Pop! This same Congress then turned around and abandoned America's former ally, South Vietnam. But even the men whose primary job was to engage the enemy found that at times they could not fire. The charge that the poor died in disproportionate numbers is also a myth. It should not matter if you are firing or helping others fire. General Dung's account of the final battle for South Vietnam reads like it was taken right out of a US Army manual on offensive military operations. It's a site that collects all the most frequently asked questions and answers, so you don't have to spend hours on searching anywhere else. 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. The complete description of this North Vietnamese Army (NVA) classical military victory is best expressed in the words of the NVA general who commanded it. What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? For one to feel vindicated, as opposed to being vindicated, one must have first been feeling guilty. The American fighting man made sure that these concerns were short-lived. Note 1: there were an additional 10,824 non-hostile deaths for a total of 58,202Note 2: of the 304,704 WIA, 153,329 required hospitalizationNote 3: this number decreases as remains are recovered and identifiedNote 4: 114 died in captivityNote 5: Does not include 101,511 Hoi Chanh, Legend: KIA = Killed In Action WIA = Wounded In Action MIA = Missing In Action CIA = Captured In Action, Note 1: there were an additional 1,045 non-hostile deaths for a total of 6,053, Note 1: there were an additional 1,680 non-hostile deaths for a total of 11,058, Note 1: there were an additional 1,919 non-hostile deaths for a total of 16,511, Note 1: there were an additional 2,113 non-hostile deaths for a total of 11,527, Note 1: there were an additional 1,844 non-hostile deaths for a total of 6,065, Note 1: there were an additional 968 non-hostile deaths for a total of 2,348, Note 1: there were an additional 261 non-hostile deaths for a total of 561. Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in combat, provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack. Dissertation. Multi-million dollar salaries (e.g., Cronkite) are paid to entertainers, stars and superstars. 2. Some American soldiers reacted to their situation by lashing out violently against the Vietnamese, while others took out their anger on U.S. military leaders. And, until the records containing those distortions and falsehoods are closely examined and corrected, America's perception of Vietnam will continue to linger and fester in the nation's conscience. He had, in 1972, for the first time in the War, mined Hai Phong Harbor and sent the B-52 bombers against the North to force them into signing the Paris Peace Agreements. In not one instance did the people rise up to support the Communists. A survivor of the crash stated: "Some of us got out through a chute from the top of the plane, but the children (and escorts) at the bottom of the plane didn't have a chance. However, among these five branches, there are sub-branches and units. Hopefully, this has been helpful. A considerable number recalled how the weapon they used during basic and advanced individual training was the older M-14, but that the M-16 was issued on their arrival in Vietnam. These other supporting units in repair, construction, transportation, delivery, medics, and administration may never see combat. It seemed that all was well. Most of those who perished were in the lowest of three levels in what was then the largest aircraft in the world. Women make up a growing share of veterans. Nearly 75% of the general public (in 1993) agrees with that. It's out of place in the American psyche, and it continues to fester in much the same way battle wounds fester when shrapnel or other foreign matter is left in the body. You make a difference just by being a part of the military. On six separate occasions, I explained to individual reporters, that Vietnam was making constant economic progress and their overall economy was healthy. If he fired, he risked shooting his own men. The best womens tactical boots shouldnt only offer protection but also extreme comfort , Every soldier in combat needs a pair of boots. Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in combat, provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack. Contact Us |Links|Veterans' Radio| Site Map. 82% of veterans who saw heavy combat strongly believe the war was lost because of lack of political will. Along with this will come a stirring rise in the standard of living among the Vietnamese people. In the course of that battle, Hitler's General Rommel (The Desert Fox) inflicted 3,100 US casualties, took 3,700 US prisoners and captured or destroyed 198 American tanks. One of the many things , Swearing-in is a formal ceremony that marks the start of your career in the military. In addition, at the height of the War, the Soviet Union had some 55,000 Advisors in North Vietnam. A quick synopsis of America's Vietnam experience will help summarize and clarify the Vietnam scenario: 1965 - 1967; Buildup of US Forces and logistical supply bases, plus heavy fighting to counter Communist North Vietnamese invasion. What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? 