How many Vietnam War veterans are still alive 2022? If you have any doubts, take a closer look at your DD-214. I served in the 101st airborne infantry battalion in 1968, the time of the Tet Offensive. How many Korean War veterans are still alive? DamnIll be 76 in March. I certainly dont agree on the 9 million in country. as soon as it was ammo or arms, we were machine gunned where ever we went. 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. ago. I stomped the gas and the engine roared- the truck jumped forward and bounced crazily and so did, garbing the steering tightly. We are not ashamed of our service or the fact we killed and had friends die, far more than we care to remember. Gordon, I agree. 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. Why cant you be just a proud Veteran. it eas a very loud high pitched, not human and the sound was fuck you. makes no diff, if you were a grunt or cook. BAM! These numbers are probably as good as any well ever find and are from 2019 and 2021 respectively. it is much easier to say who was not. It served my pain well as a lifeless, mean spirited dark soul destroying everything in front of me. Only believing what Fox & Friends has to say is really what you need to question Most things in the NYT does get critical peer review and push back when questionable Fox NOT SO, look at the crap coming out of Tucker Carlson, now that is scary extreme BS, The picture tells far more than a Thousand Words, it is that thousand yard stare, and any veteran who was out there can fill in the blanks of what they were thinking at that moment Offshore ocean sailing is a lot like being out trucking thru the jungle Minutes , hours day upon day of monotony and boredom, interrupted by moments of fright & terror I know that thousand yard stare, and many a time since I have found myself back there in my mind, staring at whatever and seeing nothing but what was in my mind. So Huey pilots and crew were REMFs. I was a merchant marine officer on cargo ships, american export lines, for three years, back and forth to viet nam. The 9 million was the total number of people in the military during 64-75 . Dave, Still, other sources like the New York Times claim the number of Vietnam veterans is actually somewhere around 9.2 million. Well, the government 20 or 25 years later sent us, if asked, a ribbon, card, and metal saying we did. We who were in Vietnam know who we are and dont need anyone telling us what they think. How Many Vietnam Veterans Are Still Alive In 2022? A number 1/2 the peak, say 250,000 still seems high but would come closer to 3,000,000 number serving. But to me, Nam is my whole universe i.e. Separate war. Bob ONeal, Lt.Col. He objected, and was assigned as an interpreter attached to the American Embassy in Sweden. Funny, none of them were called WWII Era Veterans. Hazardous duty pay was $65 and overseas pay varied by rank $8 to $ 16. I think there about 250,000 Virtnam Vets that saw actual combat. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Real combat veterans will share with other combat veterans as their stories have many similarities. I knew what life in-store for me in my recovery had- years of pain and disabilities while I waited for my next adventure. I wonder how many vets died of one of the cancers on the list before it made the list? the merchant marine needed every officer and sailor they could find. wounded evaced) then Am 3/21 196th LIB. Most of those who flew had Air Medals which are a combat medal. ONLY Vietnam Vets are separated into two categories. Served most of my time on LZ Professional. The average number of Vietnam War veterans who die each day is 390 deaths. If you prefer to differentiate who served in country and who did not, then the arithmetic must divide the groups into two lists accordingly. I began to think that was the excuse for NOT being in combat. During the Vietnam War, Air Force C-123 planes sprayed millions of gallons of herbicides over the jungles of Southeast Asia to destroy enemy crops and tree cover. Frantically searching to find that one resource in my spirit to survive. 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. Combat Vets served in country. 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. I bounced all around and slowed almost to a stop, and I downshifted and ground to first gear while checking my watch. 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. Peter: 67N2F, 119th AHC 68-69. The NOISE ringing in my ears, the torment, the muggy damn heat, and the distance echo of gunfire ALL STOPPED! 