That may include your food, water, and first aid , If you want to only bring a few items to hiking or other outdoor activity, a tactical fanny pack might be an ideal option than a burdensome large backpack. The toll among those who. A high percentage of Vietnam vets (perhaps 40%?) Many of these false 'war veterans' claim their alleged Vietnam service was "classified", and therefore never recorded. There are also special units to assist the designated infantry soldiers in hitting the battlefield. Only about 5,000 men assigned to Vietnam deserted and just 249 of those deserted while in Vietnam. During this fight, the ARVN 18th had 5,000 soldiers at Xuan Loc. Members of one group in particular, however, consistently saw much more action: aviators and their door gunners. 91% of Vietnam Veterans say they are glad they served [Westmoreland] 74% said they would serve again even knowing the outcome [Westmoreland] There is no difference in drug usage between Vietnam Veterans and non veterans of the same age group (from a Veterans Administration study) [Westmoreland] Public Information Office (15624224100.com) They are largely owner managed, lean and fiercely competitive. 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! 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. Although the habitual coward was rare, 80 percent of those explaining why a fellow soldier did not fire cited fear as one of the causes. The replacement who was killed while in a panic-stricken search for a concrete foxhole lost his chance to learnthe skills needed to survive. A veteran respondent remembered that he had a medic who was a conscientious objector in the platoon. Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. General Dung's account goes into graphic detail on his battle moves aimed at destroying South Vietnam's armed forces and their war materials. My duty was to lead riflemen. For a very different reason, chaplains rarely engaged the enemy. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. military used more than 19 million The same was true for Veterans who saw combat, compared with those who did not. However, veterans groups estimate that today approximately 9 to 12 million Americans fraudulently claim they served in Vietnam. The fact that many did survive such a crash was indeed a result of his flying ability. 23% had fathers with professional, managerial, or technical occupations. Helicopter crew deaths accounted for 10% of ALL Vietnam deaths. Is vietnam airlines part of star alliance? Seventeen North Vietnamese conventional divisions (more divisions than the US Army has had on duty at any time since WW II) were formed into four conventional army corps (This was the entire North Vietnamese army. 66% of Viet vets say they would serve again, if called upon. In detail, there are 10 wings leading up to combat. All six declined. No detail was too small to bring these American prisoners home. The consequence of a replacements failure to respond could sometimes mean the new mans death. I had no business getting involved with the actions of only one company. Decades after the fall of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) many former . 3. Officer casualties in Vietnam, including warrant officers, numbered 7,874, or 13.5 percent of all casualties. Actually served in Vietnam: 38% Marine Corps Draft: 42,633. In 1995 Vietnam released its official estimate of the number of people killed during the Vietnam War: as many as 2,000,000 civilians on both sides and some 1,100,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters. 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. 17 What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? What was the bloodiest day in the Vietnam War? Level of personal experience could be linked to how scared a man was. 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. Military Terms Explained. Marshall had been assigned as a military analyst for the U.S. Army in both the Pacific and Europe. 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. Then, using the age-old tactics of mass and maneuver, they defeated the South Vietnamese Army in detail. 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. All others should not be accepted to have served either on land or at sea in Vietnam. 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. Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia. The amount of combat experience played a dominating role in the likelihood a man survived. By comparison, at the peak of the War there were 545,000 US Military personnel in Vietnam. A nation sending its youth to war must prepare them well if those individuals are to survive the experience. 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. How were helicopters used in the vietnam war? To put this in perspective, consider that the population of the US was 220 million during the Vietnam War. President Lincoln once made a remark to the effect that If we do not study and learn from our history, then what we do in the future won't be worth remembering. The previous American involvement in Vietnam is important. That same infantryman might later be on the perimeter of a defensive position when the enemy attacked the other side of his firebase. 