Vietnam Facts & Myths

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Vietnam Facts vs Fiction

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Facts about the Vietnam Conflict
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The information found below was taken from several US Government sources and Internet websites. There would appear to be a discrepancy in some of the charts when referring to the number of deaths in the Vietnam War. This is explained in that the death number is constantly changing. New names are added to the list and the Vietnam Memorial as members of the Armed Forces die as a result of wounds suffered in the conflict.

A special thanks to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and the website "The Wall".

50,000 American Servicemen served in Vietnam between 1960 and 1964.

9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the official Vietnam era (Aug.5, 1964-May 7, 1975).

3,403,100 (including 514,300 offshore) personnel served in the Southeast Asia Theater ( Vietnam , Laos , Cambodia , flight crews based in Thailand , and sailors in adjacent South China sea waters).

7,484 American women served in Vietnam . 6,250 were nurses. 8 nurses died -1 was killed in action.

· Vietnam Veterans represented 9.7% of their generation.

· 240 men were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam era.

·          Hostile deaths: 47,378      see chart below:·
           Non-hostile deaths: 10,800 ·
           Missing in action: 2,338

67.6% of all Vietnam Causalities - occurred in the years 1967, 1968, & 1969.

· POWs: 766 (114 died in captivity).

· Wounded in action: 303,704

· Severely disabled: 75,000--23,214 100% disabled; 5,283 lost limbs; 1,081 sustained multiple amputations.

· Married men killed: 17,539

· Men under the age of 21 killed: 61%

· Average age of men killed: 22.8 years.

·          Highest political office attained by a Vietnam veteran to date: Vice President Al Gore.
           He enlisted August 1969; sent to Vietnam January 1971 as an army journalist, assigned to the 20th Engineer Brigade
           headquartered at Bien Hoa. He also served at Ft. Rucker.

· Most successful Vietnam veteran/businessman to date: Frederick Smith of Federal Express.

· 79% of the men who served in Vietnam had a high school education or better when they entered the military service.

· Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old.

The oldest man killed was 62 years old.

Peak troop strength in Vietnam : 543,482 ( April 30, 1969 )

Total draftees (1965-1973): 1,728,344

Draftees accounted for 30.4% (17,725) of combat deaths in Vietnam
National Guard: 6,140 served; 101 died
Last man drafted: June 30, 1973

97% of Vietnam-era veterans were honorably discharged.

91% of actual Vietnam War era veterans and 90% of those who saw heavy combat are proud to have served their country

66% of Vietnam veterans say they would serve again if called upon

War against Vietnam was never declared by Congress, thus the correct term is Vietnam Conflict, although the word war is commonly used.

Assuming KIA's 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 22.8. None of the enlisted grades have an average age of less than 20. [CACF]

CACCF Record Counts by Age at Time of Death or Declaration of Death (as of 12/98)

Age at Time of Death/Declaration of Death	Number of Records
17	12
18	3,103
19	8,283
20	14,095
21	9,705
22	4,798
23	3,495
24	2,650
25	2,018
26	1,414
27	917
28	768
29	710
30-39	4,927
40-49	1,156
50-59	121
60-62	4
Unknown, Not Reported	17
Total	58,193

CACCF Record Counts by Branch of Service (as of 12/98)

Military Service Branch	Number of Records
Army	38,209
Marine Corps	14,838
Air Force	2,584
Navy	2,555
Coast Guard	7
Total	58,193

CACCF Record Counts by Marital Status, as of 12/98

Family Status	Number of Records
Married	17,215
Single	40,775
Unknown, Not Reported	203
Total	58,193

CACCF Record Counts by Military Pay Grade, as of 12/98

Military Pay Grade	Number of Records
Enlisted (E1-E9)	50,312
Officer (O1-O8)	6,602
Warrant Officer (W1-W4)	1,278
Unknown, Not Reported	1
Total	58,193

CACCF Record Counts by Race (as of 12/98)

