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. 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. Suddenly, I was in front of the truck near the grill. He was carrying a BAR, killed fighting an infantry action, and the desk jockeys decided he did not meet requirements for a CIB. I understand that they only got about 300,000 of us, but that is a huge, decent number, considering how cynical we Nam vets can be about studies. Last I heard the database indicated that the Median Age of Death of Nam vets was reached at least three or four years ago. (LogOut/ Do I count as one or three Vietnam Veterans? My number one issue is running into a FAKE. BAM! Apparently, its been agreed upon that 800,000 Vietnam veterans had passed away by the year 2000. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The last combat veteran was Claude Choules, who served in the British Royal Navy (and later the Royal Australian Navy) and died 5 May 2011, aged 110. If you have any doubts, take a closer look at your DD-214. Then we went back to the Boonies. Arne Fuller, Tucson AZ. . 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 signed up for it in 2018 at the VA Hospital in Buffalo. But to me, Nam is my whole universe i.e. i served and i was affected like nearly every other person who spent time there. Number who served in country and number who served DURING the Vietnam War regardless of where they were deployed. I always ask those who claim to be Compare yourself to the Marines at Fallujah, if they are a 10, what number are you, Thanks for your comment! 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. How many soldiers died on their first day in Vietnam? I believe you mean the malaria pill was once a week. I appreciate all the support there and around the world but Vietnam area at Fort Whatever Ohio wasnt Vietnam and no matter how brave the girls in Germany told you you were you were not a Vietnam Vet. Alice, my sister lost hers in Oct 2020 from throat cancer due to agent Orange. 4-39th, 9th Div. It took about 30 years for the government to acknowledge we were even there. An overwhelming number are buried by family and friends. as far as who is a vietnam vet is simple. They are NOT Veterans. Thank you..Its been many years sinice I left, needed answers, read the 1987 pulitzer prize book on Vietnam, A Bright Shining Lie by Neil Sheehan, and later Secrets by Daniel Ellsberg a Marine who worked at the pentagon cable room.both left me so shaken I couldnt finishe either but Ilearned so much. one yearA tour of duty in Vietnam for most ground forces lasted one year. I knew what life in-store for me in my recovery had- years of pain and disabilities while I waited for my next adventure. The U.S. military has estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers died. Granted, most of them were deployed for the durationa WWII vet I knew was gone 4 years without coming back to the states. I had a Swedish citizen in AIT, with orders to go to Vietnam. I agree with the rest of your post, and so did the Army. https://news.va.gov/89450/vietnam-war-veterans-honoring-served-memorial-day-2021/. We had a dustoff attached to us. Currently, it is estimated with data provided by the United States Census Bureau, that there about 100,000 Oregon Vietnam era veterans alive today. Through my blood-covered face, I could not distinguish whom! Not 499 days between dec 67 & april 68? it eas a very loud high pitched, not human and the sound was fuck you. But having spent a little time thinking about it, I go with the 2m figure. Numbers can always be manipulated. Thousands of sorties departed from Thailand, Guam, and from aircraft carriers at sea to kill MIGS, bomb factories and bridges, and generally create havoc. I did 7 years 66-72 HHC 4/9 Inf and LRRP 25th div, / C 1/327 INF 101st Inf (only 6 mo. Tom Selleck. Check out this post and see if you can figure this > out. I know from my time with the 3/25 that you dont need to be a ground pounder to see more then your share of combat. Has every CIB wearer actually done that? When were the last Vietnam POWs released? The amount of compensation a Vietnam War veteran can receive varies depending on their individual circumstances, such as their disability rating and the number of dependents they have. I have lived with the 2.7 million number having served in Vietnam all along and believe the Times estimate refers to Era vets having served around the world during those war years. Or is this a total number of vets with all the other countries that supported us . Our Honor and Integrity are important to each of us. i do not denigrate their service or define them as inferior. i appreciate i was not in a company and humped for a year. It does not store any personal data. Most of the time as a grunt without a map. no problem with the spell checking. The average lifespan of a door gunner on a Huey in Vietnam was just two weeks. NO! Learn something new everyday. It is called the Stolen Valor Act., Dau Tieng A Co. 3/22 Inf. The difference David, is that you could quit at any moment, most Veterans who served in Vietnam did not have that choice. the average combat vet in Nam was 240 days. Then, I stopped at the 5th. About 12 out of every 100 Gulf War Veterans (or 12%) have PTSD in a given year. Clearly, the New York Times is referring to Vietnam-era veterans, not Vietnam veterans. Even if his job depended on them doing theirs well. The NOISE ringing in my ears, the torment, the muggy damn heat, and the distance echo of gunfire ALL STOPPED! Findings are made available to the public in an Annual Report. I also had assisted the FAA in 3 fatal Aircraft accidents. My husband was also a door gunner (191st AHC gunship) but he was there later than you (70-71). Fact: Everyone who served during the Vietnam War are classified as Vietnam Era Vets. I struck a tree and rebounded into the open again still a sitting duck. I agree Vietnam vets are fewer. Im 71 and waiting to see if Ill be the last one standing. Other sappers were shooting their AKs at any targets. What numbers do the VA have? I WOULD SURVIVE! I realized what control I had in the cosmos. Why all this devisiveness. 