what percentage of vietnam veterans actually saw combat
Representative Les Aspin and Senator William Proxmire immediately urged the Air Force to ground the. 12.1% (5,711) were black; 1.1% belonged to other races. What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? The below information is from www.lzsalley.com (101st Airborne), 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam Era (28 February 1961 - 7 May 1975), 8,744,000 personnel were on active duty during the war (5 August 1964-28March 1973), 3,403,100 (including 514,300 offshore) personnel served in the SE Asia, Theater (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, flight crews based in Thailand and sailors, 2,594,000 personnel served within the borders of South Vietnam, Another 50,000 men served in Vietnam between 1960 and 1964, Of the 2.6 million, between 1 and 1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in, combat, provided close combat support or were at least fairly regularly. What unit saw the most combat in Vietnam? In Vietnam no US generals, much less division commanders, were ever taken prisoner. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. It was apparently based on an estimate that 800,000 Vietnam-era veterans had died by 2000. Pre-9/11 veterans are more likely to say they frequently felt proud of their service than are post-9/11 veterans (70% vs. 58%). But then, as with mathematics, certain rules apply in war, and, military victories are not won by violating military principles. 3. These men managed to virtually destroy 3 NVA Divisions, but on 17 Apr 75 sheer numbers and the weight of the Mass overwhelmed them. Enlisted men, warrant officers and commissioned officers who flew or crewed aircraft tended to have considerably more engagements on average. Once artillery or other units create a distraction of fire with the enemy, these same soldiers will return fire with relish. Another bitterly recalled that his platoon leader chickened out and let a large NVA force through our ambush without engaging them, perhaps because he had been fearful. The American, he concluded, comes from a civilization in which aggression, connected with the taking of life, is prohibited and unacceptable.The fear of aggression has been expressed to him so strongly and absorbed by him so deeply and pervadingly practically with his mothers milk that it is part of the normal mans emotional make-up. Personal beliefs did play a role, though a far less pervasive one than Marshall claimed was the case during World War II. 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. . With the collapse of Communism and the Soviet Union along with the opening up of China, records are now becoming available on the type and amount of support North Vietnam received from China and the Soviet Block. The U.S. military has estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers died. They were short of gunners on helicopters, because the life expectancy was somewhere between 13 and 30 days, he said. About 15 out of every 100 Vietnam veterans (15%) were currently diagnosed with PTSD when the most recent study of . If so, had it actually been rectified during the Vietnam War as Marshall claimed, or was the research done there just as flawed as had been the case a quarter of a century before? They'd pop open when I ran over them. Other comparisons are; Malaysia's per capita consumption is nearly 13 times that of Vietnam and even China's consumption is about 5 times that of Vietnam. # 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) Many of these false 'war veterans' claim their alleged Vietnam service was "classified", and therefore never recorded. 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 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. In what was described as a "massive explosive decompression" near Vung Tau, the pilot lost control of his flaps, elevators & rudder. Of the 2.6 million, The overwhelming majority of Americans killed, died in border battles against regular NVA units. Do not let the movies fool you. In the case of the second group, vital duties were left undone if on contact these men first raised rifle to shoulder or drew a pistol to engage. By comparison the single bloodiest day in the Vietnam War for the Americans was on 17 Nov 65 when elements of the 7th Cav (Custer's old outfit) lost 155 men killed in a battle with elements of two North Vietnamese Regular Army regiments (33rd & 66th) near the Cambodian border southwest of Pleiku. What is the life expectancy of a Vietnam veteran? How to Make Sap Gloves Out of an Ordinary Pair? How to play rising storm 2 vietnam with friends? 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. Charlie referred to communist forces in general, both Viet Cong and North Vietnamese. Can You Join the Military With an STD? That meant enemy infiltration routes were difficult to travel during all but the February-to-May period. In 1969 the weekly average death toll from highway accidents in the United States was 1,082. I had no business getting involved with the actions of only one company. This article was written by Russell W. Glennt and originally published in the April 2002 issue of Vietnam Magazine. volunteered or even re-enlisted to remain in or return to the combat zone. 1967, CACCF Record Counts by Reason (Cause of Casualty) (as of 12/98), in order of most frequent cause to least frequent cause, CACCF Record Counts by Year of Death or Declaration of Death (as of 12/98), TOTAL NUMBER OF PATIENTS EVACUATED FROM VIETNAM, U.S. ARMY, BY MONTH, 1965-69. Note that this was "authorized strength". 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. Some 20 years later, the validity of Marshalls analysis was called into doubt. One does not get to be, much less continue to be, a superstar unless one gives one's audience what it wants. The Hanoi government hid this information from their people not to avoid demoralizing them, but to avoid a rebellion among their own population. The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. Again: In Vietnam no US Army unit ever surrendered. 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. Then, using the age-old tactics of mass and maneuver, they defeated the South Vietnamese Army in detail. Reading Athenas Dance Card: Men Against Fire in Vietnam, https://www.historynet.com/men-against-fire-how-many-soldiers-fired-weapons-vietnam-war/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot, How Operation Homecoming Was Sprung into Action to Repatriate American POWs. How many distinguished flying crosses awarded in vietnam? 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.) 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. Conversely, in 1975 when Soviet armor rolled across the international borders of South Vietnam, the US military response was nothing. 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. A 1st Cavalry Division veteran recalled one recent arrival who lost his life because he was apparently looking for a foxhole with a concrete lining. Only nine of the 1st Cavalry Division veterans reported that they never personally fired on the enemy, a far different result from what Marshall had written was the case in the Pacific and Europe. All of them shared borders with Laos. And there were occasions when fear, cowardice, poor judgment or confusion kept men from employing weapons against their foes when they should have. The pilot, with only the use of his throttles and ailerons, was able to turn the giant plane back towards Tan Son Nhut. 