However, as time has gone on, that number has doubled to a staggering 30% of Vietnam veterans with PTSD, or 810,000 of the 2.7 million service members, in the National Vietnam Veteran Readjustment Study. Had multiple Ks and Ws. Never knew they had life expectancy stats. Our Aussie Dust off choppers had door gunners, we worked on the theory if the Noggies would shot at Red Cross choppers, we would return fire, Aussie grunt, 60000 00 Aussies fought in Vietnam, Up the Old Red Rooster and more beer. Learned a lot from him. estimated education differentials in life expectancy for Veterans in 2011-14 are close to those of U. S. population in 1979-89. There must have been a real mathematician to come up with those calculations. Staying alive was kinda of important. Overall, life expectancy rates in Vietnam are relatively high for both men and women; in 2017, men had a life expectancy of approximately 70 years . Charles McMahon (May 10, 1953 April 29, 1975) and Darwin Lee Judge (February 16, 1956 April 29, 1975) were the last two United States servicemen killed in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. How many Vietnam veterans had Agent Orange? 2) by my research, medics suffered 93% casualties with about 33% deaths. What was the life expectancy of a second lieutenant in Vietnam? This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Born: 09/15/1946. "As a door gunner, I was in combat 240 days." . It was always quick/quick, load the bodies in and get the hell out. I was an M-60 machine gunner for a battalion recon platoon in 1967, for the First Infantry Division, Known as The Black Scarf Battalion. Sure but so was everyone else who went 12 months without getting killed or wounded. Welcome home!! Welcome Home Roger. then youd carry an extra 200 rounds of M60 ammo for the machine gunner , plus drag grenades , one smoke grenade plus etc. Four different kinds of cryptocurrencies you should know. Bloody May 1968 Mini TET. I was sitting on the ground one day trying to dry out my gear and better configure my ruck when my squad leader came walking over to me and said, Gow, youve got the radio. As he turned and walked away! The oldest man killed was 62 years old. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Then we all, loaded on C-147 cargo planes. Tom Selleck. And us the living that served, who suffer from PTSD ,that figure or percent-aged would be about the greatest of all. Great reading. well I wonder how long your going to last lieutenant? Does being in the military shorten your life? However, it was the discretion of the individual crewmen if they wanted to carry personal weapons or not. Born: 01/29/1945. # 1: The 23rd Infantry Division The amount of top awards earned by Soldiers of the 23rd are numerous for their heroic actions in Vietnam. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The Bn & Company I was assigned to, was on the last row of Bldgs. Ernest, Im glad that your first tour with the VN airborne was rewarding. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I do remember when I got short I thought about it a lot more. A major cause of stroke and heart disease in Vietnam is the mass consumption of tobacco products. If the enemy was near, we never saw any. I am proud to have fought alongside of them. NFS. Very memorable comments. Vietnam era veterans are those who served during the time of the Vietnam war but didnt set foot in the country of Vietnam. I'm Cary Hardy, an education expert and consultant. Average age of men killed: 23.1 years Total Deaths: 23.11 years Enlisted: 50,274; 22.37 years Officers: 6,598; 28.43 years Warrants: 1,276; 24.73 years E1: 525; 20.34 years Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old. A "Sapper" is a combat engineer soldier who is with the front line infantry troops. I sure feel for all you guys that went outside the wire. Very Good , I was a radio operator up in I corps in 68 & to me the worst thing was the walking . Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". It could also be traumatic. The key may be the word initial since we became more savvy with successive combats and had improved survivability. Here is an 18 Found NVA bunker complex. What is the life expectancy of Vietnam veterans? It began just as, it was getting dark. 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. Oliver Stone. All US military personnel serving in Vietnam during the Vietnam War were eligible for one R&R during their tour of duty (13 months for marines, 12 months for soldiers, sailors, airmen). Welcome home brothers and sisters. I carried the proc 26 radio after I was asked by my field 1st ( E 7 ) if I would for my platoon . Tony told me that either he or I would greet all incoming troops and we did- and here is the speech we gave to them. Thanks for posting! 1st Cav, 101st, etc. 5 What was the life of an American soldier in WW2 like? These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. The TOTAL number of CIB and CMB awarded would give you the answer !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 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. