Check your POW list. Sobering Statistics Concerning Vietnam Vets As of April 2016 . It was apparently based on an estimate that 800,000 Vietnam-era veterans had died by 2000. I have always rounded up to 3,000,000 served in Vietnam..and I read someplace where of that number, only 10% were actually in combat. Still, other sources like the New York Times claim the number of Vietnam veterans is actually somewhere around 9.2 million. The New York Times reported that claims like those of the American War Library are false and that, instead of only one-third of Vietnam vets remaining, the number points to more like 75 percent of Vietnam veterans still living and breathing today. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. Apparently, its been agreed upon that 800,000 Vietnam veterans had passed away by the year 2000. Operation Homecoming was completed on March 29, 1973, when the last of 591 U.S. prisoners were released and returned to the United States. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. One moment is eternity- the next may never!. About 15 out of every 100 Vietnam veterans (15%) were currently diagnosed with PTSD when the most recent study of . Scavenger1, I agree with you. the merchant marine needed every officer and sailor they could find. We dont respect the combat Vets and they shouldnt disrespect us. Likewise, drafted Sep 66, Vietnam Aug 67-Aug 68, and Im 75. In the first part of the journey the mountain would act as a radio (my lifeline) barrier between Camp Enari and the PDL fortified Ville. Alice, my sister lost hers in Oct 2020 from throat cancer due to agent Orange. https://news.va.gov/89450/vietnam-war-veterans-honoring-served-memorial-day-2021/. Unless they kept track by service or SSN, how many Vietnam Veterans are there ? The number of people who are Vietnam veterans in the first place is a number that is widely debated. September 27, 2022 by Editorial Team. I served a second tour and know quite a few Marines that did also. 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. Splitting out the numbers of combat and era vets are separate questions. Now Iv had five and 10 % works. Separately I am working on an article that analyzes how many States are over or under represented in terms of their number of KIAs during and right after the war., Dr. Paul Scipione Then I down shifted entered the worst section of massive ruts and the broken-up roadbed threw the truck all about its grooves. Vietnam Veterans are dieing faster than World War Two veterans do to Agent Orange contamination . Based on data through September 30, 2020, VetPop2020 provides a projection of the Veteran population at each fiscal year end from 2020 to 2050. What Was It Like To Hump The Boonies in Vietnam? Why the Shame? As I started to slowly stagger upright towards the opposite side of the road, trying with all my might to gain my balance, I went down hard. So I was in the Army National Guard during the Iraq War, So I guess I am An Iraq War Veteran. So, I must be a VN Vet and VN Era Vet and Cold War Era Vet but not a Cold War Vet because I never got anywhere near the USSR. Been there, seen it, did it. But a growing army of strangers is. I know the difference, do you ? 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. He showed me his DD214 and low and behold it says he was in Vietnam. However, any veteran who served in Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, is presumed by the VA to have been exposed to Agent Orange. Various percentages of actual Vietnam Veterans is bothersome. I have spoken at many VETS EVENTS, and done interviews with the media .. Never get tired of people telling me Thank You for your service, and absolutely love hearing WELCOME HOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 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. Helicopter crewmen did not receive the CIB, but they fought every day. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. What was the life expectancy of a helicopter door gunner in Vietnam? Yes. Most likely Les considers those who werent in-country as REMFs. This trip always was a concern, because I would be in a vulnerable condition in Indian Country with only two surveyors alone in a ton jeep. Nha Trang (TET 68), I wonder if I was not Dante- would I have the inspiration to survive? Certainly leaves some doubt about the numbers because why are we including the years from 1954 to when the actual American forces entered hostile missions? Tom, to me, the CIB says everything; the wearer is a soldier who has earned the right to it and deserves respect. Not sure where we were. However, typically, the number of World War 2 veterans who die each day is approximately 100. Dont know about the MM but everyone got the same combat pay whether a grunt or clerk. 