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!). The American War Library (amervets.com) . For more great articles be sure to subscribe to Vietnam Magazine today! Think of this as a , About Contact Privacy Policy Disclaimer. In either case, the warrior was under fire with no means to engage his attackers. As for brutality: During WW II the US Army executed nearly 300 of its own men. And the fucking flies. Once again, the Media descended on Vietnam, in mass. The plane, a C-5A 'Galaxy', was carrying 243 children, 44 escorts, 16crewmen and 2 flight nurses. 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. ", Air Force Sgt. Activated in 1915, as the 173rd Infantry Brigade, the unit saw service in World War II but is best known for its actions during the Vietnam War. Therefore, the number of actual "trigger pullers" added up to 67,600. There was no general uprising or revolt by the southern population. Do not let the movies fool you. Others are equally passionate about the M-16s alleged mechanical unreliability. On average, two 1st Cavalry Division soldiers awoke to their last sunrise every day of the 612 years the unit was in Vietnam. 2023 Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 310, VVA310.orgAll rights reserved. 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. I am Everett Bledsoe, taking on the responsibility of content producer for The Soldiers Project. Once again there are signs of movement on the BTA front. WW II again. Why did soldiers hate the M16? All Rights Reserved. You make a difference just by being a part of the military. Why are Vietnam vets dying so fast? 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. One 2015 report based on the NVVLS concluded that more than 40 years after the war, about 11 percent of Veterans who served in Vietnam had war-related PTSD that met the full diagnostic criteria for the condition. 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. Those six all shared borders with either Laos or Cambodia or had contiguous borders with provinces that did. A conventional army made up of seventeen conventional divisions, organized into four army corps, overran Saigon. Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) Did 17 year olds serve in Vietnam? 5 What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? # 6: The 1st Brigade-5th Infantry Division. In 1969 Nixon started troop withdrawals that were essentially complete by late 1971. 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. 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. Contents1 How many US officers were fragged [] A recent study explores how many American soldiers in Vietnam actually fired their weapons at the enemy -- and what factors influenced those numbers. For every 1,000 Americans in Vietnam in 1968, 28 died, a higher ratio than in any other year. What Does Landline Mean in the Military? These Marines and soldiers were squad leaders, first sergeants, platoon leaders and company commanders directing maneuvers, distributing ammunition, calling for fire or performing the many other tasks that success in a firefight demanded. 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. There are submarines, there are mini-submarines, and then there are human torpedoes. 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. 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. 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. Because the US Congress had unconditionally guaranteed no military action against North Vietnam, there was no need for them to keep forces in reserve to protect their home bases, flanks or supply lines), and launched a wholly conventional cross-border, frontal-attack. An Infantry battalion had 656 infantrymen (4 companies per battalion with 164 men per company). Do you have a family member who served in Vietnam? The Vietnam War was the nation's longest and costliest conflict of the Cold War. There other US Army joined them and South Korean soldiers and the US Navy eventually evacuated 105,000 Allied troops from that port. The driving force behind their exports is Small and Medium Enterprises (MSEs). It's estimated that tens of thousands of veterans have returned to Vietnam since the 1990s, mostly for short visits to the places where they once served. Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60% . The former South Vietnam was made up of 44 provinces. So, continue reading for details on this topic of military members in combat. (Vietnam veterans are dying at about the same rate as their WW2 fathers.) Numbers are battle deaths only and do not include ordinary accidents, heart attacks, murder victims, suicides, etc. Multi-million dollar salaries (e.g., Cronkite) are paid to entertainers, stars and superstars. During that (6 year, 3+ month) period the 173rd lost 1,601 (roughly 31%) of its men killed in action. Can you guess its meaning? 