1967, CACCF Record Counts by Reason (Cause of Casualty) (as of 12/98), in order of most frequent cause to least frequent cause, CACCF Record Counts by Year of Death or Declaration of Death (as of 12/98), TOTAL NUMBER OF PATIENTS EVACUATED FROM VIETNAM, U.S. ARMY, BY MONTH, 1965-69. If you wish to share any thoughts, leave a comment. The US Military was not Driven from Vietnam. 34% of blacks who enlisted volunteered for the combat arms. 23% had fathers with professional, managerial, or technical occupations. # 3: The 25th Infantry Division. Personal beliefs did play a role, though a far less pervasive one than Marshall claimed was the case during World War II. . 63% of Korean vets had completed high school upon separation from the service), 82% of veterans who saw heavy combat strongly believe the war was lost. West Virginia 51,764 2,905 A man could be pinned down by heavy and accurate incoming fire. If not, a replacement weapon had to be found either during or after the firefight. The consequence of a replacements failure to respond could sometimes mean the new mans death. During the 1968 Tet Offensive the Communists attacked 155 cities, towns and hamlets in South Vietnam. Xuan Loc was the last major battle for South Vietnam. Lastly, all Vietnam War operations were declassified in 1993 by US President William Jefferson Clinton, who with USSR President Boris Yeltsin, publicly agreed in signed documents to de-classfy ALL military operations conducted by both countries dating back to WW1 for the specific purpose of accounting for an individual's war service or MIA/POW status! The percent of the military that sees combat also varies with factors, such as the military branch you are in. The below information is from www.lzsalley.com (101st Airborne), 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam Era (28 February 1961 - 7 May 1975), 8,744,000 personnel were on active duty during the war (5 August 1964-28March 1973), 3,403,100 (including 514,300 offshore) personnel served in the SE Asia, Theater (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, flight crews based in Thailand and sailors, 2,594,000 personnel served within the borders of South Vietnam, Another 50,000 men served in Vietnam between 1960 and 1964, Of the 2.6 million, between 1 and 1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in, combat, provided close combat support or were at least fairly regularly. An armor battalion had 204 tankers (3 companies per battalion with 68 tankers per company). # 7: The 1st Infantry Division. The median age of veterans in 2018 was 65. Yet these respondents noted at the same time that fear was generally a passing condition; a man not engaging on one occasion could be expected to use his weapon later in the same engagement, or during subsequent battles. Montana 32,361 2,933 Recently members of AmCham's EE&C (Energy, Engineering and Construction) Energy Subcommittee traveled to Hanoi and presented a briefing on Gas Chain Development to senior officials from the Prime Minister's Office, MPI, PVN (Petro Vietnam) and EVN (Electricity Vietnam). 82% of veterans who saw heavy combat strongly believe the war was lost. The , Whether youre planning to go to the woods or range, a tactical backpack comes in handy. What Not to Say to a Military Recruiter & Other Tips? Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. For more great articles be sure to subscribe to Vietnam Magazine today! A nation sending its youth to war must prepare them well if those individuals are to survive the experience. Selon Hanoi, il y a eu pres de deux millions de morts dans la population civile du Nord et deux autres millions dans celle du Sud. They still airlift America's wounded back to the safety of military bases overseas, aiding in the overall survival rate of our wounded warriors. The Best Tactical Belts for Any Tactical Situation. 