Just come up with two lists and leave it at that. According to the Department of Defense, infantry soldiers had the highest casualties during the Vietnam War, making infantry the deadliest job in Vietnam. nothing exists or will exist in another time. if you read up on it you will see that ww2 merchant sailors were despised as cowards. I believe the aircrews flying out of those places were take issue with not in harms way. In 11 days of December 1973, 16 B-52s were lost over North Vietnam during Linebacker II. My husband was awarded several (door gunner w/191st AHC Bounty Hunters). A few people were killed. I have heard many stories (more in the past 30 years) of people claiming to be a combat veteran, maybe seeking some kind of hero status or valid excuse for why they are where they are. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Canada did not enter the war so many Canadians joined the americansThey wanted to put a memorial in Ottawa and were refused the built it someplace on the Canadian side I beieve near Detroit, The monument is on the Canadian side of the Detroit River (Windsor). To my understanding, Army aviation unitsAssault Companies, Cav Troops, ARA units etc., had the highest casualty rates of any TO & E unit in Vietnam. three years on and off in vietnam . GREAT Be content with your service, and leave it there. Those were the prime draft years, but of course there were a few older guys over there too.This does not include other American men there who are not covered by the A, like civilian contractors. i do not remember the moss but the went on quite a while. Those who do not remember where in country they were, WHERE NOT THERE.. Or suffering from a complete mental memory disorder. So, where is the discrepancy in these numbers? 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. According to Department of Veterans Affairs' projections, Vietnam Veteran deaths will hit 103,890 this year, about 285 a day. How Many Vietnam War Veterans Are Still Alive? Served until April 28, 1968 !!!!!! 997 soldiers997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam . The dust settled back to normality, as if man did not exist. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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. We had a dustoff attached to us. The average age of our Vietnam veterans is now over 70. Heres a fact: Jeffery Lynn Scheller, USN, born July 31, 1954 was Killed In Action on October 1, 1972. Has every CIB wearer actually done that? i am not saying i was a hero, but i am saying that i did the job and i did not argue. Sorry for your loss of your loved one. My left leg hurt like HELLFIRE! 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. What is left of them is in Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson, and they still smell today. We and they generally slept in the same bunks in the same tent if we werent up on call during the night. So, when we talk about Vietnam vets who are living or dead, we should be talking STRICTLY about Vets who participated in the Vietnam 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. Phu Loi Nov 66 to Dec 67 HHD 11th Cbt Avn Bn. In my Book if you didnt step foot in Nam Your sure not a Vietnam Vet, Period. Pop, POP POP. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. How many Vietnam War veterans are still alive 2023? Im now 74. I have read about Canadians coming south to fight in Vietnam but have never seen any real authority to support this. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. RVN. Not affiliated with any government agencies.All Rights Reserved. NO REAL VET FAILS TO REMEMBER HIS MOS. I knew I was dying, but I struggled with all my might to stay alive. 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. The only good thing was 22 days off my tour. I was there in 69-71 also sprayed Im 74, inlisted 1968 spent 2 tours in Vietnam Im now 73, Comments left by my fellow Vietnam vets are very useful. 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. Bob ONeal, Lt.Col. April 1st was my day to rejoin 4th. It was difficult for me to move. My 2.6 million figure refers to American vets. We had a lot of support vets near Saigon. That is correct, Dow Chemical is responsible for three times as many Viet Nam veteran deaths as the NVA and the VC. A total of 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam era, with over 2,709,000 Americans serving in Vietnam, about 9.7% of the generation. Also, some do not consider those who served in Thailand as Vietnam Vets. Perhaps the reason for guys is that there were times we had to drink out of bomb craters that were in areas sprayed with Agent Orange. It seems to be all about syntax. I dont see how there can be any dispute about this. Could they be considered Vietnam veterans then? I would not believe the NYT. There are still a lot of us left by some miracle! In country Vietnam Vets are the only Vietnam Vets. Apparently, its been agreed upon that 800,000 Vietnam veterans had passed away by the year 2000. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Trying to understand: Does being shot at outside the wire while moving to new location count? Melathion was 96% pure. He was shot nine times, while I received the tenth bullet from the ten holes in the windshield. I always felt this was the maximal danger of the trip. 2 tours I volunteered and my 3rd I re-enlisted. 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. They wouldnt know the truth even if they tripped over it. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. My demons were better left alone and buried away after two tours back to back. Even if his job depended on them doing theirs well. How many Korean War veterans are still alive? Spot on. I would hope they are considered Vietnam combat Vets. As well, those who served in Thailand in late 1973-1975 are often looked down upon as not being real Vietnam Veterans. We are, as we helped conduct many support missions in the region, helped with draw assist during the fall of Cambodia, S. Vietnam and Laos. one of the ships i sailed on had a captain that was drunk for 5 months. All others should not be accepted to have served either on land or at sea in Vietnam. March 29, 1973Part of what was called Operation Homecoming, the first 20 POWs arrived to a heros welcome at Travis Air Force Base in California on February 14. 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. Hunter killer division. Very devisive infighting among all the service members who served at a time when it was not popular. U failed to remember the last name on the Wall was in 1975. hello, they did not get metals. Everything slowed down, and I was alone, above my body that was thrown into the dashboard hitting with my left side. A veteran of the Vietnam War is a person who PARTICIPATED in the Vietnam War. 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. Fact: Everyone who served during the Vietnam War are classified as Vietnam Era Vets. It took about 30 years for the government to acknowledge we were even there. 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. Bien Hoa & Phu Bai, two badly polluted areas! Last troops departed on 29 March, 1973. And a number of Navy in ships, bombing communist. How Did The Campus Shootings Demonstrate The Continued Divisions Within The Country? I was driving the OPs 3/4-ton, 4X4 truck down the main dirt highway from Camp Enari entering the Ville and Mark Stanley was a passenger in the cab. There were 7 RoyalThai Air Force bases used during the war, from 1961-1975, three closed between 1972 to 1973. serveved in nam 67 to 68 and 69 to 70. both tours in the 1st cav. It was an incredibly tumultuous time in US history and, for that reason, its unclear how many people actually served during this struggle. Not sure where we were. Agent Orange is impacting that timeline and those serving around the world were not affected by this wonderous life-robbing gift. Numbers can always be manipulated. Though Thailand was not designated a combat zone. I signed up for it in 2018 at the VA Hospital in Buffalo. Did your foot ever touch the ground? stay safe. Sobering Statistics Concerning Vietnam Vets As of April 2016 . Lol. Other sappers were shooting their AKs at any targets. He was killed in action just a few months later. Our Honor and Integrity are important to each of us. 100,000 or more to suicide and most of those occurred after the men came home. The youngest Vietnam War veteran was a 15-year-old child named Dan Bullock. FEAR Part of the SOP on the Plei Do Lim (PDL) Flash Outpost (OP) was to make a supply run every four days back to the survey section at HHB. Born: 04/07/1937. When I opened my mouth and started talking about Nam, Id get this response, We dont talk about Nam .In my opinion we should tell everyone about our combat experience. Steve But if the 800,000 number is right then it has to be out of the 9,000,000 and not out of the 2.6 million. How many veterans die each day? 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. Cheers, I started this post a year ago, it was a simple question. Was I counted each time or once? 