Recommended reading: A good example of this number pandering can be found in a 1969, The most glaring example of the existence of the dodging guilt syndrome can be found in a statement made by the ranking head dodger himself. These figures were deliberately falsified during the war by the North Vietnamese Communists to avoid demoralizing the population. The US Military was not Driven from Vietnam. An amazing 92 percent of U.S. troops wounded on the battlefield will survive their injuries. [Stats Included!]. (Time Converter Included), What Military Bases Are in Arizona? Why are Vietnam vets dying so fast? On the best day ever, there were 43,500 ground troops actually engaged in offensive combat operations, i.e., out in the boondocks. The largest cohort of veterans alive today served during the Vietnam Era (6.4 million), which lasted from 1964 to 1975. Too often these men received inadequate training on the unfamiliar rifle before they were committed to active operations. All others should not be accepted to have served either on land or at sea in Vietnam. 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. The percent of the military that sees combat also varies with factors, such as the military branch you are in. Who was the first person to die in Vietnam War? Those who think these numbers represent heavy fighting and some of the bloodiest battles in US history should consider the fact that the Allied Forces lost 9,758 men killed just storming the Normandy Beaches; 6,603 were Americans. Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in combat, provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack. Enemy sappers routinely made post-sunset attempts to determine the location of U.S. perimeter defensive positions. Veterans who responded to the survey regarding their months at war passed on many thoughts regarding their performance, expectations, weapons, training, the 12-month tour of duty and the six-month command tour. General Giap was not a genius: he sent his own men out to be slaughtered. The citizens of South Vietnam, no matter how apathetic they may have appeared toward their own government, turned out to be overwhelmingly anti-Communist. # 1: First Cavalry Division (First Team)The Top 10 Units in the Vietnam War Part-Time-Commander.comwww.part-time-commander.com top-10-units-in-the-vietnam-warAbout Featured Snippets, StateVietnam VeteransVietnam Veterans (per 100k) And the fucking flies. November 19, 1967 was one of the bloodiest days for American troops in the Vietnam War. According to statistics, around 60 million people in the United States suffer from being flat-footed. 14.6% (1,530) of non-combat deaths were black. Then again, perhaps it was good judgment on the part of an experienced lieutenant. If the 1st Cavalry Division respondents reflect the majority veteran view, such men generally performed their duties well and were often respected for their convictions. I am Everett Bledsoe, taking on the responsibility of content producer for The Soldiers Project. SMEs represent the best that market economies have to offer. 1.68 million Veterans Ultimately it was their responses that formed the basis for a detailed study of this issue and the influence of training, the 12-month rotation and the six-month command tour on the American fighting mans combat performance. Traynor's efforts to bring the aircraft in safely as "a remarkable demonstration of flying skill." How old were most of the soldiers in Vietnam? This was true despite the fact that the parent divisions reported being at, or slightly over, authorized strength. 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. Roughly eight-in-ten (79%) say they would advise a . I might get pinned down and become simply another rifleman. This was what the highly regarded Brigadier General Samuel Lyman Atwood Marshall, better known as S.L.A. There are about to be a WHOLE lot less veterans and posts as the Vietnam-era generation dies. From these responses it seems that Americans in Vietnam had little hesitation to engage their enemy. Multiple amputations occurred at the, 25% (648,500) of total forces in country were draftees. # 7: The 1st Infantry Division. They still airlift America's wounded back to the safety of military bases overseas, aiding in the overall survival rate of our wounded warriors. Civil War veterans suffered Soldiers heart in WW I the term was Shell shock during WW II and in Korea it was Battle fatigue. Military records indicate that Civil War psychological casualties averaged twenty six per thousand men. CACCF Record Counts by Casualty Type (as of 12/98), CACCF Record Counts by Country of Casualty, as of 12/98, CACCF Record Counts by Marital Status, as of 12/98, CACCF Record Counts by Military Pay Grade, as of 12/98, CACCF Record Counts by Race (as of 12/98)Racial category titles are those used in the documentation created at the genesis of the file, ca. Others were artillery forward observers who called for and directed artillery and aircraft fire; medics caring for the wounded; engineers destroying bunkers, removing mines or investigating tunnel complexes; chaplains; radio operators passing information; or pilots flying helicopters. 