1967, CACCF Record Counts by Reason (Cause of Casualty) (as of 12/98)in order of most frequent cause to least frequent cause, CACCF Record Counts by Service Component (as of 12/98), CACCF Record Counts by State Home of Record (as of 12/98), A Bright Shining Lie, Sheehan, Neil, New York: Random House, 1988, After Tet, Ronald H. Spector, New York: Random House, 1993, Code Name Bright Light, Veith, George J., New York: The Free Press, 1998, Inside The VC And The NVA, Lanning, Michael, New York: Random House, 1992, The Rise And Fall Of An American Army, Stanton, Shelby L., Novato, CA: Presidio Press, 1985, The Vietnam War, Nalty, Bernard C., New York: Smithmark Publishers, 1996, Vietnam: A History, Karnow, Stanley, New York: Viking, 1983, Vietnam At War: The History 1946-1975, Davidson, Phillip, New York: Oxford Univ Press, 1988. It is just 10 to 20% of the 60% who get deployed. Civil War veterans suffered Soldiers heart in WW I the term was Shell shock during WW II and in Korea it was Battle fatigue. Military records indicate that Civil War psychological casualties averaged twenty six per thousand men. These figures were deliberately falsified during the war by the North Vietnamese Communists to avoid demoralizing the population. In the Sorrow of War, author and NVA veteran Bao Ninh writes of this battle: Remember when we chased Division 18 southern soldiers all over Xuan Loc? At that time black males of military age constituted 13.5 percent of the American population. 87% of the public now holds Viet vets in high esteem. These Marines and soldiers were squad leaders, first sergeants, platoon leaders and company commanders directing maneuvers, distributing ammunition, calling for fire or performing the many other tasks that success in a firefight demanded. He tells of being drafted into the North Vietnamese Army in 1968 and fighting for nearly seven years. Vietnams wildlife posed its own dangers. There other US Army joined them and South Korean soldiers and the US Navy eventually evacuated 105,000 Allied troops from that port. The Agence France Presse (French Press Agency) news release of 4 April 1995 concerning the Vietnamese Government's release of official figures of dead and wounded during the Vietnam War.HANOI (AP) - April 4. In Vietnam there was never any mass evacuation of US Marine, South Vietnamese or Allied troops. 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. Either way, you are serving your country. In Vietnam no US Military units were overrun and no US Military infantry units or tank outfits were captured. In Vietnam the comparable average was 5 per 1,000 troops. 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. (Vietnam veterans are dying at about the same rate as their WW2 fathers.) According to 2019 statistics, only 10% of the entire military force engage in battle. Victor Ubach, a Pan American World Airways pilot who was flying behind and above the crippled Air Force plane said the C-5A pilots "had done one heck of a job" to avoid a worse disaster. Casualties tell the tale. All of them shared borders with Laos. The second largest cohort of Then again, perhaps it was good judgment on the part of an experienced lieutenant. 66% of Viet vets say they would serve again, if called upon. General Dung's Great Spring Victory was supported by a total of 700 (maneuverable) Soviet tanks, i.e. Contrary to what you see in the movies, the chances of seeing combat in the army are low. 817 East Via CarmelitosVirginia Building 319 Ultimately it was their responses that formed the basis for a detailed study of this issue and the influence of training, the 12-month rotation and the six-month command tour on the American fighting mans combat performance. The idea that There were no front lines. and The enemy was everywhere. makes good press and feeds the craven needs of those 16,000,000+ American draft dodgers. The following is a guest post by Andrew Huber, Liaison Specialist for the Veterans History Project (VHP). 14.6% (1,530) of non-combat deaths were black. So, continue reading for details on this topic of military members in combat. That same infantryman might later be on the perimeter of a defensive position when the enemy attacked the other side of his firebase. On the other hand, if you are bummed out that you will not be involved in a lot of action like you expecteddo not be. The American, he concluded, comes from a civilization in which aggression, connected with the taking of life, is prohibited and unacceptable.The fear of aggression has been expressed to him so strongly and absorbed by him so deeply and pervadingly practically with his mothers milk that it is part of the normal mans emotional make-up. In all, China sent 327,000 troops to North Vietnam. Over 2 million served in Afghanistan and Iraq, spending 1 out of 3 years serving overseas. Moore noted that he was tempted by the opportunity to join his riflemen in firing on the enemy during fighting at LZ X-Ray in 1965, but he resisted the temptation. Additional information was derived from the sources listed at the end of this document. After extensive research of various mortality indexes and sources The American War Library estimates that approximately one-third of those who did serve in Vietnam (approximately 850,000) are alive today [18 Aug 2007]. What was the life expectancy of a helicopter door gunner in Vietnam? At the end of thirty days, not one single communist flag was flying over any of those 155 cities, towns or hamlets. Can you brush your teeth with tap water in vietnam? In addition, Congress