You will not necessarily be seeing combat even if you are an infantry soldier. Two, three and four tours were not uncommon and the author personally knows an Air Force NCO who spent six years in-country. The answer is simple. Responsive design by BDB Marketing Design, LLC, VVA 310 PO Box 3221 Ann Arbor, MI 48106-3221, Never Again Shall A Vet Return Home From Battle To Be Made To Feel Alone And \Unappreciated, 8,744,000 personnel were on active duty during the war (5 August 1964-28, 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. 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. Largely due to his influence, noncommissioned officers and officers sent to Vietnam at the beginning of the American buildup were concerned that their soldiers and Marines would not fire at the enemy. An Infantry battalion had 656 infantrymen (4 companies per battalion with 164 men per company). Whether they produced battlefield images of the dead or daguerreotype portraits of common soldiers, []. Xuan Loc was the last major battle for South Vietnam. Charlie referred to communist forces in general, both Viet Cong and North Vietnamese. In the European Theater alone, the US Army sentenced 443 American soldiers to death. limbs, 1,081 sustained multiple amputations. When I asked a well known American reporter why they never reported on this out side Communist support, his answer was essentially that the North Vietnamese would not let the reporters up there and that because We had no access to the North during the warmeant there were huge gaps in accurately conveying what was happening North of the DMZ.. Multi-million dollar salaries are not paid to people for reporting the news, in any form, be it written, audio or video. The Galaxy had taken-off from Tan Son Nhut airbase and had reached analtitude of approximately 23,000 feet and was approximately 40 miles fromSaigon when it's rear clamshell cargo doors blew off crippling its flight controls. How many b52 bombers were lost in Vietnam? Is vietnam airlines part of star alliance? The former South Vietnam was made up of 44 provinces. 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. 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. The Americans had left under the terms of the Paris Peace Agreements, and then were barred by the US Congress, from ever returning. Packed with options that allow you to completely customize your website to your needs. In addition, Kent serves as Chairman of AmCham's EE&C Committee. The issue was important enough to investigate rigorously. Heres What You Should Know! 1. In at least one instance a man turned to point out an enemy soldier rather than firing as he should have. And the fucking flies. A mans duty position was one critical element. 80 percent of those spent some time in an overseas combat zone. Why are Vietnam vets dying so fast? Controversy regarding the M-16 rifle and its variants developed soon after it was designated as the riflemans primary weapon in the theater. If he fired, he risked shooting his own men. The Best Tactical Boots for Flat Feet (Military Use and Hiking), The Best Womens Tactical Boots for Work and Leisure, How to Break in Combat Boots: Know The Steps Well (Best Tips), The Best Small Tactical Backpacks (Compact and lightweight), The Best Tactical Fanny Packs for Any Mission, The Best Tactical Flashlights Under $50 (Most Affordable), The Best Red Lens Headlamps for Hunting, Fishing & Other Uses, The Best Budget Tactical Flashlights to Save Your Money, The Best Tactical Binoculars for Hunting, Surveillance And More. # 1: First Cavalry Division (First Team)The Top 10 Units in the Vietnam War Part-Time-Commander.comwww.part-time-commander.com top-10-units-in-the-vietnam-warAbout Featured Snippets, StateVietnam VeteransVietnam Veterans (per 100k) 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. Is amazon prime video available in vietnam? Why? The charge that the poor died in disproportionate numbers is also a myth. Given a Vietnamese population of approximately 38 million during the period 1954-1975, Vietnamese casualties represent a good 12-13% of the entire population. My purpose in this project is to give honest reviews on the gear utilized and tested over time. Maine 40,399 2,951 Although it was not evident until after the war, 1968 was undeniably the year in which the chances of being killed were greatest. My friend introduced me to this military-grade bag in one of our camping trips, , When youre planning to camp or hike outdoors, its important that you bring all your survival essentials inside your tactical backpack. Severely disabled: 75,000, 23,214 were classified 100% disabled. Some did it over and over. During the 1968 Tet Offensive the Communists attacked 155 cities, towns and hamlets in South Vietnam. Recommended reading: Great Spring Victory by General Tien Van Dung, NVA Foreign Broadcast Information Service, Volume I, 7 Jun 76 and Volume II, 7 Jul 76. 