The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 530 Vietnam veterans die every day. A veteran of the Vietnam War is a person who PARTICIPATED in the Vietnam War. Some idiot in DC decided to do this. So it only makes sense that for those very few of the 9+ million in the service during those years so be able to distinguish themselves. Are these all American vets. 101st Airborne 25th Infantry 82nd Airborne 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Combat Vet, Vet on ships that never touched country, military who were passing through and were on airport tarmac? He earned 38 military decorations during his career, and has been called the most decorated U.S. soldier of the Vietnam War. The last veteran who served in the trenches was Harry Patch (British Army), who died on 25 July 2009, aged 111. 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. 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 do not remember the moss but the went on quite a while. I would not believe the NYT. One was daily and the other weekly. Through my blood-covered face, I could not distinguish whom! 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. 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. Every veteran has his/her duty station recorded on the individual DD214 or 201 personal military forms. How Many Vietnam Veterans are AliveToday? My time stands still. These numbers do not include the Americans who served in Vietnam during World War II. How many ww2 veterans are still alive 2021? 1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam. I always ask if they know what a fuck you lizard was. Bob ONeal, Lt.Col. My Company was A Co, 5th Trans Bn, 101st Abn. The other number of significance is the number of Viet Nam veterans killed by Dow chemical. 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. Lost my Vet to Leukemia just after this count was done. What that included Im not sure today but understood it to be in naval & in country. I WAS IN THE 85TH ORD COMPANY . I am a Viet Nam combat veteran. But that number will probably go down by at least 50,000 to 75,000 per year. Dear Mr. Hutson Jr I was with 4th Med Bn. question. But a growing army of strangers is. If you assumed that 500,000 new troops served there every year from 1962-1975, you still couldnt get to 9,000,000 serving there, so using the peak number is not realistic. Very true One of those is my younger brother. Does receiving a few mortar rounds inside the wire of our compound count? Just because some idiot politician or people want to say you were not a war vet unless you saw combat dont feel bad most of those people found ways to evade even getting drafted. 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. He signaled a repeat, and the second rocket impacted on target. I did 7 years 66-72 HHC 4/9 Inf and LRRP 25th div, / C 1/327 INF 101st Inf (only 6 mo. i am not better, but i am not worse. it was printed in the ny times and cherries writer. We need a better more definitive for VIETNAM Vet. 9.2 million served on active duty (5 August 1964 to 7 May 1975) 2,590,000 served in the combat zone. I saw the edge of the dirt, the jungle growth, the nearby trees, while I heard the world explode. That makes more sense. I always felt this was the maximal danger of the trip. 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. BAM! Since you were with an aviation Battalion do you remember our flight pay as Army Aircrew ? Also, some do not consider those who served in Thailand as Vietnam Vets. It would cause great pain to them; reminiscent of what occurred to the family of my namesake, my first cousin Dante Michael Puccetti. As a child I knew several WWII veterans. Ive often wondered how many of us are left. Okay.Ill be the one to tell it like it is, even though everyone here, as well as everyone else, knows the truth already! 1 How many American soldiers died in Vietnam in 1975? During the Vietnam War, Air Force C-123 planes sprayed millions of gallons of herbicides over the jungles of Southeast Asia to destroy enemy crops and tree cover. I dont know why we have to make this simple arithmetic drill so difficult. Since the fall of Saigon and Operation Baby Lift occurred in 1975, wouldnt an 18 year old at that time be 64 or 65 today ? Also consider the thousands that served multiple tours. I agree with the conclusion taken by the Website Admin. Did your foot ever touch the ground? this exclusiveness does no one any credit. I concur with the 610,000 as the 850,000 remaining vets have been used for years and would be much lower by now. Lets ask somebody on Facebook where we can get all the correct true data and facts. This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen. Educate your self and search the web for the last battle of the Vietnam war. In WWII and the Korean War, anyone who served in the military was considered a veteran of that war. Even if his job depended on them doing theirs well. The New York Times estimated that, of the 8.4 million Vietnam veterans who were still alive in 2000, 1.1 million had died. Once I was threatened with death if I mentioned NAM again. 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. but i was happy to serve. The 30 September 2007 Veterans Administration estimate places the daily deaths of WWII US veterans at 1,000 per day. All the millions of other Vietnam Era Veterans are Cold War Veterans. i went to dong ha several times. i think the definition should not be restricted by whether you wore khakis or como. 