how many vietnam vets die each day

I always ask if they know what a fuck you lizard was. it is much easier to say who was not. I left the Ville at 3:00pm. If my math is correct, are you going on 68 years old ? The artillery, Helo crews, combat engineers, in Vietnam are also considered Combat Vets, Well, I guess it just did not count for us Huey Teams (Sky Angels) supporting infantry/artillery units by flying in to lay down suppression fire, flying you into hot LZs, taking you out of the boonies, bringing you ammo and supplies, flying the wounded and dead back to base camp, not to mention Huey night Hawk missions to rectify an enemy ambush for our infantry that would be pinned down with no hope of survival. There was a huge difference between tours of duty also. Or is this a total number of vets with all the other countries that supported us . it was one of the smaller airbus aircraft. Lying on my back in the underbrush, watching the blue sky, bleeding on the jungle floor alone. He never did ,Thank god ,because I ended up marrying a beautiful woman and we have the most precious and beautiful daughter. 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. One moment is eternity- the next may never!. 997 guys died the first day they stepped in Nam. how would you define a clerk typist who stayed in saigon and never went into the field. I heard them offen. These Veterans are now in or about to reach . Good for him! Our med company was on 6 different LZs during the year I was with them, supporting the 3rd Bde 4th ID. Posted in these groups: Vietnam War American History Posted >1 y ago It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. Last troops departed on 29 March, 1973. . My husband was one of those 191st Assault Helicopter Co. Bounty Hunter door gunners. Dec. 5, 1967 to April 28, 1968 is 144 days. Its been over 50 years and its time Vietnam Vets stop arching among themselves. All five of the CIDGs we dropped off that morning filed into the back of the truck, but unlike the cab the back had a canvas top and sides. but some men, like myself , were told by their draft board, go to vietnam on your ship. I was with the 1st Inf Division from July 67 to June 68 and we received $15 overseas pay and $65 combat pay a month. Can You Join the Military With Depression? He now has a 100% disability as unemployable. The list of cancers gets longer with each passing year. Navy ships were classified as Blue Water ships. for myself, being bored sometimes, and anxious to see and do more, i volunteered and went on a number of supply missions to the fire bases. 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. I entered an L shaped ambush. These are numbers never heard before & I would not include those before the advisers were sent over in the early/mid 60s. Thats what we did in Vietnam we left and am glad we did. A phantom drifted over and raised me up to unconsciousness. Before I passed out, I was being picked up off the jungle floor by some entity. RE: WHO are Vietnam Vets ?. Why all this devisiveness. The average lifespan of a door gunner on a Huey in Vietnam was just two weeks. Some likely in error (or on purpose to avoid Agent Orange Claims). [email protected], Yes a Vietnam Veteran, but not a Combat Veteran. How about disabled numbers? i went to dong ha several times. Scavenger said you had to be fired on in viet nam to be a veteran. He was shot nine times, while I received the tenth bullet from the ten holes in the windshield. Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category . After Vietnam I hitchhiked for about 12 years. If you prefer to differentiate who served in country and who did not, then the arithmetic must divide the groups into two lists accordingly. I then did a 12 month tour in RVN in 5th SFG. All opinions graciously welcomed. I give a silent prayer of thanks for all of you, every time I hear a chopper going by, even now. I flew with the 220th Aviation Company (Cat Killers) in 1968. Everyone did their assigned job; some just got better assignments. I,m getting older bot I remember combat pay and jump pay were both $55 dollars. so if you wore chinos instead of camo you are not a veteran? I was all over in 7 years. I was in Vinh Long in 1965, Mekong delta area. BAM! A few times Id meet a group of guys claiming they were all Nam Vets. question. What numbers do the VA have? Then upon returning I would be stationed in Camp Enari, away from most of the intense fighting, and protected by the whole 4th. Age: 77. Good disxussiin. We need a better more definitive for VIETNAM Vet. The Vietnam War was the nation's longest and costliest conflict of the Cold War. Those an in the Era the we were in Vietnam but they are not Vietnam Vets by any stretch of you imagination. Our side would have collapsed without you. The only good thing was 22 days off my tour. It was hot that day; the mosquitoes were going through my mind, and the sun was again brilliant. You go, brother! His combat medal was an Air Medal. Les, in IMHO being a Vietnam Veteran has nothing to do with combat. Numbers can always be manipulated. was i a veteran? Damn it, government could have sent anyone serving at any time to Vietnam. All the millions of other Vietnam Era Veterans are Cold War Veterans. Some, like myself did not serve a full 12month tour. We grunts do hold chopper crews in the highest regard! I had encountered a learning experience, and inspirational contact with the celestial. At this rate there will be only a few of us alive in 2015. 