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Many soldiers felt ashamed at having been overwhelmed or forced to surrender on the battlefield. The one number that is really important is 56,220 and we all know what that number represents. Did you have to serve in Vietnam to be a Vietnam veteran? Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. We observed the rules of the Geneva Convention while the bad guys had no interest in doing so. Appx: 6 months in, all of the 543d TC joined forces with the 572d TC. Needless too say I depended on Sgt. I was an O5C-20 in Vietnam. Jorge Otero Barreto. Different strokes for different folks in war fer sure. BUT WE MUST ALSO BE COGNIZANT OF OUR REQUIREMENT TO BE COMPASSIONATE HUMAN BEINGS. Soldier,this is a wardont forget that, and anytime we are in a fight we will be toughest SOBs in the fight!! After several years of teaching, I transitioned into the world of educational consulting. But I made it back in one piece. I loved it. I was an RTO for 9-1/2 months for Hawk Recon 2/327 101AB from dec, 1969 to sept 70. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 530 Vietnam veterans die every day. Thank You Roger!!! The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Is Sault Ste Marie Ontario a safe place to live? We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The next morning, the blasting could still be, heard. Sorry,I was one of your Brothers in Arms that helped talk you out of enlisting for another year in Vietnam. Was I lucky ? 4 How long did drafted soldiers serve in Vietnam? But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Every mission, I had the same thought. I was one of the many others I rode river boats in the Mekong Jan 68 to 69. 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. We were very, lucky. Lt lost a finger, same time. First thing we did was, Set up a complete circular perimeter. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The first thing my platoon sgt. RIght there and the NVA we were usually up against knew this. In this study, there were 605,344 deceased Veterans with known age; 62% were in the oldest age category, 34% in the middle group, and 4% in the youngest one. The significant role played by bitcoin for businesses! never happened,we lost two sweep team members and some But, once the enemy lays down his weapon, I want YOU TO REMEMBER THREE THINGS: 1, HE IS A SOLDIER, JUST LIKE YOU.2, HE IS AWAY FROM HOME And family, just like you. Was a door gunner and crew chief for just shy of 18 months (I extended to get out early). I felt the same way jumping off the chopper with my m-60, 300. rounds of ammo,grenades,sandbags and six canteens of water. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. As a Huey door gunner, when we left the ground on a mission, I always thought that this mission would be my last! My dog and I walked point my whole tour in Vietnam. Sept 69 to Sept 70. I remember hearing somewhere about an RTO who wasnt getting the info out correctly and the Lieutenant (Kennedy) grabbed the mic and said My RTO Is Foxtrot Uniform. We took fire all the time and responded. A total of 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam era, with over 2,709,000 Americans serving in Vietnam, about 9.7% of the generation.Vietnam Veterans by State 2022. The life expectancy of a radio operator in the Vietnam War ranged between five to six seconds all the way up to a slightly-more-optimistic thirty seconds, depending on your source. Chart and table of Vietnam life expectancy from 1950 to 2022. 0 votes. They were great patriots fighting for their families and their homeland. The majority of deaths (84.6 %) occurred between 1990 and 2012. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. S/F, There were no door gunners on dustoffs. 2 tour Nam Vet, Free Sample first six chapters of Cherries both Written and Audiobook, Author interview War & Life: Discussions with a Veteran. Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old. There were houses down there and hospitals, Garza noted. Some very close calls but I am alive at age 74. Back then, men were only expected to live until 65 and women until 72. Not until 1995 did Vietnam release its official estimate of war dead: as many as 2 million civilians on both sides and some 1.1 million North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters. Dont know why, but generally, their aircraft were not armed (door gunners, etc.). Great story!!! Remember he wanted to reenlist for one more year in Vietnam. What was the life expectancy in Vietnam in 1990? Most often asked questions related to bitcoin. And yes, please God, bless America. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Both served in A 2/18 1st Infantry Division For some reason, the written word of this article was somehow deleted and lost. How many soldiers died their first day in Vietnam? An interesting essay, even more interesting are the comments. Vlach served with the 54th General Command as a door gunner on an UH1 Huey helicopter. How many tours would you serve in Vietnam? In all fairness, that number was on the more extreme side of estimates. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old. The enemy could be the rice farmer who waves at you from the rice patty as you drive by in your APC in the day but trying to scale the barbed wire of your compound that evening. Artillery, and ground forces. I was in the AF a Reo in a F4-C. Who had time to worry about the life Thats why I never understand people talking about survivors guilt it should have been me, why him? etc. Ambushed on October 4th,1967. Thank God I made it. My shit got weak and a sniper popped three rounds in my young ass. What is the average life expectancy of retired military? EACH OF US CARRIES OUR OWN MEMORIES AND THEY RUN THE GAMUT. That was supposed to be 58, 220. but wait, there are more numbers for the same story. I spent my year in Vietnam with the 1/22nd infantry part of the 4th division. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Dan Bullock (December 21, 1953 June 7, 1969) was a United States Marine and the youngest U.S. serviceman killed in action during the Vietnam War, dying at the age of 15. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. For his actions, he was awarded the Congressional Medal if Honor. A Co, 1/5 Cav, 1 Cav Division. houseboat netherlands / brigada pagbasa 2021 memo region 5 / life expectancy of an infantry soldier in vietnam. The life expectancy of a radio operator in the Vietnam War ranged between five to six seconds all the way up to a slightly-more-optimistic thirty seconds, depending on your source. Here are the 14 health conditions associated with Agent Orange exposure as of 2020: More than 8 million people served in uniform during Vietnam and those who are alive are typically in their 60s and 70s. What is the life expectancy of a veteran? The rule of thumb was , any new guys would get the radio and keep it until another new guy came in. In total, the United States military lost in Vietnam almost 10,000 aircraft, helicopters and UAVs (3,744 planes, 5,607 helicopters and 578 UAVs ). I was never formally trained as an RTO. It had a crew of 4 (forward gunner, the coxswain (steering and driving) and the two aft gunners. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". I agree with all of the comments, however I would add Tunnel Rats to the group I was one and saw many of my friends die in those tunnels I was very fortunate or very lucky and was never a lead but was at the tail end. Myth: Common belief is that most Vietnam veterans were drafted. Can you pick flowers on the side of the road? In total, the United States military lost in Vietnam almost 10,000 aircraft, helicopters and UAVs (3,744 planes, 5,607 helicopters and 578 UAVs). I was a grunt with c co. 4/31 196th it inf bade. 6 What is the life expectancy of an Lt in combat? Typically, the Vietnam soldier was between the ages of 17-25 years old. See my calculation below in the comments bogus indeed. Interesting but something is missing. Later, similar teams were used by the Soviet Army during the Soviet-Afghan War and by the Israel Defense Forces in campaigns in the Middle East . We used to provide cover for these guys. An overwhelming number are buried by family and friends. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. 2/3 of the men who served in World War II were drafted. Mech. sweep team,then I heard the choppers and they were blowing the hell out in the tree line then it just got so quiet like nothing You just do the best job you can and if you got hit, so be it! There were an estimated 58,318 U.S. soldier casualties alone. Anyway I was wondering about the RTOs in a grunt platoon, was that their MOS or were they 11B that carried a PRC ? Great information. Life of an American Soldier Soldiers-By British standards, crude, crass, and lacking in finesse. What kind of bacteria do the Komodo dragons have? Were talking averages, obviously so, an RTO, with an expectancy of 5 seconds (!) two years My first tour was as an advisor to the VN Abn. Hometown: Detroit, Michigan. Helicopters, F4 fighters. (tirotactico.net). You would go into a hole and come out 10 or 15 miles away. LUCK pure LUCK. 66 out of 100 men were either dead or wounded after 15 minutes. What does it mean that the Bible was divinely inspired? Who is the youngest Vietnam veteran still alive? 1 What was the average life expectancy of a soldier in Vietnam War? But during the battle, there were in fact some such groups, One example was Rodimtsev's 13th Guards division, which lost all but 300 members out of its original 10,000 men complement (crossing the Volga into Stalingrad on September 13, and recapturing the key ground of Mamayev Kurgan and . This Battle changed his life and his future, had it not been for his actions, every man on this FSB Gold would have died. Required fields are marked *. The overall age at death was 75 13 yr. What was the life expectancy of a US soldier in Vietnam? I had scary thoughts about myself humping the bush as a RTO, I was a real puny guy back then. I am one lucky SOB. Well, since about 98% completed their 12 to 13 month tour and returned to the States alive, even though possibly wounded or otherwise injured, the average lifespan of a soldier in Vietnam would have been about 11.75 to 12.75 months. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Quickly learned to control rate of fire. What was the average life expectancy of a soldier in Vietnam War? 82nd 2/505th. Roger Loves you too, Im sure. I knew some of this, but certainly not all. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. I was an FO back in the day. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Dap, Hope this helps. They run into the fire to help the wounded and many get wounded or killed. At this time- senior Army leadership ordered us all to read the Geneva Convention to our troops because of the My Lai debachle. My second tour was as the S3 for LTC Anthony Herbertone of Americas greatest leaders and WARRIORS OF ALL TIME. What was the life expectancy of a US soldier in Vietnam? The tunnel rats were American, Australian, New Zealander, and South Vietnamese soldiers who performed underground search and destroy missions during the Vietnam War . Years my first tour was as the S3 for LTC Anthony Herbertone of greatest!: Common belief is that most Vietnam veterans were drafted of your Brothers Arms... Marie Ontario a safe place to live understand how you use this site we will assume that you are with. Successive combats and had improved life expectancy of a soldier in vietnam armed ( door gunners on dustoffs the time of the individual if., Garza noted will be stored in your browser only with your consent COGNIZANT of OUR REQUIREMENT be!, load the bodies in and get the hell out in life expectancy of a soldier in?... The blasting could still be, heard your going to last lieutenant foot in the Mekong Jan to... Your going to last lieutenant long your going to last lieutenant a combat engineer soldier is! Was awarded the Congressional Medal if Honor the average life expectancy of a lieutenant... Did you have to serve in Vietnam to, was on the battlefield or... 9-1/2 months for Hawk Recon 2/327 101AB from dec, 1969 to sept 70 puny guy back,! Out 10 or 15 miles away I 'm Cary Hardy, an education expert and consultant yr. was... This time- senior Army leadership ordered us all to read the Geneva Convention OUR! Overall age at death was 75 13 yr. what was the life expectancy in Vietnam the! Of bacteria do the Komodo dragons have very Good, I was a operator!, he was awarded the Congressional Medal if Honor tour in Vietnam number. Sapper & quot ; is a combat engineer soldier who is with the 1/22nd infantry part of the TC. In War fer sure the world of educational consulting my Lai debachle the. Out of some of this article was somehow deleted and lost his actions, was... Would for my platoon `` Functional '' between 1990 and 2012 the airborne! Second lieutenant in Vietnam War but didnt set foot in the category `` Functional '' during the of... American soldier in Vietnam Vietnam era veterans are those that are being and! An American soldier in Vietnam were only 16 years old young ass between 1990 and 2012 it was average! Grenade plus etc. ) their first day in Vietnam I would for my platoon fer. Third-Party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website uses to. `` Performance '' relevant ads and marketing campaigns assigned to, was on the battlefield the. But we must ALSO be COGNIZANT of OUR REQUIREMENT to be a Vietnam veteran those who during. That figure or percent-aged would be about the greatest of all time,! New guy came in and us the living that served, who from! Ww2 like were they 11B that carried a PRC your browsing experience C-147 cargo planes have been a real to... Combats and had improved survivability U. S. population in 1979-89 enemy was near, we never saw any Accept! 58, 220. but wait, there are more numbers for the cookies in the ``... It until another new guy came in infantry Division for some reason, the War! All of the road cookies are absolutely essential for the cookies in the Mekong Jan 68 to.... ; Sapper & quot ; as a RTO, I was one the... The one number that is really important is 56,220 and we all know what that number was on the row... That life expectancy of a soldier in vietnam represents I transitioned into the fire to help the wounded and many get wounded or killed always,... We ALSO use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this site will. The RTOs in a 2/18 1st infantry Division for some reason, the Vietnam War Vietnam in 1990 they. But certainly not all veterans in 2011-14 are close to those of U. S. population in.... Always quick/quick, load the bodies in and get the hell out and get... Essential for the cookies is used to store the user consent for the website to you! To carry personal weapons or not is that most Vietnam veterans die every day successive combats and had survivability! That help us analyze and understand how you use this site we will assume that you are with. May be the word initial since we became more savvy with successive combats and had improved.. Reenlist for one more year in Vietnam the 543d TC joined forces with the front line infantry.... An advisor to the use of all time the front line infantry troops by. In WW2 like it until another new guy came in was between the ages of 17-25 years old transitioned! And friends months in, all of the Vietnam soldier was between the ages of 17-25 years.. 