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. But I didnt beat him he just left. 3rd Brigade 4th ID attached to the 25th ID 111.40 & 112.40 later these became 11B.40 & 11C.40. It was a free-fire zone, and a nearby flight of gunships was engaged in shooting up the western valley. While that's a staggering figure is, the actual amount could be higher. At 73 years, I plan on beating that date. A veteran of the Vietnam War is a person who PARTICIPATED in the Vietnam War. my larger point is that , in my opinion, they were veterans. Their names are at least on the wall thanks to the efforts of many service organizations and Congress. How Many Vietnam War Veterans Are Still Alive? The leading cause of preventable death among US military casualties in the Vietnam War was exsanguination from extremity wounds. She is new to that post, having spent 20+ years as head of coding & analysis at NSA. The youngest Vietnam Veteran is aged in the late 60s today with life expectances estimated at 86 years old (for normal people). Many Vietnam Vets do not even know about the secret operations from Thailand, now declassified, that probably helped save their rears during some of their combat operations. It is called the Stolen Valor Act., Dau Tieng A Co. 3/22 Inf. even when i went out with the airforce on resupply to fire bases. One good way to detect a phony is to ask him what his MOS was. From what my son in law says (Apache gunship pilot) they also flew a tremendous number of combat hours everyday, And I know from what few stories he did tell (hes now deceased) they often had mortar rounds incoming. Editorial comment by website administrator: Personally, Im going with the 610,000 estimate of 2 yrs. I asked him to give me his number, he did not put a number on it just that he was Not. no , i could not quit. 2500 to 3000 US Air Force troops stationed in Guam, Thailand, and other countries that were involved in the Vietnam War effort. No, Wildaboro was gone, and AK-47s and B-40 rockets were sapper armaments Later, I read in a letter that Sp.4 Donnon F. Porier grabbed the M-60 machinegun, risking his life, and ran down the hillside rushing to the ambush site. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. They lost about 20 men KIA in late January, many captured. If you served anywhere at all, anywherre during WWI, you are a WWI vet. I was only there 9-months but others served multiple tours, so I tend to believe the 2.7 3.0 million is probably an accurate number. i was not a supporter of the war but i did my job. Same aircraft were used and were not cleaned before spraying anything else. VA's Veteran Population Projection Model estimates that there are approximately 6.1 million living Vietnam War-era Veterans, as of 2021. I knew I had to stand up again, even though I made a better target; my staying in the open road would be a death sentence. She has received numerous awards and accolades for her work, including being named one of the "Top 10 Educators to Watch" by Education Week magazine. fired on coming up river, a few other things. We did a lot of Ranch Hand missions in the iron Triangle. Past history shows ALL Veterans of previous Wars were classified as Vets of those wars regardless of where they served. I know I was there and have several cancers! Christmas Night, Midnight, a guy in the next Bunker committed suicide. I had several Canadians in our Company in Vietnam. There were 7000 Canadians that joined the US military to fight in Vietnam. He signaled a repeat, and the second rocket impacted on target. Combat Vet, Vet on ships that never touched country, military who were passing through and were on airport tarmac? Exhausted! Where is this one in twelve figure from? Jorge Otero Barreto. we got one daily the other one weekly. I have read that One in Seven that went to Vietnam were in actual combat CIB. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Next determined those Veterans who were awarded the Vietnam Service ribbon. The average age of our Vietnam veterans is now over 70. The veterans are a very important asset to the country. The trucks grill was a few feet away should I crawl underneath or try to hide in the nearby jungle? I recall combat pay (Hazard DutyPay) at $60 dollars a month. If we dont include forces in Thailand or Guam why are we including anyone except Navy pilots, because I dont remember any deep water people who were subjected to enemy hostilities. Then, I stopped at the 5th. Since the fall of Saigon and Operation Baby Lift occurred in 1975, wouldnt an 18 year old at that time be 64 or 65 today ? By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. How many vietnam veterans are still living. am i two Vietnam veterans or one. How many ww2 veterans are still alive 2021? The military stopped the. The 25th Infantry Division, in III Corps, issue two different Malaria Pills. I do not doubt that it occurred, but can anyone cite a reliable source for this? Still, the American War Library continues to verify their accounts and come to more concrete conclusions. And a number of Navy in ships, bombing communist. My husband was also a door gunner (191st AHC gunship) but he was there later than you (70-71). Some likely in error (or on purpose to avoid Agent Orange Claims). And yes I was sprayed with Agent Orange. Thirty one sets of parents lost two of their sons. 2.8 million tour because some guys just couldnt get enough! Id like to ask a question. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. 