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 funny thing,(not so funny) is that when we carried peaches and beer, no problem. She is new to that post, having spent 20+ years as head of coding & analysis at NSA. of the 1st cav div. Whether you were sprayed or not makes no difference, and YOU ARE NOT required to prove anything other than being present in Vietnam. I was confused. I served in the 101st airborne infantry battalion in 1968, the time of the Tet Offensive. In country Vietnam Vets are the only Vietnam Vets. Most of the time as a grunt without a map. Rear echelon? Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 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. It was only a short ride. When we find that number we can start to determine those of us still standing. Considering the number of troops deployed at different times, the build up and the draw down, its inconceivable that there could have been 9m serving in country. We havent forgotten that time of our lives, and remember full well, that most of these ERA Vets joined these other branches in a desperate attempt to avoid service in Vietnam. But I guess I knew where I was if we were at a base. retired university professor I do appreciate what they did, from the hero medevacs to those gun ships who flew into madness to help save our asses knowing that mortar rounds fall from above, RPGs & macjine gun rounds were in mass supply with the moniker attached To whom it may concern. Im glad you made it back! 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. Alternatively, to transfigure my destiny. (52. years later) All with the 3rd Brigade, 82nd Air Borne Division. You do not need to establish anything other than that. This was with conversations with them while waiting our turn to be seen in the VA. young men and woman who were there and did get fired on, or were in danger, should be recognized . It seems to be all about syntax. For the are all Vietnam Vetersns.I was stationed. How many veterans die each day? How many Canadian WWII veterans are still alive? The group in my AIT Class were all happy about this. Oliver Stone. The total goes up every day. It was also projected that, from here, 138,000 Vietnam veterans are expected to die each year. There are questions like this that are hard to answere as being true boots on ground. Id like to ask a question. my larger point is that , in my opinion, they were veterans. 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. These numbers do not include the Americans who served in Vietnam during World War II. They were smokers. Even if his job depended on them doing theirs well. so in 2190 days.from today, lucky to be a Vietnam veteran alive. Then later we were transferred to Camp Red Ball. I bounced all around and slowed almost to a stop, and I downshifted and ground to first gear while checking my watch. I dont remember the exact number but remember it was over 500,000 in country and the number was the most ever at one time as the article was about Nixon beginning troop withdrawals that would continue until 1975. Im sorry I did. may we all be the last man standing. One count should be those Vietnam Veterans who had feet on the ground. I found out from a vet in 2017, filed in 2018. BTW, Marys father was a Marine in Nam and died when she was only a few years old. So Huey pilots and crew were REMFs. 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. How Many Vietnam Veterans Have Been Affected by Agent Orange? Besides, who says anyone can claim this status or that status just because. Not sure where we were. Era vets are important but dont count. Interesting and certainly thought-provoking. How Many Vietnam Veterans Are Still Alive In 2022? Jorge Otero Barreto. Antonia is a firm believer in the power of education, and she is passionate about helping students reach their full potential. I was C 3/17 air cav. Hunter killer division. Gordon, I agree. i was not a supporter of the war but i did my job. I wouldnt trust the New York Times study, regardless of their Sources! Do you by chance remember a Jim Blackshear? 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. Really, very easy to say if your were able to sleep at night, so being anonymous means you stand up for those words All members of the team are NOT COMBAT VETERANS, My husbands boots werent on the groundthey were in the air and he was definitely a Combat vet. @Dea KellyWere you on the ground when this happened? was i a veteran by the numbers? We all started getting heart attacks around the same time. Even more telling is how many Vietnam combat veterans are still alive today? A Vietnam Era Veteran is everyone who was serving in the military while the Vietnam War was going on. 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. He was a Private First Class who was killed in action in the Second World War. 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. They dont include forces in Guam or Thailand. and i remember that we talked about how much we would make if we lost a finger or an arm. 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. What is the average age of Vietnam veteran in 2021? 