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. Assuming were talking solely about U.S. Vietnam veterans, all I would add is that anyone who served in the military and entered the war zone is technically a Vietnam veteran. ******************************************************* Air medals say combat support flying night spook missions around Haiphong from 68 -71. The ERA Vets know perfectly well that they were neverNEVER..in Vietnam, and that this is nothing but a desperate attempt to gain the respect those men earned. Im a 1967-68 Vietnam combat veteran. Veterans support veterans, their stories and we bristle at those who would steal their history, we are not Valor Police, but those who pretend are an insult to those of who struggle with that past. I got the disability benefits at age 79. I could never guess the number of actual Vietnam Vets there are, nor the % still alive. The VA researchers analyzed the death certificates of 21 states to create the 2010 national estimate for veterans from all age groups. I was the first male born to the Puccetti family after his death, so my parents received permission to name their son after Dante. Still, the American War Library continues to verify their accounts and come to more concrete conclusions. Most likely Les considers those who werent in-country as REMFs. I think by now weve pretty much said all that can be said about this question. The first US advisors that I can find evidence of arrived in country in 1955. 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. How many Vietnam vets have died from Agent Orange? So that means probably from 700,000 to 800,000 of us are still alive. The average lifespan of a door gunner on a Huey in Vietnam was just two weeks. Decades after the fall of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) many former soldiers still wonder why they were fighting. of the 1st cav div. It allows the website owner to implement or change the website's content in real-time. Im glad you made it back! Antonia Leonard is an education expert who has dedicated her life to helping students achieve their academic goals. The New York Times estimated that, of the 8.4 million Vietnam veterans who were still alive in 2000, 1.1 million had died. I think its just a generalization but should be cleared. Not 499 days between dec 67 & april 68? 45-50 years from now (and I bet no-one will want to 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. ho, i could not . Luck of the draw my twin that received a silver star got the luck of the draw made it home. so the cia men who changed from suits were not vietnam veterams when they went into laos and cambodia? 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. Age: 75. I served in Quang Tri (70-71) and took two types of Malaria pills. If you are diagnosed with a condition that they know is caused by exposure to the chemical, they will presume that condition is service-connected. YSC cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages. I have read about Canadians coming south to fight in Vietnam but have never seen any real authority to support this. 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.. Though Thailand was not designated a combat zone. Ive reached the age of truth telling, and have grown sick of pretending, and giving trophies to the undeserving I saw good men die, and their loved ones dont deserve this dishonor any longer. I have been working with Dr. Mary Lynn Reed, Chair of Math and Statistics at RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology). I would say anyone who has drawn Vietnam Hazard Duty pay, 30 dollars for every month or part of any month, in or over country, should qualify. His Engineer company was tasked to fight as Infantry, and they did. they deserve that recognition. The Vietnam War was the nation's longest and costliest conflict of the Cold War. Sobering Statistics Concerning Vietnam Vets As of April 2016 . a few years ago i was flying from rome to possibly germany or holland on the way back to montreal. They were smokers. Army personnel were awarded VN Service Medals and and Vietnam Campaign Medals. Base was 1st MAW Danang AB which got hit early Tet with rockets, mortars and sappers. Tell it like it is. GREAT So, I must be a VN Vet and VN Era Vet and Cold War Era Vet but not a Cold War Vet because I never got anywhere near the USSR. Based on data through September 30, 2020, VetPop2020 provides a projection of the Veteran population at each fiscal year end from 2020 to 2050. How were WWII veterans & Korean War Veterans accounted for? Just come up with two lists and leave it at that. ooops !!!! Plane had 4 engines and rarely got shot up although we did have a pilot get a 50 in the leg. Pleiku, Dak To, An Khe. Infantry Division. While I honor those who served worldwide, it comes across as yet another slap in the face to those of us who faced enemy fire. A Co. 2/8th, First Cavalry, 1968-69. Tom, to me, the CIB says everything; the wearer is a soldier who has earned the right to it and deserves respect. OH, SHIT- I heard the impact of the Rocket Propelled grenade (RPG) to my left; `this is it, I yelled! Im 71 and waiting to see if Ill be the last one standing. They used the same aircraft, and there was anything left in the aircraft, whatever the spray for the day was added, so you got both. Currently, it is estimated with data provided by the United States Census Bureau, that there about 100,000 Oregon Vietnam era veterans alive today. https://news.va.gov/89450/vietnam-war-veterans-honoring-served-memorial-day-2021/. In my Book if you didnt step foot in Nam Your sure not a Vietnam Vet, Period. Combat Veterans know who they are, pretenders know that they are not.. I found out from a vet in 2017, filed in 2018. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I began to think that was the excuse for NOT being in combat. Im still here after all the BS of AO has really messed up my life with illnesses, surgeries ect since 1975, noting problems while I was in Vietnam in 69, and confirmed. According to Department of Veterans Affairs' projections, Vietnam Veteran deaths will hit 103,890 this year, about 285 a day. What percentage of Vietnam vets are still alive? The youngest Vietnam War veteran was a 15-year-old child named Dan Bullock. The stroke wasnt assumed until after 2000 & heart not until 2010. If you are a pretender go stand in front of the mirror and tell that lie one more time so you can watch yourself steal the respect from an actual COMBAT VETERAN A/3/22 3rd Brigade 4th ID Dau Tieng 12/66 to 1/68. Clearly, the New York Times is referring to Vietnam-era veterans, not Vietnam veterans. The politicians and fake news along with the Berkeley professors lost it for the American people after that. This answer is: I went on about 500 missions. Yes. Posted in these groups: Vietnam War American History Posted >1 y ago Has every CIB wearer actually done that? Jorge Otero Barreto. Needless to say, I set them straight about his lying BS, and moved out the next day. How many veterans die each day? One of the things that really bothers me is the statement that we lost in Vietnam? and i remember that we talked about how much we would make if we lost a finger or an arm. Today is Sun 22 Aug 2021 but the actual date HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED as the US is SENDING GIs BACK! Anyone who served during or because of The Vietnam War IS a Vietnam War Veteran. The _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. they sucked. to most of them, it was another port and another war. I raised my left leg and body up and pushed off that knee with my left hand. Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (Mit), Missouri University Of Science And Technology, State University Of New York Health Science Center At Brooklyn, Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry, The University Of North Carolina At Charlotte, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At Houston, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At San Antonio, The University Of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, The University Of Texas Medical Branch At Galveston, The University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Uniformed Services University Of The Health Sciences, University At Buffalo Suny School Of Engineering And Applied Sciences, University Of California, Los Angeles (Ucla), University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, University Of Maryland Baltimore County (Umbc), University Of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, University Of Tennessee Health Science Center, University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Far as Im concerned, they are all Vietnam Vets and this devisiness should STOP! 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. no , i could not quit. Hell no. BTW, Marys father was a Marine in Nam and died when she was only a few years old. Serving during the TET offensive and time after. If you were shot at, in an incoming rocket attack, had to protect during a ground attack, you could bleed and die, you were in Combat. Why cant you be just a proud Veteran. I didnt know that. Combat veteran means far more than having a CIB. The oldest living Vietnam War veteran is believed to be a man named Larrivee Ronald A , who was born in Feb, 24, 1935. I served as a Navy Corpsman, Fall of Saigon. When the 3rd Brigade,82 ABD moved from Camp Rodriguez (I Corps) in October 1968 my first base was Tent Citynear Bien Hoa (III Corps) then my unit was moved to Phu Loi. He showed me his DD214 and low and behold it says he was in Vietnam. The only good thing was 22 days off my tour. Helicopter Units and losses in the Vietnam War, The Story behind the famous Saigon Execution Photo, https://open.spotify.com/show/5Th7BCpIKDE1hVTqNL3u0Q. So, here well dive a little bit deeper into how many Vietnam veterans are estimated to still be alive based on various approximations and predictions. This situation has been an issue for years longer than any of us has been around. Yep we got briefings then helloed into some ridge in who knows where. 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. He got a letter from his wife telling him she was divorcing him and marrying his best friend. 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. YouTube sets this cookie via embedded youtube-videos and registers anonymous statistical data. I knew that I was gravely wounded, and bullets were kicking up dust clouds as they were landing around my feet. Im sure that you all know that claiming to be a VFWar when you are not is a federal crime with severe legal penalties. good stuff !!!!! About 30000 Canadians came into the us to join up. Estimating the number of suicides among Vietnam veterans Unconfirmed reports that 50,000 or more Vietnam veterans have committed suicide give the impression that these veterans are at exceedingly high risk of suicide compared with other veterans and nonveterans of the same age. in any event, i went as soon as i was contacted by the draft board. Many Vietnam Vets do not even know about the secret operations from Thailand, now declassified, that probably helped save their rears during some of their combat operations. Age: 84. If you served at all, anywhere, during WWII, you are a WWII vet. Please do all you can to inform our fellow vets that the VA presumes Agent Orange exposure if you were in-country. How Many Vietnam War Veterans Are Still Alive? Then, I stopped at the 5th. I certainly dont agree on the 9 million in country. 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. This is a controversial post. My new Iraq War novel, Three Wise Men should ne out sometime next year, I was at Camp Eagle, and worked in Production Control. it really did not matter, every officer had a masters license. 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. 2.4 million man who served in Nam approx. Reports from the Department of Veterans Affairs say about 240 300 World War II veterans are still alive in 2021. What numbers do the VA have? Having studied the war for years, I believe that the correct figure for those on the ground in South Vietnam is 2.6 million. 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. So, here well dive a little bit deeper into how many Vietnam veterans are estimated to still be alive based on various approximations and predictions. Im proud to be a surviving vet and the men who served with me then and those after me. You guys were the lifeblood of our war effort. 