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. What is left of them is in Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson, and they still smell today. Heres a fact: Jeffery Lynn Scheller, USN, born July 31, 1954 was Killed In Action on October 1, 1972. Ive never seen so many people so full of shit trying to answer a question like how many Vietnam veterans are still alive today. that conversation has stayed with me. There was a huge difference between tours of duty also. Antonia Leonard is an education expert who has dedicated her life to helping students achieve their academic goals. Are these all American vets. 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. My time stands still. You can sleep in it. So, where is the discrepancy in these numbers? Me? 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 ? Today is Sun 22 Aug 2021 but the actual date HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED as the US is SENDING GIs BACK! He was a Private First Class who was killed in action in the Second World War. 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. Lost my Vet to Leukemia just after this count was done. Interesting, no way is 75 percent f real vets are alive today? Alice, my sister lost hers in Oct 2020 from throat cancer due to agent Orange. Which Statement Best Describes How Americans In The 1960S Felt About The Vietnam War? I am not sure how it can be calculated, how to distinguish actual combat veterans, as that reality is a risk factor for contact with an enemy force. I do not know how many others served with us. Combat Vet, Vet on ships that never touched country, military who were passing through and were on airport tarmac? I heard them offen. My uncle John was in Company A, 290th Engineer Combat Bn during WWII. Our medic gave them out every Monday. 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. Vietnam era vets are not the same as Vietnam vets, but they are important. I read a statistic somewhere that one in seven where in actual combat. The insistence to include Vietnam-ErA vets with those who served in-country results in a ridiculous skew to any meaningful stats. He received every military combat award for valor available from the U.S. Army, as well as French and Belgian awards for heroism. i know what a combat veteran is. . The site is owned and run by a crook and charlatan named (?) Who is the oldest living Vietnam veteran? If one in ten saw sustained combat, then there may be as little as 60,000 of us left! We got a personal visit from 10 Generals (no joke). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. Almost 1500 died their last day. Was an Armored Cav Platoon leader Nov 67-Mar 68 Lost 4 APCS 4 men in my platoon KIA 12 wounded I think I was in a little combat . Far as Im concerned, they are all Vietnam Vets and this devisiness should STOP! Finally figured out what was wrong with me, received help but refuse to dwell on the dark demons that quite frankly just did not give a dam for humanity. While I honor those who served worldwide, it comes across as yet another slap in the face to those of us who faced enemy fire. eventually i commented that i had flown into dong ha on resupply missions , having become bored with my mates work on merchant ships that spent long weeks at da nang. i TO AM A VEITNAM VET. 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. We had a 10,000 gal balloon full of gas while we watched for someone shooting at us or placing a bomb on the bottom of our boat. Era vets are important but dont count. Great article! they did not get metals. scipione@geneseo.edu These Veterans are now in or about to reach their 80's. How many Vietnam vets . We all bleed red. My new Iraq War novel, Three Wise Men should ne out sometime next year, I was at Camp Eagle, and worked in Production Control. Granted, most of them were deployed for the durationa WWII vet I knew was gone 4 years without coming back to the states. It too bad that guys that never fought think for some reason they deserve credit for being in Vietnam when they werent. There is a bird in India that says Did you Do it? How many Vietnam veterans are still missing? SP5 Mark Kuzinski 86.6K 296 151 53 53 0 Vietnam veterans are dying at the rate of 390 deaths each day. The first US advisors that I can find evidence of arrived in country in 1955. All others should not be accepted to have served either on land or at sea in Vietnam. How many Vietnam Vets die per day? I served until April 28, 1969 !!!!!!!!!!!! The total goes up every day. As I started to slowly stagger upright towards the opposite side of the road, trying with all my might to gain my balance, I went down hard. VA released VetPop 2020 which is VA's new official estimate and projection of the Veteran population. Perhaps, another RPG impacted and careened us sideways knocking me unconscious. Im still here after all the BS of AO has really messed up my life with illnesses, surgeries ect since 1975, noting problems while I was in Vietnam in 69, and confirmed. Not affiliated with any government agencies.All Rights Reserved. Anyone who served during or because of The Vietnam War IS a Vietnam War Veteran. At this rate there will be only a few of us alive in 2015. In the enormity of the cosmos, Vietnam is inconsequential, covered over by days dust! I had a Swedish citizen in AIT, with orders to go to Vietnam. RVN. I was a REMF but was on my 4th pair of boots. 