That means bullets where flying at me and I killed people in combat. ago. 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. am i two Vietnam veterans or one. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. I was on merchant ships for three years in viet nam. Agent Orange was sprayed on the Jungle areas, and Melathion (Insecticide) was sprayed on Base Camps. 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. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Where do they thinly get Ella enemys came from? The number of people who are Vietnam veterans in the first place is a number that is widely debated. My body was throne backwards into the seat and rebounded forwards; bent over at a 90-degree angle from my waist. Youll have to look for it, but a long time ago I posted the most recent VA numbers I could find. How Many Vietnam Vets Die Each Day? - Answers may we all be the last man standing. I was a REMF but was on my 4th pair of boots. That is your opinion and youre entitled to it, I disagree very strongly. I believe the aircrews flying out of those places were take issue with not in harms way. In 11 days of December 1973, 16 B-52s were lost over North Vietnam during Linebacker II. one yearA tour of duty in Vietnam for most ground forces lasted one year. So he goes to Camp Wolter Texas for his 11 month school (they pay them E-5 during training) then just few weeks before graduation he declines to sign the extension for his Warrant Officer Status, they send him to Vietnam as a private to Phan Rang to ride security on fuel convoys (safe Gig) he never had to fire a weapon. OH, SHIT- I heard the impact of the Rocket Propelled grenade (RPG) to my left; `this is it, I yelled! I remember that the minute we came around the coast and headed up for Vung Tau, as merchantmen on American Export LInes ships, we got a sizeable war zone increase in our pay. I served a second tour and know quite a few Marines that did also. My spirit was above my body and I was looking down at myself bouncing around in the drivers side. He earned 38 military decorations during his career, and has been called the most decorated U.S. soldier of the Vietnam War. The debate depends on only two numbers. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. We saved many a guy after you brought him to us from the boonies. We grunts do hold chopper crews in the highest regard! I was in Vinh Long in 1965, Mekong delta area. 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. Pop, POP POP. Various percentages of actual Vietnam Veterans is bothersome. I went on about 500 missions. Its been over 50 years and its time Vietnam Vets stop arching among themselves. Sobering Statistics Concerning Vietnam Vets As of April 2016 . Aside from that, I have always doubted any fact stated by the NY Times; although the federal government is no better. 101st Airborne Division, 1969-70 Leave your thoughts below in the comment section. Their lives should be given importance. I think The NY Times has conflated he number of Viet Nam veterans with those who served in the military during the years 1960-1975. The _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. I changed emails and cant reach you!! Navy ships were classified as Blue Water ships. Hundreds of Vietnam vets infected by a slow-killing parasite - NBC News Agreed. So, with the lower estimate of 610,000, over 2.1 million VN vets have died since 1975 thats an average of 44,000/year. So, I must be a VN Vet and VN Era Vet and Cold War Era Vet but not a Cold War Vet because I never got anywhere near the USSR. Lol. I struck a tree and rebounded into the open again still a sitting duck. As anti-war vet , all these years later, I respect yall and your stories. 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. Serious danger along those river banks. I think 9+ million total in US military service during the peak years of the Vietnam War and 2.6 2.7 million in Nam and its waters and air space is right. Do you by chance remember a Jim Blackshear? I shipped to RVN on the USNS Geiger, manned by Merchant Marines, leaving Tacoma, WA on June 30, 1967 and arriving in Vung Tau on July 21, 1967. Unless they kept track by service or SSN, how many Vietnam Veterans are there ? I pulled up to the local tailor shop to fix some of my fatigue pants. I can smell a fake and phony 10 seconds after we meet !!!!! 2010-11-24 14:32:32. Please do your own due diligence on the American War Library before citing them on ANYTHING, ever. She is new to that post, having spent 20+ years as head of coding & analysis at NSA. YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. What percentage of Vietnam vets are still alive? 2 tours I volunteered and my 3rd I re-enlisted. of the 1st cav div. young men and woman who were there and did get fired on, or were in danger, should be recognized . His Engineer company was tasked to fight as Infantry, and they did. Aint this fun? 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). How Many Vietnam War Veterans Are Still Alive? I was with the 1st Inf Division from July 67 to June 68 and we received $15 overseas pay and $65 combat pay a month. no disrespect here. Everyone knows this. They term era should be shit canned. Bob ONeal, Lt.Col. Interesting and certainly thought-provoking. I recall combat pay (Hazard DutyPay) at $60 dollars a month. serveved in nam 67 to 68 and 69 to 70. both tours in the 1st cav. I can tell you that those who served in Thailand should definitely be considered Vietnam Vets. Here are some statistics on the veterans of the Vietnam War. All opinions graciously welcomed. He arrived on Yankee Station, Vietnam in early May, 1972 when he was still 17 years of age. 