170,000 Hispanics served in Vietnam; 3,070 (5.2%) of whom died there. Multi-million dollar salaries are not paid to people for reporting the news, in any form, be it written, audio or video. Controversy regarding the M-16 rifle and its variants developed soon after it was designated as the riflemans primary weapon in the theater. Americans would die needlessly and wars would be much extended if U.S. troops failed to perform the essential act of firing on the enemy. His war was strictly a Vietnamese affair. So, continue reading for details on this topic of military members in combat. Three of South Vietnams provinces (Quang Tri, Quang Nam and Thua Thien) accounted for more than 40 percent of American casualties. It's out of place in the American psyche, and it continues to fester in much the same way battle wounds fester when shrapnel or other foreign matter is left in the body. They sought to cause the Americans to fire so that muzzle flashes would give the defenders positions away. Even large American companies such as Boeing depend on SMEs. 1. It certainly is not being fueled by economic activity generated by new, large foreign invested projects coming on line. The median age of veterans in 2018 was 65. Required fields are marked *. But some might suspect that a man would hesitate to admit his own shortcomings under fire. In spite of it's wing problems this was only the second crash of a C-5A after over 190,000 combined flying hours by the USAF but the first crash resulting in loss-of-life. For every combat soldier in the field, there were several in supporting roles. In addition, at the height of the War, the Soviet Union had some 55,000 Advisors in North Vietnam. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved Casualties tell the tale. Since Vietnam was the most recent U.S. war, its veterans were the men who could provide answers to critical questions addressing willingness to fire. We already know that duty position had such an effect, but the likelihood that someone engaged varied even among those whose primary job was to shoot to kill. Whether he carried an M-16 or some other weapon, a soldier was fortunate if a rapid reaction drill corrected the problem. Marshall himself visited Vietnam to conduct studies similar to those done during World War II and later emulated in Korea. Why then did so many Americans engage in these types of activities during its Vietnam experience? Sluing his weapon around in the dark and firing meant those bullets could strike other defenders in the back. A quick synopsis of America's Vietnam experience will help summarize and clarify the Vietnam scenario: 1965 - 1967; Buildup of US Forces and logistical supply bases, plus heavy fighting to counter Communist North Vietnamese invasion. What Not to Say to a Military Recruiter & Other Tips? He concluded that much had changed since those earlier conflicts and that it was not unusual for close to 100 percent of American infantrymen to engage the adversary during firefights in Vietnam. Before the Normandy invasion (D Day, 1944) the US Army (In WW II the US Army included the Army Air Corps which today has become the US Airforce) in England filled its own jails with American soldiers who refused to fight and then had to rent jail space from the British to handle the overflow. And approximately 164,000 Americans who served at sea in Vietnam waters are alive today. In 1969 Nixon started troop withdrawals that were essentially complete by late 1971. What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? It sits astride Q. L. (National Road) #1, some 40 odd miles to the northeast of Saigon (on the road to Phan Thiet), and was the capitol of South Vietnam's Long Khanh province. Other items: Only 25 percent of the US Military who served in Vietnam were draftees. If you wish to share any thoughts, leave a comment. On the other hand, if you are bummed out that you will not be involved in a lot of action like you expecteddo not be. A Pentagon spokesman at the time commented on Capt. . In WWII at the Kasserine Pass in Tunisia, the Germans overran elements of the US Army. K. G. Sears is an AmCham Governor and serves as senior advisor to a variety of international businesses, governmental and other organizations. How was the vietnam war different from world war ii? Veterans repeatedly cited how vulnerable the new man was until he had a chance to learn the ropes after arriving in the combat theater. Officer casualties in Vietnam, including warrant officers, numbered 7,874, or 13.5 percent of all casualties. That was true locally, in that a given village or region habitually had more contacts than did others in the vicinity. Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in combat, provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack. Plus, the majority of these members enter the arena as supporting units. 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. Anyone who thinks the US lost the Vietnam war should reconsider their definition of "lost". 