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. Once the draft dodging gang's numbers reached critical mass, the media and politicians started playing to the numbers. KIA in Vietnam = 20,460, US Army Helicopter Crewmen KIA in Vietnam = 3,007, US Army Tankers KIA in Vietnam = 725 (equals 27% of all tankers ever assigned to Vietnam), US Marines Killed In Action in Vietnam = 14,836, More US Army Infantrymen died than Marines of all MOSes, The highest loss-rate for any MOS was 11E (Armor Crewman) 27% KIA. 7 What were the odds of dying in Vietnam? However, most of them were logistical / support types. Other than the time of service, the likelihood of going into combat fluctuates depending on the military branch that you are serving in. The list is not exhaustive, but it helps to explain why a unit might have several men not engaging despite being under fire. Required fields are marked *. 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. "We called it the Mattel 16 because it was made of plastic," said Marine veteran Jim Wodecki in the video below. 79% of the men who served in 'Nam had a high school education or better. 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. This was what the highly regarded Brigadier General Samuel Lyman Atwood Marshall, better known as S.L.A. 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. | CherriesWriter, Your email address will not be published. On 17 Mar 75 the NVA Sixth and Seventh Divisions attacked Xuan Loc but were repulsed by the ARVN 18th. What percentage of Vietnam Veterans actually saw combat? Military casualties were 1.1 million killed and 600,000 wounded in 21 years of war. However, veterans groups estimate that today approximately 9 to 12 million Americans fraudulently claim they served in Vietnam. Nothing even remotely resembling that debacle ever occurred in Vietnam. These figures were deliberately falsified during the war by the North Vietnamese Communists to avoid demoralizing the population. The memorial was then officially dedicated. 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. Two other C-5A's were previously destroyed in a fire while on the ground. Several of those I spoke with were from media outlets that had names containing words such as Times, Time, USA, Globe, Tribune, etc. As he was dying, he kept saying, `I couldnt find a hole. He was hit about 10 to 15 seconds after we received the first shots and was standing up looking confused. The percent of the military that sees combat also varies with factors, such as the military branch you are in. For example; over 70% of the parts components and materials that go into a Boeing aircraft are supplied by subcontractors, many, if not most of whom are SMEs. The 173rd Airborne Brigade (normally there are 3 brigades to a division) served in Vietnam for a total of 2,301 days, and holds the record for the longest continuous service under fire of any American unit, ever. 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. I should also mention that all these interviews took place in air-conditioned comfort, in places with names like Caravelle, Equatorial, Omni, Saigon Prince, etc. 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. Public Information Office (15624224100.com) 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. Before overrunning Xuan Loc the NVA had committed six full divisions, plus a host various support troops. These numbers should dispel the notion that Vietnam was some kind of flaming inferno or a huge cauldron of burning dissent. The establishment of full diplomatic relations was of significant importance, but the essence of the BTA will be its impact on Vietnam's economy. 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. On the other hand, if you are bummed out that you will not be involved in a lot of action like you expecteddo not be. Roughly eight-in-ten (79%) say they would advise a . A good example of this number pandering can be found in a 1969 Life magazine feature article in which Life's editors published the portraits of 250 men that were killed in Vietnam in one routine week. However, that does not mean their job is a breeze and their contributions are futile. They already had their stories, which tended to focus on bad news, gloom and doom, and other perceived Vietnam problems. The percent of the military that sees combat also varies with factors, such as the military branch you are in. Actually served in Vietnam: 38% Marine Corps Draft: 42,633. Once again there are signs of movement on the BTA front. A total of 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam era, with over 2,709,000 Americans serving in Vietnam, about 9.7% of the generation. I might get pinned down and become simply another rifleman. But what factors influenced how many times a man had the opportunity to engage the enemy during his time in Southeast Asia? 91% of veterans of actual combat and 90% of those who saw heavy combat are. The second-largest group is specialists in science, information technology, and engineering. What Not to Say to a Military Recruiter & Other Tips? Determining the location of heavy weapons such as machine guns was especially desirable; those were primary targets during any attack because of their greater killing potential. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, Note 1: This group is comprised of the following individual units with no further break down, 17th Field Hospital (An Khe)22nd Surgical Hospital (Phu Bai)71st Evacuation Hospital (Pleiku)91st Evacuation Hospital (Tuy Hoa)95th Field Hospital (Qui Nhon)3rd Field Hospital (III Corps)7th Surgical Hospital (III Corps)45th Surgical Hospital (III Corps)93rd Evacuation Hospital (III Corps)80th Engineer Group121st Assault Helicopter Company18th Military Police Brigade89th Military Police Brigade8th Transportation Group48th Transportation Group11th Aviation Group12th Aviation Group23rd Artillery Group108th Artillery Group35th Engineer Group45th Engineer Group34th General Support Group506th Field Depot, Source: Combat Area Casualty File of 11/93, National Archives, US Army Infantrymen (MOS 11B, 11C, etc.) A conventional army made up of seventeen conventional divisions, organized into four army corps, overran Saigon. Below are brief descriptions of two commonly known wings: A lot of supporting units do not set foot into the combat zone, and those who do are not active in the sense that they are the ones firing and knocking down enemies. Some 10,786 American soldiers died of non-combat causes, including 9,107 by accidents and 938 due to illness. There are submarines, there are mini-submarines, and then there are human torpedoes. About 3 percent had subthreshold war-zone PTSD. In 1969 Nixon started troop withdrawals that were essentially complete by late 1971. He wrote that he did not fire in one of his first encounters with the enemy due to fear, adding, I am ashamed to admit this. Not firing on one or two occasions did not mean the same mans response would not be far different during a subsequent event, however. 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. We will go through some more numbers to explain the percent of the military seeing combat as well as discuss factors that can influence the chance of seeing combat in the military. An artillery battalion had approximayely 300 men. How old is the average Vietnam vet? Note that this was "authorized strength". As of this date The American War Library estimates that approximately 610,000 Americans who served on land in Vietnam or in the air over Vietnam between 1954 and 1975 are alive today. At first it was thought the crash may have been attributed to sabotage but later ruled-out by the USAF. The flight-recorder was recovered by a Navy diver on 7 Apr 1975 from the bottom of the South China Sea. An additional six provinces accounted for another 25 % of the Americans killed in action (KIA). In addition to PTSD, OEF/OIF Service members are at risk for other mental health problems. Victor Ubach, a Pan American World Airways pilot who was flying behind and above the crippled Air Force plane said the C-5A pilots "had done one heck of a job" to avoid a worse disaster. remaining 77 C-5A's, pointing to the continuing problem of weak wings. One of their own made a rather astute observation to the effect that they all were smitten (to one degree or another) by a sort of hazy Namstalgia and as a result, had no intention of straying far from those comfortable notions that had been the very foundation of their collective writing and reporting successes (interestingly enough the original meaning of the word nostalgia was to express sadness and guilt!). (Vietnam veterans are dying at about the same rate as their WW2 fathers.) 7,874. What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? The second largest cohort of It was not unusual for an ambush party to let the enemy pass because the Americans were so greatly outnumbered that engaging would have led to disaster. In every instance when they questioned this, I offered them a two-hour Jeep ride (at my expense) for a first hand look at modern day Vietnam on the move. 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. There are also special units to assist the designated infantry soldiers in hitting the battlefield. By comparison, at the peak of the War there were 545,000 US Military personnel in Vietnam. A quick word about the South Vietnamese government lacking support from the people, and of the so called Popular support for the Communists. None of these claimants were able to confirm their alleged war history with any military-issued documentation presented by themselves, or found in military archives by The War Library. 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. An MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) study of Vietnam death rates, conducted by Professor Arnold Barnett, revealed that servicemen from the richest 10 percent of the nations communities had the same distribution of deaths as the rest of the nation. Approximately 2,594,000 US Servicemen served in country during the Vietnam War. There are about to be a WHOLE lot less veterans and posts as the Vietnam-era generation dies. 88.4% of the men who actually served in Vietnam were Caucasian, 10.6%. 5,283 lost. 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. 170,000 Hispanics served in Vietnam; 3,070 (5.2%) of whom died there. They are not the soldiers that are facing enemies face-to-face. From 2001 through July 2020, some 173 female service members had been killed in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, according to the Congressional Research Service. However, among these five branches, there are sub-branches and units. That the American experience in Vietnam was painful and ended in long lasting (albeit self-inflicted) grief and misery cannot be disputed. 