VIETNAM WARRIORS: A STATISTICAL PROFILE IN UNIFORM and IN COUNTRY
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Vietnam Vets
– 9.7% of their generation. 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam era (Aug. 5, 1964-May 7,1975). 8,744,000 GIs were on active duty during the war (Aug. 5, 1964-March 28, 1973).
– 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).
– 2,594,000 personnel served within the borders of South Vietnam (Jan 1,1965-March 28, 1973).
– Another 50,000 served in Vietnam between 1960 and 1964.
– Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in combat, provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack.
– 7,484 women (6.250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam.
– Peak troop strength in Vietnam: 543,482 (April 30, 1969)
CASUALTIES
– Hostile deaths: 47,378
– Non-hostile deaths: 10,800
– Total: 58,202 (includes formerly classified as MIA and Mayaquez casualties), subsequently died of wounds account for the hanging total.
– 8 nurses died-1 was KIA.
– Married men killed: 17,539.
– 61% of the men killed were 21 or younger.
– Highest state death rate: West Virginia- 84.1 (national average 58.9 for every 100,000 males in 1970)
– Wounded: 303,704-153,329 hospitalized + 150,375 injured requiring no hospital care.
– Severely disabled: 75,000-23,214 100% disabled; 5,283 lost limbs; 1,081 sustained multiple amputations.
– Amputation or crippling wounds to the lower extremities were 300% higher than in W.W.II and 70% higher than in Korea.
– Multiple amputations occurred at the rate of 18.4% compared to 5.7% in W.W.II.
– Missing in Action: 2,338. POWs: 766 (114 died in captivity).
DRAFTEES vs. VOLUNTEERS
– 25% (648,500) of total forces in country were draftees.
– (66% of US armed forces members were drafted during W.W.II).
– Draftees accounted for 30.4% (17,725) of combat deaths in Vietnam.
– Reservists killed: 5,977.
– National Guard: 6,140 served, 101 died.
– Total draftees (1965-73)1,728,344.
– Actually served in Vietnam 38%.
– Marine Corps draft: 42,633.
– Last draftee: June 30, 1973.
RACE AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND
– 88.4% of those who actually served in Vietnam were Caucasian.
– 10.6% were black.
– 1% belonged to other races.
– 86.3% of the men who died in Vietnam were Caucasian (includes Hispanics)
– 12.5% (7,241) were black
– 1.2% belonged to other races.
– 170,000 Hispanics served in Vietnam; 3,070 (5.2% of total) died there.
– 70% of enlisted men killed were of Northwest European descent.
– 86.8% of the men who were killed as a result of hostile action were Caucasian
– 12.1% (5,711) were black
– 1.1% belonged to other races.
– 14.6% (1,530) of non-combat deaths were among blacks.
– 34% of blacks that enlisted, volunteered for the combat arms.
– Overall, blacks suffered 12.5% of the deaths in Vietnam at a time when the percentage of blacks of military age was 13.5% of the total population.
RELIGION OF DEAD
– Protestant-64.4%
– Catholic-28.9%
– Other/none-6.7%.
SOCIAL – ECONOMIC STATUS
– 76% of the men sent to Vietnam were from lower middle and working class backgrounds.
– 3/4ths had family incomes above the poverty level; 50% were from middle income backgrounds.
– Some 23% of Vietnam vets had fathers with professional, managerial or technical occupations.
-79% who served had a high school education or better. (63% of Korean War and only 45% of W.W.II vets had completed high school upon separation).
DEATHS BY REGION PER 100,000 OF POPULATION
South-31
West-29
Midwest-28.4
Northeast-23.5
WINNING AND LOSING
– 82% of vets who saw heavy combat strongly believe the war was lost because of lack of political will.
– Nearly 75% of the public agrees it was a failure of political will, not arms.
HONORABLE SERVICE
– 97% of Vietnam-era veterans were honorably discharged.
– 91% of actual Vietnam War veterans and 90% of those who saw heavy combat are proud to have served their country.
– 66% of Vietnam vets say they would serve again if called upon.
– 87% of the public now holds Vietnam veterans in high esteem.