Antonia Leonard is an education expert who has dedicated her life to helping students achieve their academic goals. I would not believe the NYT. I needed the rest! Mean 69 maybe? I served in Quang Tri (70-71) and took two types of Malaria pills. Lying on my back in the underbrush, watching the blue sky, bleeding on the jungle floor alone. His combat medal was an Air Medal. after spending 1968 with 3/25 0f 2nd field forces and 1970 with the 1/12 cav. I was on the initial invasion into Cambodia, that battle was 15 REMFS against 300 NVA> The next day we went in with the 25th infantry. I served 2 tours late 1966 to late July 1968, TET and the rest as an infantry platoon sgt Also served in Korea 1963 and considered a Korean war vet as that war has never ended. Then I down shifted entered the worst section of massive ruts and the broken-up roadbed threw the truck all about its grooves. Do I count as one or three Vietnam Veterans? Was an Armored Cav Platoon leader Nov 67-Mar 68 Lost 4 APCS 4 men in my platoon KIA 12 wounded I think I was in a little combat . Another long time friend served on the Riverine Force actually served on John Kerrys boat and is mentioned prominently in his book, told me stories about being ambushed, as those boats made a lot of noise. Interestingly, the research concludes that Vietnam veterans seem to be dying at a similar rate to World War II veterans. This could be a simple semantics issue, but what about the Air Force guys who flew over Vietnam. I flew with the 220th Aviation Company (Cat Killers) in 1968. from Fallen Leaves, Broken Lives By Edward Tick Phu Loi Nov 66 to Dec 67 HHD 11th Cbt Avn Bn. He was killed in action just a few months later. Each BUFF had 6 crewmen onboard. Really, very easy to say if your were able to sleep at night, so being anonymous means you stand up for those words All members of the team are NOT COMBAT VETERANS, My husbands boots werent on the groundthey were in the air and he was definitely a Combat vet. Merchant Marine officers or crew are not wearing the uniform of the USAs Armed Forces. Very devisive infighting among all the service members who served at a time when it was not popular. Vietnam War Veterans, and honoring all who served: Memorial Day 2021 Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (Mit), Missouri University Of Science And Technology, State University Of New York Health Science Center At Brooklyn, Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry, The University Of North Carolina At Charlotte, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At Houston, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At San Antonio, The University Of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, The University Of Texas Medical Branch At Galveston, The University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Uniformed Services University Of The Health Sciences, University At Buffalo Suny School Of Engineering And Applied Sciences, University Of California, Los Angeles (Ucla), University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, University Of Maryland Baltimore County (Umbc), University Of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, University Of Tennessee Health Science Center, University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. I dont remember the exact number but remember it was over 500,000 in country and the number was the most ever at one time as the article was about Nixon beginning troop withdrawals that would continue until 1975. i am not better, but i am not worse. So, with the lower estimate of 610,000, over 2.1 million VN vets have died since 1975 thats an average of 44,000/year. It could be a Yard, Don Porier, or a sapper. I went into shock and lost conscienceless. 2010-11-24 14:32:32. Depends on where you were. Not sure what to think about the article. as we end our lives we should never forget that each served, in some way. Interesting and certainly thought-provoking. Very helpful for this Viet Nam vet, at 73 and a little long in the tooth I I find that my understanding of the time I spent in Viet Nam comes into sharper focus as time goes by and the reality of what happened and what I did to participate makes me proud especially because I volunteered for Viet Nam at the age of 17. Splitting out the numbers of combat and era vets are separate questions. Interestingly, the research concludes that Vietnam veterans seem to be dying at a similar rate to World War II veterans. in one way or another. 