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. Do I count as one or three Vietnam Veterans? one of the ships i sailed on had a captain that was drunk for 5 months. 8,113,000 are still alive (May 2000) Post navigation My name is Ananda. I was the first male born to the Puccetti family after his death, so my parents received permission to name their son after Dante. I do not know how many others served with us. Era vets are important but dont count. Who is the oldest living Vietnam veteran? The total number of is estimated at 2.8 million US veterans who were exposed to the poisonous chemical while serving and later died. 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. Every single day 22 veterans commit themselves to death. Certainly leaves some doubt about the numbers because why are we including the years from 1954 to when the actual American forces entered hostile missions? In WWII and the Korean War, anyone who served in the military was considered a veteran of that war. NO, some who got to sleep in the same bed night after night, yet were low slow flying targets by day are NOT REMF. I was a Pilot, Licensed Aircraft Mechanic and Maintenance Inspector before going into the Army. That's 390 per day. I certainly dont agree on the 9 million in country. How many Vietnam vets are still alive today? You do not need to establish anything other than that. In the article, the writer quotes Patrick S. Brady of Vietnam Veterans of Americas magazine. 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. 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. One of the things that really bothers me is the statement that we lost in Vietnam? As of 2015, more than 1,600 of those were still unaccounted-for. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) of the U.S. Department of Defense lists 687 U.S. POWs as having returned alive from the Vietnam War. Those who do not remember where in country they were, WHERE NOT THERE.. Or suffering from a complete mental memory disorder. The first impact of a rocket was twenty meters to the left and ten meters behind as the rocket flew over its target. I was searching aria, even though these ruts are a real bitch! I was jostled and jerked by the truck over the dusty road. My husband was one of those 191st Assault Helicopter Co. Bounty Hunter door gunners. I could never guess the number of actual Vietnam Vets there are, nor the % still alive. These are numbers never heard before & I would not include those before the advisers were sent over in the early/mid 60s. 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. Without fanfare or much recognition. 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. 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. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The 30 September 2007 Veterans Administration estimate places the daily deaths of WWII US veterans at 1,000 per day. ho, i could not . Who is the oldest living Vietnam veteran? How many REAL Vietnam vets are alive today? - American War Library Vietnam Veteran ages range from 55 to 97 years old. They wore the Vietnam Service Medal. The Vietnam Veterans of America have cited that they will remain an organization until last man standing. Id like to ask a question. Last one left was about 15 to 20 years ago. Mean 69 maybe? 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. Yep feet never left the ground except to do my mos. If you served in country on a ship in the gulf or dropped 2000 pound bombs you are a vietnam vet. Was in 82nd and served from a firebase up North to near South China Sea down South, remember some names but 53 years. We had a lot of support vets near Saigon. by your definition, cia personal in civilian clothes were not veterans. Everyone did their assigned job; some just got better assignments. I was also at LZ Bayonet. AFAIC, anyone within the bounds of South Vietnam was on the ground. In or out of a compound or an LZ or anywhere else. If we arent able to determine WHO is a Vietnam Vet, then how can one determine how many of us are still alive today? I had encountered a learning experience, and inspirational contact with the celestial. 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. It makes a big difference because stating that only one-third of Vietnam veterans are still alive today is much harsher than stating that three-quarters of Vietnam veterans are still alive and well. 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. Ive seen start dates for the VN war as 1954, 1959, 1961, 1964 and 1965. 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 have VSM on my DD215 which deleted the AFEM on my DD214. So Huey pilots and crew were REMFs. we spent sometimes a month or more in one port depending on the cargo and the need. after spending 1968 with 3/25 0f 2nd field forces and 1970 with the 1/12 cav. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. My husband was also a door gunner (191st AHC gunship) but he was there later than you (70-71). It was an incredibly tumultuous time in US history and, for that reason, its unclear how many people actually served during this struggle. nearly every classmate from the academy served on some basis during the vn war. 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 ? As a child I knew several WWII veterans. I do not like pretenders but do not want to take on the duty of Valor Police. The Nation supported WWI & WWII, the entire Nation was involved in the war effort. Our 2003 NJAOC Desk Guide to the unique health issue of Nam vets and our children is still the Gold Standard. 