I always ask if they know what a fuck you lizard was. Finally got all the right stuff together; received benefits couple months ago. 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. And a count of military that flew over Nam bombing etc. A few times Id meet a group of guys claiming they were all Nam Vets. Just a minor clarification, not all of us were on the groundJust being picky. 997 soldiers997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam . it is pointless to debate whether a supply corporal was a veteran. Vietnam Veteran ages range from 55 to 97 years old. Gordon, I agree. My brother was stationed in the Air Force in 1975 and flew missions over Vietnam. Im sure that you all know that claiming to be a VFWar when you are not is a federal crime with severe legal penalties. I can somewhat understand your position since you experienced actual combat. This is a reasonable number but you get very different notions of the death rate when you compare 800,000 to 2.7 million versus 800,000 out of 9.2 million. 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. He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II. This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. No one paid any attention to them and this non-controversy continues. i was not a supporter of the war but i did my job. I was on LZ Bayonet during 1970 and experienced many of the things you described. 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. But often, it does. Why cant you be just a proud Veteran. Helicopter crewmen did not receive the CIB, but they fought every day. 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. We and they generally slept in the same bunks in the same tent if we werent up on call during the night. they deserve that recognition. Im a 1967-68 Vietnam combat veteran. Born: 01/29/1945. i have read that only one in seven guys that went to Vietnam, were actually in combat. we spent sometimes a month or more in one port depending on the cargo and the need. If they reply that they do not talk about their experiences They are not Combat Veterans maybe not even Vietnam Veterans. Great article! Those an in the Era the we were in Vietnam but they are not Vietnam Vets by any stretch of you imagination. You go, brother! Frantically searching to find that one resource in my spirit to survive. young men and woman who were there and did get fired on, or were in danger, should be recognized . There were 7 RoyalThai Air Force bases used during the war, from 1961-1975, three closed between 1972 to 1973. Hazardous duty pay was $65 and overseas pay varied by rank $8 to $ 16. Not 499 days between dec 67 & april 68? 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. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors. I pulled up to the local tailor shop to fix some of my fatigue pants. Thousands of sorties departed from Thailand, Guam, and from aircraft carriers at sea to kill MIGS, bomb factories and bridges, and generally create havoc. That is exactly what I was going to post. Often cited as the last verified American POW from the Vietnam War, Garwood was taken to North Vietnam in 1969, and reportedly was released in 1973 along with the other U.S. POWs as part of the Paris Peace Accords. We just hoped the pilot put us where we were supposed to be. 610,000 figure is more accurate., NYT was referring to VN Era Veterans. In the highlands we had to take one every day in addition to the once a week pill. scipione@geneseo.edu If I got in the ring with Cassius clay later known as Mohamed Ali. I am glad that you make Dante, I know the struggle has been long, but the spirit soars and the tale told Live long my brother, None of us are very far away from those days A harrowing experience that can never be diminished by time. We did a lot of Ranch Hand missions in the iron Triangle. You can sleep in it. Our Honor and Integrity are important to each of us. Things that they did not tell you. I am unsure of how many Native peoples joined the US marine corps and volunteered for combat duties. Heres a fact: Jeffery Lynn Scheller, USN, born July 31, 1954 was Killed In Action on October 1, 1972. I was in Vinh Long in 1965, Mekong delta area. We may never know who actually served and were in country during the fight. Also, some do not consider those who served in Thailand as Vietnam Vets. 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. Ah. My time stands still. How many Vietnam War veterans are still alive 2023? The last veteran who served in the trenches was Harry Patch (British Army), who died on 25 July 2009, aged 111. Even if his job depended on them doing theirs well. 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. Where do they thinly get Ella enemys came from? Just like ALL Vets who served DURING WWII are classified as WWll Vets regardless of where they served. Alice, my sister lost hers in Oct 2020 from throat cancer due to agent Orange. Splitting out the numbers of combat and era vets are separate questions. Thats sad and should stop. A phantom drifted over and raised me up to unconsciousness. Before I passed out, I was being picked up off the jungle floor by some entity. 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 do not, however, have a CIB. How many vietnam veterans are still living. Is It Hard To Get Into Kent State University? i thank every soldier for their service, i do not exaggerate my actions. 