Ethnicity	Number of Records
Caucasian	50,120
African American	7,264
American Indian	226
Malayan	252
Mongolian	116
Unknown, Not Reported	215
Total	58,193

CACCF Record Counts by Casualty Type (as of 12/98)

Type of Casualty	Number of Records
Hostile, Killed in Action	38,502
Hostile, Died of Wounds	5,264
Hostile, Died While Missing	3,524
Hostile, Died While Captured	116
Non-Hostile, Died from Other Causes	7,458
Non-Hostile, Died of Illness or Injury	1,978
Non-Hostile, Died While Missing	1,351
Total	58,193

CACCF Record Counts by Reason (Cause of Casualty) (as of 12/98)
in order of most frequent cause to least frequent cause

Reason (Cause of Casualty)	Number of Records
Gun, Small Arms Fire	18,518
Multiple Fragmentary Wounds	8,456
Air Loss, Crash on Land	7,992
Other Explosive Device	7,450
Artillery, Rocket or Mortar	4,914
Other Accident	1,371
Misadventure	1,326
Drowned, Suffocated	1,207
Vehicle Loss, Crash	1,187
Accidental Homicide	944
Accidental Self Destruction	842
Other Causes	754
Air Loss, Crash in Sea	577
Burns	530
Illness, Disease	482
Suicide	382
Heart Attack	273
Intentional Homicide	234
Malaria	118
Bomb Explosion	52
Stroke	42
Hepatitis	22
Unknown, Not Reported	520
Total	58,193

CACCF Record Counts by Service Component (as of 12/98)

Service Component	Number of Records
Regular Military	34,475
Selective Service	17,672
Military Reserves	5,760
National Guard	97
Unknown, Not Reported	189
Total	58,193

CACCF Record Counts by Sex (as of 12/98)

Gender	Number of Records
Female	8
Male	58,185
Total	58,193

7,484 American women served in Vietnam . 6,250 were nurses.
8 nurses died - 1 was killed in action.

CACCF Record Counts by State Home of Record (as of 12/98)

State Home of Record	Number of Records
Alabama	1,207
Alaska	57
Arizona	623
Arkansas	588
California	5,573
Canal Zone	2
Colorado	620
Connecticut	611
Delaware	122
District of Columbia	242
Florida	1,952
Georgia	1,582
Guam	70
Hawaii	276
Idaho	217
Illinois	2,934
Indiana	1,532
Iowa	853
Kansas	627
Kentucky	1,055
Louisiana	882
Maine	343
Maryland	1,014
Massachusetts	1,323
Michigan	2,654
Minnesota	1,072
Mississippi	637
Missouri	1,413
Montana	268
Nebraska	395
Nevada	151
New Hampshire	227
New Jersey	1,484
New Mexico	399
New York	4,121
North Carolina	1,609
North Dakota	198
Ohio	3,096
Oklahoma	988
Oregon	709
Pennsylvania	3,144
Puerto Rico	345
Rhode Island	207
South Carolina	896
South Dakota	193
Tennessee	1,291
Texas	3,415
Utah	366
Vermont	100
Virgin Islands	15
Virginia	1,304
Washington	1,050
West Virginia	732
Wisconsin	1,161
Wyoming	120
Other (non-U.S. home of record)	121
Total	58,193
State Home of Record	Number of Records

State Home of Record by Military Branch.
This chart is provided by thewall-usa.com