240,000 survivingAbout 70 million people fought in World War II and, as of 2021, there are still approximately 240,000 surviving veterans in the United States alone. I was ASA, 1960-1963, Ft Dix, Vint Hill Farm, DaNang and PhuBai. What is left of them is in Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson, and they still smell today. It should be duly noted that these numbers do not include the 2500 to 3000 US Air Force troops stationed in Guam, Thailand, and other countries that were involved in the Vietnam War effort. The total goes up every day. Im proud to be a surviving vet and the men who served with me then and those after me. I meant any one that stepped foot in I remember lots of the names Evana, Eagle, Bastone, Granite, Ripcord, Maryanne. The _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. Canandaigua, NY A few times Id meet a group of guys claiming they were all Nam Vets. Serving during the TET offensive and time after. First and most important who is a Vietnam veteran? I still consider myself lucky every day! According to the American War Library, as of February 28, 2019, it is estimated that approximately 610,000 Americans who served in land forces during the Vietnam War or in air missions over Vietnam between 1954 and 1975 are still alive to this day. The youngest Vietnam War veteran was a 15-year-old child named Dan Bullock. waited and waited for our slot in port. earned their stripe. It was what it was. We were near AF ranch hand ops and many of my buds still alive from then have the cancers, diabetes, amputations and such. I to served two tours 67-68 and 69-70,first with 1st of 8th cav. If he was at least in the Army, this might not work. When we find that number we can start to determine those of us still standing. That number stands around 306,000 killed by agent Orange (and other colors). Only military remaining were Marines at the Embassy. Return to reality. The debate depends on only two numbers. We who were in Vietnam know who we are and dont need anyone telling us what they think. i spent three years to and fro, with about 2-3 months in vietnam on every trip. Les, in IMHO being a Vietnam Veteran has nothing to do with combat. Hometown: Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. Yep feet never left the ground except to do my mos. I know I was there and have several cancers! ONLY Vietnam Vets are separated into two categories. Just like ALL Vets who served DURING WWII are classified as WWll Vets regardless of where they served. Helicopter Units and losses in the Vietnam War, The Story behind the famous Saigon Execution Photo, https://open.spotify.com/show/5Th7BCpIKDE1hVTqNL3u0Q. So yes, we did indeed see combatoften. I would say anyone who has drawn Vietnam Hazard Duty pay, 30 dollars for every month or part of any month, in or over country, should qualify. As Ive mentioned before, I dont think posing this question was intended to be divisive among veterans, but it has turned out to be. Posted in these groups: Vietnam War American History Posted >1 y ago Thousands of veterans die alone every year, with their remains I have one, but I fought a ferocious battle at FSB Gold at the beginning of Operation Junction II March 21, 1967, the artillery guys in Vietnam were every bit an infantryman as well, they suffered mortar & rocket attacks, enemy probes and attacks They were lucky in some ways that they did not have to crawl through the shit every day. There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on the specific situation and the individual's age, health, and military experience. Past history shows ALL Veterans of previous Wars were classified as Vets of those wars regardless of where they served. He is absolutely obsessed with military and different men who have served, The definitive statistics come from the VAs Million Vietnam Vets database, which will continue until we are all gone. The one question I have is how many in country vets did multiple tours over there. The number of people who are Vietnam veterans in the first place is a number that is widely debated. A phantom drifted over and raised me up to unconsciousness. Before I passed out, I was being picked up off the jungle floor by some entity. Numbers can always be manipulated. In addition, the US lost two F-111As, three F-4s, two A-7s, two A-6s, one EB-66, one HH-53, and one RA-5C. I read a statistic somewhere that one in seven where in actual combat. Had several replies over the years that this was not a cause. Not affiliated with any government agencies.All Rights Reserved. All I know is that Im a Vietnam Combat Vet. so the cia men who changed from suits were not vietnam veterams when they went into laos and cambodia? to Ken Drombosky to most of them, it was another port and another war. 101st Airborne 25th Infantry 82nd Airborne 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. . I agree with the rest of your post, and so did the Army. Your numbers are way off on the number of Air Force personnel serving in Thailand during the Vietnam war. no , i could not quit. I have read that One in Seven that went to Vietnam were in actual combat CIB. At 73 years, I plan on beating that date. I was the first male born to the Puccetti family