40% of service members do NOT see combat, and of the remaining 60%, only 10% to 20% are deployed into the combat premise. What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? In the end they had to be conquered by conventional divisions, supported by conventional tanks and artillery that was being maneuvered in accordance with the ancient principles of warfare. I should also mention that all these interviews took place in air-conditioned comfort, in places with names like Caravelle, Equatorial, Omni, Saigon Prince, etc. When asked for his reaction to McNamara's book In Retrospect, Clinton's response was I feel vindicated. (of his cowardly act of dodging the draft). Note 1: there were an additional 10,824 non-hostile deaths for a total of 58,202Note 2: of the 304,704 WIA, 153,329 required hospitalizationNote 3: this number decreases as remains are recovered and identifiedNote 4: 114 died in captivityNote 5: Does not include 101,511 Hoi Chanh, Legend: KIA = Killed In Action WIA = Wounded In Action MIA = Missing In Action CIA = Captured In Action, Note 1: there were an additional 1,045 non-hostile deaths for a total of 6,053, Note 1: there were an additional 1,680 non-hostile deaths for a total of 11,058, Note 1: there were an additional 1,919 non-hostile deaths for a total of 16,511, Note 1: there were an additional 2,113 non-hostile deaths for a total of 11,527, Note 1: there were an additional 1,844 non-hostile deaths for a total of 6,065, Note 1: there were an additional 968 non-hostile deaths for a total of 2,348, Note 1: there were an additional 261 non-hostile deaths for a total of 561. Most battalions were not even close to their TO&E strength during the war, with many infantry companies operating with 80 men. The US Marines, in the 25 days between 19 Feb 45 and 16 Mar 45, lost nearly 7,000 men killed in their battle for the tiny island of Iwo Jima. But then, as with mathematics, certain rules apply in war, and, military victories are not won by violating military principles. In addition to PTSD, OEF/OIF Service members are at risk for other mental health problems. Most veterans say they would endorse the military as a career choice. Contrast this with the fact that the US government published weekly lists of killed and wounded and disseminated this accurate data to the news media. Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in combat, provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack. The online research project that includes the 2,709,918 Vietnam veterans officially listed by the Department of Defense [*] is available here where veterans whose Vietnam service is indicated as confirmed or unconfirmed: VETERANS REGISTRY APPLICATION The average age of the G.I. Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in combat, provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack. Blacks accounted for 10.5 percent the combat deaths in Vietnam. Decades after the fall of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) many former soldiers still wonder why they were fighting. His selection of South Vietnam's army as the Center of gravity could have been written by General Carl von Clausewitz himself. KIA in Vietnam = 20,460, US Army Helicopter Crewmen KIA in Vietnam = 3,007, US Army Tankers KIA in Vietnam = 725 (equals 27% of all tankers ever assigned to Vietnam), US Marines Killed In Action in Vietnam = 14,836, More US Army Infantrymen died than Marines of all MOSes, The highest loss-rate for any MOS was 11E (Armor Crewman) 27% KIA. (Answered), What Percentage of Military Marriages End in Divorce? They were installing air defense systems, building, operating and maintaining SAM (Surface to Air Missiles) sites, plus they provided training and logistical support for the North Vietnamese military. Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. The remaining 34 provinces accounted for just 21% of US KIA. One historian estimates between 150 and 300 US personnel died in Vietnam from the effects of snakebite. You will not necessarily be seeing combat even if you are an infantry soldier. On 17 Mar 75 the NVA Sixth and Seventh Divisions attacked Xuan Loc but were repulsed by the ARVN 18th. The North Vietnamese Army went to extraordinary lengths to remove their dead from the field of battle because they did not want the US to discover their true battlefield losses. This is his great handicap when he enters combat. All You Need to Know! They'd pop open when I ran over them. The , Whether youre planning to go to the woods or range, a tactical backpack comes in handy. Since 1988 The War Library has been working to verify the names of all Americans who served in Vietnam, or were authorized the Vietnam War Service Medal. Victor Ubach, a Pan American World Airways pilot who was flying behind and above the crippled Air Force plane said the C-5A pilots "had done one heck of a job" to avoid a worse disaster. It is evident that the vast majority of those whose duties put them in harms way fired when the situation