11B20 and proud of it. Be content with your service, and leave it there. We have been betrayed by all Globalists. David, please do not compare this to Merchant Seaman in WWII who braved the many packs of Submarines etc as thgatr uis hgow many died in WWIU, Sorry my spell check went nuts ARP. A cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface. We are not ashamed of our service or the fact we killed and had friends die, far more than we care to remember. He now has a 100% disability as unemployable. There is a statistic that has been widely quoted in the veteran community that highlights an estimated 22 veterans a day are committing suicide. My left leg hurt like HELLFIRE! Ive often wondered how many of us are left. Considering the kind of information available about the death rate of WWII and Korean War Veterans, publicized information indicates that in the last 14 years Vietnam veterans are dying at the rate of 390 deaths each day. These numbers are probably as good as any well ever find and are from 2019 and 2021 respectively. it is branded on you. What Major Is Kent State University Known For? Check out this post and see if you can figure this > out. Isolated atrocities committed by American Soldiers produced torrents 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. The third cancer was the charm as it was declared Presumptively caused by Agent Orange in 2021. I dont remember the exact number but remember it was over 500,000 in country and the number was the most ever at one time as the article was about Nixon beginning troop withdrawals that would continue until 1975. Assuming were talking solely about U.S. Vietnam veterans, all I would add is that anyone who served in the military and entered the war zone is technically a Vietnam veteran. Well thank God congress got it right putting the definition into law, otherwise those who served there would not be eligible for many VA benefits, particularly Agent Orange claims. guy next to me was shoot dead I think that counts. If you served at all, anywhere, during WWII, you are a WWII vet. Got home after the war, never spoke about my service, never went hunting again, never cut my feeling back on! But to me, Nam is my whole universe i.e. There was a huge difference between tours of duty also. Served most of my time on LZ Professional. The number of people who are Vietnam veterans in the first place is a number that is widely debated. Why do the vets who served during the Vietnam War era have to be so devisive? If you want to learn more about the Vietnam War and its Warriors, then subscribe to this blog and get notified by email or your feed reader every time a new story, picture, video or changes occur on this website the button is located at the top right of this page. How many ww2 vets left 2021? Where is this one in twelve figure from? Frantically searching to find that one resource in my spirit to survive. We hauled cargo to the bases and for a few months I hauled hitest gas to the airbase at DongHa. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. This accurate accounting gives us persepective on the cost of current and future wars. I would not believe the NYT. Considering the number of troops deployed at different times, the build up and the draw down, its inconceivable that there could have been 9m serving in country. Dave, How many Vietnamese citizens died in the Vietnam War? Thank you for being there to help us when called. They are paying on Melathion settlements (Watch TV, and it as on 2 to 3% purity, used inside US) There are no living Veterans that I know of. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. The Korean War was not supported by the ENTIRE nation, actually that is why it is known as the Forgotten War. this exclusiveness does no one any credit. Granted, most of them were deployed for the durationa WWII vet I knew was gone 4 years without coming back to the states. This situation has been an issue for years longer than any of us has been around. Reports from the Department of Veterans Affairs say about 240 300 World War II veterans are still alive in 2021. Chester/Gordon, ahead of me in the next row was a man conversing with another man about two rows ahead of him. the draft board made that very clear. Born: 09/15/1946. Since you were with an aviation Battalion do you remember our flight pay as Army Aircrew ? i agree with many who feel that a private who served his time in new jersey is not a vietnam vet. I saw the edge of the dirt, the jungle growth, the nearby trees, while I heard the world explode. 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. So, where is the discrepancy in these numbers? I suppose we were rear echelon, but I dispute anyone calling us REMF. It seems like you are looking at a very narrow view of the division of experiences of those who served in Vietnam. My brother claims he is a Vietnam veteran. Ive also created a poll to help identify my website audience before leaving, can you please click HERE and choose the one item that best describes you. I submit, we should use the same standard for Vietnam. It took about 30 years for the government to acknowledge we were even there. I to served two tours 67-68 and 69-70,first with 1st of 8th cav. 9.2 million served on active duty (5 August 1964 to 7 May 1975) 2,590,000 served in the combat zone. The exact percentage of surviving Vietnam War veterans is not known, but it is estimated to be around 25% of the total number of veterans who served during the war. The oldest living Vietnam War veteran is believed to be a man named Larrivee Ronald A , who was born in Feb, 24, 1935. as soon as it was ammo or arms, we were machine gunned where ever we went. So, here well dive a little bit deeper into how many Vietnam veterans are estimated to still be alive based on various approximations and predictions. I have done lots of research, read a bunch of historical history, and met and talked to well over 1000 NAM VETS !!!!! Later, and Welcome Home to all Vietnam Veterans!!! (52. years later) All with the 3rd Brigade, 82nd Air Borne Division. Help train personnel from many different Companies to do the same. and i remember that we talked about how much we would make if we lost a finger or an arm. Our side would have collapsed without you. I would say anyone who has drawn Vietnam Hazard Duty pay, 30 dollars for every month or part of any month, in or over country, should qualify. 