While there troops from our unit were deployed to Vietnam as replacements yet some people dont consider us as support for troops in Vietnam. Combat Vets served in country. Dont know about the MM but everyone got the same combat pay whether a grunt or clerk. If the ratio of approximately 10% remains the same about 314. How many Vietnam veterans are dying each day? These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I got the disability benefits at age 79. This is a controversial post. We all started getting heart attacks around the same time. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. The VVA Veteran boils it down to a totally different conclusion that the American War Library drew. 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. Even in this age of computers and accountability just goes to show ya ,people still cant Add or do Math . I was in Vinh Long in 1965, Mekong delta area. The leading cause of preventable death among US military casualties in the Vietnam War was exsanguination from extremity wounds. I was drafted and sent to Germany 66-68 because of the Vietnam War in the 4Armored Division. We, the U.S. have lost over 158,000 American lives to the Vietnam war and that count is still rising. My brother claims he is a Vietnam veteran. Been there, seen it, did it. This cookie is used by the website's WordPress theme. 7,484 women served in Vietnam, 83.5% being nurses. As I moved my right hand to change gears, it just blew apart, as red blood and parts of my hand flew everywhere instantaneously, but in slow motion I seemingly was catapulted onto some parallel universe. Like you I am sick of ERA Veterans claiming to be in country. They wore the Vietnam Service Medal. It was an incredibly tumultuous time in US hi >, It poses more confusion about what constitutes a Vietnam Vet! Could this be friendly fire on a beautiful Sunday? 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. If they enlisted or were drafted before 1975, they likely are in their late 60s now. Did your foot ever touch the ground? Merchant Marine officers or crew are not wearing the uniform of the USAs Armed Forces. It has a life of its own. However, typically, the number of World War 2 veterans who die each day is approximately 100. However I know many many who have died these past 55 years & 6 months since the Battle of Soui Tre March 21, 1967 and I know what is a combat veteran. (LogOut/ How Many Vietnam Veterans are AliveToday? A Co. 2/8th, First Cavalry, 1968-69. Also, some do not consider those who served in Thailand as Vietnam Vets. 2010-11-24 14:32:32. My demons were better left alone and buried away after two tours back to back. Question One: Are we talking Vietnam Veterans or Vietnam Era Veterans. Antonia is a firm believer in the power of education, and she is passionate about helping students reach their full potential. All the others are Vietnam ERA Vets. so if you wore chinos instead of camo you are not a veteran? Funny, none of them were called WWII Era Veterans. Estimating the number of suicides among Vietnam veterans There were 7000 Canadians that joined the US military to fight in Vietnam. One of the things that really bothers me is the statement that we lost in Vietnam? at DaNang If we came in they set up tents to sleep in and had a big blivet bag for a shower. Today is Sun 22 Aug 2021 but the actual date HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED as the US is SENDING GIs BACK! TRUE, yes more may have had a mortar or rocket land in the vicinity, or heard a sniper round shot, but the manpower rule is 1 out of 7 10 is an actual seek out and engage the enemy, tip of the spear veteran. Bob ONeal, Lt.Col. remember) there will likely be a debate as to how 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. Our med company was on 6 different LZs during the year I was with them, supporting the 3rd Bde 4th ID. Some advisors embassy guards, but all combat units left. Is It Hard To Get Into Kent State University? Various percentages of actual Vietnam Veterans is bothersome. My whole essence was involved it the quest of one more heartbeat, one more breath, one more gasp of pain averting energy, one moment at a time. The average annual payment was $18,100. Thanks for your responses. Should you have a question or comment about this article, then scroll down to the comment section below to leave your response. How many Vietnam veterans are still missing? Over 100,000 US Vietnam Vet Suicides To Date! - Rense Why cant you be just a proud Veteran. What that included Im not sure today but understood it to be in naval & in country. Having studied the war for years, I believe that the correct figure for those on the ground in South Vietnam is 2.6 million. 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. Good disxussiin. Granted, most of them were deployed for the durationa WWII vet I knew was gone 4 years without coming back to the states. Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category . may we all be the last man standing. He was drafted and qualified for Helicopter pilot school. How many Nam Vets die per day is what??? - Leatherneck.com For US Vietnam Veterans it's about 66 years vs just about 78 years for non vets. The 30 September 2007 Veterans Administration estimate places the daily deaths of WWII US veterans at 1,000 per day. It would cause great pain to them; reminiscent of what occurred to the family of my namesake, my first cousin Dante Michael Puccetti. Those an in the Era the we were in Vietnam but they are not Vietnam Vets by any stretch of you imagination. next with 1st of 12th cav. Army Reserve: 189,500 I was ASA, 1960-1963, Ft Dix, Vint Hill Farm, DaNang and PhuBai. 58,184 died in the combat zone or from combat wounds. the average combat vet in Nam was 240 days. 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. Thats what we did in Vietnam we left and am glad we did. Please do all you can to inform our fellow vets that the VA presumes Agent Orange exposure if you were in-country. 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. And i can tell you , we made a lot of money. My 2.6 million figure refers to American vets. What Was It Like To Hump The Boonies in Vietnam? I do not know how many others served with us. My spirit was above my body and I was looking down at myself bouncing around in the drivers side. 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. How Many Vietnam Veterans Have Been Affected by Agent Orange? The politicians and fake news along with the Berkeley professors lost it for the American people after that. Through my blood-covered face, I could not distinguish whom! I and other merchant marine did. . The remaining 6.5 million were serving either at-home or abroad but not in Vietnam. The 9 million was the total number of people in the military during 64-75 . I was all over in 7 years. Now 69 years/old. We got a personal visit from 10 Generals (no joke). Their is a new book about to be released by Bill Comeau that tells a similar story of the 3rd Brigade of the 4th Infantry Duel with the Dragon about the Battle of Soui Tre that I fought in. 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. 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). I think there about 250,000 Virtnam Vets that saw actual combat. we got one daily the other one weekly. Some where along the way after returning home & towards, if not after the end of involvement, the number Id heard/read was 5 million US military served. I got angry at him even saying that he was a vet of the war. Vietnam Veteran ages range from 55 to 97 years old. I was a Pilot, Licensed Aircraft Mechanic and Maintenance Inspector before going into the Army. this exclusiveness does no one any credit. i know what a combat veteran is. They are paying on Melathion settlements (Watch TV, and it as on 2 to 3% purity, used inside US) There are no living Veterans that I know of. Only military remaining were Marines at the Embassy. i was not a supporter of the war but i did my job. The New York Times, as always, gets it wrong. I then did a 12 month tour in RVN in 5th SFG. We all served the same, but different. Operation Homecoming was completed on March 29, 1973, when the last of 591 U.S. prisoners were released and returned to the United States. A veteran of the Vietnam War is a person who PARTICIPATED in the Vietnam War. 9.2 million served on active duty (5 August 1964 to 7 May 1975) 2,590,000 served in the combat zone. Everyone that served and was in combat which means they were in the line of fire (received it and returned it in some form or fashion) deal with their dark side in various ways. I found out from a vet in 2017, filed in 2018. It could be a Yard, Don Porier, or a sapper. I went into shock and lost conscienceless. i would like to confuse the issue a bit more. We hauled cargo to the bases and for a few months I hauled hitest gas to the airbase at DongHa. 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. Nor, do they know about what is referred to as the last battle of the Vietnam war, which occurred on 15 May 1975, eight days after the legally defined end date of the Vietnam era; 7 May 1975. 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. I can tell you that those who served in Thailand should definitely be considered Vietnam Vets. The last number of Viet Nam veterans alive today was 730,000, which would equate to around todays number of 610,000. That number stands around 306,000 killed by agent Orange (and other colors). As an analogy I will use familiar figure of that time. How Many Vietnam Vets Die Each Day? - Answers i never saw them again, but i knew we had shared something that was filled with pride, sadness, and the passage of time. Im proud to be a surviving vet and the men who served with me then and those after me. Of the 2.7 million men and women who served in land forces in Vietnam, only about 600,000 are still alive. Our service was diminished while there and continues being disrespected by those who lump all Vietnam-Era vets with those whose lives were on the line. I agree, 10% in combat, sounds right! Hundreds of Vietnam vets infected by a slow-killing parasite - NBC News I was there in 1969. I appreciate all the support there and around the world but Vietnam area at Fort Whatever Ohio wasnt Vietnam and no matter how brave the girls in Germany told you you were you were not a Vietnam Vet. The oldest living Vietnam War veteran is believed to be a man named Larrivee Ronald A , who was born in Feb, 24, 1935. When all was done and the Army was cleaning up the details of the action, they decided to award CIBs to the officers and not to enlisted. Editorial comment by website administrator: Personally, Im going with the 610,000 estimate of 2 yrs. I entered an L shaped ambush. 