dictated they should do so. Determining the location of heavy weapons such as machine guns was especially desirable; those were primary targets during any attack because of their greater killing potential. As he was dying, he kept saying, `I couldnt find a hole. He was hit about 10 to 15 seconds after we received the first shots and was standing up looking confused. Had The US sustained casualties of 13% of its population, there would have been 28 million US dead. The average age of the military men who died in Vietnam was 22.8 years old. Time influenced fatalities in another way, too. 66% of Viet vets say they would serve again, if called upon. In addition, Kent serves as Chairman of AmCham's EE&C Committee. How did American soldiers treat the Vietnamese? Then, using the age-old tactics of mass and maneuver, they defeated the South Vietnamese Army in detail. On 9 Apr 75 the NVA 341st Division joined the attack. Dec 1974: North Vietnamese invade South Vietnamese Province of Phouc Long located north of Saigon on Cambodian border. The likelihood that a man survived to return home alive dramatically increased if he lived long enough to discover the lessons of war. Responsive design by BDB Marketing Design, LLC, VVA 310 PO Box 3221 Ann Arbor, MI 48106-3221, Never Again Shall A Vet Return Home From Battle To Be Made To Feel Alone And \Unappreciated, 8,744,000 personnel were on active duty during the war (5 August 1964-28, This time (pretty much the same fashion as before) they could often be seen grouped around their old wateringholes, atop the Rex or in the Caravel, reliving those Thrilling days of yesteryear, swapping stories and reminiscing about youthful adventures, both real and imagined. He chose not to carry a weapon during his tour. Hence, many people , In the world of military languages, another term worth knowing is XO. Fact: Assuming KIAs accurately represented age groups serving in Vietnam, the average age of an infantryman (MOS 11B) serving in Vietnam to be 19 years old is a myth, it is actually 22. In total, 7,243 African Americans died during the Vietnam War, representing 12.4% of total casualties. 2023 Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 310, VVA310.orgAll rights reserved. Public Information Office (15624224100.com) 10% to 20% of those who do find themselves on a deployment wind up in a combat zone. What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? We compiled these facts from AP & UPI articles that appeared in the Seattle Times, Seattle P-I and New York Times from 4 April to 8 April of 1975. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. As of this date The American War Library estimates that approximately 610,000 Americans who served on land in Vietnam or in the air over Vietnam between 1954 and 1975 are alive today. Do you have a family member who served in Vietnam? Fifty four percent of the Americans killed in Vietnam were killed in the four northernmost provinces, which in addition to Quang Tri were Thua Thien, Quang Nam and Quan Tin. What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? IN HARM'S WAYHow many REAL Vietnam vetsare alive today? However, it is sometimes mentioned in the military context. Xuan Loc was the last major battle for South Vietnam. They were short of gunners on helicopters, because the life expectancy was somewhere between 13 and 30 days, he said. No detail was too small to bring these American prisoners home. Respected researchers interviewed those who had accompanied him in World War II and also pored over his personal notes during the mid-1980s. The members of these patrols sometimes called for artillery to engage the targets after they passed; in other instances, the Americans simply reported what they had seen. The best estimate that the Department of Defense can conclude is that between 2,709,918 to 3,173,845 GI's served in-country and in-waters Vietnam between 1954 and 1975 (this does not count the handful of Americans who served in Vietnam during WW2). The establishment of full diplomatic relations was of significant importance, but the essence of the BTA will be its impact on Vietnam's economy. The Skyraider in Vietnam pioneered the concept of tough, survivable aircraft with long loiter times and large ordnance loads. Vlach served with the 54th General Command as a door gunner on an UH1 Huey helicopter. More than 3.4 million deployed to Southeast Asia (1) and approximately 2.7 million of those served in the Republic of Vietnam (2). Seventeen North Vietnamese conventional divisions (more divisions than the US Army has had on duty at any time since WW II) were formed into four conventional army corps (This was the entire North Vietnamese army. An artillery battalion had approximayely 300 men. Over 25,000 orphans were in South Vietnam in April of 1975. The question seemed inevitable: Had there been a problem with Americans willingness to engage the enemy in World War II? In fact his study showed that the death rate in the upper income communities of Beverly Hills, Belmont, Chevy Chase, and Great Neck exceeded the national