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. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. I do not doubt that it occurred, but can anyone cite a reliable source for this? We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 101st Airborne 25th Infantry 82nd Airborne 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. i was a merchant marine officer, technically a civilian. So I was in the Army National Guard during the Iraq War, So I guess I am An Iraq War Veteran. Please do all you can to inform our fellow vets that the VA presumes Agent Orange exposure if you were in-country. I remember a distorted image of reality. Perhaps, another RPG impacted and careened us sideways knocking me unconscious. Vietnam 2/722/73. For a mile or so the road cut through the jungle like a tunnel; the vegetation brushing against the sides and roof hid what lurked in the shadows. He is absolutely obsessed with military and different men who have served, The definitive statistics come from the VAs Million Vietnam Vets database, which will continue until we are all gone. The last combat veteran was Claude Choules, who served in the British Royal Navy (and later the Royal Australian Navy) and died 5 May 2011, aged 110. The last three I knew had lost a lot of weight, two had each lost a lung. I was C 3/17 air cav. 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. Hunter killer division. She is also a strong advocate for equal opportunity, and she works tirelessly to ensure that all students have access to quality education regardless of their socioeconomic status or race. We all figured it was a Combat death. (Crew Chief 1970-71) 25 AVN 25 INF (1971-72) C/16 CAV. Vince. The NOISE ringing in my ears, the torment, the muggy damn heat, and the distance echo of gunfire ALL STOPPED! Motherfucker? My performance as Dante Michael Anthony Puccetti was at its close, and resembling the theater, I was ready to take my curtain call. Should be simple enough but not, Not all ships are blue water ships. Still, the American War Library continues to verify their accounts and come to more concrete conclusions. How old are Vietnam vets now? He was shot nine times, while I received the tenth bullet from the ten holes in the windshield. More than 3.4 million deployed to Southeast Asia (1) and approximately 2.7 million of those served in the Republic of Vietnam (2). Last troops departed on 29 March, 1973. Question One: Are we talking Vietnam Veterans or Vietnam Era Veterans. I have heard many stories (more in the past 30 years) of people claiming to be a combat veteran, maybe seeking some kind of hero status or valid excuse for why they are where they are. 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. Therefore there are a lot fewer combat veterans from Vietnam. 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. 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. But a growing army of strangers is. Id like to know what the 1 in 14 men figure is based on. I know the difference, do you ? i am not better, but i am not worse. I served in the 101st airborne infantry battalion in 1968, the time of the Tet Offensive. i do not remember the moss but the went on quite a while. Phill Coleman, who surfaced in the very early days of the Internet, and has been profiting from veterans (first Vietnam, now all) for years. Vietnam Vet_combat. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". 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 remember lots of the names Evana, Eagle, Bastone, Granite, Ripcord, Maryanne. 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. 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. I arrived in country Dec. 5, 1967. Im 75 and served in South Vietnam (30 Dec 1967-68) A/504th MP Bn. It should be duly noted that these numbers do not include the 2500 to 3000 US Air Force troops stationed in Guam, Thailand, and other countries that were involved in the Vietnam War effort. Far as Im concerned, they are all Vietnam Vets and this devisiness should STOP! I do not, however, have a CIB. Just come up with two lists and leave it at that. This cookie is used by the website's WordPress theme. The U.S. military has estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers died. 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. As soon as I was wounded, I was thrown into a world that I was alone! Suddenly, I was in front of the truck near the grill. 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. As the Department of Veterans Affairs studies, each day over 20 veterans take their own lives. Hometown: Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. I give a silent prayer of thanks for all of you, every time I hear a chopper going by, even now.
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