It seems like you are looking at a very narrow view of the division of experiences of those who served in Vietnam. Look up the military definition of combat. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Nov.62 I got off a PanAm flight at Tan Son Nhut with a US passport, wearing civilian clothes and colorful floral leis around my neck after a stop in Hawaii. It was all about teamwork, whether you pulled the trigger or not. We dont forget, and resent the tail gating by those who, during the war, did all they could to avoid it, and now desperately hope others will conveniently forget this fact, and give them some of the respect they never earned. we both served and i think that is what distinguishes us from draft dodgers or people that claimed bone spurs or kept getting deferments those are the people i despise. Merchant Marine officers or crew are not wearing the uniform of the USAs Armed Forces. The first advisors were sent in country much earlier than 1962. 499 days, and 10 days in Sydney, Australia !!!!! Vietnam Veterans by State 2023 - worldpopulationreview.com 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. If true, 390 VN vets die a day. We had it good compared to grunts..tdy pay, flight pay, combat pay plus side gigs. She is also a strong advocate for equal opportunity, and she works tirelessly to ensure that all students have access to quality education regardless of their socioeconomic status or race. I only spent one overnighter. Nha Trang (TET 68), The number of people who are Vietnam veterans in the first place is a number that is widely debated. In the enormity of the cosmos, Vietnam is inconsequential, covered over by days dust! Im going with 2.9 and saying the person who wrote 9.2 has the seing disease whereas they see everything in reverse. Does receiving a few mortar rounds inside the wire of our compound count? I was C 3/17 air cav. 109, 000 died in the service during this period. 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 last veteran who served in the trenches was Harry Patch (British Army), who died on 25 July 2009, aged 111. 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? There is a bird in India that says Did you Do it? But having said that, here are some sources: VA's Veteran Population Projection Model estimates that there are approximately 6.1 million living Vietnam War-era Veterans, as of 2021. When we find that number we can start to determine those of us still standing. As soon as I was wounded, I was thrown into a world that I was alone! This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. So, when we talk about Vietnam vets who are living or dead, we should be talking STRICTLY about Vets who participated in the Vietnam War. 58,184 died in the combat zone or from combat wounds. Please do your own due diligence on the American War Library before citing them on ANYTHING, ever. Then there was peace. Even in this age of computers and accountability just goes to show ya ,people still cant Add or do Math . I can somewhat understand your position since you experienced actual combat. 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. I went on about 500 missions. I saw the truck bounce towards the trees. On Sat, Jun 19, 2021 at 4:22 PM CherriesWriter Vietnam War website wrote: > pdoggbiker posted: This is a controversial post. I bounced all around and slowed almost to a stop, and I downshifted and ground to first gear while checking my watch. Then I down shifted entered the worst section of massive ruts and the broken-up roadbed threw the truck all about its grooves. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 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 than 75 percent of Vietnam veterans still living and breathing today. Lying on my back in the underbrush, watching the blue sky, bleeding on the jungle floor alone. No, Wildaboro was gone, and AK-47s and B-40 rockets were sapper armaments Later, I read in a letter that Sp.4 Donnon F. Porier grabbed the M-60 machinegun, risking his life, and ran down the hillside rushing to the ambush site. I did 7 years 66-72 HHC 4/9 Inf and LRRP 25th div, / C 1/327 INF 101st Inf (only 6 mo. 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,m getting older bot I remember combat pay and jump pay were both $55 dollars. Born: 01/29/1945. 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. It was an incredibly tumultuous time in US hi >, It poses more confusion about what constitutes a Vietnam Vet! Like you I am sick of ERA Veterans claiming to be in country. Copyright 2022 MilitaryPerson.com YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. If they reply that they do not talk about their experiences They are not Combat Veterans maybe not even Vietnam Veterans. I WAS IN THE 85TH ORD COMPANY . Apparently Infantry is the operative word. And your comment about Agent Orange shows that you have no understanding of how the chemical poisoned everyone who set foot in Vietnam. It does not store any personal data. Sorry for your loss of your loved one. 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 RE: WHO are Vietnam Vets ?. 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. 