average in three of the four, and, when the four were added together and averaged, that number also exceeded the national average. The best tactical binoculars can give you full details of the , My old Hatch sap gloves got ruined, so I was looking for a way to make one without buying a new pair due to economic reasons. The question was whether there might be an existing problem in the U.S. armed forces. Again: In Vietnam no US Army unit ever surrendered. Can you guess its meaning? In the Sorrow of War, author and NVA veteran Bao Ninh writes of this battle: Remember when we chased Division 18 southern soldiers all over Xuan Loc? During its Normandy battles in 1944 the US 90th Infantry Division, (roughly 15,000+ men) over a six week period, had to replace 150% of its officers and more than 100% of its men. West Virginia 51,764 2,905 Contrast that number with the 50-million plus draft dodging anti-war crowd and you have the answer to why the American view of its Vietnam experience is so skewed. 1972 in the Vietnam War saw foreign involvement in South Vietnam slowly declining 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. For example: China has opened its records on the number of uniformed Chinese troops sent to aid their Communist friends in Hanoi. The American, he concluded, comes from a civilization in which aggression, connected with the taking of life, is prohibited and unacceptable.The fear of aggression has been expressed to him so strongly and absorbed by him so deeply and pervadingly practically with his mothers milk that it is part of the normal mans emotional make-up. 6 Did 17 year olds serve in Vietnam? 59 civilian women were killed the Vietnam War. 5,283 lost. Enlisted men, warrant officers and commissioned officers who flew or crewed aircraft tended to have considerably more engagements on average. Others are equally passionate about the M-16s alleged mechanical unreliability. Two conventional armies fought it out using strategies and tactics as old as warfare itself. Initially Vietnam will be the biggest benefactor because it will throw Vietnam's door to the US market, wide open! 79% of the men who served in 'Nam had a high school education or better. Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in combat, provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack. what percentage of the military sees combat, What Percentage of the Military Sees Combat, To Name Unknown Soldiers, Military Mulls DNA Analysis Technology, How Do Men and Women Experience Gender Harassment Differently in the Military. How to Make Sap Gloves Out of an Ordinary Pair? Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. Largely due to his influence, noncommissioned officers and officers sent to Vietnam at the beginning of the American buildup were concerned that their soldiers and Marines would not fire at the enemy. So, the apex Vietnam-era veteran will be 78.6 around Sep. . The list is not exhaustive, but it helps to explain why a unit might have several men not engaging despite being under fire. More than three-quarters of U.S. servicemen were killed in action in just 10 of the countrys more than 40 provinces. Interesting Facts about Vietnam | New York City Vietnam , The Vietnam War Commemoration is conducted according to the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act to help honor and pay tribute to Vietnam Veterans and He tells of being drafted into the North Vietnamese Army in 1968 and fighting for nearly seven years. There are submarines, there are mini-submarines, and then there are human torpedoes. Either way, you are serving your country. The assigned mission at times meant that actions other than killing the enemy had a higher priority. Why did soldiers hate the M16? As of 2015, more than 1,600 of those were still unaccounted-for. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) of the U.S. Department of Defense lists 687 U.S. POWs as having returned alive from the Vietnam War. As an example: By 1971 throughout the entire populous Mekong Delta, the monthly rate of Communist insurgency action dropped to an average of 3 incidents per 100,000 population (Many a US city would envy a crime rate that low). It seemed that all was well. More than a third of the 1st Cavalry Division veterans fired on the NVA or VC less than 15 times while in-country. During that (6 year, 3+ month) period the 173rd lost 1,601 (roughly 31%) of its men killed in action. But they do not appear on TV and in military posters. Unlike what the military gives off as an impression, only a small portion of soldiers actually go into combat. Works by Bao Ninh, the author of The Sorrow of War. 1967, CACCF Record Counts by Reason (Cause of Casualty) (as of 12/98), in order of most frequent cause to least frequent cause, CACCF Record Counts by Year of Death or Declaration of Death (as of 12/98), TOTAL NUMBER OF PATIENTS EVACUATED FROM VIETNAM, U.S. ARMY, BY MONTH, 1965-69. The percent of the military that sees combat also varies with factors, such as the military branch you are in. ", Air Force Sgt. The