Please do all you can to inform our fellow vets that the VA presumes Agent Orange exposure if you were in-country. Smokey Platoon. The total number of is estimated at 2.8 million US veterans who were exposed to the poisonous chemical while serving and later died. (Mar 1969-Sep 70) 2/23, 196 LIB & 1/23 MP Co, 11 LIB, AMERICAL DIV. So yes, we did indeed see combatoften. As soon as I was wounded, I was thrown into a world that I was alone! They used the same aircraft, and there was anything left in the aircraft, whatever the spray for the day was added, so you got both. I knew I was dying, but I struggled with all my might to stay alive. The Korean War was not supported by the ENTIRE nation, actually that is why it is known as the Forgotten War. She has worked in schools all over the world, and has developed groundbreaking curricula that have helped countless students excel. What is the average age of Vietnam veteran in 2021? To say that the Air Force in Thailand and Guam was too far away to be in harms way shows you have no idea what Navy and Air Force aircrews do. as we end our lives we should never forget that each served, in some way. If you served anywhere at all, anywherre during WWI, you are a WWI vet. My body, accompanied by my mind, was pitched out the right-side door, sliding between the seat and under the dashboard to land on the shoulder of the dirt road alone. it is the duty of the community to stay behind their warriors to heal them and at the back of them when they come back. Still, the American War Library continues to verify their accounts and come to more concrete conclusions. 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. stay safe. Alternatively, to transfigure my destiny. I concur with the 610,000 as the 850,000 remaining vets have been used for years and would be much lower by now. Every veteran has his/her duty station recorded on the individual DD214 or 201 personal military forms. I am trying to see if the NJ Adjutant Generals Office still has a couple copies around. 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. serveved in nam 67 to 68 and 69 to 70. both tours in the 1st cav. We are working on a feature article How Many Of Us Are Still Alive: that will show a complete Actuarial Model that shows the likely number of us still alive (725,000 to 750,000 out of 2.4 million) and the likely progression of our deaths. it was one of the smaller airbus aircraft. How many soldiers died on their first day in Vietnam? In my mirror I saw its beam illuminate each and every particle of dust that my passing vehicle spewed into the air; thus creating a mobile, magical, camouflaged chamber of brightly dancing fairies shielding me from harm. Be content with your service, and leave it there. I was also at LZ Bayonet. Around 2.7 million troops were stationed in Vietnam either on land, within its airspace, or in its waters. I believe you mean the malaria pill was once a week. 240 300 World. When all was done and the Army was cleaning up the details of the action, they decided to award CIBs to the officers and not to enlisted. Finally got all the right stuff together; received benefits couple months ago. Still, other sources like the New York Times claim the number of Vietnam veterans is actually somewhere around 9.2 million. in ww2 more merchant men were killed than all the services combined until june 6, 1944. and they were civilians. earned their stripe. Nha Trang (TET 68), Their names are at least on the wall thanks to the efforts of many service organizations and Congress. I did work with Korean Troops. What is the life expectancy of a Vietnam veteran? I do not know how many others served with us. I had several Canadians in our Company in Vietnam. He signaled a repeat, and the second rocket impacted on target. After Tet it was quiet. Where do they thinly get Ella enemys came from? I do not know where that number 1 in 14 came from, but in my time in the Army 1962-1970 it was in the range of 1 in 8 to 10 using the total manpower % . How many Vietnam War veterans are still alive 2023? Bullets were flying everywhere, and the noise was tremendous. The average age of our Vietnam veterans is now over 70. Due to TCDD among other toxic substances, we are dying off faster than other American men born between 1944-1950. Even if his job depended on them doing theirs well. The 25th Infantry Division, in III Corps, issue two different Malaria Pills. According to Department of Veterans Affairs' projections, Vietnam Veteran deaths will hit 103,890 this year, about 285 a day. I dont know why we have to make this simple arithmetic drill so difficult. About 30000 Canadians came into the us to join up. Its possible that the youngest living Vietnam Veteran may be 61 years old. We all started getting heart attacks around the same time. i have read that only one in seven guys that went to Vietnam, were actually in combat. Got a nice break the last 5 months, got to drive a bird colonel around Chu Lai as he delivered classified info all over the base !!!!! All opinions graciously welcomed. Today is Sun 22 Aug 2021 but the actual date HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED as the US is SENDING GIs BACK! makes no diff, if you were a grunt or cook. Using the 2.7 million and assuming one hundred thousand did two tours, I would use the six hundred thousand as the amount still living, due mainly to the delays in Agent Orange treatments and PTSD delays with the sucides from 1970 approx. All others should not be accepted to have served either on land or at sea in Vietnam. What Was It Like To Hump The Boonies in Vietnam? 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. (52. years later) All with the 3rd Brigade, 82nd Air Borne Division. 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. 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. Current Status of Unaccounted-for Americans Lost in the Vietnam War. 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. Was I counted each time or once? My body was throne backwards into the seat and rebounded forwards; bent over at a 90-degree angle from my waist. i spent three years to and fro, with about 2-3 months in vietnam on every trip. I think I know the answer but like youjust being picky. You do not need to establish anything other than that. It was apparently based on an estimate that 800,000 Vietnam-era veterans had died by 2000. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. We all figured it was a Combat death. (LogOut/ These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. ONLY Vietnam Vets are separated into two categories. 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. When we DEROSed we were given 6-8 pills to continue taking them every week. The average lifespan of a door gunner on a Huey in Vietnam was just two weeks. I WAS IN THE 85TH ORD COMPANY . Age: 77. OH, SHIT- I heard the impact of the Rocket Propelled grenade (RPG) to my left; `this is it, I yelled! No two people standing side by side performed the same duties. All five of the CIDGs we dropped off that morning filed into the back of the truck, but unlike the cab the back had a canvas top and sides. For the are all Vietnam Vetersns.I was stationed. It is an all-too-common misunderstanding that to be affected by Agent Orange you had to have been sprayed, and/or you are required to prove that to the VA. The wheels were bouncing crazily as the tires encounter deep furrows dug in the hard dirt from the last monsoon. I dont have a CIB to show for it, but I most certainly was in combat. From what my son in law says (Apache gunship pilot) they also flew a tremendous number of combat hours everyday, And I know from what few stories he did tell (hes now deceased) they often had mortar rounds incoming. Yep we got briefings then helloed into some ridge in who knows where. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Jul 1971-19 Dec 1971) 29th CA Co, XXIV Corps (Danang). My Company was A Co, 5th Trans Bn, 101st Abn. How many Canadian WWII veterans are still alive? It is called the Stolen Valor Act., Dau Tieng A Co. 3/22 Inf. We havent forgotten that time of our lives, and remember full well, that most of these ERA Vets joined these other branches in a desperate attempt to avoid service in Vietnam. you tell me. Approx 58,000 in Vietnam. Sgt. Likewise, drafted Sep 66, Vietnam Aug 67-Aug 68, and Im 75. Makes it worse, they were all wheelchair bound. Everyone did their assigned job; some just got better assignments. I knew place names like War Zone C, Filijo (rubber Plantation), Iron triangle, Bo Lo woods?, I was wounded on the Laos border near a fire base with the 101st. But having spent a little time thinking about it, I go with the 2m figure. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. How many vietnam veterans are still living. You go, brother! Exiting the jungle, still at the foot of the mountain opposite from my defenses; the mountains bulk acted as a radio barrier between help from S3 at Enari or the SFs at the Ville. Scavenger1, I agree with you. TRUE, yes more may have had a mortar or rocket land in the vicinity, or heard a sniper round shot, but the manpower rule is 1 out of 7 10 is an actual seek out and engage the enemy, tip of the spear veteran. There are still a lot of us left by some miracle! Could this be friendly fire on a beautiful Sunday? 2025. The average number of Vietnam War veterans who die each day is 390 deaths. Regardless of their MOS or the details of their service, veterans have more in common with each other than they have differences, and ALL deserve to be honored. the draft board made that very clear. Vince. He was 18 years, 2 months and 1 day old. it is much easier to say who was not. 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. Lost my Vet to Leukemia just after this count was done. 400 hundred days of always being ready to fight and protect our 40 Huey helicopters, flew as door gunner a lot. You were in Combat!!! Also consider the thousands that served multiple tours. Then upon returning I would be stationed in Camp Enari, away from most of the intense fighting, and protected by the whole 4th. He objected, and was assigned as an interpreter attached to the American Embassy in Sweden. Why cant you be just a proud Veteran. Funny, none of them were called WWII Era Veterans. The last three I knew had lost a lot of weight, two had each lost a lung. If you were in Vietnam, you were exposed to Agent Orange, period. 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. Heres my article about Canadians who fought in Vietnam: https://cherrieswriter.com/2015/11/13/lost-to-history-the-canadians-who-fought-in-vietnam/. Navy ships were classified as Blue Water ships. When the 3rd Brigade,82 ABD moved from Camp Rodriguez (I Corps) in October 1968 my first base was Tent Citynear Bien Hoa (III Corps) then my unit was moved to Phu Loi. His Engineer company was tasked to fight as Infantry, and they did. There were 7 RoyalThai Air Force bases used during the war, from 1961-1975, three closed between 1972 to 1973. I saw the truck bounce towards the trees. Or is this a total number of vets with all the other countries that supported us . The 9 million was the total number of people in the military during 64-75 . Damn it, government could have sent anyone serving at any time to Vietnam. Ive seen start dates for the VN war as 1954, 1959, 1961, 1964 and 1965. Bien Hoa & Phu Bai, two badly polluted areas! Forget 1954, let use a true date of 1962 (first advisors) Interestingly, the research concludes that Vietnam veterans seem to be dying at a similar rate to World War II veterans. it really did not matter, every officer had a masters license. We had a dustoff attached to us. Arne Fuller, Tucson AZ. After Vietnam I hitchhiked for about 12 years. 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. 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. As you did not disclose what position you did or did not fill in Vietnam, or did not set foot in Vietnam, I will assume you are not a combat veteran, maybe not a Vietnam Veteran either. Return to reality. Not affiliated with any government agencies.All Rights Reserved. The only good thing was 22 days off my tour. I found out from a vet in 2017, filed in 2018. Those an in the Era the we were in Vietnam but they are not Vietnam Vets by any stretch of you imagination. In the highlands we had to take one every day in addition to the once a week pill. Oliver Stone. 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. Does anyone else remember ? All the millions of other Vietnam Era Veterans are Cold War Veterans. I was a Pilot, Licensed Aircraft Mechanic and Maintenance Inspector before going into the Army. I had a Swedish citizen in AIT, with orders to go to Vietnam.
Arthur Langford Jr Cause Of Death,
Benevolent Benefactor,
Michael Hill Obituary 2021,
Don Cornelius And Gladys Knight Married,
The Simpsons Zodiac Signs,
Articles H
