Wiki User. Got the scars to prove it too, both physical and mental. I was all over in 7 years. Peter my husband is now deceased but he was a door gunner with the 191 st AHC Bounty Hunters (gunships), Very good. In the highlands we had to take one every day in addition to the once a week pill. To this day, I dont know how I was transported from the right-side dirt shoulder but ending up in the center of the dusty road. I realized what control I had in the cosmos. ******************************************************* Then I down shifted entered the worst section of massive ruts and the broken-up roadbed threw the truck all about its grooves. While there troops from our unit were deployed to Vietnam as replacements yet some people dont consider us as support for troops in Vietnam. VA released VetPop 2020 which is VA's new official estimate and projection of the Veteran population. I know full well it takes many, many hands to make the infantry function but like you saidclaim your time. As an analogy I will use familiar figure of that time. I served as a Navy Corpsman, Fall of Saigon. Smokey Platoon. I think I know the answer but like youjust being picky. Awakening, I was the only person there, so the enemy was concentrated on me. Today, the state with highest number of Vietnam veterans is California, with 596,130, followed by Florida with 519,224. 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. 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 dust settled back to normality, as if man did not exist. 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. Jul 1971-19 Dec 1971) 29th CA Co, XXIV Corps (Danang). Gordon, I agree. Alice, my sister lost hers in Oct 2020 from throat cancer due to agent Orange. I was a Pilot, Licensed Aircraft Mechanic and Maintenance Inspector before going into the Army. Sgt. We grunts do hold chopper crews in the highest regard! Then upon returning I would be stationed in Camp Enari, away from most of the intense fighting, and protected by the whole 4th. I flew several hundred sorties in a gunship. How many Vietnam veterans are dying . Perfect. I served in 67 69 & had stroke in 93 then heart attack in 2002 with 2d in 2004 . Tough and crazy. The trucks grill was a few feet away should I crawl underneath or try to hide in the nearby jungle? You do not need to establish anything other than that. We did what we felt needed doing. However, typically, the number of World War 2 veterans who die each day is approximately 100. Peter: 67N2F, 119th AHC 68-69. you tell me. David, please do not compare this to Merchant Seaman in WWII who braved the many packs of Submarines etc as thgatr uis hgow many died in WWIU, Sorry my spell check went nuts We all started getting heart attacks around the same time. Also, some do not consider those who served in Thailand as Vietnam Vets. Every single day 22 veterans commit themselves to death. His combat medal was an Air Medal. This cookie is used by the website's WordPress theme. I volunteered for 3 TDY tours 18 months total.
More Veterans Die By Suicide Than In Combat. But It's Preventable - WBUR Anyone suggesting that only a CIB award means you were a combat veteran is very uninformed The Battle of Soui Tre March 21, 1967 the men of the 2/77 Artillery were every bit infantry as well as Arty that day and many many other FSB battles. in ww2 more merchant men were killed than all the services combined until june 6, 1944. and they were civilians. They lost about 20 men KIA in late January, many captured. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 530 Vietnam veterans die every day. My demons were better left alone and buried away after two tours back to back. I have read about Canadians coming south to fight in Vietnam but have never seen any real authority to support this. One of the things that really bothers me is the statement that we lost in Vietnam? I meant any one that stepped foot in On this Memorial Day 2021, VA honors their service and recommits itself to . I to served two tours 67-68 and 69-70,first with 1st of 8th cav. I think its just a generalization but should be cleared. 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. Jorge Otero Barreto. The 30 September 2007 Veterans Administration estimate places the daily deaths of WWII US veterans at 1,000 per day. I was in Nam in 1968 and 1969 as a combat Marine. Question Two. I remember a distorted image of reality. 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. we had a building where the company stored our property. I was the first male born to the Puccetti family after his death, so my parents received permission to name their son after Dante. This was with conversations with them while waiting our turn to be seen in the VA. Are these all American vets. In the article, the writer quotes Patrick S. Brady of Vietnam Veterans of Americas magazine. My spirit was above my body and I was looking down at myself bouncing around in the drivers side. The VA conducts the largest national analysis of Veteran suicide rates each year.