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. Agreed. None of us could have done our job without the support of troops around the globe. I know I was there and have several cancers! But the bad news is that Charlie knew exactly where they were . go to the top of this article and choose the magnifying glass and search for Canadians in Vietnam to read an article on this website about them. If my math is correct, are you going on 68 years old ? My body was throne backwards into the seat and rebounded forwards; bent over at a 90-degree angle from my waist. Somewhat confusing. 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. 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. I was drafted in May of 1966 specifically for the reactivation of the 9th Infantry..so B Co., 4/47th/9th Inf. He objected, and was assigned as an interpreter attached to the American Embassy in Sweden. Got home after the war, never spoke about my service, never went hunting again, never cut my feeling back on! Nobody can bad-mouth Huey pilots and crews. There were an estimated 58,318 U.S. soldier casualties alone. Funny, none of them were called WWII Era Veterans. As I moved my right hand to change gears, it just blew apart, as red blood and parts of my hand flew everywhere instantaneously, but in slow motion I seemingly was catapulted onto some parallel universe. in viet nam, because of the unions, they got more money. I served 2 tours late 1966 to late July 1968, TET and the rest as an infantry platoon sgt Also served in Korea 1963 and considered a Korean war vet as that war has never ended. Had several replies over the years that this was not a cause. We had it good compared to grunts..tdy pay, flight pay, combat pay plus side gigs. nothing exists or will exist in another time. This answer is: Past history shows ALL Veterans of previous Wars were classified as Vets of those wars regardless of where they served. Please do all you can to inform our fellow vets that the VA presumes Agent Orange exposure if you were in-country. Apparently, its been agreed upon that 800,000 Vietnam veterans had passed away by the year 2000. Enlisted 7/70. I was the first male born to the Puccetti family after his death, so my parents received permission to name their son after Dante. They're generally in their 90s and about 245 die each day according to the VA. At 95 Army veteran Lincoln "Linc" Harner still remembers the war. Nha Trang (TET 68), . These numbers do not include the Americans who served in Vietnam during World War II. serveved in nam 67 to 68 and 69 to 70. both tours in the 1st cav. Who is the oldest living Vietnam veteran? in one way or another. Apparently Infantry is the operative word. ONLY Vietnam Vets are separated into two categories. We all served in our assigned duties, some bled, and some died. Vince. The remaining 6.5 million were serving either at-home or abroad but not in Vietnam. SFC Chester D Carpenter, I liked it very much this war was up close and personal to me I first thought if the French were there for over twenty years what could we do from the beginning this was a war about money and troops paying the high price in blood I will not name names but Agt Orange was used in Korea they knew how harmful it was I had two personal losses my Navy pilot and my best friend a Marine he came home but never could come to terms with life again, John, I need to talk to you about this article. VA released VetPop 2020 which is VA's new official estimate and projection of the Veteran population. I find it best not to remember that time. 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. Check your POW list. However, he did not return to the United States until March 22, 1979. Without fanfare or much recognition. Agent Orange is impacting that timeline and those serving around the world were not affected by this wonderous life-robbing gift. 31 sets of brothers are on the Wall. what i am saying is that there were all kinds of service, and if you think the definition is being in country and being shot at, then i qualify and so did my shipmates. It was also projected that, from here, 138,000 Vietnam veterans are expected to die each year. Was back at LZ Bayonet the last part of my tour after being medevaced off of Professional and in the hospital at Chu Lai. Dear Mr. Hutson Jr If one in ten saw sustained combat, then there may be as little as 60,000 of us left! 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. Age: 75. I think I know the answer but like youjust being picky. At this rate there will be only a few of us alive in 2015. I to served two tours 67-68 and 69-70,first with 1st of 8th cav. About 15 out of every 100 Vietnam veterans (15%) were currently diagnosed with PTSD when the most recent study of . It is estimated that there are around 610,000 surviving Vietnam War veterans as of 2023. Having studied the war for years, I believe that the correct figure for those on the ground in South Vietnam is 2.6 million. 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. you tell me. Good disxussiin. Trying to understand: Does being shot at outside the wire while moving to new location count? . How many Vietnam veterans are dying each day? Today, the state with highest number of Vietnam veterans is California, with 596,130, followed by Florida with 519,224. Do I count as one or three Vietnam Veterans? State-Level Veteran Suicide Data: 2020 Update Been there, seen it, did it. There are 500,000 Korean War veterans still living, but about 600 of those die every day, according to the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation. I was thinking that in 10 days I would be on R&R in Taipei, Formosa. The disparity seems to be In Theatre veterans between the years 1954-1975, and veterans in the Military at that time that were not deployed, or NOT In Theatre! All the others are Vietnam ERA Vets. I was confused. John, 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. 