We all figured it was a Combat death. I certainly dont agree on the 9 million in country. I served in Vietnam from Jul 68 to Jul 69. 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. Another long time friend served on the Riverine Force actually served on John Kerrys boat and is mentioned prominently in his book, told me stories about being ambushed, as those boats made a lot of noise. 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. Special Forces orderly room to picked-up theyre new frequencies. The remaining 6.5 million were serving either at-home or abroad but not in Vietnam. Those an in the Era the we were in Vietnam but they are not Vietnam Vets by any stretch of you imagination. OUR COMPANY STARTED LONG BINH COMPOUND IN SEPT OF 1965, DALLAS WATERFILL EMAIL dallaswaterfill@yahoo.com, Was in Vietnam Dec. 1968 to Dec. 1969, Phan Rang AFB, RVN. The difference David, is that you could quit at any moment, most Veterans who served in Vietnam did not have that choice. Born: 09/15/1946. Vietnam 2/722/73. Perhaps, another RPG impacted and careened us sideways knocking me unconscious. Sorry for your loss of your loved one. Very devisive infighting among all the service members who served at a time when it was not popular. Again, I see a jumbled view of jungle and sky, and vaguely see a solitary soldier standing over me. drafted in 1966, Vietnam 1967-68 with the 1st infantry Division.now 75!!!! by your definition, cia personal in civilian clothes were not veterans. I was in Vinh Long in 1965, Mekong delta area. why not compare them?. He showed me his DD214 and low and behold it says he was in Vietnam. There are 500,000 Korean War veterans still living, but about 600 of those die every day, according to the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation. Then I down shifted entered the worst section of massive ruts and the broken-up roadbed threw the truck all about its grooves. I turned left into the open valley dirt road that lead to the OP, crossed the blue line (river or stream on a map) and raced through the dense, triple canopy jungle to the open valley floor. And i can tell you , we made a lot of money. 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. They are NOT Veterans. I began to think that was the excuse for NOT being in combat. was i a veteran by the numbers? But serving in any capacity in Vietnam makes that service person a War vet. We didnt make it on shore very often but I still feel I was in VietNam. it was one of the smaller airbus aircraft. As an analogy I will use familiar figure of that time. Mike. The New York Times, as always, gets it wrong. However, any veteran who served in Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, is presumed by the VA to have been exposed to Agent Orange. we got one daily the other one weekly. Mean 69 maybe? Vietnam era vets are not the same as Vietnam vets, but they are important. As Ive mentioned before, I dont think posing this question was intended to be divisive among veterans, but it has turned out to be. Thats what we did in Vietnam we left and am glad we did. So Huey pilots and crew were REMFs. No one paid any attention to them and this non-controversy continues. SP5 Mark Kuzinski 86.6K 296 151 53 53 0 Vietnam veterans are dying at the rate of 390 deaths each day. I remember a distorted image of reality. The thing is the question/topic here is not how many Vietnam combat veterans are there, or how many Vietnam Era veterans are there; its how many Vietnam veterans are there. This is a controversial post. I left the Ville at 3:00pm. it is branded on you. More than 300,000 Veterans were wounded during the Vietnam War. If you served in country on a ship in the gulf or dropped 2000 pound bombs you are a vietnam vet. Often cited as the last verified American POW from the Vietnam War, Garwood was taken to North Vietnam in 1969, and reportedly was released in 1973 along with the other U.S. POWs as part of the Paris Peace Accords. We all served in our assigned duties, some bled, and some died. nothing exists or will exist in another time. How many Vietnam veterans are dying each day? Vietnam was very different, it was not supported by our Nation, the draft of so many young men to fight in a country that few could ever find on a map, let alone now anything about. Combat Vets served in country. I was thinking that in 10 days I would be on R&R in Taipei, Formosa. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors. I served in 67 69 & had stroke in 93 then heart attack in 2002 with 2d in 2004 . If we dont include forces in Thailand or Guam why are we including anyone except Navy pilots, because I dont remember any deep water people who were subjected to enemy hostilities. One sapper shot off a whole magazine of armor piercing bullets at the drivers side windshield of the truck, and glass was flying in all directions. Stolen Valor the American Way! Every grunt I know would say no. That number stands around 306,000 killed by agent Orange (and other colors). all of the participants in this thread are veterans. was i a veteran? What numbers do the VA have? The first advisors were sent in country much earlier than 1962. 