What percentage of Vietnamese died in the Vietnam War? - 2023 . According to the American War Library website, it was concluded by the Department of Defense that their best estimate is that between 2,709,918 and 3,173,845 GIs served in Vietnam and its surrounding waters between the years 1954 and 1975. I dont have a CIB to show for it, but I most certainly was in combat. The roar was deafening; through the shattered windshield, I saw the truck go out of control. I then did a 12 month tour in RVN in 5th SFG. Great article! However, he did not return to the United States until March 22, 1979. I could type and did all the reports. You are certainly a Vietnam Vet, and I know the danger that you were in As an Infantry (CIB) Sgt I spent part of my second tour with the 97th Trans out of Cam Rahn Bay, they operated @28 LCUs hauling projectiles up those rivers, always a risky business. Please do your own due diligence on the American War Library before citing them on ANYTHING, ever. YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. But the bad news is that Charlie knew exactly where they were . if you were effected by the first or second tour, or as i did, three years back and forth , then you were , are are a veteran. There are questions like this that are hard to answere as being true boots on ground. It took about 30 years for the government to acknowledge we were even there. So, where is the discrepancy in these numbers? Ah. 2 tours I volunteered and my 3rd I re-enlisted. I remember lots of the names Evana, Eagle, Bastone, Granite, Ripcord, Maryanne. Born: 08/27/1943. Lying on my back in the underbrush, watching the blue sky, bleeding on the jungle floor alone.
Best answer: How many Vietnam vets die each day? Aint this fun? why not compare them?. As you did not disclose what position you did or did not fill in Vietnam, or did not set foot in Vietnam, I will assume you are not a combat veteran, maybe not a Vietnam Veteran either. And your comment about Agent Orange shows that you have no understanding of how the chemical poisoned everyone who set foot in Vietnam. I had several Canadians in our Company in Vietnam. Lots of people say they served in Nam, but dont remember their unit, where they were at in country or any buddies or officers names, since I served with D 2/1 196th LIB as a Combat Medic in 1968, I carried a company Roster and had to give each EM a malaria pill each day, I learned everyones name, dont remember them all after 53 yrs but go to reunion when I can. i thank every soldier for their service, i do not exaggerate my actions. The list of cancers gets longer with each passing year. Number who served in country and number who served DURING the Vietnam War regardless of where they were deployed. In January 1945, the Bn was attached to the 3d Infantry Division near the Colmar Pocket, south of The Bulge. 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. Dear Mr. Hutson Jr The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Now 69 years/old. Combat veterans will share their experiences with other veterans especially combat veterans (CIB). Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska.
Vietnam War Veterans, and honoring all who served: Memorial Day 2021 from Fallen Leaves, Broken Lives By Edward Tick was i a veteran? How many ww2 vets left 2021? 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 . These are numbers never heard before & I would not include those before the advisers were sent over in the early/mid 60s. 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. Avoiding the specifics & particulars is a sign of fraud or a deeply disturbed relationship to their past. two weeksOver 10% of Vietnam casualties were helicopter crew members, and most of those were the door gunners that protected the helicopter, its crew, and its transports, from their exposed position. While that's a staggering figure is, the actual amount could be higher. 35th CBSG, 315th CAMS Working on C-123,s. I can smell a fake and phony 10 seconds after we meet !!!!! All who served In Country and the those outlying areas in support should be considered Vietnam Vets. He was shot nine times, while I received the tenth bullet from the ten holes in the windshield. Things that they did not tell you. Dr. Paul A. Scipione How many vietnam veterans are still living. I have been working with Dr. Mary Lynn Reed, Chair of Math and Statistics at RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology). one of the ships i sailed on had a captain that was drunk for 5 months. OH, SHIT- I heard the impact of the Rocket Propelled grenade (RPG) to my left; `this is it, I yelled! I was with 4th Med Bn. Scavenger said you had to be fired on in viet nam to be a veteran. stay safe. How Did The Campus Shootings Demonstrate The Continued Divisions Within The Country? I wonder if I was not Dante- would I have the inspiration to survive? i do not denigrate their service or define them as inferior. Canandaigua, NY Helicopter Units and losses in the Vietnam War, The Story behind the famous Saigon Execution Photo, https://open.spotify.com/show/5Th7BCpIKDE1hVTqNL3u0Q. Enjoy today's Memorial Day and please take time to "Remember". The oldest living Vietnam War veteran is believed to be a man named Larrivee Ronald A , who was born in Feb, 24, 1935. Seems there are a lot of phony ones out there trying to scam the system which takes away from the true Vietnam Vets. None of us could have done our job without the support of troops around the globe. i think the definition should not be restricted by whether you wore khakis or como. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 530 Vietnam veterans die every day. 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. I do not believe that the question of who is a Vietnam Veteran is that difficult Assignment to a unit stationed in country is 1 criterion, another is the number of days assigned and served in country Combat at sea of pilots from carriers and rescue crews that flew over the country and those downed I think that there are really 2 classes of Vietnam Veterans, combat and non-combat that is a more difficult designation to separate As a combat platoon Sgt engaged in several large battles and many smaller fire fights, nights being mortared with shells exploding in the trees above The VA needs to add one more medical anomaly, Chronic Butt Pucker for all combat veterans. The article states that The youngest Vietnam Veteran is aged in the late 60s today. Last one left was about 15 to 20 years ago. Thats sad and should stop. This is a reasonable number but you get very different notions of the death rate when you compare 800,000 to 2.7 million versus 800,000 out of 9.2 million. Even if his job depended on them doing theirs well. Was I counted each time or once? War is Heck!!! This accurate accounting gives us persepective on the cost of current and future wars. Very devisive infighting among all the service members who served at a time when it was not popular. Hometown: Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. i have read that only one in seven guys that went to Vietnam, were actually in combat.
