. 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. The median age of veterans in 2018 was 65. This ratio of support to line troops is also comparable with other wars, and helps dispel the notion that every troop in Vietnam was engaged in mortal combat on a daily basis. 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. Peak troop strength in Vietnam was 543,482, on 30 April 1969. (Answered), What Percentage of Military Marriages End in Divorce? Riflemen, door gunners and others who served at the cutting edge, men like the vast majority of those who took my survey, were of course more likely to suffer wounds than others in less exposed specialties. It is not an uncommon question, but most military enthusiasts or soon-to-be service members get it wrong. A soldier at the tail of a column winding through the dense foliage of a Southeast Asian jungle might hear an engagement to his front, yet be unable to see where his comrades were located. Last man drafted: June 30, 1973. . Beginning in 1965, the operation involved over 300,000 sorties conducted by the U.S. 76% of the men sent to Vietnam were from lower middle/working, 75% had family incomes above the poverty level. (Detailed Answer), What Does XO Mean in Military? That meant enemy infiltration routes were difficult to travel during all but the February-to-May period. 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. In at least one instance a man turned to point out an enemy soldier rather than firing as he should have. At that time black males of military age constituted 13.5 percent of the American population. In the Philippines, Army Generals Jonathan Wainwright and Edward King surrendered themselves and their troops to the Japanese. Did any American soldiers stay in Vietnam after the war? During this fight, the ARVN 18th had 5,000 soldiers at Xuan Loc. All of them shared borders with Laos. 88.4% of the men who actually served in Vietnam were Caucasian; 10.6% (275,000) were black; 1% belonged to other races. Firing their weapons risked compromising a patrols position, whereas resisting the temptation could provide the information-collectors with several more days of unmolested activity. The single most lethal day of the war for American troops was Jan. 31, 1968, when 246 personnel were killed or mortally wounded as the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army regulars launched the Tet Offensive. Nearly 75% of the public agrees it was a failure of political . Although studies vary widely in terms of methods used, estimates of depression in returning troops range from 3% to 25%. The best tactical binoculars can give you full details of the , My old Hatch sap gloves got ruined, so I was looking for a way to make one without buying a new pair due to economic reasons. 10% to 20% of those who do find themselves on a deployment wind up in a combat zone. If you are about to enlist or want to learn more about the U.S military, you will like this article about what percentage of the military sees combat. Finally, one veteran recalled his simply being outgunned as he stood naked on top of a shower stall put-ting water in. EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie. All six declined. The concern was fundamental to the nations military readiness. Units on intelligence collection operations frequently let a threat pass by unmolested. Helicopter crew deaths accounted for 10% of ALL Vietnam deaths. On average, two 1st Cavalry Division soldiers awoke to their last sunrise every day of the 612 years the unit was in Vietnam. What did the Viet Cong call American soldiers? 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. But first, a few relevant comparisons. The North Vietnamese Army went to extraordinary lengths to remove their dead from the field of battle because they did not want the US to discover their true battlefield losses. Contrast this with the fact that the US government published weekly lists of killed and wounded and disseminated this accurate data to the news media. The crash investigation was headed by Maj. Gen. Warner E. Newby. 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. In Vietnam no US Military units were overrun and no US Military infantry units or tank outfits were captured. It is not normal behavior for Americans to idolize mass murdering despots, to champion the cause of slavery, to abandon friends and allies, or to cut and run in the face of adversity. An artillery battalion had approximayely 300 men. What percentage of veterans have seen combat? 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. My tank tracks were choked up with skin and hair and blood. President Johnson just authorized an increase in U.S. military presence and by fall of 1965 over 150,000 soldiers had descended to Vietnam to fight in the war. What percentage of draftees went to vietnam? A Pentagon spokesman said the plane had undergone minor repairs to its radio and windshield in the Philippines before flying to Saigon but added that had nothing to do with the crash. 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. Only about 5,000 men assigned to Vietnam deserted and just 249 of those deserted while in Vietnam. Given a Vietnamese population of approximately 38 million during the period 1954-1975, Vietnamese casualties represent a good 12-13% of the entire population. During the Korean War the US Army was forced into the longest retreat in its history. Others are equally passionate about the M-16s alleged mechanical unreliability. Again: In Vietnam no US Army unit ever surrendered. By 8 Apr, Operation Baby Lift had resumed with the arrival of 56 orphans to the U.S. At the time of the crash over 18,000 orphans were being processed for evacuation from South Vietnam for adoption in the U.S. and other countries. Roger Simpson, One of the many things , Swearing-in is a formal ceremony that marks the start of your career in the military. A mans duty position was one critical element. Why did so many not fire? 63% of Korean vets had completed high school upon separation from the service), 82% of veterans who saw heavy combat strongly believe the war was lost. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. These alternatives were means of dealing with a threat without compromising firing positions. Works by Bao Ninh, the author of The Sorrow of War. All Rights Reserved en.trandaiquang.org - 2023. There were an estimated 58,318 U.S. soldier casualties alone. Lastly, all Vietnam War operations were declassified in 1993 by US President William Jefferson Clinton, who with USSR President Boris Yeltsin, publicly agreed in signed documents to de-classfy ALL military operations conducted by both countries dating back to WW1 for the specific purpose of accounting for an individual's war service or MIA/POW status! 91% of veterans of actual combat and 90% of those who saw heavy combat are. WIA: 303,704 - 153,329 required hospitalization, 50,375 who did not. 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