Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska. If you have any doubts, take a closer look at your DD-214. no body turned down extra hands, and my india purchased white shirt and shorts made me attractive target in the event of a problem, and provided some humor to the 130 crews. I used this experience and we cut down the Helicopter replacement time from about 2 1/2 weeks to 2 to 4 days. In the highlands we had to take one every day in addition to the once a week pill. 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. Ive never seen so many people so full of shit trying to answer a question like how many Vietnam veterans are still alive today. . 400 hundred days of always being ready to fight and protect our 40 Huey helicopters, flew as door gunner a lot. Look up the military definition of combat. I served in Vietnam from Jul 68 to Jul 69. He arrived on Yankee Station, Vietnam in early May, 1972 when he was still 17 years of age. I think its just a generalization but should be cleared. However, he did not return to the United States until March 22, 1979. I shipped to RVN on the USNS Geiger, manned by Merchant Marines, leaving Tacoma, WA on June 30, 1967 and arriving in Vung Tau on July 21, 1967. My husband was also a door gunner (191st AHC gunship) but he was there later than you (70-71). I actually vollenteered to go to NAM. I do not believe we were counted as vets. I remember a distorted image of reality. Korea had 2 divisions in Vietnam The White Horse & Tiger Divisions The Australian Military was also present but I do not know the numbers There could be others. How many ww2 vets left 2021? Born: 04/07/1937. Steve She is new to that post, having spent 20+ years as head of coding & analysis at NSA. Helicopter crewmen did not receive the CIB, but they fought every day. Army personnel were awarded VN Service Medals and and Vietnam Campaign Medals. i served and i was affected like nearly every other person who spent time there. Antonia is a gifted educator, and she is widely respected within the education community. Sobering Statistics Concerning Vietnam Vets As of April 2016 . You do not need to establish anything other than that. 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. Combat Vets and Non Combat Vets. if you slept in the same bed more than 4 nights a week you were a REMF doesnt make you a abad guy but you are a remf. stay safe. What other conclusions have been made about the percentage of Vietnam veterans who are still alive? Do not consider yourself a 10, unless you are a 10. Those who do not remember where in country they were, WHERE NOT THERE.. Or suffering from a complete mental memory disorder. I volunteered for 3 TDY tours 18 months total. ago. Phill Coleman, who surfaced in the very early days of the Internet, and has been profiting from veterans (first Vietnam, now all) for years. i TO AM A VEITNAM VET. Please do your own due diligence on the American War Library before citing them on ANYTHING, ever. But the 23 months I spent doing my duty as outlined our government to assure you had a way to be resupplied means I, and those like me, am a Vietnam Veteran. 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. I always ask if they know what a fuck you lizard was. Data Appendix Methods Report Report FAQs. Bob ONeal, Lt.Col. take a look at my article titled a pale smoke google it . I was drafted in Sep 1966, went to Vietnam Aug 67-Aug 68, and Im 75 until Oct. We were near AF ranch hand ops and many of my buds still alive from then have the cancers, diabetes, amputations and such. When were the last Vietnam POWs released? The definition of Combat Veteran is NOT if you have a CIB. When he first got out we roomed together, and I came home from school one day s clss was canceled. The remaining 6.5 million were serving either at-home or abroad but not in Vietnam. Okay.Ill be the one to tell it like it is, even though everyone here, as well as everyone else, knows the truth already! 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.. Waiting for a slight pause in the clamor in my ear, I decided to escape towards the cover of the Bush. If you served in country on a ship in the gulf or dropped 2000 pound bombs you are a vietnam vet. It was difficult for me to move. Clearly, the New York Times is referring to Vietnam-era veterans, not Vietnam veterans. 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. How many Vietnam War veterans are still alive 2023? Born: 09/15/1946. Apparently Infantry is the operative word. Posted in these groups: Vietnam War American History Posted >1 y ago I was C 3/17 Air Cav. i have read that only one in seven guys that went to Vietnam, were actually in combat. I was on the initial invasion into Cambodia, that battle was 15 REMFS against 300 NVA> The next day we went in with the 25th infantry. Unless they kept track by service or SSN, how many Vietnam Veterans are there ? Infantry Division. Special Forces orderly room to picked-up theyre new frequencies. NOTE: in 2010 Census 13.2 Million claimed to be Vietnam Veterans. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. . . 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. Be content with your service, and leave it there. it is pointless to debate whether a supply corporal was a veteran. To my understanding, Army aviation unitsAssault Companies, Cav Troops, ARA units etc., had the highest casualty rates of any TO & E unit in Vietnam. Finally got all the right stuff together; received benefits couple months ago. 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. Antonia Leonard is an education expert who has dedicated her life to helping students achieve their academic goals. Peter my husband is now deceased but he was a door gunner with the 191 st AHC Bounty Hunters (gunships), Very good. Born in 1953, he joined the US Marine Corps at the age of 15 and was sent to Vietnam where he served as a machine gunner. It too bad that guys that never fought think for some reason they deserve credit for being in Vietnam when they werent. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Another long time friend served on the Riverine Force actually served on John Kerrys boat and is mentioned prominently in his book, told me stories about being ambushed, as those boats made a lot of noise. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. And, if you think 75% of actual Vietnam Vets (especially after Covid, and more than 50 years of time) are still alive, youre kidding yourself. We just hoped the pilot put us where we were supposed to be. how would you define a clerk typist who stayed in saigon and never went into the field. The NOISE ringing in my ears, the torment, the muggy damn heat, and the distance echo of gunfire ALL STOPPED! I was confused. Quite a story. He is absolutely obsessed with military and different men who have served, The definitive statistics come from the VAs Million Vietnam Vets database, which will continue until we are all gone. The now call them Vietnam era veterans. I know the difference, do you ? What other conclusions have been made about the percentage of Vietnam veterans who are still alive? 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. Our 2003 NJAOC Desk Guide to the unique health issue of Nam vets and our children is still the Gold Standard. In addition, the US lost two F-111As, three F-4s, two A-7s, two A-6s, one EB-66, one HH-53, and one RA-5C. He was carrying a BAR, killed fighting an infantry action, and the desk jockeys decided he did not meet requirements for a CIB. There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on the specific situation and the individual's age, health, and military experience. Dr. Paul A. Scipione Navy ships were classified as Blue Water ships. Another 2,000,000 were in country but worked supply or support [based on 10% rule]. yep I wonder also. This is a controversial post. I was hoping for more accurate numbers. Merchant Marine officers or crew are not wearing the uniform of the USAs Armed Forces. The total goes up every day. Dear Mr. Hutson Jr 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. OH, SHIT- I heard the impact of the Rocket Propelled grenade (RPG) to my left; `this is it, I yelled! Everyone knows this. Pop, POP POP. 101st Airborne 25th Infantry 82nd Airborne 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Vietnam IS a Vietnam veteran. What was the life expectancy of a helicopter door gunner in Vietnam? I agree Vietnam vets are fewer. 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. Very true One of those is my younger brother. The fear returned, as I knew he was of small stature. And just as the bell rang he got out of the ring , technically I won the fight. And a number of Navy in ships, bombing communist. I left this Sunday, as other mornings, to make a supply run and a code book and frequency transfer to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB); to gather C-Rations, mail, and most importantly to acquire our new radio codes of the confidential frequencies for this period. If you served anywhere at all, anywherre during WWI, you are a WWI vet. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I began to think that was the excuse for NOT being in combat. Funny, none of them were called WWII Era Veterans. One moment is eternity- the next may never!. These Veterans are now in or about to reach . Should you have a question or comment about this article, then scroll down to the comment section below to leave your response. 100,000 or more to suicide and most of those occurred after the men came home. We saved many a guy after you brought him to us from the boonies. My new Iraq War novel, Three Wise Men should ne out sometime next year, I was at Camp Eagle, and worked in Production Control. 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.Vietnam Veterans by State 2022. I was shot up more than a dozen times and shot down once. we had a building where the company stored our property. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. drafted in 1966, Vietnam 1967-68 with the 1st infantry Division.now 75!!!! As a Combat Infantry Veteran those who allow people to assume that they experienced actual combat because they refer to themselves as a Vietnam Vet. It seems to be all about syntax. That is exactly what I was going to post. How Many Vietnam Veterans Have Been Affected by Agent Orange? Vietnam Vet_combat. even when i went out with the airforce on resupply to fire bases. So, with the lower estimate of 610,000, over 2.1 million VN vets have died since 1975 thats an average of 44,000/year. The youngest Vietnam Veteran is aged in the late 60s today with life expectances estimated at 86 years old (for normal people). I think I know the answer but like youjust being picky. Around 2.7 million troops were stationed in Vietnam either on land, within its airspace, or in its waters. i went to dong ha several times. BTW, Marys father was a Marine in Nam and died when she was only a few years old. 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. Plane had 4 engines and rarely got shot up although we did have a pilot get a 50 in the leg. Melathion was 96% pure. Numbers can always be manipulated. This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen. Although my time had come, my death brought a realization that, I WOULD NOT ALLOW MYSELF TO DYE IN THAT JUNGLE. I discovered a conviction, antithesis to my beliefs, that it was not the North Vietnamese Army that sealed my fate, nor the soldier that touched off the RPG that distorted my body; I had the power from GOD to go to the next phase in my journey. I salute all Veterans, and those Pencil pusher, clerks, medics, fire-fighters, etc., all had jobs to do to support everyone, they deserve respect as well, as without them no one should have had the tools necessary to accomplish any mission! Ah. 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! What is the average age of Vietnam veteran in 2021? 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. Got the scars to prove it too, both physical and mental. All who served In Country and the those outlying areas in support should be considered Vietnam Vets. The debate depends on only two numbers. 