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VIETNAM WAR STATISTICS

Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
I am a Vietnam vet. I served during the end of that war. On an Ammo ship making runs back and forth from the Philippines to the coast of Nam. We went into Haiphong Harbor shortly after the war was declared over. I just watched Platoon for the first time. I wondered how many served over there? How many served in combat vs supporting forces such as where I was. I found the stats and wanted to share them here for others. The most surprising stat to me was that of there was 47,378 killed in action by the enemy,, but there were also 10,800 killed by what they call a non hostile deaths

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VIETNAM WAR STATISTICS

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Source: U.S. Government (VA Web Site Stats)


Vietnam Vets: 9.7% of their generation

9,087,000 Military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam Era. Aug. 5, 1964 - May 7, 1975.

8,744,000 GIs Were on active duty during the war. Aug. 5, 1964 - March 28, 1973

3,403,100 (Including 514,300 Offshore) Personnel served in the Southeast Asia Theater (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Flight Crews based in Thailand, and sailors in adjacent South China Sea Waters.)

2,594,000 Personnel served within the borders of South Vietnam. Jan. 1, 1965 - Mar. 28, 1973

Tuy Hoa....Click here for a larger image.....nam12.gif (158963 bytes) Convoy...... Click here for a larger image.....nam13.gif (164656 bytes) The Beach at Nha Trang....Click here for a larger image.....nam7.gif (215516 bytes)

Another 50,000 men served in Vietnam between 1960 and 1964.

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.

7,484 Women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam.

Peak troop strength in Vietnam: 543,482 (April 30, 1969)

Hostile deaths: 47,378

Non-hostile deaths: 10,800

Total: 58,202 (Includes men formorley classified as MIA and Mayaguez Casualties.) Men who have subsequently died of wounds account for the changing total.

8 Nurses died - 1 was KIA

Married men killed: 17,539

61% of the men killed were 21 or younger..

Highest state death rate: West Virginia - 84.1 (National Average 58.9 for every 100,000 males in 1970.

Wounded: 303,704 --- 153,329 Hospitalized + 150,375 Injured requiring no hospital care

Severely disabled: 75,000-----23,214 100% Disabled; 5,283 Lost limb; 1,081 Sustained multiple amputations.

Amputation or crippling wounds to the lower extremities were 300% higher than in WW II and 70% higher than Korea. Multiple amputations occurred at the rate of 18.4% compared to 5.7% in WW II.

Missing in action: 2,338.

POWs: 766 (114 Died in captivity.)

25% (648,500) Of total forces in country were draftees.

Draftees accounted for 30.4% (17,725) of combat deaths in Vietnam.

Reservist killed: 5,977

National Guard: 6,140 Served; 101 Died

Total draftees (1965-73): 1,728,344.

Actually served in Vietnam 38%.

Marine Corps Draft: 42,633

Last man drafted June 30, 1973.


76% Of the men sent to Vietnam were from lower middle/working class backgrounds

Three fourths had family incomes above the poverty level; 50% were from middle income backgrounds..

Some 23% Of Vietnam Vets had fathers with proffessional, managerial, or technical occupations.

79% Of the men who served Vietnam had a high school education or better when they entered the military service. (63% Of Korean War Vets and only 45% of WW II Vets had completed high school upon separation).

Deaths by region per 100,000 of population: South-31;
West-29.9; Midwest-28.4; Northeast-23.5.

88.4% Of the men who actually served in Vietnam were Caucasian; 10.6% (275,000) were Black; 1% belonged to other races.

86.3% Of the men who died in Vietnam were Caucasian (Includes Hispanics); 12.5% (7,241) Were Black; 1.2% Belonged to other races.

170,000 Hispanics served in Vietnam; 3,070 (5.2% Of total) died there.

70% Of enlisted men killed were of Northwest European Descent.

86.8% Of the men who were killed as a result of hostile action were Caucasian; 12.1% (5,711) Were Black; 1.1% Belonged to other races.

14.6% (1,530) Of Non-Combat deaths were among Blacks.

34% OF Blacks who enlisted volunteered for the combat arms.

Overall , Blacks suffered 12.5% of the deaths in Vietnam at a time when the % of Blacks of military age was 13.5% of the total population.

Religion of dead; Protestant -- 64.4%; Catholic -- 28.9%; Other/None 6.7%

82% Of Veterans who saw heavy combat strongly believe the war was lost because of lack of political will.

Nearly 75% Of the public agrees it was a failure of political will not of arms.

97% Of Vietnam Era Veterans were honorably discharged.

91% Of actual Vietnam War Veterans and 90% of those who saw heavy combat are proud to have served their country.

66% Of Vietnam Vets say they would serve again if called upon.

87% Of the public now holds Vietnam Veterans in high esteem.
 

mla2ofus

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
I served a year in Thailand w/ a support unit for the B-52's. Our unit got a commendation letter from the Marines after Ke Sahn(sp).
Mike
 

Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Just saw this about the Vietnam Wall. Seems to fit in here nicely.
 

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Danang Sailor

nullius in verba
GOLD Site Supporter
Greg,

These five (out of the last six) really summarize most of this for me:
82% Of Veterans who saw heavy combat strongly believe the war was lost because of lack of political will. Damn straight!
Nearly 75% Of the public agrees it was a failure of political will not of arms. People have finally accepted the truth.
97% Of Vietnam Era Veterans were honorably discharged.
91% Of actual Vietnam War Veterans and 90% of those who saw heavy combat are proud to have served their country. Although the country
seemed to be ashamed of us at the time.
66% Of Vietnam Vets say they would serve again if called upon. Many of us kept on serving for 20+ years; quite a few feel we still are. The oath we took still binds us, even though we no longer put on the uniform every day.

Everyone I know who was there shares these - no exceptions. The odds say there have to be some, but none that I have personally met.
 
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