cut off all AID to the South Vietnamese and would not provide them with as much as a single bullet. The U.S. military has estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers died. Note: NVA casualty data was provided by North Vietnam in a press release to Agence France Presse (AFP) on April 3, 1995, on the 20th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. During WW II, in the European Theater alone, over 20,000 US Military men were convicted of dissertation and, on a comparable percentage basis, the overall WW II desertion rate was 55 percent higher than in Vietnam. Were there factors that made it more likely for some men to fire than others? The Galaxy had taken-off from Tan Son Nhut airbase and had reached analtitude of approximately 23,000 feet and was approximately 40 miles fromSaigon when it's rear clamshell cargo doors blew off crippling its flight controls. From 2001 through July 2020, some 173 female service members had been killed in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, according to the Congressional Research Service. The average man who fought in World War II was 26 years of age. Helicopter, losses during Lam Son 719 (a mere two months) accounted for 10% of all. This at a time when only 65% of the military age males in the general American population were high school graduates. A third of this group engaged the enemy more than 100 times; fewer than half fired on the enemy less than 50 times. One does not get to be, much less continue to be, a superstar unless one gives one's audience what it wants. The remaining 34 provinces accounted for just 21% of US KIA. On the issue of psychological health: Mental problems attributed to service in Vietnam are referred to as PTSD. On 9 Apr 75 the NVA 341st Division joined the attack. I should also mention that all these interviews took place in air-conditioned comfort, in places with names like Caravelle, Equatorial, Omni, Saigon Prince, etc. Roughly 40% of those who join the military never get deployed to a combat zone at all. What percentage of vietnam veterans actually saw combat? The driving force behind their exports is Small and Medium Enterprises (MSEs). Despite Marshalls fall from grace, there were those who had agreed with him. These men served as riflemen, machine-gunners, helicopter door gunners, vehicle crewmen or others who were to kill the adversary with the weapon they carried. Also, do not forget to share this with others! Over 25,000 orphans were in South Vietnam in April of 1975. Jorge Otero Barreto Years of service 1959-1970 Rank Sergeant First Class Unit 101st Airborne 25th Infantry 82nd Airborne 173rd . These numbers should dispel the notion that Vietnam was some kind of flaming inferno or a huge cauldron of burning dissent. Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in combat, provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack. But some might suspect that a man would hesitate to admit his own shortcomings under fire. 79% of the men who served in 'Nam had a high school education or better. But, Vietnam is catching up. According to 2019 statistics, only 10% of the entire military force engage in battle. . More than three-quarters of U.S. servicemen were killed in action in just 10 of the countrys more than 40 provinces. So, continue reading for details on this topic of military members in combat. It is not an uncommon question, but most military enthusiasts or soon-to-be service members get it wrong. What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? What Does Landline Mean in the Military? I might get pinned down and become simply another rifleman. During the course of these briefings, we learned that demand for electricity inVietnam increased by a whooping 14% in the first three months of 2000. What percentage of draftees went to vietnam? The US military never sends Active Duty, Reservist or National Guard military personnel to any war zone without officially documenting that service for the obvious reasons of compiling factual death stats or notifying next of kin in the event of injury or death. If the 1st Cavalry Division respondents reflect the majority veteran view, such men generally performed their duties well and were often respected for their convictions. Americans would die needlessly and wars would be much extended if U.S. troops failed to perform the essential act of firing on the enemy. Many of these false 'war veterans' claim their alleged Vietnam service was "classified", and therefore never recorded. If you are about to enlist or want to learn more about the U.S military, you will like this article about what percentage of the military sees combat. During the WW II Battle of the Bulge in Europe two regiments of the US Army's 106th Division surrendered to the Germans. Why are Vietnam vets dying so fast? 17 What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? and 10 to 15 adults survived, including the pilot. Too often these men received inadequate training on the unfamiliar rifle before they were committed to active operations. TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. In addition, these defense commitments required the annual expenditure of hundreds of billions of US dollars. The most common military personnel are mechanics. 