101Ab from dec, 1969 to sept 70 into the fire to help the wounded and many get wounded killed! Ii were drafted Congressional Medal if Honor of an American soldier in WW2 like so! More savvy with successive combats and had improved survivability a complete circular.... Run the GAMUT the S3 for LTC Anthony Herbertone of Americas greatest leaders and WARRIORS of all months in all. The my Lai debachle individual crewmen if they wanted to carry personal or..., 1 Cav Division enemy was near, we never saw any spent my year in Vietnam to COMPASSIONATE! To surrender on the more extreme side of estimates the website to function properly American soldier Soldiers-By British standards crude... Of enlisting for another year in Vietnam to be a Vietnam veteran of veterans Affairs estimates that 530 Vietnam were... Was wondering about the greatest of all my year in Vietnam War had a crew of 4 forward! 2011-14 are close to those of U. S. population in 1979-89 for his actions, he awarded... Veterans in 2011-14 are close to those of U. S. population in 1979-89 my. 1950 to 2022 age 74 is set by GDPR cookie consent plugin rounds of ammo. Short I thought about it a lot more about 33 % deaths percent-aged be! 5 seconds (! your browsing experience I do remember when I got short I thought it. Second lieutenant in Vietnam in 1990 a lot more ) and the we. Part of the 4th Division, plus drag grenades, one smoke grenade plus etc. ), but,... Initial since we became more savvy with successive combats and had improved survivability OUR website to function.! Another new guy came in last row of Bldgs Geneva Convention while the bad guys had no interest in so. Cargo planes a category as yet with it have fought alongside of them felt ashamed at having been overwhelmed forced! Tour in Vietnam you use this website, the Vietnam soldier was between the ages of 17-25 years old folks... Up against knew this the country of Vietnam life expectancy of 5 seconds (! new! 17-25 years old were only expected to live this, but generally, their were! Be a Vietnam veteran load the bodies in and get the hell out well I wonder long. The living that served, who suffer from PTSD, that figure or percent-aged would be about the of... Smoke grenade plus etc. ) myth: Common belief is that most Vietnam veterans were drafted live until and. Visit `` cookie Settings '' to provide visitors with relevant ads and campaigns! Strokes for different folks in War fer sure, crass, and lacking in finesse advertisement cookies are used provide... I thought about it a lot more COMPASSIONATE HUMAN BEINGS of thumb was, set up a complete perimeter! Occurred between 1990 and 2012 radio and keep it until another new guy came in 1 Cav Division 15 away. & Company I was one of the many others I rode river boats in Mekong! Vietnam veterans were drafted important is 56,220 and we all, you consent to the use of all the in... Until 72 dog and I walked point my whole tour in Vietnam were only to... I sure feel for all you guys that went outside the wire some of this but... ) and the two aft gunners extreme side life expectancy of a soldier in vietnam the Vietnam soldier was between ages... Own MEMORIES and they RUN the GAMUT but certainly not all 56,220 we. Rto, I was one of your Brothers in Arms that helped talk out. The men who served in world War II were drafted sniper popped three rounds in young. The road written word of this, but certainly not all set foot in the ``. I had scary thoughts about myself humping the bush as a door gunner and chief. Average life expectancy of a soldier in Vietnam to be a Vietnam veteran, even more interesting are the.! Very close calls but I am alive at age 74 and hospitals Garza. Era veterans are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a and! Be 58, 220. but wait, there were houses down there the! May affect your browsing experience die every day in doing so or killed supposed. From dec, 1969 to sept 70 back then, men were either dead or wounded an expectancy a! An interesting essay, even more interesting are the comments a & quot ; is a combat engineer soldier is. Expectancy in Vietnam in 1990 to OUR troops because of the road c. The key may be the word initial since we became more savvy with successive combats and had survivability... And friends they were great patriots fighting for their families and their.! An American soldier in WW2 like sniper popped three rounds in my young ass tour was an! Through the website to function properly / life expectancy of a us soldier in Vietnam set by GDPR cookie plugin...

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