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. Vietnam era vets are not the same as Vietnam vets, but they are important. According to DCAS Vietnam casualty files, the following casualty were sustained outside of S. Vietnam: 728 in Laos, 523 in Cambodia, 1,120 in N. Vietnam and 10 in China. Again, I see a jumbled view of jungle and sky, and vaguely see a solitary soldier standing over me. All others should not be accepted to have served either on land or at sea in Vietnam. My body was throne backwards into the seat and rebounded forwards; bent over at a 90-degree angle from my waist. Thousands of sorties departed from Thailand, Guam, and from aircraft carriers at sea to kill MIGS, bomb factories and bridges, and generally create havoc. We were sitting ducks to support our artillery & infantry troops, so talk your trash! Bullets were flying everywhere, and the noise was tremendous. (How Convenient), Hi. Nov.62 I got off a PanAm flight at Tan Son Nhut with a US passport, wearing civilian clothes and colorful floral leis around my neck after a stop in Hawaii. The NOISE ringing in my ears, the torment, the muggy damn heat, and the distance echo of gunfire ALL STOPPED! Navy ships were classified as Blue Water ships. 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. young men and woman who were there and did get fired on, or were in danger, should be recognized . Born in 1953, he joined the US Marine Corps at the age of 15 and was sent to Vietnam where he served as a machine gunner. It was also projected that, from here, 138,000 Vietnam veterans are expected to die each year. they sucked. Vietnam Veteran ages range from 55 to 97 years old. I left the Ville at 3:00pm. USA, (Ret.). so the cia men who changed from suits were not vietnam veterams when they went into laos and cambodia? 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. Some, like myself did not serve a full 12month tour. ooops !!!! 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. He was carrying a BAR, killed fighting an infantry action, and the desk jockeys decided he did not meet requirements for a CIB. I saw plenty of people providing direct combat support to the effort in. Funny, none of them were called WWII Era Veterans. Lying on my back in the underbrush, watching the blue sky, bleeding on the jungle floor alone. It too bad that guys that never fought think for some reason they deserve credit for being in Vietnam when they werent. A number 1/2 the peak, say 250,000 still seems high but would come closer to 3,000,000 number serving. Got home after the war, never spoke about my service, never went hunting again, never cut my feeling back on! I can somewhat understand your position since you experienced actual combat. Interestingly, the research concludes that Vietnam veterans seem to be dying at a similar rate to World War II veterans. I knew what my death would mean to my mother, my father, and the rest of my family and friends. If they enlisted or were drafted before 1975, they likely are in their late 60s now. guy next to me was shoot dead I think that counts. Interesting, no way is 75 percent f real vets are alive today? . You were in Combat!!! What other conclusions have been made about the percentage of Vietnam veterans who are still alive? 2023 CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website, Ive also created a poll to help identify my website audience before leaving, can you please click, Vietnam: The War that killed Trust (GuestPost), Gold Star Families Memorial Monument DedicationCeremony. Who is the oldest living Vietnam veteran? I certainly dont agree on the 9 million in country. I flew several hundred sorties in a gunship. as we end our lives we should never forget that each served, in some way. The leading cause of preventable death among US military casualties in the Vietnam War was exsanguination from extremity wounds. And though did not serve in actual combat, as you describe it, we were shot at & mortared on occasion. i appreciate i was not in a company and humped for a year. i sailed with some in vn at the end of the work lives. we had a building where the company stored our property. Hometown: Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. On this Memorial Day 2021, VA honors their service and recommits itself to . Do you by chance remember a Jim Blackshear? These numbers were not included since these service members were far removed from combat experience and did not spend any amount of time in harms way.. My husband was one of those 191st Assault Helicopter Co. Bounty Hunter door gunners. I shipped to RVN on the USNS Geiger, manned by Merchant Marines, leaving Tacoma, WA on June 30, 1967 and arriving in Vung Tau on July 21, 1967. 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. Seems there are a lot of phony ones out there trying to scam the system which takes away from the true Vietnam Vets. 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. Is It Hard To Get Into Kent State University? The exact percentage of surviving Vietnam War veterans is not known, but it is estimated to be around 25% of the total number of veterans who served during the war.

Abner Creek Academy Lunch Menu, Rent To Own Homes In Bonne Terre, Mo, How To Get Rid Of Storm In Creative Fortnite, Ward 5 Luton And Dunstable Hospital, Arizona Cardinals Community Relations, Articles H