State Home of Record	USA	USN	USAF	USMC	USCG	TOTAL
ALABAMA	849	31	48	279	0	1,207
ALASKA	43	5	1	8	0	57
ARIZONA	397	41	30	155	0	623
ARKANSAS	396	34	25	133	0	588
CALIFORNIA	3,623	313	203	1,432	1	5,572
COLORADO	377	30	45	168	0	620
CONNECTICUT	348	25	38	200	0	611
DELAWARE	81	5	4	32	0	122
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	157	4	13	68	0	242
FLORIDA	1,290	77	112	472	1	1,952
GEORGIA	1,134	49	58	341	0	1,582
HAWAII	216	7	9	44	0	276
IDAHO	140	11	11	54	1	217
ILLINOIS	1,869	119	111	834	0	2,933
INDIANA	987	61	64	420	0	1,532
IOWA	543	58	50	202	0	853
KANSAS	388	48	43	148	0	627
KENTUCKY	766	22	51	216	0	1,055
LOUISIANA	575	40	39	227	1	882
MAINE	216	19	20	88	0	343
MARYLAND	647	34	38	295	0	1,014
MASSACHUSETTS	715	80	57	470	0	1,322
MICHIGAN	1,865	94	75	620	0	2,654
MINNESOTA	711	66	53	242	0	1,072
MISSISSIPPI	489	15	21	112	0	637
MISSOURI	949	57	80	326	0	1,412
MONTANA	169	24	16	59	0	268
NEBRASKA	263	28	23	81	0	395
NEVADA	87	14	5	45	0	151
NEW HAMPSHIRE	134	9	14	70	0	227
NEW JERSEY	929	65	68	422	0	1,484
NEW MEXICO	259	21	13	106	0	399
NEW YORK	2,660	148	190	1,122	0	4,120
NORTH CAROLINA	1,180	52	64	313	0	1,609
NORTH DAKOTA	134	14	13	37	0	198
OHIO	1,945	121	124	904	1	3,095
OKLAHOMA	672	39	57	220	0	988
OREGON	421	51	41	196	0	709
PENNSYLVANIA	1,870	152	148	972	0	3,142
RHODE ISLAND	138	6	14	49	0	207
SOUTH CAROLINA	657	22	30	187	0	896
SOUTH DAKOTA	140	12	11	32	0	195
TENNESSEE	888	33	54	316	0	1,291
TEXAS	2,203	147	176	887	2	3,415
UTAH	249	14	18	85	0	366
VERMONT	68	7	3	22	0	100
VIRGINIA	870	47	73	314	0	1,304
WASHINGTON	666	65	51	268	0	1,050
WEST VIRGINIA	502	21	27	181	0	731
WISCONSIN	768	72	36	284	0	1,160
WYOMING	84	6	6	23	0	119
AMERICAN SAMOA	1	0	0	3	0	4
GUAM	58	1	0	11	0	70
PUERTO RICO	322	2	4	17	0	345
VIRGIN ISLANDS	14	0	0	1	0	15
OTHER	76	17	5	25	0	123
UNKNOWN	3	0	0	0	0	3
TOTAL	38,196	2,555	2,583	14,837	7	58,178
State Home of Record	USA	USN	USAF	USMC	USCG	TOTAL

CACCF Record Counts by Year of Death or Declaration of Death (as of 12/98)

Year of Death or Declaration of Death	Number of Records
1956-1960	9
1961	16
1962	52
1963	118
1964	206
1965	1,863
1966	6,143
1967	11,153
1968	16,592
1969	11,616
1970	6,081
1971	2,357
1972	641
1973	168
1974	178
1975	161
1976	77
1977	96
1978	447
1979	148
1980	26
1981-1990	34
1991-1998	11
Total	58,193

Names are added when it has been determined that a service member has died directly from combat-related wounds. Cancer victims of Agent Orange, and post traumatic stress suicides do not fit the criteria for inclusion upon the Memorial. Some have calculated that it would take another two or more entire Walls to include all the names in those two categories alone.

In addition, status changes occur when remains of missing-in-action (MIA) servicemen are identified, an ongoing process conducted by DOD. The VVMF works in conjunction with DOD to determine name additions and status changes and with the National Park Service which operates and maintains the Memorial. The cost of additional inscriptions is paid by the VVMF which has always been funded exclusively by private supporters.