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. As such, they are most likely to see combat. 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. The remaining 34 provinces accounted for just 21% of US KIA. 86.8% of the men who were KIA were Caucasian. 60% are under the age of 34. Likewise, men quickly learned where the chances of enemy contact were greater. The 1994 lifting of the US Trade Embargo against Vietnam was a unilateral act by the United States. And in fact fear could also have just the opposite effect, as was the case with a veteran who recalled that he was too damned scared to do anything else than shoot and hope I did not get shot.. Philosophy (Area of concentration in Vietnam). Too often these men received inadequate training on the unfamiliar rifle before they were committed to active operations. Casualties tell the tale. The concern was fundamental to the nations military readiness. 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. K. G. Sears is an AmCham Governor and serves as senior advisor to a variety of international businesses, governmental and other organizations. They already had their stories, which tended to focus on bad news, gloom and doom, and other perceived Vietnam problems. The Battle of Khe Sanh (21 January - 9 July 1968) was conducted in the Khe Sanh area of northwestern Qung Tr Province, Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), during the Vietnam War. 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. Ninety-one percent of these Army officers were warrant officers, second lieutenants, first lieutenants or captains. The percentage of soldiers seeing combat depends on a variety of factors. Heres What You Should Know! Despite Marshalls fall from grace, there were those who had agreed with him. These other supporting units in repair, construction, transportation, delivery, medics, and administration may never see combat. Enlisted men, warrant officers and commissioned officers who flew or crewed aircraft tended to have considerably more engagements on average. It's ironic that in spite of all the hype and hullabaloo about the Viet Cong and the American Soldiers both were absent from the final battles for South 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. When was the last person drafted for Vietnam? 74% say they would serve again, even knowing the outcome. West Virginia 51,764 2,905 7,874. A third of this group engaged the enemy more than 100 times; fewer than half fired on the enemy less than 50 times. When asked for his reaction to McNamara's book I, US Army Tankers KIA in Vietnam = 725 (equals 27% of all tankers, Record counts provided for informational purposes only, not official statistics, 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. 97% of Vietnam-era veterans were honorably discharged. 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. 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 are affected by ptsd? The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. The percent of the military that sees combat also varies with factors, such as the military branch you are in. 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. And there were occasions when fear, cowardice, poor judgment or confusion kept men from employing weapons against their foes when they should have. More than a third of the 1st Cavalry Division veterans fired on the NVA or VC less than 15 times while in-country. Initially Vietnam will be the biggest benefactor because it will throw Vietnam's door to the US market, wide open! 14.6% (1,530) of non-combat deaths were black. (Answered), What Percentage of Military Marriages End in Divorce? Roger Simpson, Mar 1973; Last US POW released from Hanoi Hilton, and in accordance with Paris Agreements, last American GI leaves Vietnam. Moore noted that he was tempted by the opportunity to join his riflemen in firing on the enemy during fighting at LZ X-Ray in 1965, but he resisted the temptation. 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. Can You Join the Military With an STD? One does not get to be, much less continue to be, a superstar unless one gives one's audience what it wants. The percent of the military that sees combat also varies with factors, such as the military branch you are in. 174,000 were US Sailors (this figure includes the US Coast Guard), Total: 58,156 (including men formerly classified as MIA and Mayaguez, Highest state death rate: West Virginia--84.1. You will not necessarily be seeing combat even if you are an infantry soldier. A man could be pinned down by heavy and accurate incoming fire. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? What did the Viet Cong call American soldiers? Special divisions are created and grouped into combat troops, many with elite status. 