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 can somewhat understand your position since you experienced actual combat. I salute all Veterans, and those Pencil pusher, clerks, medics, fire-fighters, etc., all had jobs to do to support everyone, they deserve respect as well, as without them no one should have had the tools necessary to accomplish any mission! If you were in Vietnam, you were exposed to Agent Orange, period. Your not a vet if you never stepped foot in another country. I concur with the 610,000 as the 850,000 remaining vets have been used for years and would be much lower by now. How many Vietnam veterans are dying everyday? Im 75 and served in South Vietnam (30 Dec 1967-68) A/504th MP Bn. The amount of compensation a Vietnam War veteran can receive varies depending on their individual circumstances, such as their disability rating and the number of dependents they have. Educate your self and search the web for the last battle of the Vietnam war. The youngest Vietnam War veteran was a 15-year-old child named Dan Bullock. Where is this one in twelve figure from? 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. as soon as it was ammo or arms, we were machine gunned where ever we went. Why do the vets who served during the Vietnam War era have to be so devisive? My body, accompanied by my mind, was pitched out the right-side door, sliding between the seat and under the dashboard to land on the shoulder of the dirt road alone. As a Combat Infantry Veteran those who allow people to assume that they experienced actual combat because they refer to themselves as a Vietnam Vet. In my Book if you didnt step foot in Nam Your sure not a Vietnam Vet, Period. 100,000 or more to suicide and most of those occurred after the men came home. Today, the state with highest number of Vietnam veterans is California, with 596,130, followed by Florida with 519,224. Every single day 22 veterans commit themselves to death. How Did The Campus Shootings Demonstrate The Continued Divisions Within The Country? My son, James, is 16 and has autism. Hunter killer division. If you served anywhere at all, anywherre during WWI, you are a WWI vet. But the bad news is that Charlie knew exactly where they were . The first US advisors that I can find evidence of arrived in country in 1955. At 73 years, I plan on beating that date. Things that they did not tell you. C 3/17 Air Cav. In the enormity of the cosmos, Vietnam is inconsequential, covered over by days dust! The New York Times estimated that, of the 8.4 million Vietnam veterans who were still alive in 2000, 1.1 million had died. am i two Vietnam veterans or one. 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. That is exactly what I was going to post. I saw the truck bounce towards the trees. Finally got all the right stuff together; received benefits couple months ago. It seems to be all about syntax. The U.S. military has estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers died. It served my pain well as a lifeless, mean spirited dark soul destroying everything in front of me. I did a short extra tour with the 97th Trans in Cam Rahn Bay, they had 30 or so LCUs that hauled artillery projectiles and other stuff including fuel up many of those rivers. we had a building where the company stored our property. Perhaps, another RPG impacted and careened us sideways knocking me unconscious. Non combat Vets served elsewhere. I think its just a generalization but should be cleared. At this rate there will be only a few of us alive in 2015. 1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam. from Fallen Leaves, Broken Lives By Edward Tick they sucked. I was in Nam in 1968 and 1969 as a combat Marine. My name is Ananda. Ah. He objected, and was assigned as an interpreter attached to the American Embassy in Sweden. You guys were the lifeblood of our war effort. USA, (Ret.). Without fanfare or much recognition. PDF Sobering Statistics Concerning Vietnam Vets As of April 2016 All opinions graciously welcomed. 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. More than 8 million people served in uniform during Vietnam and those who are alive are typically in their 60s and 70s. Dr. Paul A. Scipione What Major Is Kent State University Known For? Sorry for your loss of your loved one. just an aside.I was at dinner the other night with my wife and at the next table was an honest Veteran. 