60% are under the age of 34. The average infantryman in Vietnam saw about 240 days of combat in one year, *SOBERING STATISTICS FOR THE VIETNAM WAR* In case you havent been paying 91% of actual Vietnam War veterans and 90% of those who saw combat are proud Weapons malfunctions sometimes kept a man from engaging even if he wanted to as did unfamiliarity with a weapon. Veterans repeatedly cited how vulnerable the new man was until he had a chance to learn the ropes after arriving in the combat theater. For defending purposes, American soldiers are equipped with the most advanced and premium-quality gear available. What to Wear to Military Swearing-in Ceremony & What Not to Wear? Two, three and four tours were not uncommon and the author personally knows an Air Force NCO who spent six years in-country. Three of South Vietnams provinces (Quang Tri, Quang Nam and Thua Thien) accounted for more than 40 percent of American casualties. During the Korean War the US Army was forced into the longest retreat in its history. Eight members of the Air Force crew perished in the crash. Marshall continued in his role as analyst and self-proclaimed military historian before, during and after the Korean War, authoring many more books and frequently appearing as a guest lecturer at Fort Leavenworth and other installations around the United States. SMEs represent the best that market economies have to offer. There were occasions when firing their weapons was essential, but many times their choice to engage rather than perform their other duties would have done more harm than good. 5 What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? A Pentagon spokesman at the time commented on Capt. How many Desert Storm veterans are still alive? In spite of it's wing problems this was only the second crash of a C-5A after over 190,000 combined flying hours by the USAF but the first crash resulting in loss-of-life. My duty was to lead riflemen. For a very different reason, chaplains rarely engaged the enemy. The North Vietnamese Army went to extraordinary lengths to remove their dead from the field of battle because they did not want the US to discover their true battlefield losses. The percentage of soldiers seeing combat depends on a variety of factors. Enemy sappers routinely made post-sunset attempts to determine the location of U.S. perimeter defensive positions. Jim Hadley, a medical technician from Sacramento, Calif recalled later that oxygen masks dropped down automatically, but the children were sitting two to a seat and there weren't enough masks to go around. Poor training that improperly prepared soldiers for combat underlay other cases of failing to engage. During its Normandy battles in 1944 the US 90th Infantry Division, (roughly 15,000+ men) over a six week period, had to replace 150% of its officers and more than 100% of its men. Is vietnam airlines part of star alliance? For years there has been controversy over how many Vietnam veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder -- a psychiatric condition that can result from experiencing a terrifying danger. Thesoldiersproject.org is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Should America feel shame? Units on intelligence collection operations frequently let a threat pass by unmolested. You may have seen this in military books or films. The citizens of South Vietnam, no matter how apathetic they may have appeared toward their own government, turned out to be overwhelmingly anti-Communist. One of their own made a rather astute observation to the effect that they all were smitten (to one degree or another) by a sort of hazy Namstalgia and as a result, had no intention of straying far from those comfortable notions that had been the very foundation of their collective writing and reporting successes (interestingly enough the original meaning of the word nostalgia was to express sadness and, While the more ancient of those media icons were drinking and carrying on with one another, their organization's younger blooded staffers were out trying to gather more bad news. Force NCO who spent six years in-country were high school graduates during II! Medium Enterprises ( MSEs ) or a huge cauldron of burning what percentage of vietnam veterans actually saw combat U.S. defensive. A replacement weapon had to be, much less continue to be, much less continue to found... War was lost because of lack of political will cited how vulnerable the new mans death the expenditure... 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