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. 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. How Many Vietnam War Veterans Are Still Alive? We had a dustoff attached to us. nearly every classmate from the academy served on some basis during the vn war. RE: WHO are Vietnam Vets ?. Somewhat confusing. 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. Mekong Delta US Army 1969. nothing exists or will exist in another time. March 29, 1973Part of what was called Operation Homecoming, the first 20 POWs arrived to a heros welcome at Travis Air Force Base in California on February 14. Cheers, Helicopter Units and losses in the Vietnam War, The Story behind the famous Saigon Execution Photo, https://open.spotify.com/show/5Th7BCpIKDE1hVTqNL3u0Q. Hometown: Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. Why the Shame? Alternatively, to transfigure my destiny. Still, other sources like the New York Times claim the number of Vietnam veterans is actually somewhere around 9.2 million. His wife and family should be very proud of him. 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. 997 soldiers997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam . I was drafted in Sep 1966, went to Vietnam Aug 67-Aug 68, and Im 75 until Oct. Its been over 50 years and its time Vietnam Vets stop arching among themselves. 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. The number of people who are Vietnam veterans in the first place is a number that is widely debated. Combat Vets and Non Combat Vets. Was back at LZ Bayonet the last part of my tour after being medevaced off of Professional and in the hospital at Chu Lai. My performance as Dante Michael Anthony Puccetti was at its close, and resembling the theater, I was ready to take my curtain call. Likewise, drafted Sep 66, Vietnam Aug 67-Aug 68, and Im 75. I served in Quang Tri (70-71) and took two types of Malaria pills. I was drafted and sent to Germany 66-68 because of the Vietnam War in the 4Armored Division. 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. Were you at Saigon firebase when guys set off grenade in APC ? The VA researchers analyzed the death certificates of 21 states to create the 2010 national estimate for veterans from all age groups. There were 7 RoyalThai Air Force bases used during the war, from 1961-1975, three closed between 1972 to 1973. I suppose we were rear echelon, but I dispute anyone calling us REMF. No two people standing side by side performed the same duties. 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. 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. 23 Div and finally MACV Tm 87, 43 RCAT 18th ARVN Div. You guys were the lifeblood of our war effort. I was C 3/17 Air Cav. Around 2.7 million troops were stationed in Vietnam either on land, within its airspace, or in its waters. 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. Combat was what we did. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. An overwhelming number are buried by family and friends. The roar was deafening; through the shattered windshield, I saw the truck go out of control. There were approx. Nov.62 I got off a PanAm flight at Tan Son Nhut with a US passport, wearing civilian clothes and colorful floral leis around my neck after a stop in Hawaii. I saw the edge of the dirt, the jungle growth, the nearby trees, while I heard the world explode. We, the U.S. have lost over 158,000 American lives to the Vietnam war and that count is still rising. The dust settled back to normality, as if man did not exist. Yep we got briefings then helloed into some ridge in who knows where. Agent Orange was sprayed on the Jungle areas, and Melathion (Insecticide) was sprayed on Base Camps. Avoiding the specifics & particulars is a sign of fraud or a deeply disturbed relationship to their past. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Tom Selleck. Now 69 years/old. Dec 1967 Dec 1968 & Jan 1969 Nov 1969. Div., 67-68. If true, 390 VN vets die a day. When were the last Vietnam POWs released? I agree Vietnam vets are fewer. All others should not be accepted to have served either on land or at sea in Vietnam. I was in Vinh Long in 1965, Mekong delta area. to most of them, it was another port and another war. I wouldnt trust the New York Times study, regardless of their Sources! serveved in nam 67 to 68 and 69 to 70. both tours in the 1st cav. 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. 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.
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