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 !!!!! Floyd James ThompsonHe was one of the longest-held American prisoner of war in U.S. history that was returned or captured by troops, spending nearly nine years in captivity in the forests and mountains of South Vietnam and Laos, and in North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The 30 September 2007 Veterans Administration estimate places the daily deaths of WWII US veterans at 1,000 per day. I dont see how there can be any dispute about this. I find it best not to remember that time. John, The oldest living Vietnam War veteran is believed to be a man named Larrivee Ronald A, who was born in Feb, 24, 1935. Agent Orange was sprayed on the Jungle areas, and Melathion (Insecticide) was sprayed on Base Camps. wounded evaced) then Am 3/21 196th LIB. For US Vietnam Veterans it's about 66 years vs just about 78 years for non vets. Some advisors embassy guards, but all combat units left. All others should not be accepted to have served either on land or at sea in Vietnam. I WAS IN THE 85TH ORD COMPANY . I have had stage III melanoma, stage III squamous cell throat cancer and now stage II bladder cancer. But often, it does. I recall combat pay (Hazard DutyPay) at $60 dollars a month. Separately I am working on an article that analyzes how many States are over or under represented in terms of their number of KIAs during and right after the war., Dr. Paul Scipione 2 tours I volunteered and my 3rd I re-enlisted. Combat was what we did. As soon as I was wounded, I was thrown into a world that I was alone! 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. More than 3.4 million deployed to Southeast Asia (1) and approximately 2.7 million of those served in the Republic of Vietnam (2). If you served in country on a ship in the gulf or dropped 2000 pound bombs you are a vietnam vet. You guys were the lifeblood of our war effort. Does Ohio State University Allow Pets In Dorms? **********************************************************. The stroke wasnt assumed until after 2000 & heart not until 2010. i would like to confuse the issue a bit more. Well again, nothing that you have posted tells the story that you were in Vietnam. 7,484 women served in Vietnam, 83.5% being nurses. nearly every classmate from the academy served on some basis during the vn war. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". I also had assisted the FAA in 3 fatal Aircraft accidents. We did a lot of Ranch Hand missions in the iron Triangle. After 20 some years of filing claims and multiple appeals (DAV advocate,) have given up on the VA. Do I count as a real Vietnam vet? guy next to me was shoot dead I think that counts. A veteran of the Vietnam War is a person who PARTICIPATED in the Vietnam War. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The definition of Combat Veteran is NOT if you have a CIB. The book by Hal Moore & Joe Galloway We were soldiers once, and young describe what many of us experienced. Since you were with an aviation Battalion do you remember our flight pay as Army Aircrew ? We all served the same, but different. Tell it like it is. What Major Is Kent State University Known For? It makes a big difference because stating that only one-third of Vietnam veterans are still alive today is much harsher than stating that three-quarters of Vietnam veterans are still alive and well. OUR COMPANY STARTED LONG BINH COMPOUND IN SEPT OF 1965, DALLAS WATERFILL EMAIL [email protected], Was in Vietnam Dec. 1968 to Dec. 1969, Phan Rang AFB, RVN. More than 300,000 Veterans were wounded during the Vietnam War. 15 of us REMFs were surrounded by the 33rd NVA June 13 1970. Ive seen start dates for the VN war as 1954, 1959, 1961, 1964 and 1965. Guys like me know the difference. 8,113,000 are still alive (May 2000) Post navigation I used this experience and we cut down the Helicopter replacement time from about 2 1/2 weeks to 2 to 4 days. as far as who is a vietnam vet is simple. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Though Thailand was not designated a combat zone. Every veteran has his/her duty station recorded on the individual DD214 or 201 personal military forms. Jul 1971-19 Dec 1971) 29th CA Co, XXIV Corps (Danang). when we carried peaches and beer, no problem. So yes, we did indeed see combatoften. The first impact of a rocket was twenty meters to the left and ten meters behind as the rocket flew over its target. So, nearly 300,000 over the 14 years of their operations, a far cry above the 2500-3000 referenced in the article. Sobering Statistics Concerning Vietnam Vets As of April 2016 . 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. Clearly, the New York Times is referring to Vietnam-era veterans, not Vietnam veterans. I always felt this was the maximal danger of the trip. What percentage of Vietnam vets are still alive? Very devisive infighting among all the service members who served at a time when it was not popular. I did work with Korean Troops. I served in Vietnam from Jul 68 to Jul 69. By the time I got to vin long the nva was gone and Charlie was pretty much non existent, he new we had snakes, the closest I got to him was when I was on the perimeter waiting for him to crawl thru the wire. In WWII and the Korean War, anyone who served in the military was considered a veteran of that war. All the others are Vietnam ERA Vets. We were sprayed every 2 weeks with Melithon (Insecticide) that was 96 percent pure. They are NOT Veterans. Help train personnel from many different Companies to do the same. Army personnel were awarded VN Service Medals and and Vietnam Campaign Medals. Dont know about the MM but everyone got the same combat pay whether a grunt or clerk. Im now 74. Yep we got briefings then helloed into some ridge in who knows where. Thanks for your responses. The average ww ii vet was in combat 10 to 12 days. Over 8.7 million Americans served in the Armed Forces during the Vietnam era from 1964 to 1973 (1). Interestingly, the research concludes that Vietnam veterans seem to be dying at a similar rate to World War II veterans. i appreciate i was not in a company and humped for a year. Merchant Marine officers or crew are not wearing the uniform of the USAs Armed Forces. I meant any one that stepped foot in I rode river patrol boats from 1968-9 we were on the rivers but we were there 24hours a day days a week. The trucks grill was a few feet away should I crawl underneath or try to hide in the nearby jungle? We got a personal visit from 10 Generals (no joke). Still, the American War Library continues to verify their accounts and come to more concrete conclusions. The jungle sat still except for the dirt road with my truck speeding along. 