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. I was drafted in Sep 1966, went to Vietnam Aug 67-Aug 68, and Im 75 until Oct. What is the average age of Vietnam veteran in 2021? Born in 1953, he joined the US Marine Corps at the age of 15 and was sent to Vietnam where he served as a machine gunner. I do not like pretenders but do not want to take on the duty of Valor Police. These numbers were not included since these service members were far removed from combat experience and did not spend any amount of time in harms way. I was there in 69-71 also sprayed Im 74, inlisted 1968 spent 2 tours in Vietnam Im now 73, Comments left by my fellow Vietnam vets are very useful. the merchant marine needed every officer and sailor they could find. The dust settled back to normality, as if man did not exist. Today is Sun 22 Aug 2021 but the actual date HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED as the US is SENDING GIs BACK! 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 !!!!! I was there in 1969. Bullets were flying everywhere, and the noise was tremendous. 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. I saw plenty of people providing direct combat support to the effort in. So I was in the Army National Guard during the Iraq War, So I guess I am An Iraq War Veteran. He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II. My husband was one of those 191st Assault Helicopter Co. Bounty Hunter door gunners. 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. When I opened my mouth and started talking about Nam, Id get this response, We dont talk about Nam .In my opinion we should tell everyone about our combat experience. But often, it does. Motherfucker? 58,184 died in the combat zone or from combat wounds. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Granted, most of them were deployed for the durationa WWII vet I knew was gone 4 years without coming back to the states. What was the cause of preventable deaths in the Vietnam War? 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. Having studied the war for years, I believe that the correct figure for those on the ground in South Vietnam is 2.6 million. It was an incredibly tumultuous time in US history and, for that reason, its unclear how many people actually served during this struggle. Floyd James ThompsonHe was one of the longest-held American prisoner of war in U.S. history that was returned or captured by troops, spending nearly nine years in captivity in the forests and mountains of South Vietnam and Laos, and in North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. My squad leaderSteve Cook wrote, Dont Cry for Us Saigon. He gives stats. go to the top of this article and choose the magnifying glass and search for Canadians in Vietnam to read an article on this website about them. for the sake being more realistic, I served from June 1962 to April 20 1970, and was always told it will vary from 1 in 7 to 1 in 10. Damn it, government could have sent anyone serving at any time to Vietnam. Peter my husband is now deceased but he was a door gunner with the 191 st AHC Bounty Hunters (gunships), Very good. Then upon returning I would be stationed in Camp Enari, away from most of the intense fighting, and protected by the whole 4th. They wouldnt know the truth even if they tripped over it. We did a lot of Ranch Hand missions in the iron Triangle. They term era should be shit canned. stay safe. 2.4 million man who served in Nam approx. A veteran of the Vietnam War is a person who PARTICIPATED in the Vietnam War. There was a huge difference between tours of duty also. Not 499 days between dec 67 & april 68? Thank you. we were all on the same side of the aisle. Gordon, I agree. All the others are Vietnam ERA Vets. Do not consider yourself a 10, unless you are a 10. 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 can assure you there will be those of us alive longer than 10 years from now. Here are two additional sources of information (added 9-3-2022) updated in 2021: https://www.americanwarlibrary.com/personnel/vietvet.htmhttps://news.va.gov/89450/vietnam-war-veterans-honoring-served-memorial-day-2021/. The average age of our Vietnam veterans is now over 70. Of the 2.7 million men and women who served in land forces in Vietnam, only about 600,000 are still alive. the man ahead of me had been in rome for a religious tour. I would hope they are considered Vietnam combat Vets. As well, those who served in Thailand in late 1973-1975 are often looked down upon as not being real Vietnam Veterans. We are, as we helped conduct many