- U.S. MILITARY CASUALTIES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA -
- DEATHS BY CALENDAR YEAR - AS OF MARCH 31, 1997 -
- Year of death may either be actual or based on a presumptive finding of death -
- (originally declared missing and later declared dead). - -
This chart is provided by thewall-usa.com

YEAR	USA	USN	USAF	USMC	USCG	TOTAL
1957	1	0	0	0	0	1
1958	0	0	0	0	0	0
1959	2	0	0	0	0	2
1960	0	4	1	0	0	5
1961	7	1	8	0	0	16
1962	27	3	18	5	0	53
1963	73	4	31	10	0	118
1964	147	15	39	5	0	206
1965	1,079	114	162	508	0	1,863
1966	3,755	279	246	1,862	2	6,144
1967	6,467	583	317	3,786	0	11,153
1968	10,596	598	345	5,048	2	16,589
1969	8,186	426	305	2,694	3	11,614
1970	4,972	219	201	691	0	6,083
1971	2,131	55	90	81	0	2,357
1972	373	77	172	18	0	640
1973	34	52	75	7	0	168
1974	49	23	80	26	0	178
1975	23	22	83	32	0	160
1976	29	6	29	13	0	77
1977	29	24	39	4	0	96
1978	158	42	219	28	0	447
1979	38	3	101	6	0	148
1980 - 1995	25	5	22	14	0	66
TOTAL DEATHS	38,196	2,555	2,583	14,837	7	58,178
YEAR	USA	USN	USAF	USMC	USCG	TOTAL

39,356 servicemen and women died in the 3 years (1967, 1968 & 1969)
This is 67.6% of all the U. S. Vietnam War causalities.

- U.S. MILITARY CASUALTIES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA -
- DEATHS BY CASUALTY TYPE AND SERVICE - - AS OF MARCH 31, 1997 -
This chart is provided by thewall-usa.com

CASUALTY TYPE	USA	USN	USAF	USMC	USCG	TOTAL
HOSTILE KILLED	25,358	1,115	537	11,491	4	38,505
HOSTILE DIED OF WOUNDS	3,566	150	49	1,476	1	5,242
HOSTILE DIED WHILE MISSING	1,960	325	1,130	108	0	3,523
HOSTILE DIED WHILE CAPTURED/INTERNED	45	36	25	10	0	116
NO HOSTILE DIED OF OTHER CAUSES	4,907	579	531	1,436	2	7,455
NO HOSTILE DIED OF ILLNESS/INJURIES	1,437	69	170	314	0	1,990
NO HOSTILE DIED WHILE MISSING	928	281	141	3	0	1,353
TOTAL	38,196	2,555	2,583	14,837	7	58,178

U.S. MILITARY CASUALTIES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA -
- DEATHS BY PAY GRADE AND SERVICE -
- REFLECTS POSTHUMOUS PROMOTIONS - - AS OF MARCH 31, 1997 -
This chart is provided by thewall-usa.com

RANK PAY GRADE	USA	USN	USAF	USMC	USCG	TOTAL
MAJ GENERAL REAR ADMIRAL (U)	2	0	2	1	0	5
BRIG GENERAL REAR ADM (L)/COMMODORE	5	1	1	0	0	7
COLONEL CAPTAIN	19	26	186	7	0	238
LT COLONEL COMMANDER	117	93	186	30	0	426
MAJOR LT COMMANDER	254	165	400	79	0	898
CAPTAIN LIEUTENANT	1,018	164	651	211	1	2,045
1ST LIEUTENANT LIEUTENANT (JG)	1,473	154	238	308	2	2,175
2ND LIEUTENANT ENSIGN	496	18	8	284	0	806
W-04 CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER	6	0	4	2	0	12
W-03 CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER	59	0	0	2	0	61
W-02 CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER	283	0	0	7	0	290
W-01 WARRANT OFFICER	905	4	0	6	0	915
TOTAL OFFICERS	4,637	625	1,676	937	3	7,878
E-09	52	4	41	18	0	115
E-08	190	13	34	33	0	270
E-07	987	67	64	115	1	1,234
E-06	2,233	186	136	299	1	2,855
E-05	5,133	326	228	723	1	6,411
E-04	11,528	618	247	2,322	0	14,715
E-03	12,822	645	148	4,379	1	17,995
E-02	476	68	9	5,633	0	6,186
E-01	143	3	0	379	0	525
TOTAL ENLISTED	33,564	1,930	907	13,901	4	50,306
TOTAL DEATHS	38,196	2,555	2,583	14,837	7	58,178
RANK / PAY GRADE	WHITE	BLACK	ASIAN	AMERICAN INDIAN	OTHER	TOTAL