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. This part of Pleiku Province is a combination of mountains, triple to single canopy jungle and/or open valleys. My squad leaderSteve Cook wrote, Dont Cry for Us Saigon. He gives stats. 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. but some men, like myself , were told by their draft board, go to vietnam on your ship. Today, the state with highest number of Vietnam veterans is California, with 596,130, followed by Florida with 519,224. Age 20y 11mo. We who were in Vietnam know who we are and dont need anyone telling us what they think. Return to reality. Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category . I do not know where that number 1 in 14 came from, but in my time in the Army 1962-1970 it was in the range of 1 in 8 to 10 using the total manpower % . It's estimated that tens of thousands of veterans have returned to Vietnam since the 1990s, mostly for short visits to the places where they once served. He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II. What was the life expectancy of a helicopter door gunner in Vietnam? There were 7000 Canadians that joined the US military to fight in Vietnam. I dont have a CIB to show for it, but I most certainly was in combat. Combat Veteran means being awarded a CIB. Real combat veterans will share with other combat veterans as their stories have many similarities. Then later we were transferred to Camp Red Ball. Who is the oldest living Vietnam veteran? I do not, however, have a CIB. How many soldiers died on their first day in Vietnam? was i a veteran by the numbers? as far as who is a vietnam vet is simple. Our medic gave them out every Monday. by your definition, cia personal in civilian clothes were not veterans. Does having your ramp down and touching a river bank count as boots on ground while we were not allowed to go off the boat when we were pumping gas to the airbase? You do not need to establish anything other than that. It was hot that day; the mosquitoes were going through my mind, and the sun was again brilliant. Antonia is a firm believer in the power of education, and she is passionate about helping students reach their full potential. Dont know about the MM but everyone got the same combat pay whether a grunt or clerk. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Check your POW list. 240 300 World. I only spent one overnighter. Again, I see a jumbled view of jungle and sky, and vaguely see a solitary soldier standing over me. All the others are Vietnam ERA Vets. These numbers have come about due to the extensive research of various mortality indexes and sources by the American War Library which concluded that about one-third of those who served in the Vietnam War are still alive today. i thank every soldier for their service, i do not exaggerate my actions. This included Westmorland and Abrahms. Age: 77. I have spoken at many VETS EVENTS, and done interviews with the media .. Never get tired of people telling me Thank You for your service, and absolutely love hearing WELCOME HOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I do not like pretenders but do not want to take on the duty of Valor Police. Yep feet never left the ground except to do my mos. He arrived on Yankee Station, Vietnam in early May, 1972 when he was still 17 years of age. 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. It was a free-fire zone, and a nearby flight of gunships was engaged in shooting up the western valley. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. . 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! Which Statement Best Describes How Americans In The 1960S Felt About The Vietnam War? Gordon, I agree. How Many Vietnam Veterans Are Still Alive In 2022? It is difficult to say how many Vietnam veterans have been affected by Agent Orange. Just like ALL Vets who served DURING WWII are classified as WWll Vets regardless of where they served. Ive seen start dates for the VN war as 1954, 1959, 1961, 1964 and 1965. The VA conducts the largest national analysis of Veteran suicide rates each year. Ive never seen so many people so full of shit trying to answer a question like how many Vietnam veterans are still alive today. 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. my point is that they were shot at and in country. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. 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. (LogOut/ It was difficult for me to move. Spent a year in training and ended up a buck Sargent airborne ranger. We were sitting ducks to support our artillery & infantry troops, so talk your trash! My number one issue is running into a FAKE. 4 Carl Dodd Former Police Officer Author has 18.5K answers and 25.3M answer views 10 mo Data Appendix Methods Report Report FAQs. I can assure you there will be those of us alive longer than 10 years from now. A few days later I was in fatigues on a C-123 to Da Nang, and a month later driving Hai Van Pass to Phu Bai with 3rdRRU Mobile Det (ASA). The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors. Numbers can always be manipulated. i am not saying i was a hero, but i am saying that i did the job and i did not argue. 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. i never saw them again, but i knew we had shared something that was filled with pride, sadness, and the passage of time. She has received numerous awards and accolades for her work, including being named one of the "Top 10 Educators to Watch" by Education Week magazine. I entered an L shaped ambush. Me? 35th CBSG, 315th CAMS Working on C-123,s. Not sure what to think about the article. One count should be those Vietnam Veterans who had feet on the ground. A Vietnam Era Veteran is everyone who was serving in the military while the Vietnam War was going on. Great article! take a look at my article titled a pale smoke google it . 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 was drafted in Sep 1966, went to Vietnam Aug 67-Aug 68, and Im 75 until Oct. 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.
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