after his death, so my parents received permission to name their son after Dante. Findings are made available to the public in an Annual Report. Current Status of Unaccounted-for Americans Lost in the Vietnam War. Were you at Saigon firebase when guys set off grenade in APC ? Not sure where we were. one of the ships i sailed on had a captain that was drunk for 5 months. All the others are Vietnam ERA Vets. And a number of Navy in ships, bombing communist. Currently, it is estimated with data provided by the United States Census Bureau, that there about 100,000 Oregon Vietnam era veterans alive today. I was searching aria, even though these ruts are a real bitch! I was jostled and jerked by the truck over the dusty road. If we arent able to > determine WHO is a Vietnam Vet, then how can one determine how many of us > are still alive today? What was the life expectancy of a helicopter door gunner in Vietnam? The ERA Vets know perfectly well that they were neverNEVER..in Vietnam, and that this is nothing but a desperate attempt to gain the respect those men earned. I Never got to Korea but I have friends who got a medal for service in Korea. For a mile or so the road cut through the jungle like a tunnel; the vegetation brushing against the sides and roof hid what lurked in the shadows. Just a minor clarification, not all of us were on the groundJust being picky. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. The trucks grill was a few feet away should I crawl underneath or try to hide in the nearby jungle? Additionally, the American War Library approximated that around 164,000 Americans who served at sea in Vietnam waters during the same time are still alive today. The list of cancers gets longer with each passing year. To that we can add those who served in adjacent waters and countries, but 2.6 is likely the closest figure to those in country. I left this Sunday, as other mornings, to make a supply run and a code book and frequency transfer to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB); to gather C-Rations, mail, and most importantly to acquire our new radio codes of the confidential frequencies for this period. The thing is the question/topic here is not how many Vietnam combat veterans are there, or how many Vietnam Era veterans are there; its how many Vietnam veterans are there. I saw plenty of people providing direct combat support to the effort in. 2025. Without a doubt Helicopter Crews are COMBAT VETS, to fly so low & slow over the most hidden turf below.. On landing at LZ Gold March 19, 1967 we lost 6 Hueys and 7 pilots. ahead of me in the next row was a man conversing with another man about two rows ahead of him. it was one of the smaller airbus aircraft. The jungle sat still except for the dirt road with my truck speeding along. This cookie is used by the website's WordPress theme. All Lawyer adds is for 2 percent, do you think that this was a greater risk for Cancer. How many Vietnam War veterans are still alive 2022? According to the American War Library, as of February 28, 2019, it is estimated that approximately 610,000 Americans who served in land forces during the Vietnam War or in air missions over Vietnam between 1954 and 1975 are still alive to this day. Korea had 2 divisions in Vietnam The White Horse & Tiger Divisions The Australian Military was also present but I do not know the numbers There could be others. Bullets were flying everywhere, and the noise was tremendous. But the bad news is that Charlie knew exactly where they were . We hauled cargo to the bases and for a few months I hauled hitest gas to the airbase at DongHa. Nha Trang (TET 68), What percentage of Vietnamese died in the Vietnam War? - 2023 Enlisted 7/70. i was a merchant marine officer, technically a civilian. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". And though did not serve in actual combat, as you describe it, we were shot at & mortared on occasion. Lol. I did work with Korean Troops. Some, like myself did not serve a full 12month tour. References:https://www.americanwarlibrary.com/personnel/vietvet.htmhttps://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/26/science/how-many-vietnam-veterans-are-still-alive.