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. I got the disability benefits at age 79. I served in the 101st airborne infantry battalion in 1968, the time of the Tet Offensive. Has every CIB wearer actually done that? The youngest Vietnam Veteran is aged in the late 60s today with life expectances estimated at 86 years old (for normal people). How many ww2 vets left 2021? 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 ? Same aircraft were used and were not cleaned before spraying anything else. The VVA Veteran boils it down to a totally different conclusion that the American War Library drew. War is Heck!!! It was difficult for me to move. Tom Selleck. Return to reality. To not count us is disrespecting us who also answered the call. The commander of the sapper ambush signaled the weapons man to fire the first RPG, and it impacted behind the target. The only good thing was 22 days off my tour. I believe we were all there doing our duty and deserve to be called a Vietnam Veteran. Those experiences vs the ones of the rear echelons are grossly different. 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. 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. Navy ships were classified as Blue Water ships. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. **********************************************************. In addition 18 US AF Security Police personnel and their 5 person aircrew were killed responding to the incident (the seizure of the USS Mayaquez), some do not recognize them as combat related deaths either. The New York Times, as always, gets it wrong. I think The NY Times has conflated he number of Viet Nam veterans with those who served in the military during the years 1960-1975. 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. 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. 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. why not compare them?. Era vets are important but dont count. 35th CBSG, 315th CAMS Working on C-123,s. David, please do not compare this to Merchant Seaman in WWII who braved the many packs of Submarines etc as that is how so many died in WWII. I agree with the rest of your post, and so did the Army. Whether you were sprayed or not makes no difference, and YOU ARE NOT required to prove anything other than being present in Vietnam. Next determined those Veterans who were awarded the Vietnam Service ribbon. 2.4 million man who served in Nam approx. So, where is the discrepancy in these numbers? I served until April 28, 1969 !!!!!!!!!!!! Those of us on the battlefield who bled and many died would take issue with your opinion. An AK found its target in my thigh. C 3/17 Air Cav. If true, 390 VN vets die a day. To that we can add those who served in adjacent waters and countries, but 2.6 is likely the closest figure to those in country. The site is owned and run by a crook and charlatan named (?) I will have to disagree with the CIB being the only combat veterans The Battle of Soui Tre 3-21-1967 at Fire Support Base Gold Operation Junction City, the 2/77 Artillery 18 105s and the 3/22 Infantry A & B Cos the enemy lost 881 KIA and UNK WIAs, we lost counting the landing in the 19th 55 KIA & 287 WIA, within an hours Westmorland and other Stars were there claiming this Victory (14 Stars on the battlefield) The Artillery are every bit combat veterans with the infantry and many other FSB battles as well I have a CIB and did 22 months in country late including TET. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Findings are made available to the public in an Annual Report. How many Vietnam veterans are dying everyday? I struck a tree and rebounded into the open again still a sitting duck. 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. Phill Coleman, who surfaced in the very early days of the Internet, and has been profiting from veterans (first Vietnam, now all) for years. Very true One of those is my younger brother. Porier was firing from the north, while the three Cobras choppers were engaged the sappers trying to kill me. What is left of them is in Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson, and they still smell today. One moment is eternity- the next may never!. I think by now weve pretty much said all that can be said about this question. At 73 years, I plan on beating that date. I was with the 1st Inf Division from July 67 to June 68 and we received $15 overseas pay and $65 combat pay a month. The last number of Viet Nam veterans alive today was 730,000, which would equate to around todays number of 610,000. 