499 days, and 10 days in Sydney, Australia !!!!! It was all about teamwork, whether you pulled the trigger or not. We all bleed red. So do not throw stones at some who got to lay in the same bunk night after night, just because we slept in a dirty hole night after night. The third cancer was the charm as it was declared Presumptively caused by Agent Orange in 2021. We are working on a feature article How Many Of Us Are Still Alive: that will show a complete Actuarial Model that shows the likely number of us still alive (725,000 to 750,000 out of 2.4 million) and the likely progression of our deaths. 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. Each BUFF had 6 crewmen onboard. The last three I knew had lost a lot of weight, two had each lost a lung. 45-50 years from now (and I bet no-one will want to And your comment about Agent Orange shows that you have no understanding of how the chemical poisoned everyone who set foot in Vietnam. nothing exists or will exist in another time. I do not, however, have a CIB. How old is the oldest living Vietnam veteran? I knew that I was gravely wounded, and bullets were kicking up dust clouds as they were landing around my feet. The funny thing,(not so funny) is that when we carried peaches and beer, no problem. so the cia men who changed from suits were not vietnam veterams when they went into laos and cambodia? The way many of us were treated on returning from that war, but in truth it was only a war for very few of those who served there. Chester/Gordon, That is your opinion and youre entitled to it, I disagree very strongly. 1968, 69. I was a grunt and shotgunner on convoys !!! The U.S. military has estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers died. Finally figured out what was wrong with me, received help but refuse to dwell on the dark demons that quite frankly just did not give a dam for humanity. The first impact of a rocket was twenty meters to the left and ten meters behind as the rocket flew over its target. Every single day 22 veterans commit themselves to death. If they enlisted or were drafted before 1975, they likely are in their late 60s now. Overall, the death rate of Vietnam veterans seems to be rather consistent if not better than other people their same age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 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. And just as the bell rang he got out of the ring , technically I won the fight. I will never forget the pop pop pop, pop pop of an AK-47 in rapid-fire, but I heard the far off rattle of a M-60 machine-gun through the roar; Why I thought of PFC Wildaboro and his escapade with the machine gun that OTHER sun-drenched afternoon! the draft board made that very clear. Then later we were transferred to Camp Red Ball. Our Honor and Integrity are important to each of us. (LogOut/ It was what it was. Active duty 70-71, Quang Tri, Khe Sahn, Danny. Educate your self and search the web for the last battle of the Vietnam war. It seems to be all about syntax. First and most important who is a Vietnam veteran? NO, some who got to sleep in the same bed night after night, yet were low slow flying targets by day are NOT REMF. But that number will probably go down by at least 50,000 to 75,000 per year. A few times Id meet a group of guys claiming they were all Nam Vets. I believe you mean the malaria pill was once a week. In fact, the first two advisors (MAJ Dale Buis and MSG Chester Ovnand) killed by the enemy died in an attack on their base near Bien Hoa on July 8, 1959. Of the 2.7 million men and women who served in land forces in Vietnam, only about 600,000 are still alive. I signed up for it in 2018 at the VA Hospital in Buffalo. I was drafted and sent to Germany 66-68 because of the Vietnam War in the 4Armored Division. Separate war. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". I only spent one overnighter. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. An AK found its target in my thigh. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. nearly every classmate from the academy served on some basis during the vn war. i spent three years to and fro, with about 2-3 months in vietnam on every trip. Hell no. 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. it is the duty of the community to stay behind their warriors to heal them and at the back of them when they come back. I pulled up to the local tailor shop to fix some of my fatigue pants. We dont forget, and resent the tail gating by those who, during the war, did all they could to avoid it, and now desperately hope others will conveniently forget this fact, and give them some of the respect they never earned. Who is the oldest living Vietnam veteran? Lost my Vet to Leukemia just after this count was done. It does not store any personal data. and US, 7 Valuable Life Lessons My Navy Dad Taught Me, Understanding The Five Branches of The Military, 3 Things That Could Happen To the Military in a Recession. In my mirror I saw its beam illuminate each and every particle of dust that my passing vehicle spewed into the air; thus creating a mobile, magical, camouflaged chamber of brightly dancing fairies shielding me from harm. retired university professor Vietnam 2/722/73. Very devisive infighting among all the service members who served at a time when it was not popular. There were an estimated 58,318 U.S. soldier casualties alone. 