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. It was an incredibly tumultuous time in US history and, for that reason, its unclear how many people actually served during this struggle. but i was happy to serve. Those of us who wear air crew wings probably saved your ass more than once. 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. the merchant marine needed every officer and sailor they could find. The VA researchers analyzed the death certificates of 21 states to create the 2010 national estimate for veterans from all age groups. It was a free-fire zone, and a nearby flight of gunships was engaged in shooting up the western valley. 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. The youngest Vietnam War veteran was a 15-year-old child named Dan Bullock. On Sat, Jun 19, 2021 at 4:22 PM CherriesWriter Vietnam War website wrote: > pdoggbiker posted: This is a controversial post. Check out this post and see if you can figure this > out. If you served in any other places you are a Veteran, ERA is an embellishment of your service. That's 390 per day. In 2019, the most . Got the scars to prove it too, both physical and mental. RVN. We who were in Vietnam know who we are and dont need anyone telling us what they think. Based on data through September 30, 2020, VetPop2020 provides a projection of the Veteran population at each fiscal year end from 2020 to 2050. Almost 1500 died their last day. The roar was deafening; through the shattered windshield, I saw the truck go out of control. I do not, however, have a CIB. Somewhat confusing. My mom had all three sons in the war my twin brother and i were drafted he got combat I got artillery the younger one joined the air force . Phu Loi Nov 66 to Dec 67 HHD 11th Cbt Avn Bn. this exclusiveness does no one any credit. 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. There is no definitive answer to this question as the number of World War 2 veterans who die each day varies depending on the specific situation. YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. 2500 to 3000 US Air Force troops stationed in Guam, Thailand, and other countries that were involved in the Vietnam War effort. There was a huge difference between the merchant ships i sailed on, no passengers, and vessels like usns geiger. (How Convenient), Hi. Funny, none of them were called WWII Era Veterans. I to served two tours 67-68 and 69-70,first with 1st of 8th cav. Army National Guard: 336,000, https://www.americanwarlibrary.com/personnel/vietvet.htm, https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/26/science/how-many-vietnam-veterans-are-still-alive.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War. I was on LZ Bayonet during 1970 and experienced many of the things you described. Scavenger1, I agree with you. Its possible that the youngest living Vietnam Veteran may be 61 years old. My time stands still. 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. I had a Swedish citizen in AIT, with orders to go to Vietnam. YSC cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages. 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. What was the life expectancy of a helicopter door gunner in Vietnam? 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. To not count us is disrespecting us who also answered the call. Pop, POP POP. Quite a story. Our Honor and Integrity are important to each of us. The last three I knew had lost a lot of weight, two had each lost a lung. Today is Sun 22 Aug 2021 but the actual date HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED as the US is SENDING GIs BACK! All I know is that Im a Vietnam Combat Vet. Divarty (how ironic), and with my DEROS (Date I returned to the States) in the end of May boarding The BIG Bird, flying across the Pond and back to the World! I was in 1st Battalion 26 th Infantry HMP 1st Infantry Division in 68 November 68 to January 69. Splitting out the numbers of combat and era vets are separate questions. Air medals say combat support flying night spook missions around Haiphong from 68 -71. fired on coming up river, a few other things. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. (LogOut/ Me? Which Statement Best Describes How Americans In The 1960S Felt About The Vietnam War? Is It Hard To Get Into Kent State University? There were 7 RoyalThai Air Force bases used during the war, from 1961-1975, three closed between 1972 to 1973. I served in Quang Tri (70-71) and took two types of Malaria pills. The average number of Vietnam War veterans who die each day is 390 deaths. We dont respect the combat Vets and they shouldnt disrespect us. They wouldnt know the truth even if they tripped over it. 610,000 figure is more accurate., NYT was referring to VN Era Veterans. It has a life of its own. I read a statistic somewhere that one in seven where in actual combat.