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. I appreciate the fact that I Sam in the combat group that won the war against the communist rabble during their Tet Offensive in 1968. You may not care but us guys that stepped foot in Nam AND had bullets flying at us, we care, and we are genuine vietnam Combat Vets. Mark Stanley was gone. While every GI serving around the world was important to securing our Cold War victory over Communism just as the Vietnam conflict was also, those who served in uniform in the SEA War Theater are the true veterans of the Vietnam War. The total number of is estimated at 2.8 million US veterans who were exposed to the poisonous chemical while serving and later died. Bob Kerrey. Aside from that, I have always doubted any fact stated by the NY Times; although the federal government is no better. Very helpful for this Viet Nam vet, at 73 and a little long in the tooth I I find that my understanding of the time I spent in Viet Nam comes into sharper focus as time goes by and the reality of what happened and what I did to participate makes me proud especially because I volunteered for Viet Nam at the age of 17. However I know many many who have died these past 55 years & 6 months since the Battle of Soui Tre March 21, 1967 and I know what is a combat veteran. Thanks for your responses. All Lawyer adds is for 2 percent, do you think that this was a greater risk for Cancer. I have VSM on my DD215 which deleted the AFEM on my DD214. to believe, losing nearly 711,000 between '95 and '00. So, where is the discrepancy in these numbers? Yep feet never left the ground except to do my mos. 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. 1st cav div. He showed me his DD214 and low and behold it says he was in Vietnam. I still consider myself lucky every day! My Company was A Co, 5th Trans Bn, 101st Abn. I stomped the gas and the engine roared- the truck jumped forward and bounced crazily and so did, garbing the steering tightly. I can tell you that those who served in Thailand should definitely be considered Vietnam Vets. Lots of people say they served in Nam, but dont remember their unit, where they were at in country or any buddies or officers names, since I served with D 2/1 196th LIB as a Combat Medic in 1968, I carried a company Roster and had to give each EM a malaria pill each day, I learned everyones name, dont remember them all after 53 yrs but go to reunion when I can. I could never guess the number of actual Vietnam Vets there are, nor the % still alive. it was printed in the ny times and cherries writer. NO, some who got to sleep in the same bed night after night, yet were low slow flying targets by day are NOT REMF. 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. More than 8 million people served in uniform during Vietnam and those who are alive are typically in their 60s and 70s. Everyone did their assigned job; some just got better assignments. The last veteran who served in the trenches was Harry Patch (British Army), who died on 25 July 2009, aged 111. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors. An overwhelming number are buried by family and friends. I dont see how there can be any dispute about this. The Vietnam Nam Veteran and the Vietnam Era Veteran is defined by law ,, am I correct???? 2023 CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website, Ive also created a poll to help identify my website audience before leaving, can you please click, Vietnam: The War that killed Trust (GuestPost), Gold Star Families Memorial Monument DedicationCeremony. Past history shows ALL Veterans of previous Wars were classified as Vets of those wars regardless of where they served. The site is owned and run by a crook and charlatan named (?) 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. to most of them, it was another port and another war. Forget 1954, let use a true date of 1962 (first advisors) The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. A lot of guys broke out with rashes every time that sprayed for mosquitos, using Melithon, which was every 2 weeks over all Base Camps. to Ken Drombosky It was hot that day; the mosquitoes were going through my mind, and the sun was again brilliant. The Korean War was not supported by the ENTIRE nation, actually that is why it is known as the Forgotten War. How many Vietnam vets have died from Agent Orange? It was also projected that, from here, 138,000 Vietnam veterans are expected to die each year. Like you I am sick of ERA Veterans claiming to be in country. Damn it, government could have sent anyone serving at any time to Vietnam. when we carried ordnance we had to accept 50 cal fire from the shore on the way to saigon. Defining Combat Veterans, tell us what number you give yourself, we have a controversy here with a candidate for Governor, he claims now that he is a combat veteran, but he told me in his campaign for the House seat he presently holds, that he was NOT a combat veteran. If he was at least in the Army, this might not work. 101st Airborne Division, 1969-70 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. John, But often, it does. Mean 69 maybe? Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. I can assure you there will be those of us alive longer than 10 years from now. Combat was what we did. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. I WAS IN THE 85TH ORD COMPANY . He was shot nine times, while I received the tenth bullet from the ten holes in the windshield. 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. 2 tours I volunteered and my 3rd I re-enlisted. i know what a combat veteran is. The difference David, is that you could quit at any moment, most Veterans who served in Vietnam did not have that choice. was i a veteran? It does not store any personal data. The VVA Veteran boils it down to a totally different conclusion that the American War Library drew. In fact, the first two advisors (MAJ Dale Buis and MSG Chester Ovnand) killed by the enemy died in an attack on their base near Bien Hoa on July 8, 1959. Thousands of sorties departed from Thailand, Guam, and from aircraft carriers at sea to kill MIGS, bomb factories and bridges, and generally create havoc. OUR COMPANY STARTED LONG BINH COMPOUND IN SEPT OF 1965, DALLAS WATERFILL EMAIL dallaswaterfill@yahoo.com, Was in Vietnam Dec. 1968 to Dec. 1969, Phan Rang AFB, RVN. Antonia is a firm believer in the power of education, and she is passionate about helping students reach their full potential. It was an incredibly tumultuous time in US history and, for that reason, its unclear how many people actually served during this struggle.

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