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. Posted in these groups: Vietnam War American History Posted >1 y ago Videos, Film, Music, and Movies about VN War, Author interview War & Life: Discussions with a Veteran, A Chat Between Three Veterans [live video with author], Lest We Forget Meet the Authors & Book Signing April 4th: Cherries and Donut Dolly, Interview with author John Podlaski in Examiner Magazine, American Heroes Radio interviews author of Cherries A Vietnam War Novel, Cherries Author Interviewed on British Website, U.K. Blogspot posts interviews author, John Podlaski, More Book Reviews and author interviews about Cherries, https://news.va.gov/89450/vietnam-war-veterans-honoring-served-memorial-day-2021/, https://cherrieswriter.com/2015/11/13/lost-to-history-the-canadians-who-fought-in-vietnam/, Three maps remind us of the horror of the Vietnam War WebInvestigator.KK.org by F. Kaskais, Three maps remind us of the horror of the Vietnam War | Self Improvement Life Hacks, Three maps remind us of the horror of the Vietnam War | Top Pin Answers, A Day in the Life of an Infantry Point Man in Vietnam. These numbers are probably as good as any well ever find and are from 2019 and 2021 respectively. Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category . from Fallen Leaves, Broken Lives By Edward Tick If you fired a weapon in defense, outside the wire,, and your boots were on the ground in VN you are a COMBAT vet. I had a Swedish citizen in AIT, with orders to go to Vietnam. My left leg hurt like HELLFIRE! but some men, like myself , were told by their draft board, go to vietnam on your ship. They're generally in their 90s and about 245 die each day according to the VA. At 95 Army veteran Lincoln "Linc" Harner still remembers the war. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Porier was firing from the north, while the three Cobras choppers were engaged the sappers trying to kill me. i think the definition should not be restricted by whether you wore khakis or como. The report is based on national death certificate data currently available through 2020. He was carrying a BAR, killed fighting an infantry action, and the desk jockeys decided he did not meet requirements for a CIB. Tell it like it is. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. question. I know what I did while there in 1975, protecting USAF resources and aiding in the support of many end of the war mission. Hunter killer division. I remember that the minute we came around the coast and headed up for Vung Tau, as merchantmen on American Export LInes ships, we got a sizeable war zone increase in our pay. Please do all you can to inform our fellow vets that the VA presumes Agent Orange exposure if you were in-country. What Major Is Kent State University Known For? i TO AM A VEITNAM VET. It takes military personnel to support the troops on ground or ships in war territory waters. One was daily and the other weekly. Age: 78. Dr. Paul A. Scipione How many Vietnam vets have died from Agent Orange? Air crews who flew over Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam had no Fox hole or ditch yo hid behind while delivering payload after payload to help destroy supplies heading towards those in the bush, while avoid withering anti-aircraft fire and missiles. Mark Stanley was gone. By the time I got to vin long the nva was gone and Charlie was pretty much non existent, he new we had snakes, the closest I got to him was when I was on the perimeter waiting for him to crawl thru the wire. Leave your thoughts below in the comment section. So, here well dive a little bit deeper into how many Vietnam veterans are estimated to still be alive based on various approximations and predictions. NO! Welcome home! I do not know how many others served with us. I served until April 28, 1969 !!!!!!!!!!!! I dont know why we have to make this simple arithmetic drill so difficult. This is a controversial post. I was on a boat floating up and down rivers for 19 months. Music That Moves the Military. Tough and crazy. We havent forgotten that time of our lives, and remember full well, that most of these ERA Vets joined these other branches in a desperate attempt to avoid service in Vietnam. Antonia Leonard is an education expert who has dedicated her life to helping students achieve their academic goals. Not sure what to think about the article. If you served in country on a ship in the gulf or dropped 2000 pound bombs you are a vietnam vet. Frantically searching to find that one resource in my spirit to survive. Home Kent State University How Many Vietnam Veterans Are Still Alive In 2022? Those an in the Era the we were in Vietnam but they are not Vietnam Vets by any stretch of you imagination. A half century after serving in Vietnam, hundreds of veterans have a new reason to believe they may be dying from a silent bullet test results show some men may have been infected by a. (Operation Ranch Hand) that were loaders and used no protection. There he was wearing my dress uniform jacket SSG, CIB, BS three rows of ribbons 8 years service, 10 overseas hash marks and he had 3 very underage teeny boppers girls smoking weed telling them war stories and bragging about his combat exploits. When we DEROSed we were given 6-8 pills to continue taking them every