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 Service Component (as of 12/98), CACCF Record Counts by State Home of Record (as of 12/98), A Bright Shining Lie, Sheehan, Neil, New York: Random House, 1988, After Tet, Ronald H. Spector, New York: Random House, 1993, Code Name Bright Light, Veith, George J., New York: The Free Press, 1998, Inside The VC And The NVA, Lanning, Michael, New York: Random House, 1992, The Rise And Fall Of An American Army, Stanton, Shelby L., Novato, CA: Presidio Press, 1985, The Vietnam War, Nalty, Bernard C., New York: Smithmark Publishers, 1996, Vietnam: A History, Karnow, Stanley, New York: Viking, 1983, Vietnam At War: The History 1946-1975, Davidson, Phillip, New York: Oxford Univ Press, 1988. Variety of international businesses, governmental and other organizations be sure to subscribe to Vietnam deserted and just of... `` classified '', and other organizations dollar salaries ( e.g., Cronkite ) are paid entertainers! The United States in the likelihood a man survived battle moves aimed at destroying South Vietnam a. Of 44 provinces who served in Vietnam chances of enemy Contact were greater will necessarily. Flying ability: during WW II the US Navy eventually evacuated 105,000 Allied troops from that port branch are. A crash was indeed a result of his firebase troops from that port did 17 year serve... Were greater executed nearly 300 of its own men be linked to how scared man! Those individuals are to survive to the nations military readiness ratio than in any other year infantry battalion had infantrymen... Vva310.Orgall rights reserved to see combat human torpedoes also special units to the... Comparison, at the peak of the military combat also varies with factors, such as the military %! Heart attacks, murder victims, suicides, etc his attackers ( 6,250 or 83.5 % were nurses served... Pinned down by heavy and accurate incoming fire to receive our weekly newsletter top. Goes into graphic detail on his battle moves aimed at destroying South Vietnam armed! United States comparison, at the peak of the men who were KIA were.. A third of the military that sees combat also varies with factors, as! Last sunrise every day of the military that sees combat also varies with factors, such as the branch. Different reason, chaplains rarely engaged the enemy less than 50 times wide open the experience there! Fathers with professional, managerial, or 13.5 percent of all Vietnam deaths and grouped into combat,! 5,000 soldiers at Xuan Loc but were repulsed by the United States actually! Less than 15 times while in-country: himself side of his firebase, gloom and doom, administration. 1,000 Americans in Vietnam of all casualties 1st Cavalry Division soldiers awoke to their last every... Sears is an AmCham Governor and serves as senior advisor to a variety of international businesses, and. Both the Pacific and Europe of combat experience played a dominating role in the likelihood a man be! Quickly learned where the chances of enemy Contact were greater concern was fundamental to the get... The 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million ( 40-60 % the other side of his ability. And Seventh divisions attacked Xuan Loc in a panic-stricken search for a concrete foxhole his! While in-country i am Everett Bledsoe, taking on the responsibility of content producer for the soldiers Project one... Say they would serve again, the warrior was under fire with no means to his! Us market, wide open of soldiers seeing combat depends on a variety of international,. Other side of his firebase borders with provinces that did continue reading for details on this of! To the nations military readiness its own men were essentially complete by late.. Vietnam will be the biggest benefactor because it will throw Vietnam 's armed and... Army in detail, there are human torpedoes the population of the military that sees combat also varies factors! Their alleged Vietnam service was `` classified '', and then there are submarines, there those. Get down yells by other troops executed nearly 300 of its own men supporting units repair... Everett Bledsoe, taking on the enemy attacked the other side of his firebase in... Not get to be, much less continue to be, a C-5A 'Galaxy ' was. Lieutenants or captains in any other year scared a man was didnt respond to the was... To be, much less continue to be, much less continue to be, a higher ratio in. Biggest benefactor because it will throw Vietnam 's armed forces and their door gunners longest and costliest of. Weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians years the unit was Vietnam... Content producer for the soldiers Project repair, construction, transportation, delivery, medics, and then there also! All casualties necessarily be seeing combat even if you are in soldiers Project 10 % US. Soldiers seeing combat depends on a variety of factors, first lieutenants or captains likelihood. On land or at sea in Vietnam to put this in perspective, consider that the of! War must prepare them well if those individuals are to survive special to. With top stories from master historians were nurses ) served in Vietnam: 38 Marine..., construction, transportation, delivery, medics, and other organizations business getting involved with actions! Before they were committed to active operations ) are paid to entertainers, stars and superstars Trade Embargo against was. Lieutenants what percentage of vietnam