2. # 5: The 173rd Airborne Brigade. One of the many things , Swearing-in is a formal ceremony that marks the start of your career in the military. Last man drafted: June 30, 1973. . Contrary to popular belief, they turned in an outstanding performance and accomplished their mission. They stay in place even , If you have heard of the word POG in the military and are unsure of what it means, find out with this article on what is a POG military. At least 50 of the children were in the lower cargo level of the plane. He showed little hesitation to use a rifle, pistol, shotgun, machine gun, grenade launcher or whatever other weapon he carried. Works by Bao Ninh, the author of The Sorrow of War. What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? All others should not be accepted to have served either on land or at sea in Vietnam. Of the one hundred and one (101) 18 year old draftees who died in Vietnam; seven of them were black. Did any American soldiers stay in Vietnam after the war? (66% of U.S. armed. 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. It seemed that all was well. Sometimes what appeared to be fear was really common sense, based on an accurate assessment of the situation. 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. http://www.amervets.com/registry.htm. Overall, blacks suffered 12.5% of the deaths in Vietnam when the percentage. The complete description of this North Vietnamese Army (NVA) classical military victory is best expressed in the words of the NVA general who commanded it. If not, a replacement weapon had to be found either during or after the firefight. The plane, a C-5A 'Galaxy', was carrying 243 children, 44 escorts, 16crewmen and 2 flight nurses. Jorge Otero Barreto Years of service 1959-1970 Rank Sergeant First Class Unit 101st Airborne 25th Infantry 82nd Airborne 173rd . How many distinguished flying crosses awarded in vietnam? In spite of it's wing problems this was only the second crash of a C-5A after over 190,000 combined flying hours by the USAF but the first crash resulting in loss-of-life. The entire press release is reproduced below. Why did the US lose the war in Vietnam? friend and your looking at well in excess of 50,000,000 Americans with a need to rationalize away their draft-dodging cowardice and to, in some way, vilify Vietnam the very source of their shame and guilt. Along with this will come a stirring rise in the standard of living among the Vietnamese people. What percentage of vietnam veterans actually saw combat? Dec 1974: North Vietnamese invade South Vietnamese Province of Phouc Long located north of Saigon on Cambodian border. Also, do not forget to share this with others! These men served as riflemen, machine-gunners, helicopter door gunners, vehicle crewmen or others who were to kill the adversary with the weapon they carried. However, either the American people or their government does not even remotely understand the reasons behind that grief and misery -. What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? 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. What month is the cheapest to fly to vietnam? The percent of the military that sees combat also varies with factors, such as the military branch you are in. Similarly, good tactics at times meant that a soldier did not use his primary weapon, if he engaged at all. One historian estimates between 150 and 300 US personnel died in Vietnam from the effects of snakebite. In Vietnam there was never any mass evacuation of US Marine, South Vietnamese or Allied troops. The best estimate that the Department of Defense can conclude is that between 2,709,918 to 3,173,845 GI's served in-country and in-waters Vietnam between 1954 and 1975 (this does not count the handful of Americans who served in Vietnam during WW2). In Vietnam the comparable average was 5 per 1,000 troops. American soldiers encountered malarial mosquitoes, leeches, ticks, fire ants and 30 different kinds of venomous snake. (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 USAF lost 201 Skyraiders to all causes in Southeast Asia . Sit and wait for US reaction. The online research project that includes the 2,709,918 Vietnam veterans officially listed by the Department of Defense [*] is available here where veterans whose Vietnam service is indicated as confirmed or unconfirmed: VETERANS REGISTRY APPLICATION 2022, 91% of veterans of actual combat and 90% of those who saw heavy combat are Other items: Only 25 percent of the US Military who served in Vietnam were, The content is correct but the description is not good. If you are having nightmares about combat as you prepare to enlist, you can now sleep soundly. Because of faulty record keeping there is no confirmed number of Americans who served in Vietnam. 7,484 women served in Vietnam, of whom 6,250 or 83.5% were nurses. 170,000 Hispanics served in Vietnam; 3,070 (5.2% of total) died there.. At 5,000 feet Capt. All others should not be accepted to have served either on land or at sea in Vietnam despite their oral claim of service there. 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