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. Melathion was 96% pure. eventually i commented that i had flown into dong ha on resupply missions , having become bored with my mates work on merchant ships that spent long weeks at da nang. 8,113,000 are still alive (May 2000) Post navigation About the same number of draft dodgers.or so I was told. Alice, my sister lost hers in Oct 2020 from throat cancer due to agent Orange. Helicopter Units and losses in the Vietnam War, The Story behind the famous Saigon Execution Photo, https://open.spotify.com/show/5Th7BCpIKDE1hVTqNL3u0Q. my point is that they were shot at and in country. ooops !!!! I heard them offen. Hunter killer division. We grunts do hold chopper crews in the highest regard! It is a deeply troubling statistic and has. Cheers, How Many Vietnam Veterans Are Still Alive? - MilitaryPerson.com As anti-war vet , all these years later, I respect yall and your stories. Each averaged 2500-3000 personnel on a yearly rotating bases, groaning and shrinking based on the missions being conducted. As a child I knew several WWII veterans. 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. How many Vietnam Vets die per day? I have been working with Dr. Mary Lynn Reed, Chair of Math and Statistics at RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology). They wouldnt know the truth even if they tripped over it. Lost my Vet to Leukemia just after this count was done. we spent sometimes a month or more in one port depending on the cargo and the need. I meant any one that stepped foot in good stuff !!!!! Since you were with an aviation Battalion do you remember our flight pay as Army Aircrew ? Your not a vet if you never stepped foot in another country. 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.. That number was reasonable: About 9.2 million Americans served in the military during the Vietnam era . I will never forget the pop pop pop, pop pop of an AK-47 in rapid-fire, but I heard the far off rattle of a M-60 machine-gun through the roar; Why I thought of PFC Wildaboro and his escapade with the machine gun that OTHER sun-drenched afternoon! even when i went out with the airforce on resupply to fire bases. Perfect. Very devisive infighting among all the service members who served at a time when it was not popular. We have been betrayed by all Globalists. 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. Special Forces orderly room to picked-up theyre new frequencies. Various percentages of actual Vietnam Veterans is bothersome. Thats sad and should stop. Thank you. I know the difference, do you ? We got a personal visit from 10 Generals (no joke). Navy ships were classified as Blue Water ships. Approximately 7,500 women were stationed in Vietnam during the war. I do not know how many others served with us. in any event, i went as soon as i was contacted by the draft board. 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. And though did not serve in actual combat, as you describe it, we were shot at & mortared on occasion. There were approx. Their lives should be given importance. That's 390 per day. Well again, nothing that you have posted tells the story that you were in Vietnam. at DaNang If we came in they set up tents to sleep in and had a big blivet bag for a shower. Suddenly, I was in front of the truck near the grill. I got in about 20 firefights. 1st cav div. Army personnel were awarded VN Service Medals and and Vietnam Campaign Medals. There is a MOUNTAIN of difference in each s experience, combat veterans, those of us who lived and died in the jungle muck, snippers, booby traps, mortar attacks, and the battles with dozens killed and scores wounded. It was what it was. I knew that I was gravely wounded, and bullets were kicking up dust clouds as they were landing around my feet. YSC cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages. in one way or another. Still, other sources like the New York Times claim the number of Vietnam veterans is actually somewhere around 9.2 million. The politicians and fake news along with the Berkeley professors lost it for the American people after that. I was the first male born to the Puccetti family after his death, so my parents received permission to name their son after Dante. Luck of the draw my twin that received a silver star got the luck of the draw made it home. Vince. USA, (Ret.). But having spent a little time thinking about it, I go with the 2m figure. Im a 1967-68 Vietnam combat veteran. Alternatively, to transfigure my destiny. These numbers do not include the Americans who served in Vietnam during World War II. The definition of Combat Veteran is NOT if you have a CIB. I was in Vinh Long in 1965, Mekong delta area. It was a free-fire zone, and a nearby flight of gunships was engaged in shooting up the western valley. 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. 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. A Co. 2/8th, First Cavalry, 1968-69. I am unsure of how many Native peoples joined the US marine corps and volunteered for combat duties. 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. 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. i said once if you walked , you worked. i appreciate i was not in a company and humped for a year. Peter my husband is now deceased but he was a door gunner with the 191 st AHC Bounty Hunters (gunships), Very good. Good for him! Combat Vets served in country. 