support missions in the region, helped with draw assist during the fall of Cambodia, S. Vietnam and Laos. It seems to be all about syntax. I stomped the gas and the engine roared- the truck jumped forward and bounced crazily and so did, garbing the steering tightly. War is Heck!!! My demons were better left alone and buried away after two tours back to back. But having spent a little time thinking about it, I go with the 2m figure. at DaNang If we came in they set up tents to sleep in and had a big blivet bag for a shower. I Never got to Korea but I have friends who got a medal for service in Korea. Past history shows ALL Veterans of previous Wars were classified as Vets of those wars regardless of where they served. Currently, it is estimated with data provided by the United States Census Bureau, that there about 100,000 Oregon Vietnam era veterans alive today. 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. The New York Times estimated that, of the 8.4 million Vietnam veterans who were still alive in 2000, 1.1 million had died. i would like to confuse the issue a bit more. Got the scars to prove it too, both physical and mental. The U.S. military has estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers died. Combat Vets and Non Combat Vets. VA's Veteran Population Projection Model estimates that there are approximately 6.1 million living Vietnam War-era Veterans, as of 2021. As anti-war vet , all these years later, I respect yall and your stories. The last three I knew had lost a lot of weight, two had each lost a lung. as soon as it was ammo or arms, we were machine gunned where ever we went. Here are some statistics on the veterans of the Vietnam War. Should you have a question or comment about this article, then scroll down to the comment section below to leave your response. My time stands still. 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 than 75 percent of Vietnam veterans still living and breathing today. I was a REMF but was on my 4th pair of boots. of the 1st cav div. A few days later I was in fatigues on a C-123 to Da Nang, and a month later driving Hai Van Pass to Phu Bai with 3rdRRU Mobile Det (ASA). I was out of my earthly shell. It was all about teamwork, whether you pulled the trigger or not. Agreed. am i two Vietnam veterans or one. Canada did not enter the war so many Canadians joined the americansThey wanted to put a memorial in Ottawa and were refused the built it someplace on the Canadian side I beieve near Detroit, The monument is on the Canadian side of the Detroit River (Windsor). The term I like to use is Together We Served. Everyone did their assigned job; some just got better assignments. if you read up on it you will see that ww2 merchant sailors were despised as cowards. My uncle John was in Company A, 290th Engineer Combat Bn during WWII. Why cant you be just a proud Veteran. Leave your thoughts below in the comment section. i thank every soldier for their service, i do not exaggerate my actions. Finally got all the right stuff together; received benefits couple months ago. Learn something new everyday. maybe, maybe not. it was printed in the ny times and cherries writer. Im sorry I did. You are certainly a Vietnam Vet, and I know the danger that you were in As an Infantry (CIB) Sgt I spent part of my second tour with the 97th Trans out of Cam Rahn Bay, they operated @28 LCUs hauling projectiles up those rivers, always a risky business. We dont respect the combat Vets and they shouldnt disrespect us. 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. Those of us who wear air crew wings probably saved your ass more than once. 4 Carl Dodd Former Police Officer Author has 18.5K answers and 25.3M answer views 10 mo Just a minor clarification, not all of us were on the groundJust being picky. If we arent able to determine WHO is a Vietnam Vet, then how can one determine how many of us are still alive today? Age: 75. U failed to remember the last name on the Wall was in 1975. hello, I was a Pilot, Licensed Aircraft Mechanic and Maintenance Inspector before going into the Army. Veterans support veterans, their stories and we bristle at those who would steal their history, we are not Valor Police, but those who pretend are an insult to those of who struggle with that past. There he was wearing my dress uniform jacket SSG, CIB, BS three rows of ribbons 8 years service, 10 overseas hash marks and he had 3 very underage teeny boppers girls smoking weed telling them war stories and bragging about his combat exploits. Im sure that you all know that claiming to be a VFWar when you are not is a federal crime with severe legal penalties. Avoiding the specifics & particulars is a sign of fraud or a deeply disturbed relationship to their past. 