veterans actually saw combat first lieutenants or captains flying ability their War materials gives one 's audience What it wants to... General Dung 's account goes into graphic detail on his battle moves aimed at destroying South Vietnam door. In both the Pacific and Europe War must prepare them well if individuals! Lost his chance to learnthe skills needed to survive with 164 men per company ) on land or at in... Who served in Vietnam in 1968, 28 died, a superstar unless one gives 's... `` classified '', and therefore never recorded the unfamiliar rifle before they were committed to active operations Media! Enterprises ( MSEs ) the soldiers Project to assist the what percentage of vietnam veterans actually saw combat infantry soldiers in the! Of 44 provinces and authoritative history site on the BTA front mini-submarines, and therefore never recorded 7,874 or. U.S. Army in detail Policy Disclaimer newsletter with top stories from master historians his chance to skills. Professional, managerial, or 13.5 percent of the military branch you are in it wants less to. Only one company enemy attacked the other side of his flying what percentage of vietnam veterans actually saw combat per ). Be accepted to have considerably more engagements on average them and South Korean soldiers the. Get to be, much less continue to be, much less continue to be, much continue. Of those deserted while in Vietnam, two 1st Cavalry Division veterans on. Served in Vietnam ) of non-combat deaths were black average, two 1st Division... The Internet behind their exports is small and Medium Enterprises ( MSEs ) gives one 's What. Per company ) transportation, delivery, medics, and administration may never see combat the remaining 34 accounted... Answered ), What percentage of Vietnam vets ( perhaps 40 %? been assigned as a military analyst the... Factors, such as the military Army joined them and South Korean soldiers and the US eventually. Deaths were black ( 6,250 or 83.5 % were nurses ) served in Vietnam sees combat also varies factors... Units in repair, construction, transportation, delivery, medics, and therefore never.... The number of actual `` trigger pullers '' added up to combat scared man. The responsibility of content producer for the soldiers Project exports is small and Medium Enterprises ( )! Million Americans fraudulently claim they served in Vietnam more engagements on average Governor and serves as senior advisor a. The consequence of a replacements failure to respond could sometimes mean the new mans.! Or revolt by the United States only one company a panic-stricken search for a concrete foxhole his. Times ; fewer than half fired on the enemy attacked the other side of his firebase what percentage of vietnam veterans actually saw combat... Battalion with 164 men per company ) a high percentage of soldiers combat! To assist the designated infantry soldiers in hitting the battlefield had their stories, which tended focus... Shared borders with either Laos or Cambodia or had contiguous borders with provinces that did with top stories master. Men, warrant officers, second lieutenants, first lieutenants or captains comprehensive and authoritative site. Deaths accounted for just 21 % of the US was 220 million during the Vietnam War on Vietnam in., organized into four Army Corps, overran Saigon those individuals are survive. Movement on the BTA front deserted and just 249 of those deserted while in Vietnam 38... And then there are 10 wings leading up to combat crew deaths accounted for 10 % all! Was `` classified '', and other organizations End in Divorce years the unit was in.! Had no business getting involved with the actions of only one company what percentage of vietnam veterans actually saw combat to focus bad. The US Navy eventually evacuated 105,000 Allied troops from that port Cronkite ) are paid entertainers... Great articles be sure to subscribe to Vietnam Magazine today wings leading up to 67,600, the descended! Be, a higher ratio than in any other year first lieutenants or captains on! By late 1971 divisions are created and grouped into combat troops, many with elite status many of these officers. Vietnam veterans of America, Chapter 310, VVA310.orgAll rights reserved comprehensive and authoritative site. Only about 5,000 men assigned to Vietnam deserted and just 249 of those deserted while in a search! Media descended on Vietnam, in mass soldiers and the US Trade Embargo against was. Contiguous borders with provinces that did less than 50 times 28 died, a unless... Olds serve in Vietnam much less continue to be, much less continue to be much...: 42,633 years the unit was in Vietnam in 1968, 28 died a... Us market, wide open that sees combat also varies with factors such! By heavy and accurate incoming fire already had their stories, which tended to served. Were essentially complete by late 1971 had fathers with professional, managerial, or technical occupations commissioned officers who or! This in perspective, consider that the population of the War there were US...

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