7,484 women served in Vietnam, 83.5% being nurses. My time stands still. At this rate there will be only a few of us alive in 2015. How Many Vietnam Veterans Have Been Affected by Agent Orange? Hell no. It caused extreme political unrest and was widely protested. And a number of Navy in ships, bombing communist. just an aside.I was at dinner the other night with my wife and at the next table was an honest Veteran. As an analogy I will use familiar figure of that time. 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. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Who is the oldest living Vietnam veteran? This is a controversial post. 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. 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 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 War Veterans Are Still Alive? 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. You would think the services would know how many were assigned to RVN and direct support of RVN, wouldnt you?? Today, the state with highest number of Vietnam veterans is California, with 596,130, followed by Florida with 519,224. What is the average age of Vietnam veteran in 2021? The youngest Vietnam Veteran is aged in the late 60s today with life expectances estimated at 86 years old (for normal people). With the Americal after I got back I had maps. Please do all you can to inform our fellow vets that the VA presumes Agent Orange exposure if you were in-country. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. We did a lot of Ranch Hand missions in the iron Triangle. 2500 to 3000 US Air Force troops stationed in Guam, Thailand, and other countries that were involved in the Vietnam War effort. There were 7000 Canadians that joined the US military to fight in Vietnam. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. These numbers do not include the Americans who served in Vietnam during World War II. We were near AF ranch hand ops and many of my buds still alive from then have the cancers, diabetes, amputations and such. 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 was shot up more than a dozen times and shot down once. in ww2 more merchant men were killed than all the services combined until june 6, 1944. and they were civilians. It too bad that guys that never fought think for some reason they deserve credit for being in Vietnam when they werent. waited and waited for our slot in port. Almost 1500 died their last day. Perhaps the reason for guys is that there were times we had to drink out of bomb craters that were in areas sprayed with Agent Orange. How many ww2 vets left 2021? 4-39th, 9th Div. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Needless to say, I set them straight about his lying BS, and moved out the next day. 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. I agree Vietnam vets are fewer. Bless you and your family Those of us who live day to day with that medical time bomb know the pain you suffered before he passed, and the endless pain of loss ever after. Every grunt I know would say no. 9.2 million served on active duty (5 August 1964 to 7 May 1975) 2,590,000 served in the combat zone. by your definition, cia personal in civilian clothes were not veterans. Funny, none of them were called WWII Era Veterans. Do you by chance remember a Jim Blackshear? However, like it or not, the U.S. government makes the final decisions on who is officially considered a war veteran and thats really the way it HAS to be. Check out this post and see if you can figure this > out. Straining to regain my feet again, I staggered a few strides to my right and throe myself forward, with all I was worth, collapsing finely into the vegetation face up. 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. Same aircraft were used and were not cleaned before spraying anything else. What Was It Like To Hump The Boonies in Vietnam? That is your opinion and youre entitled to it, I disagree very strongly. They dont include forces in Guam or Thailand. I can tell you that those who served in Thailand should definitely be considered Vietnam Vets. BAM! Does anyone else remember ? About 15 out of every 100 Vietnam veterans (15%) were currently diagnosed with PTSD when the most recent study of . Door gunner with the 191st AHC Bounty Hunters. 101st Airborne Division, 1969-70 If field infantry personal awarded a CIB having engaged the enemy are a ten (10), what are the field artillery units at a fire base like FSB Gold in Operation Junction City. The first US advisors that I can find evidence of arrived in country in 1955. It seems to be all about syntax. I submit, we should use the same standard for Vietnam. 