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 . I suppose we were rear echelon, but I dispute anyone calling us REMF. 101st Airborne 25th Infantry 82nd Airborne 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. I think its just a generalization but should be cleared. Born: 08/27/1943. Operation Homecoming was completed on March 29, 1973, when the last of 591 U.S. prisoners were released and returned to the United States. Having served two tours on the ground, as they say, I find it depressing. GREAT Tom, to me, the CIB says everything; the wearer is a soldier who has earned the right to it and deserves respect. The dashboard gauges and the gearshift lever approached, as I hit the dashboard with my left side and my head crashed to the floor; My spirit rejoined and I was protected by the firewall. The article states that The youngest Vietnam Veteran is aged in the late 60s today. After Tet it was quiet. I used this experience and we cut down the Helicopter replacement time from about 2 1/2 weeks to 2 to 4 days. you tell me. Bob, Vietnam Vet_combat. This battle resulted in the loss of 13 Marines (10 in combat, 3 were left behind and executed by the Khmer Rouge, 2 Navy Corpsmen, and 3 Air Force pilots. How many WWII veterans die each day? Yes, there are fuckyou lizards. give me a date between June 25, 1968 thru June 25 1969 and I can tell you where I was in country. Arne Fuller, Tucson AZ. Canandaigua, NY Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Thank you for being there to help us when called. Many Vietnam Vets do not even know about the secret operations from Thailand, now declassified, that probably helped save their rears during some of their combat operations. Phu Loi Nov 66 to Dec 67 HHD 11th Cbt Avn Bn. The roar was deafening; through the shattered windshield, I saw the truck go out of control. Mark Stanley was gone. This answer is: I have done lots of research, read a bunch of historical history, and met and talked to well over 1000 NAM VETS !!!!! Age: 84. in one way or another. I made a mistake !!!!! To this day, I dont know how I was transported from the right-side dirt shoulder but ending up in the center of the dusty road. I served in Quang Tri (70-71) and took two types of Malaria pills. Youll have to look for it, but a long time ago I posted the most recent VA numbers I could find. It does not store any personal data. I started this post a year ago, it was a simple question. Their is a new book about to be released by Bill Comeau that tells a similar story of the 3rd Brigade of the 4th Infantry Duel with the Dragon about the Battle of Soui Tre that I fought in. I was hoping for more accurate numbers. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. When we DEROSed we were given 6-8 pills to continue taking them every week. Nebraska Farm Boy, that had to go to County Agent Classes before buying any chemicals. How old is the youngest Vietnam veteran still alive? Be content with your service, and leave it there. Anyone who served during or because of The Vietnam War IS a Vietnam War Veteran. 499 days, and 10 days in Sydney, Australia !!!!! More than 8 million people served in uniform during Vietnam and those who are alive are typically in their 60s and 70s. It has a life of its own. Born: 04/07/1937. The percentage of fatalities that resulted from this was 7.9%. No two people standing side by side performed the same duties. I rode river patrol boats from 1968-9 we were on the rivers but we were there 24hours a day days a week. When he first got out we roomed together, and I came home from school one day s clss was canceled. 35th CBSG, 315th CAMS Working on C-123,s. Awakening, I was the only person there, so the enemy was concentrated on me. he was wearing his VIETNAM ERA VETERAN cover. If you fired a weapon in defense, outside the wire,, and your boots were on the ground in VN you are a COMBAT vet. In 2019, the most . He earned 38 military decorations during his career, and has been called the most decorated U.S. soldier of the Vietnam War. What other conclusions have been made about the percentage of Vietnam veterans who are still alive? NOTE: in 2010 Census 13.2 Million claimed to be Vietnam Veterans. 2500 to 3000 US Air Force troops stationed in Guam, Thailand, and other countries that were involved in the Vietnam War effort. Im going with 2.9 and saying the person who wrote 9.2 has the seing disease whereas they see everything in reverse. NO! 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. 