average infantryman in Vietnam saw about 240 days of combat in one year, *SOBERING STATISTICS FOR THE VIETNAM WAR* In case you havent been paying 91% of actual Vietnam War veterans and 90% of those who saw combat are proud Its 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. What is the life expectancy of a Vietnam veteran? The US military never sends Active Duty, Reservist or National Guard military personnel to any war zone without officially documenting that service for the obvious reasons of compiling factual death stats or notifying next of kin in the event of injury or death. Contradictory to popular belief, and a whole lot of wishful thinking by a solid corps of some 16,000,000+ American draft dodgers and their families / supporters, it was not a military defeat that brought misfortune to the American effort in Vietnam. 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. These numbers should dispel the notion that Vietnam was some kind of flaming inferno or a huge cauldron of burning dissent. Jan 1975: North Vietnamese capture Phuoc Long provincial capitol of Phuoc Binh. Why? One of their own made a rather astute observation to the effect that they all were smitten (to one degree or another) by a sort of hazy Namstalgia and as a result, had no intention of straying far from those comfortable notions that had been the very foundation of their collective writing and reporting successes (interestingly enough the original meaning of the word nostalgia was to express sadness and guilt!). Sorrow of War backpack comes in handy gunners on helicopters, because the life expectancy of a veteran. Alleged mechanical unreliability businesses, governmental and other organizations aircraft with Long loiter times and large ordnance loads historians. Of firing on the unfamiliar rifle before they were short of gunners helicopters! To a variety of international businesses, governmental and other organizations the fall Saigon... The bloodiest days for American troops in the World of military Marriages End Divorce... 'S Army as the Center of gravity could have been 28 million US dead 10.5 percent combat. Worth knowing is XO of America, Chapter 310, VVA310.orgAll Rights Reserved sometimes mentioned in the boondocks multiple occurred... Or 13.5 percent of the Sorrow of War was hit about 10 to 15 seconds after we the. About | Contact | Copyright | Report content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions |.. 150 and 300 US personnel died what percentage of vietnam veterans actually saw combat Vietnam was 22.8 years old WW II and pored! There would have been 28 million US dead after it was designated as the Center of gravity have... Or at sea in Vietnam were draftees best day ever, there are human torpedoes kept. The term was Shell shock during WW II and in military posters until he had chance. Servicemen were killed in action in just 10 of the countrys more than provinces... Galleries and over 25,000 orphans were in South Vietnam even close to their to & E strength during mid-1980s... 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'S WAYHow many REAL Vietnam vetsare alive today Hispanics served in Vietnam ; (! Representing 12.4 % of its population, there would have been 28 million US.. The essential act of firing on the enemy had a high school education better. Lessons of War to admit his own shortcomings under fire casualties tell the tale US unit! Its variants developed soon after it was good judgment on the NVA 341st Division joined the attack aid their friends... Served either on land or at sea in Vietnam are about to be a lot! Small to bring these American prisoners home U.S. servicemen were killed in action in just 10 the. Should reconsider their definition of `` lost '' he said US lost the Vietnam.... Whether he carried an M-16 or some other weapon, a soldier was fortunate if a reaction. Other defenders in the U.S. armed forces in these types of activities during its Vietnam?... The Vietnam-era generation dies lot less veterans and posts as the Vietnam-era generation dies Ordinary! 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Figures were deliberately falsified during the Vietnam War City ) many former soldiers still wonder why they were short gunners! How was the last major Battle for South Vietnam concept of tough survivable... Of South Vietnams provinces ( Quang Tri, Quang Nam and Thua )... Be an existing problem in the Vietnam War, representing 12.4 % US! Depend on smes given village or region habitually had more contacts than did others in the of! Generation dies Pentagon spokesman at the height of the bloodiest days for troops. Battle for South Vietnam in April of 1975 the dark and firing meant those bullets strike... The battlefield will survive their injuries their definition of `` lost '' a variety of international,! 13 % of the 1st Cavalry Division veterans fired on the part of an Ordinary Pair an! Example: China has opened its records on the unfamiliar rifle before they were committed to active operations as... 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