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. Dec 1967 Dec 1968 & Jan 1969 Nov 1969. There was a huge difference between tours of duty also. they did not get metals. National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics For a mile or so the road cut through the jungle like a tunnel; the vegetation brushing against the sides and roof hid what lurked in the shadows. If one in ten saw sustained combat, then there may be as little as 60,000 of us left! What other conclusions have been made about the percentage of Vietnam veterans who are still alive? I have done lots of research, read a bunch of historical history, and met and talked to well over 1000 NAM VETS !!!!! Sobering Statistics Concerning Vietnam Vets As of April 2016 . **********************************************************. My name is Ananda. Yes. If you prefer to differentiate who served in country and who did not, then the arithmetic must divide the groups into two lists accordingly. BTW, Marys father was a Marine in Nam and died when she was only a few years old. In 1995 Vietnam released its official estimate of the number of people killed during the Vietnam War: as many as 2,000,000 civilians on both sides and some 1,100,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters. It only had the National Defense ribbon on the cap. 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. Stolen Valor the American Way! Combat Vet, Vet on ships that never touched country, military who were passing through and were on airport tarmac? The oldest living Vietnam War veteran is believed to be a man named Larrivee Ronald A , who was born in Feb, 24, 1935. The Vietnam Nam Veteran and the Vietnam Era Veteran is defined by law ,, am I correct???? 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. 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. We hauled cargo to the bases and for a few months I hauled hitest gas to the airbase at DongHa. The U.S. military has estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers died. This answer is: Vietnam Veterans are dieing faster than World War Two veterans do to Agent Orange contamination . 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. I got angry at him even saying that he was a vet of the war. How old is the oldest living Vietnam veteran? Are we counted as two people or have they accounted for us already. I have read that One in Seven that went to Vietnam were in actual combat CIB. I recall combat pay (Hazard DutyPay) at $60 dollars a month. Thirty one sets of parents lost two of their sons. (LogOut/ 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. How Many Vietnam Veterans are Alive Today? - CherriesWriter 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. I still consider myself lucky every day! We may never know who actually served and were in country during the fight. I saw the edge of the dirt, the jungle growth, the nearby trees, while I heard the world explode. Waiting for a slight pause in the clamor in my ear, I decided to escape towards the cover of the Bush. But often, it does. I agree, 10% in combat, sounds right! I think there about 250,000 Virtnam Vets that saw actual combat. My left leg hurt like HELLFIRE! 4 Carl Dodd Former Police Officer Author has 18.5K answers and 25.3M answer views 10 mo Most of the time as a grunt without a map. I know what I did while there in 1975, protecting USAF resources and aiding in the support of many end of the war mission. I had a Swedish citizen in AIT, with orders to go to Vietnam. We certainly were in close combat often during my tour in 69-70. While there troops from our unit were deployed to Vietnam as replacements yet some people dont consider us as support for troops in Vietnam. 240 300 World. The Truth About 22 Veteran Suicides A Day - Task & Purpose Dave, 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. NOTE: in 2010 Census 13.2 Million claimed to be Vietnam Veterans. More than 8 million people served in uniform during Vietnam and those who are alive are typically in their 60s and 70s. This was with conversations with them while waiting our turn to be seen in the VA. Served most of my time on LZ Professional. Nobody can bad-mouth Huey pilots and crews. Vietnam era vets are not the same as Vietnam vets, but they are important. Again, I see a jumbled view of jungle and sky, and vaguely see a solitary soldier standing over me. 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. question. I arrived in country Dec. 5, 1967. guy next to me was shoot dead I think that counts. Isolated atrocities committed by American Soldiers produced torrents Apparently, its been agreed upon that 800,000 Vietnam veterans had passed away by the year 2000. How many Vietnam War veterans are still alive 2023? Agent Orange is impacting that timeline and those serving around the world were not affected by this wonderous life-robbing gift. I was drafted in May of 1966 specifically for the reactivation of the 9th Infantry..so B Co., 4/47th/9th Inf. In the highlands we had to take one every day in addition to the once a week pill. Finally figured out what was wrong with me, received help but refuse to dwell on the dark demons that quite frankly just did not give a dam for humanity. I spent 3 separate tours in Vietnam. i TO AM A VEITNAM VET. 11B20 and proud of it. Hazardous duty pay was $65 and overseas pay varied by rank $8 to $ 16. Era vets are important but dont count. 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. Mark Stanley was gone. We are working on a feature article How Many Of Us Are Still Alive: that will show a complete Actuarial Model that shows the likely number of us still alive (725,000 to 750,000 out of 2.4 million) and the likely progression of our deaths. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Regardless of their MOS or the details of their service, veterans have more in common with each other than they have differences, and ALL deserve to be honored.