How Many Ww2 Veterans Die Each Day? - Thelma Thinks 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. I knew I was dying, but I struggled with all my might to stay alive. 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. Well again, nothing that you have posted tells the story that you were in Vietnam. The VVA Veteran boils it down to a totally different conclusion that the American War Library drew. Agent Orange is a Herdicide. 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. 1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. 109, 000 died in the service during this period. It was 3:30pm when I entered the slowest aspect of the trip. Just like ALL Vets who served DURING WWII are classified as WWll Vets regardless of where they served. My sister found enough info to get my brother in laws ship re-classified as a brown water ship and proved he was sent in country by the ships commander (Newport News). Not 499 days between dec 67 & april 68? We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. i was not a supporter of the war but i did my job. Thank you for being there to help us when called. That's 390 per day. 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. I am a solid 10. It was an incredibly tumultuous time in US hi >, It poses more confusion about what constitutes a Vietnam Vet! 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. When we find that number we can start to determine those of us still standing. Deaths per day . The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". But having said that, here are some sources: Which Statement Best Describes How Americans In The 1960S Felt About The Vietnam War? My 2.6 million figure refers to American vets. One other thing I would like to know, when Jane Fonda was sitting on that anti aircraft gun in Hanoi did they let her try to use it. I was in Vinh Long in 1965, Mekong delta area. This answer is: When you spend most of the time out in the Bad Lands, bad things happen. For US Vietnam Veterans it's about 66 years vs just about 78 years for non vets. I stomped the gas and the engine roared- the truck jumped forward and bounced crazily and so did, garbing the steering tightly. A Vietnam Era Veteran is everyone who was serving in the military while the Vietnam War was going on. In my book, they are all Vietnam Vets, just like the guys back home who never went overseas are WWII or WWI veterans. i served and i was affected like nearly every other person who spent time there. Bob ONeal, Lt.Col. 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. There were approx. Splitting out the numbers of combat and era vets are separate questions. 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. How many Vietnam veterans died from Agent Orange? and i abhor those who say they served when they were plumbers in texas and talk of medals they never earned. Nobody can bad-mouth Huey pilots and crews. nearly every classmate from the academy served on some basis during the vn war. I knew what my death would mean to my mother, my father, and the rest of my family and friends. The New York Times estimated that, of the 8.4 million Vietnam veterans who were still alive in 2000, 1.1 million had died. What was the life expectancy of a helicopter door gunner in Vietnam? 997 soldiers997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam . I was a grunt and shotgunner on convoys !!! 15 of us REMFs were surrounded by the 33rd NVA June 13 1970. 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. It takes military personnel to support the troops on ground or ships in war territory waters. Nevertheless, if my name was Tom, Dick, or Harry I would have perished, but I could not put my parents through the same ordeal as Aunt Palma and Uncle Frank. Though Thailand was not designated a combat zone. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Approximately 7,500 women were stationed in Vietnam during the war. I always ask those who claim to be Compare yourself to the Marines at Fallujah, if they are a 10, what number are you, Thanks for your comment! in one way or another. 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. This situation has been an issue for years longer than any of us has been around. it really did not matter, every officer had a masters license.