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. The number of people who are Vietnam veterans in the first place is a number that is widely debated. I suppose we were rear echelon, but I dispute anyone calling us REMF. nothing exists or will exist in another time. Phill Coleman, who surfaced in the very early days of the Internet, and has been profiting from veterans (first Vietnam, now all) for years. Dr. Paul A. Scipione Thank you. One count should be those Vietnam Veterans who had feet on the ground. that conversation has stayed with me. REAL Vietnam War veterans are all those who are officially authorized the Vietnam Service medal and possess official military-issued documentation to confirm their medal authorization. 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. Question Two. i was a merchant marine officer, technically a civilian. Which Statement Best Describes How Americans In The 1960S Felt About The Vietnam War? to Ken Drombosky If you fired a weapon in defense, outside the wire,, and your boots were on the ground in VN you are a COMBAT vet. three years on and off in vietnam . How old is the youngest Vietnam veteran still alive? I was confused. 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. We got a personal visit from 10 Generals (no joke). 101st Airborne 25th Infantry 82nd Airborne 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Somewhat confusing. OH, SHIT- I heard the impact of the Rocket Propelled grenade (RPG) to my left; `this is it, I yelled! just an aside.I was at dinner the other night with my wife and at the next table was an honest Veteran. the draft board made that very clear. Still, other sources like the New York Times claim the number of Vietnam veterans is actually somewhere around 9.2 million. I opted for love! Then upon returning I would be stationed in Camp Enari, away from most of the intense fighting, and protected by the whole 4th. Combat veteran means far more than having a CIB. When we DEROSed we were given 6-8 pills to continue taking them every week. 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. This is a suicide rate of 1 EVERY 65-80 minutes (APPROX). 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. More than 300,000 Veterans were wounded during the Vietnam War. It was an incredibly tumultuous time in US hi >, It poses more confusion about what constitutes a Vietnam Vet! Really, very easy to say if your were able to sleep at night, so being anonymous means you stand up for those words All members of the team are NOT COMBAT VETERANS, My husbands boots werent on the groundthey were in the air and he was definitely a Combat vet. 2.8 million tour because some guys just couldnt get enough! Thirty one sets of parents lost two of their sons. . In my book, they are all Vietnam Vets, just like the guys back home who never went overseas are WWII or WWI veterans. The Vietnam War was an undeclared war between the US and Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. 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. Should be simple enough but not, Not all ships are blue water ships. 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. Our 2003 NJAOC Desk Guide to the unique health issue of Nam vets and our children is still the Gold Standard. 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. makes no diff, if you were a grunt or cook. Interestingly, the research concludes that Vietnam veterans seem to be dying at a similar rate to World War II veterans. So do Vietnam Veterans have twenty-three more years or only ten until the last man falls? 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. But if the 800,000 number is right then it has to be out of the 9,000,000 and not out of the 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. We certainly were in close combat often during my tour in 69-70. The debate depends on only two numbers. but some men, like myself , were told by their draft board, go to vietnam on your ship. If you were shot at, in an incoming rocket attack, had to protect during a ground attack, you could bleed and die, you were in Combat. back and forth to the us, carrying every thing you could imagine. Some, like myself did not serve a full 12month tour. I always felt this was the maximal danger of the trip. Gordon, I agree. 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. Now Iv had five and 10 % works. Era vets are important but dont count. . Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category . It takes military personnel to support the troops on ground or ships in war territory waters. Here are some statistics on the veterans of the Vietnam War. Pleiku, Dak To, An Khe. I flew several hundred sorties in a gunship. Agreed. This trip always was a concern, because I would be in a vulnerable condition in Indian Country with only two surveyors alone in a ton jeep. I was in 1st Battalion 26 th Infantry HMP 1st Infantry Division in 68 November 68 to January 69. 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. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Served until April 28, 1968 !!!!!! It has a life of its own. I only spent one overnighter. This could be a simple semantics issue, but what about the Air Force guys who flew over Vietnam. But I didnt beat him he just left. (LogOut/ Could they be considered Vietnam veterans then? The truth is that until Vietnam veterans can agree amongst themselves what constitutes a real Vietnam vet, the debate may continue. Systematically, a surveyor from the Plei Do Lim (PDL) flash Out Post (OP) had too physically exchanged the old for the new code-book and radio frequencies for the facility. About 30000 Canadians came into the us to join up. But having said that, here are some sources: https://www.americanwarlibrary.com/personnel/vietvet.htm Les, in IMHO being a Vietnam Veteran has nothing to do with combat. REAL Vietnam War veterans are all those who are officially authorized the Vietnam Service medal and possess official military-issued documentation to confirm their medal authorization. i would like to confuse the issue a bit more. He now has a 100% disability as unemployable. Sobering Statistics Concerning Vietnam Vets As of April 2016 . Antonia is a gifted educator, and she is widely respected within the education community. Makes it worse, they were all wheelchair bound. Vietnam 2/722/73. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. we were all on the same side of the aisle. It seems to be all about syntax. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Exhausted! It seems to be all about syntax. I spent 3 separate tours in Vietnam. Thanks for your responses. 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. Please respond! We need a better more definitive for VIETNAM Vet. My question, How many guys are I still alive refers to the ones who were in direct combat action? Of the nearly 3Mil that served, only one in twelve were in fire fights. all of the participants in this thread are veterans. I served in Vietnam from Jul 68 to Jul 69. this exclusiveness does no one any credit. may we all be the last man standing. He got a letter from his wife telling him she was divorcing him and marrying his best friend. I volunteered for 3 TDY tours 18 months total. A Vietnam era veteran is certainly not a Veteran of the Vietnam War. I was C 3/17 air cav. There is a bird in India that says Did you Do it? It was an incredibly tumultuous time in US history and, for that reason, its unclear how many people actually served during this struggle. i said once if you walked , you worked. Having studied the war for years, I believe that the correct figure for those on the ground in South Vietnam is 2.6 million. While there troops from our unit were deployed to Vietnam as replacements yet some people dont consider us as support for troops in Vietnam. I managed to stand again, stepped, and hurled myself into the jungle. in viet nam, because of the unions, they got more money. i know what a combat veteran is. Helicopter crewmen did not receive the CIB, but they fought every day. The number of Vietnam veterans affected by the chemical Agent Orange is astonishing. I was a grunt and shotgunner on convoys !!! 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. (Operation Ranch Hand) that were loaders and used no protection. 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! How many Canadian WWII veterans are still alive? Im now 74. Wiki User. and i remember that we talked about how much we would make if we lost a finger or an arm. How Many Vietnam Veterans Are Still Alive In 2022? he was wearing his VIETNAM ERA VETERAN cover. to believe, losing nearly 711,000 between '95 and '00. 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. I always ask if they know what a fuck you lizard was. Yep we got briefings then helloed into some ridge in who knows where. ONLY Vietnam Vets are separated into two categories. It revises and replaces the estimate and projection in VetPop2018. The last three I knew had lost a lot of weight, two had each lost a lung. Editorial comment by website administrator: Personally, Im going with the 610,000 estimate of 2 yrs. We had it good compared to grunts..tdy pay, flight pay, combat pay plus side gigs. Could this be friendly fire on a beautiful Sunday? I was with 4th Med Bn. 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. John, We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. These are numbers never heard before & I would not include those before the advisers were sent over in the early/mid 60s. Bob Kerrey. Spent a year in training and ended up a buck Sargent airborne ranger. My body was throne backwards into the seat and rebounded forwards; bent over at a 90-degree angle from my waist. According to the American War Library, as of February 28, 2019, it is estimated that approximately 610,000 Americans who served in land forces during the Vietnam War or in air missions over Vietnam between 1954 and 1975 are still alive to this day. And a number of Navy in ships, bombing communist. Your not a vet if you never stepped foot in another country. If we arent able to > determine WHO is a Vietnam Vet, then how can one determine how many of us > are still alive today? Luck of the draw my twin that received a silver star got the luck of the draw made it home. I wonder if I was not Dante- would I have the inspiration to survive? As anti-war vet , all these years later, I respect yall and your stories. One moment is eternity- the next may never!. My time stands still. Look up the military definition of combat. Jorge Otero Barreto. It served my pain well as a lifeless, mean spirited dark soul destroying everything in front of me. 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. 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. they deserve that recognition. How many WWII veterans die each day? My cousin was with the 82nd and was there when the TET offensive happened. Served at Quang Tri Combat Base )QTCB) 71-72) Same here.