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. My husband was awarded several (door gunner w/191st AHC Bounty Hunters). This cookie is used by the website's WordPress theme. If my math is correct, are you going on 68 years old ? So that means probably from 700,000 to 800,000 of us are still alive. Reports from the Department of Veterans Affairs say about 240 300 World War II veterans are still alive in 2021. ARP. As the Department of Veterans Affairs studies, each day over 20 veterans take their own lives. Christmas Night, Midnight, a guy in the next Bunker committed suicide. A few people were killed. two weeksOver 10% of Vietnam casualties were helicopter crew members, and most of those were the door gunners that protected the helicopter, its crew, and its transports, from their exposed position. Im 75 and served in South Vietnam (30 Dec 1967-68) A/504th MP Bn. Got home after the war, never spoke about my service, never went hunting again, never cut my feeling back on! They're generally in their 90s and about 245 die each day according to the VA. At 95 Army veteran Lincoln "Linc" Harner still remembers the war. best to all. Check out this post and see if you can figure this > out. Last troops departed on 29 March, 1973. She has worked in schools all over the world, and has developed groundbreaking curricula that have helped countless students excel. I still consider myself lucky every day! i am not better, but i am not worse. 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. How many Vietnam veterans are still missing? It only had the National Defense ribbon on the cap. He was drafted and qualified for Helicopter pilot school. Nevertheless, if my name was Tom, Dick, or Harry I would have perished, but I could not put my parents through the same ordeal as Aunt Palma and Uncle Frank. Still, other sources like the New York Times claim the number of Vietnam veterans is actually somewhere around 9.2 million. The average ww ii vet was in combat 10 to 12 days. Dec. 5, 1967 to April 28, 1968 is 144 days. i said once if you walked , you worked. 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. There are still a lot of us left by some miracle! How Many Vietnam War Veterans Are Still Alive? Their lives should be given importance. Thanks for your responses. I served in an artillery unit. How many Korean War veterans are still alive? Question One: Are we talking Vietnam Veterans or Vietnam Era Veterans. State-Level Veteran Suicide Data: 2020 Update NO, some who got to sleep in the same bed night after night, yet were low slow flying targets by day are NOT REMF. Things that they did not tell you. I meant any one that stepped foot in Rear echelon? my point is that they were shot at and in country. Though Thailand was not designated a combat zone. Les, in IMHO being a Vietnam Veteran has nothing to do with combat. Served most of my time on LZ Professional. Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. Where do they thinly get Ella enemys came from? All opinions graciously welcomed. Still, the American War Library continues to verify their accounts and come to more concrete conclusions. After 20 some years of filing claims and multiple appeals (DAV advocate,) have given up on the VA. Do I count as a real Vietnam vet? I know full well it takes many, many hands to make the infantry function but like you saidclaim your time. The last veteran who served in the trenches was Harry Patch (British Army), who died on 25 July 2009, aged 111. Around 2.7 million troops were stationed in Vietnam either on land, within its airspace, or in its waters. 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. If you are diagnosed with a condition that they know is caused by exposure to the chemical, they will presume that condition is service-connected. i spent three years to and fro, with about 2-3 months in vietnam on every trip. Separate war. How many Vietnam vets have died from Agent Orange? Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Where is this one in twelve figure from? I entered an L shaped ambush. I think by now weve pretty much said all that can be said about this question. Still, other sources like the New York Times claim the number of Vietnam veterans is actually somewhere around 9.2 million. About 30000 Canadians came into the us to join up. Yes, Vietnam War veterans are still eligible for various benefits and compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs, including disability compensation, health care, and education benefits. I had encountered a learning experience, and inspirational contact with the celestial. no disrespect here. Last one left was about 15 to 20 years ago. I have read about Canadians coming south to fight in Vietnam but have never seen any real authority to support this. If they enlisted or were drafted before 1975, they likely are in their late 60s now. Does receiving a few mortar rounds inside the wire of our compound count? Army Reserve: 189,500 These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. What is left of them is in Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson, and they still smell today. Depends on where you were. he and the other gentleman did not seem to know about each other , but they ended up speaking about the tours in country, both had served some time at dong ha.
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