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. And a number of Navy in ships, bombing communist. I have read that One in Seven that went to Vietnam were in actual combat CIB. I managed to stand again, stepped, and hurled myself into the jungle. 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. the draft board made that very clear. How many Vietnam War veterans are still alive 2023? Bien Hoa & Phu Bai, two badly polluted areas! they did not get metals. (Mar 1969-Sep 70) 2/23, 196 LIB & 1/23 MP Co, 11 LIB, AMERICAL DIV. A Vietnam Era Veteran is everyone who was serving in the military while the Vietnam War was going on. I knew place names like War Zone C, Filijo (rubber Plantation), Iron triangle, Bo Lo woods?, I was wounded on the Laos border near a fire base with the 101st. BAM! He arrived on Yankee Station, Vietnam in early May, 1972 when he was still 17 years of age. Arrived in country March 1969, subsequently assigned to B Battery 1/14 Arty. Age: 78. This part of Pleiku Province is a combination of mountains, triple to single canopy jungle and/or open valleys. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Im now 74. 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. The Vietnam War was an undeclared war between the US and Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. it is pointless to debate whether a supply corporal was a veteran. 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? Deaths per day . 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. Yep we got briefings then helloed into some ridge in who knows where. Serving in combat waters. The number of Vietnam veterans affected by the chemical Agent Orange is astonishing. I also had assisted the FAA in 3 fatal Aircraft accidents. Les, in IMHO being a Vietnam Veteran has nothing to do with combat. Best answer: How many Vietnam vets die each day? Some, like myself did not serve a full 12month tour. The average number of Vietnam War veterans who die each day is 390 deaths. Fact: Everyone who served during the Vietnam War are classified as Vietnam Era Vets. According to the Pentagons Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office, there are currently 83,204 unaccounted for U.S. personnel, including 73,547 from World War II, 7,883 from the Korean War, 126 from the Cold War, 1,642 from the Vietnam War, and six from Iraq and other recent conflicts, including three Defense. Born: 08/27/1943. He received every military combat award for valor available from the U.S. Army, as well as French and Belgian awards for heroism. How many Vietnam vets have died from Agent Orange? I know full well it takes many, many hands to make the infantry function but like you saidclaim your time. In addition, the US lost two F-111As, three F-4s, two A-7s, two A-6s, one EB-66, one HH-53, and one RA-5C. 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! The oldest living Vietnam War veteran is believed to be a man named Larrivee Ronald A, who was born in Feb, 24, 1935. He signaled a repeat, and the second rocket impacted on target. When we find that number we can start to determine those of us still standing. How many US Army died in Vietnam War? - 2023 2.8 million tour because some guys just couldnt get enough! Every grunt I know would say no. 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. was i a veteran? Without a doubt Helicopter Crews are COMBAT VETS, to fly so low & slow over the most hidden turf below.. On landing at LZ Gold March 19, 1967 we lost 6 Hueys and 7 pilots. I knew what my death would mean to my mother, my father, and the rest of my family and friends. Here are two additional sources of information (added 9-3-2022) updated in 2021: https://www.americanwarlibrary.com/personnel/vietvet.htmhttps://news.va.gov/89450/vietnam-war-veterans-honoring-served-memorial-day-2021/. 35th CBSG, 315th CAMS Working on C-123,s. The roar was deafening; through the shattered windshield, I saw the truck go out of control. a clerk typist got benefits. https://news.va.gov/89450/vietnam-war-veterans-honoring-served-memorial-day-2021/. how would you define a clerk typist who stayed in saigon and never went into the field. If you fired a weapon in defense, outside the wire,, and your boots were on the ground in VN you are a COMBAT vet. Combat veterans will share their experiences with other veterans especially combat veterans (CIB). The percentage of fatalities that resulted from this was 7.9%. So he goes to Camp Wolter Texas for his 11 month school (they pay them E-5 during training) then just few weeks before graduation he declines to sign the extension for his Warrant Officer Status, they send him to Vietnam as a private to Phan Rang to ride security on fuel convoys (safe Gig) he never had to fire a weapon. YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. 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. 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. 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. How many Vietnam veterans are dying .