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. Once again, the Media descended on Vietnam, in mass. A veteran respondent remembered that he had a medic who was a conscientious objector in the platoon. Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) Did 17 year olds serve in Vietnam? The northern part of South Vietnam normally had its rainy season from September to January, the southern part from May to September. 7 What were the odds of dying in Vietnam? While the more ancient of those media icons were drinking and carrying on with one another, their organization's younger blooded staffers were out trying to gather more bad news. How many Desert Storm veterans are still alive? Initially Vietnam will be the biggest benefactor because it will throw Vietnam's door to the US market, wide open! 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. Several of those I spoke with were from media outlets that had names containing words such as. Required fields are marked *. percent of Vietnam Veterans have been jailed for crimes. Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60% . On this Memorial Day 2021, VA honors their service and recommits itself to . Top 8 what percentage of vietnam veterans actually saw combat 2022, Top 8 how long does it take water to go through your system 2022, Top 9 what is the purpose of making a geological timeline? If a BTA comes into being, trade between the two countries will soar. 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. Cinq millions de morts: 20 ans apregraves la fin de la guerre du Vietnam, le gouvernement de Hanoi a reacute veacute leacute, lundi, le bilan d'un conflit dent le nombre de victimes avait eacute teacute minore a l'eacutepoque pour ne pas affecter le moral de la population. 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. The NVA (North Vietnamese Army) attack fell on the ARVN (Army Republic of Vietnam) 18th Division. In Vietnam no US generals, or US military units ever surrendered. Some 10,786 American soldiers died of non-combat causes, including 9,107 by accidents and 938 due to illness. How was vietnam different from other wars? 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. On the issue of psychological health: Mental problems attributed to service in Vietnam are referred to as PTSD. This widget requries the Arqam Lite Plugin, You can install it from the Theme settings menu > Install Plugins. (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. Too often these men received inadequate training on the unfamiliar rifle before they were committed to active operations. 17 What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? He had, in 1972, for the first time in the War, mined Hai Phong Harbor and sent the B-52 bombers against the North to force them into signing the Paris Peace Agreements. [Stats Included!]. At the end of thirty days, not one single communist flag was flying over any of those 155 cities, towns or hamlets. The wealth of every prosperous nation in Asia is directly linked to its trade with the United States. On November 13th, 1982 thousands of Vietnam Veterans participated in a march that ended at the memorial. Of course, you cannot go wrong when checking out our package of information and guide, too, as they come from reliable sources and years of experience. The question seemed inevitable: Had there been a problem with Americans willingness to engage the enemy in World War II? For kowtowing to the wishes of those craven hoards of dodgers and for bugging out and abandoning their former ally. In the Philippines, Army Generals Jonathan Wainwright and Edward King surrendered themselves and their troops to the Japanese. Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) What was the worst battle of Vietnam? Special divisions are created and grouped into combat troops, many with elite status. In 1973, when the POWs were released, roughly 2,500 servicemen were designated missing in action (MIA). # 6: The 1st Brigade-5th Infantry Division. American soldiers referred to the Viet Cong as Victor Charlie or V-C. Victor and Charlie are both letters in the NATO phonetic alphabet. 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. Time likewise played its part. Most of the time, they are referred to as wings. Three of South Vietnams provinces (Quang Tri, Quang Nam and Thua Thien) accounted for more than 40 percent of American casualties. The consequence of a replacements failure to respond could sometimes mean the new mans death. 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. 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. Conscientious objectors accompanied infantry units into combat as medics, ammunition bearers for machine guns, or in other noncombatant roles. The Army lost the greatest number of officers - 4,635 or 59 percent of all officer casualties. Even experienced men could find such situations difficult; they were potentially terrifying when first encountered. He tells of being drafted into the North Vietnamese Army in 1968 and fighting for nearly seven years. His war was strictly a Vietnamese affair. Civil War veterans suffered Soldiers heart in WW I the term was Shell shock during WW II and in Korea it was Battle fatigue. Military records indicate that Civil War psychological casualties averaged twenty six per thousand men. ", In a early report the U.S. embassy indicated possibly 100 of the children. It's a site that collects all the most frequently asked questions and answers, so you don't have to spend hours on searching anywhere else. The second largest cohort of Vlach served with the 54th General Command as a door gunner on an UH1 Huey helicopter. Why are Vietnam vets dying so fast? It stays his trigger finger even though he is hardly conscious that it is a restraint upon him.. The Viet Cong had been bludgeoned to death (During Tet 1968) on the streets of the cities, towns, and hamlets of South Vietnam. Do you have a family member who served in Vietnam? Experienced units often shifted some if not all of their men just before or after darkness fell so that the NVA or VC could not mark American locations for attack later that night. Veterans repeatedly cited how vulnerable the new man was until he had a chance to learn the ropes after arriving in the combat theater. Average per capita consumption of electricity in the United States is 80 times that of Vietnam. Contact Us |Links|Veterans' Radio| Site Map. In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. When asked for his reaction to McNamara's book In Retrospect, Clinton's response was I feel vindicated. (of his cowardly act of dodging the draft). 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. These veteran PTSD statistics indicate that the Gulf War and Iraq War were similarly traumatic for service members. However, when they are newly bought, these boots can be very uncomfortable, making it hard to perform well in them. The United States Archives and other sources suggest that between 25 and 50 American soldiers a year were bitten by snakes during the war in Vietnam. 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