U.S. MILITARY CASUALTIES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA -
- DEATHS BY RACE AND PAY GRADE -
- REFLECTS POSTHUMOUS PROMOTIONS - - AS OF MARCH 31, 1997 -
This chart is provided by thewall-usa.com

RANK PAY GRADE	WHITE	BLACK	ASIAN	AMERICAN INDIAN	OTHER	TOTAL
MAJ GENERAL REAR ADMIRAL (U)	5	0	0	0	0	5
BRIG GENERAL REAR ADM (L)/COMMODORE	7	0	0	0	0	7
COLONEL CAPTAIN	233	5	0	0	0	238
LT COLONEL COMMANDER	410	9	0	0	7	426
MAJOR LT COMMANDER	863	9	1	0	25	898
CAPTAIN LIEUTENANT	1,948	44	1	3	49	2,045
1ST LIEUTENANT LIEUTENANT (JG)	2,088	48	11	2	26	2,175
2ND LIEUTENANT ENSIGN	789	16	0	0	1	806
W-04 CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER	12	0	0	0	0	12
W-03 CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER	59	1	1	0	0	61
W-02 CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER	281	6	1	1	1	290
W-01 WARRANT OFFICER	900	9	3	1	2	915
TOTAL OFFICERS	7,595	147	18	7	111	7,878
E-09	104	10	0	0	1	115
E-08	237	29	2	1	1	270
E-07	1,040	163	6	1	24	1,234
E-06	2,311	458	13	9	64	2,855
E-05	5,590	728	10	19	64	6,411
E-04	12,685	1,824	28	66	112	14,715
E-03	15,050	2,763	32	82	68	17,995
E-02	5,122	1,002	6	35	21	6,186
E-01	378	140	0	6	1	525
TOTAL ENLISTED	42,517	7,117	97	219	356	50,306
TOTAL DEATHS	50,112	7,264	115	226	467	58,178
RANK / PAY GRADE	WHITE	BLACK	ASIAN	AMERICAN INDIAN	OTHER	TOTAL

- U.S. MILITARY CASUALTIES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA -
- DEATHS BY STATUS - - AS OF MARCH 31, 1997 -
This chart is provided by thewall-usa.com

STATUS	USA	USN	USAF	USMC	USCG	TOTAL
Regular	17,321	2,178	1,759	13,200	6	34,464
Reserve	3,774	376	653	954	1	5,758
National Guard	88	-	9	-	-	97
Selective Service	16,989	-	-	683	-	17,672
Unknown	24	1	162	-	-	187
TOTAL DEATHS	38,196	2,555	2,583	14,837	7	58,178

CACCF File Information

The Electronic and Special Media Records Services Division of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has custody of several computerized data files with Vietnam Conflict casualty records. Of these, the [Southeast Asia] Combat Area Casualties Current File (CACCF), which is part of Records on Military Personnel Who Died, Were Missing in Action or Prisoners of War as a Result of the Vietnam Conflict, in the Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Record Group 330), is considered the most comprehensive compilation of Vietnam Conflict casualty records.

The CACCF file has 58,193 records of U.S. military personnel who died between 1956 to 1998 as a result of the conflict in Southeast Asia, including those declared dead from a missing or captured status. The selected statistics are for informational purposes only. DIOR produces official summary reports on military personnel casualties and makes some of them available online in the Military Casualty Information section of the DIOR website. In addition, the statistics presented are not comprehensive and do not answer every possible question about the characteristics of Vietnam conflict casualties.

Additional Facts and Myths about the Vietnam War is provided by clicking this link -the information is provided by - Bobbie G Pedigo, Commander 68th AHC, 1 Oct -31 Dec 70.

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