Thousands of veterans die alone every year, with their remains Could they be considered Vietnam veterans then? Those who do not remember where in country they were, WHERE NOT THERE.. Or suffering from a complete mental memory disorder. I only spent one overnighter. 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. Anyone who says you guys werent there will have to fight me. a few years ago i was flying from rome to possibly germany or holland on the way back to montreal. 2.8 million tour because some guys just couldnt get enough! I turned left into the open valley dirt road that lead to the OP, crossed the blue line (river or stream on a map) and raced through the dense, triple canopy jungle to the open valley floor. none more than the ERA Vets. Steve How Many Vietnam Veterans Have Been Affected by Agent Orange? It too bad that guys that never fought think for some reason they deserve credit for being in Vietnam when they werent. Vietnam 2/722/73. 499 days, and 10 days in Sydney, Australia !!!!! I was also at LZ Bayonet. How Many Vietnam War Veterans Are Still Alive? We dont respect the combat Vets and they shouldnt disrespect us. My husband was awarded several (door gunner w/191st AHC Bounty Hunters). and by the way, they never got benefits after their time at sea. I struck a tree and rebounded into the open again still a sitting duck. We hauled cargo to the bases and for a few months I hauled hitest gas to the airbase at DongHa. 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. When we DEROSed we were given 6-8 pills to continue taking them every week. I was shot up more than a dozen times and shot down once. We were sprayed every 2 weeks with Melithon (Insecticide) that was 96 percent pure. 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. Helicopter crewmen did not receive the CIB, but they fought every day. But as to how many of us have died since then, I havent a clue. The book by Hal Moore & Joe Galloway We were soldiers once, and young describe what many of us experienced. Vietnam Veterans are dieing faster than World War Two veterans do to Agent Orange contamination . You guys were the lifeblood of our war effort. Stolen Valor the American Way! Arrived in country March 1969, subsequently assigned to B Battery 1/14 Arty. BTW, Marys father was a Marine in Nam and died when she was only a few years old. 7,484 women served in Vietnam, 83.5% being nurses. off the ship i went out with airforce on resupply, went out with troops through rubber plantations, ran from gunfire in saigon and chulon. He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II. was i a veteran by the numbers? 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. as we end our lives we should never forget that each served, in some way. No two people standing side by side performed the same duties. 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. 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. The report is based on national death certificate data currently available through 2020. How many veterans die each day? Served at Quang Tri Combat Base )QTCB) 71-72) Same here. The New York Times, as always, gets it wrong. 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. i agree with many who feel that a private who served his time in new jersey is not a vietnam vet. Got a nice break the last 5 months, got to drive a bird colonel around Chu Lai as he delivered classified info all over the base !!!!! Each averaged 2500-3000 personnel on a yearly rotating bases, groaning and shrinking based on the missions being conducted. I flew as a crew chief / door gunner from dec 12 th 1965 till dec 15th 1967,I may not have had my boots on the ground out side the wire but we flew close air support , every time you grunts got your ass in a sling we were there to help you, i was on old B model gun ships low and slow ,I was shot down three times, so i dont think your cib means that much to me. when we carried peaches and beer, no problem. They dont include forces in Guam or Thailand. (LogOut/ (Mar 1969-Sep 70) 2/23, 196 LIB & 1/23 MP Co, 11 LIB, AMERICAL DIV. My sister found enough info to get her husbands ship re-classified to a Brown Water ship due to his operation of a river boat and also medical evac of Marines, while he was assigned to the flagship, the Newport News, Prior to that any sailor who served aboard the Newport News, that applied for disability connected with Agent Orange, was denied. my larger point is that , in my opinion, they were veterans. If the ratio of approximately 10% remains the same about 314. Last troops departed on 29 March, 1973. Era vets are important but dont count. My uncle John was in Company A, 290th Engineer Combat Bn during WWII.
How many Vietnam veterans are still alive? (2023) guy next to me was shoot dead I think that counts. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. If my math is correct, are you going on 68 years old ? All others should not be accepted to have served either on land or at sea in Vietnam. https://news.va.gov/89450/vietnam-war-veterans-honoring-served-memorial-day-2021/. 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. The last three I knew had lost a lot of weight, two had each lost a lung. This part of Pleiku Province is a combination of mountains, triple to single canopy jungle and/or open valleys. the man ahead of me had been in rome for a religious tour. 2500 to 3000 US Air Force troops stationed in Guam, Thailand, and other countries that were involved in the Vietnam War effort. Nha Trang (TET 68), 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. Later, and Welcome Home to all Vietnam Veterans!!! 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. I did 7 years 66-72 HHC 4/9 Inf and LRRP 25th div, / C 1/327 INF 101st Inf (only 6 mo. I was hoping for more accurate numbers. It is an all-too-common misunderstanding that to be affected by Agent Orange you had to have been sprayed, and/or you are required to prove that to the VA. I saw the truck bounce towards the trees.
How many Vietnam vets die each day? - nobelvoice.com Our 2003 NJAOC Desk Guide to the unique health issue of Nam vets and our children is still the Gold Standard. Age: 75. The Vietnam War was an undeclared war between the US and Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. Music That Moves the Military. Does receiving a few mortar rounds inside the wire of our compound count? best to all. 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.
45-50 years from now (and I bet no-one will want to I left the Ville at 3:00pm. ahead of me in the next row was a man conversing with another man about two rows ahead of him. He was killed in action just a few months later. 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. It is a deeply troubling statistic and has. Or is this a total number of vets with all the other countries that supported us . 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. Other than guard duty i was not in combat but the perimeter at Long Binh was regular defoliated and we experienced rocket and mortar attacks. 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 served in an artillery unit. 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. One good way to detect a phony is to ask him what his MOS was. Interesting, no way is 75 percent f real vets are alive today? I was drafted in May of 1966 specifically for the reactivation of the 9th Infantry..so B Co., 4/47th/9th Inf. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. 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. How many Canadian WWII veterans are still alive? 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.