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. I was C 3/17 air cav. Had an easy tour given what i was trained for before I got there. Enjoy today's Memorial Day and please take time to "Remember". When we find that number we can start to determine those of us still standing. Dont know about the MM but everyone got the same combat pay whether a grunt or clerk. Almost 1500 died their last day. in any event, i went as soon as i was contacted by the draft board. In WWII and the Korean War, anyone who served in the military was considered a veteran of that war. What do you think? I served in 67 69 & had stroke in 93 then heart attack in 2002 with 2d in 2004 . as far as who is a vietnam vet is simple. I used this experience and we cut down the Helicopter replacement time from about 2 1/2 weeks to 2 to 4 days. IF you didnt get any extra pay better have a good excuse .like to hear it. I have read about Canadians coming south to fight in Vietnam but have never seen any real authority to support this. Home Kent State University How Many Vietnam Veterans Are Still Alive In 2022? when we carried ordnance we had to accept 50 cal fire from the shore on the way to saigon. I am an Era vet, and the closest I got was R&R in Thailand. How many Canadian WWII veterans are still alive? 2 tours I volunteered and my 3rd I re-enlisted. It caused extreme political unrest and was widely protested. Heres my article about Canadians who fought in Vietnam: https://cherrieswriter.com/2015/11/13/lost-to-history-the-canadians-who-fought-in-vietnam/. What was the life expectancy of a helicopter door gunner in Vietnam? BAM! my larger point is that , in my opinion, they were veterans. I read a statistic somewhere that one in seven where in actual combat. 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 do appreciate what they did, from the hero medevacs to those gun ships who flew into madness to help save our asses knowing that mortar rounds fall from above, RPGs & macjine gun rounds were in mass supply with the moniker attached To whom it may concern. Certainly leaves some doubt about the numbers because why are we including the years from 1954 to when the actual American forces entered hostile missions? Approx 58,000 in Vietnam. and i remember that we talked about how much we would make if we lost a finger or an arm. Combat veteran means far more than having a CIB. In my Book if you didnt step foot in Nam Your sure not a Vietnam Vet, Period. The average lifespan of a door gunner on a Huey in Vietnam was just two weeks. 2010-11-24 14:32:32. Nor, do they know about what is referred to as the last battle of the Vietnam war, which occurred on 15 May 1975, eight days after the legally defined end date of the Vietnam era; 7 May 1975. ahead of me in the next row was a man conversing with another man about two rows ahead of him. If you served at all, anywhere, during WWII, you are a WWII vet. The list of cancers gets longer with each passing year. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. How Many Vietnam War Veterans Are Still Alive? Lol. You were in Combat!!! 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 wonder how many vets died of one of the cancers on the list before it made the list? The now call them Vietnam era veterans. I remember lots of the names Evana, Eagle, Bastone, Granite, Ripcord, Maryanne. Other than guard duty i was not in combat but the perimeter at Long Binh was regular defoliated and we experienced rocket and mortar attacks. I flew as a crew chief / door gunner from dec 12 th 1965 till dec 15th 1967,I may not have had my boots on the ground out side the wire but we flew close air support , every time you grunts got your ass in a sling we were there to help you, i was on old B model gun ships low and slow ,I was shot down three times, so i dont think your cib means that much to me. 3rd Brigade 4th ID attached to the 25th ID 111.40 & 112.40 later these became 11B.40 & 11C.40. I only spent one overnighter. I volunteered for 3 TDY tours 18 months total. one of the ships i sailed on had a captain that was drunk for 5 months. i think the definition should not be restricted by whether you wore khakis or como. It seems to be all about syntax. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The Vietnam War was the nation's longest and costliest conflict of the Cold War. Ive also created a poll to help identify my website audience before leaving, can you please click HERE and choose the one item that best describes you. Real combat veterans will share with other combat veterans as their stories have many similarities. Who really cares who stepped foot on land. i do not remember the moss but the went on quite a while. I was only there 9-months but others served multiple tours, so I tend to believe the 2.7 3.0 million is probably an accurate number. 1st cav div. Where is this one in twelve figure from? 2025. 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. maybe, maybe not. Forget 1954, let use a true date of 1962 (first advisors) Arne Fuller, Tucson AZ. For the are all Vietnam Vetersns.I was stationed. Did your foot ever touch the ground? Presently, I approached the road to the top of PDL hill, and I was thinking what a beautiful day this would have been if this were some other place in some other world. Well thank God congress got it right putting the definition into law, otherwise those who served there would not be eligible for many VA benefits, particularly Agent Orange claims. as soon as it was ammo or arms, we were machine gunned where ever we went. The VA sent out a news release on March 29th, 2022, entitled DISABILITY COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO VIETNAM WAR VETERANS. It included the following line, which should put this question to rest. How about disabled numbers? 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.
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