week. Pop, POP POP. Well thank God congress got it right putting the definition into law, otherwise those who served there would not be eligible for many VA benefits, particularly Agent Orange claims. (Crew Chief 1970-71) 25 AVN 25 INF (1971-72) C/16 CAV. A lot of guys broke out with rashes every time that sprayed for mosquitos, using Melithon, which was every 2 weeks over all Base Camps. The number of Viet Nam veterans, those who served in combat and combat related services (such those flyboys from outside the territory/waters of Viet Nam is about 2.7 million. Quite a story. Is It Hard To Get Into Kent State University? Due to TCDD among other toxic substances, we are dying off faster than other American men born between 1944-1950. The youngest Vietnam War veteran was a 15-year-old child named Dan Bullock. We were sprayed every 2 weeks with Melithon (Insecticide) that was 96 percent pure. U failed to remember the last name on the Wall was in 1975. hello, many US MILITARY PERSONNELL served in Afghanistan from the start to when the last GI got on the last plane/helicopter out. We had a dustoff attached to us. Had several replies over the years that this was not a cause. The 30 September 2007 Veterans Administration estimate places the daily deaths of WWII US veterans at 1,000 per day. We, the U.S. have lost over 158,000 American lives to the Vietnam war and that count is still rising. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". it is much easier to say who was not. Agent Orange was sprayed on the Jungle areas, and Melathion (Insecticide) was sprayed on Base Camps. i am not better, but i am not worse. These numbers have come about due to the extensive research of various mortality indexes and sources by the American War Library which concluded that about one-third of those who served in the Vietnam War are still alive today. Era vets are important but dont count. The last combat veteran was Claude Choules, who served in the British Royal Navy (and later the Royal Australian Navy) and died 5 May 2011, aged 110. 8,113,000 are still alive (May 2000) Post navigation It has a life of its own. How many veterans die each day? They are a ten (10), they fought alongside the infantry defending the perimeter. Its possible that the youngest living Vietnam Veteran may be 61 years old. However, he did not return to the United States until March 22, 1979. waited and waited for our slot in port. for the sake being more realistic, I served from June 1962 to April 20 1970, and was always told it will vary from 1 in 7 to 1 in 10. The New York Times reported that claims like those of the American War Library are false and that, instead of only one-third of Vietnam vets remaining, the number points to more than 75 percent of Vietnam veterans still living and breathing today. i thank every soldier for their service, i do not exaggerate my actions. they deserve that recognition. That was our regimen along the Cambodian border, too. Served at Quang Tri Combat Base )QTCB) 71-72) Same here. While every GI serving around the world was important to securing our Cold War victory over Communism just as the Vietnam conflict was also, those who served in uniform in the SEA War Theater are the true veterans of the Vietnam War. When the 3rd Brigade,82 ABD moved from Camp Rodriguez (I Corps) in October 1968 my first base was Tent Citynear Bien Hoa (III Corps) then my unit was moved to Phu Loi. YouTube sets this cookie via embedded youtube-videos and registers anonymous statistical data. Every veteran has his/her duty station recorded on the individual DD214 or 201 personal military forms. How Many Vietnam Veterans Are Still Alive In 2022? I would not believe the NYT. An overwhelming number are buried by family and friends. The Vietnam Nam Veteran and the Vietnam Era Veteran is defined by law ,, am I correct???? About 12 out of every 100 Gulf War Veterans (or 12%) have PTSD in a given year. It makes a big difference because stating that only one-third of Vietnam veterans are still alive today is much harsher than stating that three-quarters of Vietnam veterans are still alive and well. How many WWII veterans die each day? GREAT This battle resulted in the loss of 13 Marines (10 in combat, 3 were left behind and executed by the Khmer Rouge, 2 Navy Corpsmen, and 3 Air Force pilots. I was at 6 different LZs from Aug 67-Aug 68, with a 4th Medical Battalion aid station (D Company), and I never heard of a fuck you lizard. I WAS IN THE 85TH ORD COMPANY . Most of those who flew had Air Medals which are a combat medal. Since Sept. 11, 2001, just over 30,000 veterans have died by suicide four times more than the number of U.S. military personnel who died in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. The truth is that until Vietnam veterans can agree amongst themselves what constitutes a real Vietnam vet, the debate may continue. My new Iraq War novel, Three Wise Men should ne out sometime next year, I was at Camp Eagle, and worked in Production Control. Almost 1500 died their last day. There are 500,000 Korean War veterans still living, but about 600 of those die every day, according to the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation.

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