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War, The Armys FY 2023 budget request is ~$177.5 Billion. The Vietnam War was an undeclared war between the US and Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. Does Ohio State University Allow Pets In Dorms? I was a merchant marine officer on cargo ships, american export lines, for three years, back and forth to viet nam. no problem with the spell checking. I think 9+ million total in US military service during the peak years of the Vietnam War and 2.6 2.7 million in Nam and its waters and air space is right. Well again, nothing that you have posted tells the story that you were in Vietnam. scipione@geneseo.edu Real combat veterans will share with other combat veterans as their stories have many similarities. The truth is that until Vietnam veterans can agree amongst themselves what constitutes a real Vietnam vet, the debate may continue. Did your foot ever touch the ground? Why cant you be just a proud Veteran. One good way to detect a phony is to ask him what his MOS was. The group in my AIT Class were all happy about this. It served my pain well as a lifeless, mean spirited dark soul destroying everything in front of me. I will have to disagree with the CIB being the only combat veterans The Battle of Soui Tre 3-21-1967 at Fire Support Base Gold Operation Junction City, the 2/77 Artillery 18 105s and the 3/22 Infantry A & B Cos the enemy lost 881 KIA and UNK WIAs, we lost counting the landing in the 19th 55 KIA & 287 WIA, within an hours Westmorland and other Stars were there claiming this Victory (14 Stars on the battlefield) The Artillery are every bit combat veterans with the infantry and many other FSB battles as well I have a CIB and did 22 months in country late including TET. I understand that they only got about 300,000 of us, but that is a huge, decent number, considering how cynical we Nam vets can be about studies. Last I heard the database indicated that the Median Age of Death of Nam vets was reached at least three or four years ago. However, typically, the number of World War 2 veterans who die each day is approximately 100. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". How many US Army died in Vietnam War? - 2023 It was an incredibly tumultuous time in US history and, for that reason, its unclear how many people actually served during this struggle. but i was happy to serve. I found out from a vet in 2017, filed in 2018. What Major Is Kent State University Known For? So I was in the Army National Guard during the Iraq War, So I guess I am An Iraq War Veteran. Why the Shame? If you served in any other places you are a Veteran, ERA is an embellishment of your service. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Music That Moves the Military. My cousin was with the 82nd and was there when the TET offensive happened. I was hoping for more accurate numbers. Our side would have collapsed without you. Whether you were sprayed or not makes no difference, and YOU ARE NOT required to prove anything other than being present in Vietnam. Chester/Gordon, https://www.americanwarlibrary.com/personnel/vietvet.htm It too bad that guys that never fought think for some reason they deserve credit for being in Vietnam when they werent. Sgt. John, no body turned down extra hands, and my india purchased white shirt and shorts made me attractive target in the event of a problem, and provided some humor to the 130 crews. With an estimated 6 million Vietnam Veterans currently living in the U.S. or abroad, VA remains dedicated to serving all Veterans of the Vietnam Era., All troops were sent home in April 1973. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. On Sat, Jun 19, 2021 at 4:22 PM CherriesWriter Vietnam War website wrote: > pdoggbiker posted: This is a controversial post. In addition 18 US AF Security Police personnel and their 5 person aircrew were killed responding to the incident (the seizure of the USS Mayaquez), some do not recognize them as combat related deaths either. How were WWII veterans & Korean War Veterans accounted for? It seems to be all about syntax. 2500 to 3000 US Air Force troops stationed in Guam, Thailand, and other countries that were involved in the Vietnam War effort. That is your opinion and youre entitled to it, I disagree very strongly. How many soldiers died on their first day in Vietnam? The artillery, Helo crews, combat engineers, in Vietnam are also considered Combat Vets, Well, I guess it just did not count for us Huey Teams (Sky Angels) supporting infantry/artillery units by flying in to lay down suppression fire, flying you into hot LZs, taking you out of the boonies, bringing you ammo and supplies, flying the wounded and dead back to base camp, not to mention Huey night Hawk missions to rectify an enemy ambush for our infantry that would be pinned down with no hope of survival. I do not doubt that it occurred, but can anyone cite a reliable source for this? Apparently, its been agreed upon that 800,000 Vietnam veterans had passed away by the year 2000. I knew what my death would mean to my mother, my father, and the rest of my family and friends. Likewise, drafted Sep 66, Vietnam Aug 67-Aug 68, and Im 75. However, like it or not, the U.S. government makes the final decisions on who is officially considered a war veteran and thats really the way it HAS to be. Straining to regain my feet again, I staggered a few strides to my right and throe myself forward, with all I was worth, collapsing finely into the vegetation face up.