After extensive research of various mortality indexes and sources The American War Library estimates that approximately one-third of those who did serve in Vietnam (approximately 850,000) are alive today [18 Aug 2007]. In Vietnam 70% 0f the casualties were Infantry BUT it might be 70% of ALL the Infantry that . As not enough experienced men could be found to make a whole mountain division, soldiers were transferred from the 30th, 31st, 33rd, and 89th Infantry Divisions. The concept of the door gunner originated during the Vietnam War, when helicopters were first used in combat in large numbers. Tommy and I bunked next to each other. So, in no particular order, here are 10 of the most dangerous military jobs. (Vietnam veterans are dying at about the same rate as their WW2 fathers.) 1. Life expectancy was short only 45 days, on average, Ordua said. The voting age in the United States changed from twenty-one to eighteen in 1971. The income differentials in life expectancy for Veterans in 2011-14, however, are estimated to be smaller. Vietnam veterans' personal income exceeds that of our non-veteran age group by more than 18 percent. 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. Here are 10 of the most dangerous: 1. For US Vietnam Veterans it's about 66 years vs just about 78 years for non vets. Take care, GG They either had the mentality to adapt and survive the situation, or they did not. During most of the Vietnam War, nineteen-year-olds were not even allowed to vote. He scratched vigorously at a multitude of mosquito bites and then brushed off several biting red ants that had found their way inside. Capital "Tiger" Infantry Divisionthe group also found . The youngest, Marine Private First Class Dan Bullock, was only 15 years old, lying about his age to enlist. The oldest man listed on the wall is 63 year old Army Sergeant First Class Dwaine U. McGriff. Chris served with the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam in 1968-69. 76% of the men sent to Vietnam were from lower middle/working class backgrounds. 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. As of 2012 figures. Please SUPPORT my work on Patreon: https://bit.ly/2LT6opZ Visit my 2ND CHANNEL: https://bit.ly/2ILbyX8 Facebook: https://bit.ly/2INA7yt Twitter: https://b. airborne and their other best died in Lam Son 719-US Army Infantry were forbidden entry to Laos in 71.. . If that is a squad, the smallest of the ten would do it and the rest of us would protect him the best we could. They were held in special regard after the Normandy landings, when 225 Rangers scaled cliffs at Pointe Du Hoc on June 6, 1944 under intense enemy fire. Leader's have received some of the highest casualty . The Regiment traces its lineage back to World War II. units were in short supply in Vietnam because the Army at first didn't think there would be a great need for them. The CACF is the basis for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall): Average age of 58,148 killed in Vietnam was 23.11 years. Around September 1965, a general visited the construction site where my . His first tour was in 1962 and his last in 1971. The average infantryman in Vietnam saw about 240 days of combat in one year thanks to the mobility of the helicopter. Vietnam Soldier A Year of my life webadminvietnam 2019-02-03T09:15:30-06:00. Army Infantrymen (11B) are the main land combat force, and known as "Eleven Bravo.". Yes, the US military has changed its organization since WW2, but the casualty breakdown of the Army in WW2 mirrors those %'s fairly closely with 2LTs accounting for 2.5% of all non-Air Corps Army deaths in WW2. estimated education differentials in life expectancy for Veterans in 2011-14 are close to those of U. S. population in 1979-89. He maintained a website VietnamSoldier.com . Primarily the reserve of infantry units (although additional branches or cap badges, such as the artillery, engineers and cavalry can also fulfil this role), riflemen act as the literal boots on the ground of any military operation. panel 38W line 71. . . I traveled to Fort Lewis, Washington, and trained there for 10 months before deploying to Vietnam as . Richard Blair, served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War working as a "tunnel rat.". Read Our Guide: How to Apply Military Experience to Civilian Resume. Most war stories are about soldiers and battles. I was drafted on Nov. 10, 1965, and assigned to the 4th Infantry Division. U.S. Air Force pararescuemen and a simulated 'survivor' watch as an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter comes in for a landing. Most Soviet soldiers died within a day of their arrival at Stalingrad. Vietnam Soldier: A Year of My Life . (Although 58,169 names are in the Nov. 93 database, only 58,148 have both event date and birth date. I'm thinking about (and have been) joining Infantry in a year or so, which sucks having to wait on things to finish in life before I can move on. No war is easy for those who fight it and each conflict brings its own challenges. A report in 1999 shows Australian Vietnam Veterans life expectancy at 56 years. Rarely do we examine war through the unique bond between a man and his weaponin this case the M60 machine gun. Other fillers came from inactivated armored infantry or tank destroyer units. Additionally, when you are looking for a specific report for your unit, many times the report you are looking for is listed under another unit. Your doing good for an old man! Of the 58,256 Americans listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the average age is 22.8 years old. 76% of the men sent to Vietnam were from lower middle/working class backgrounds. A typical day for a 12B, in garrison, is PT (physical training) first, then personal hygiene, get in uniform, eat breakfast, then be in formation around 8:45 to 9:00 AM. Some 23% of Vietnam vets had fathers with professional, managerial I remember that Tunnel Rats had the lowest life expectancy, Officers and Corpsmen, were on . The CACF is the basis for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall): Average age of 58,148 killed in Vietnam was 23.11 years. Leader's have received some of the highest casualty . By Sp4 Chuck Colgan / John Podlaski. The incredibly important role in the U.S. Army is responsible for defending the country through real-life combat. . He was 23 years old. If you were a new guy, your life expectancy was 3 weeks. Chapter 3. After the open (Although 58,169 names are in the Nov. 93 database, only 58,148 have both event date and birth date. Vietnam War soldiers. The Vietnam War saw the highest proportion of African-American soldiers in the US military up to that point. The original personnel who served as early door gunners aboard CH-21, UH-34, and UH-1 helicopters in Vietnam, were enlisted men, with a designated and specially trained crew chief serving as both the aircraft's maintenance manager and a door gunner. Combat Engineers are combat troops, they do not have a "job" to go to after PT in the morning. In other words, the "average" officer completed his entire 13 month tour alive. in Russell County. - average life span of females in US: 81.73 - average life span of males in US: 75.81 - average life span of (females + males); 78.70 What is the average life span of cattle? It begins by defining primary, secondary, and tertiary . Additionally, the American War Library approximated that around 164,000 Americans who served at . Then to what ever training is on for the day. Since 1988 The War Library has been working to verify . My friend, Tommy Lamm, and I reported for medic training at Ft Sam Houston in San Antonio on January 2, 1967 after two weeks at home for Christmas. There are literally Thousands of reports spanning 10 years of the Vietnam War, from 1965 to 1975, far too many to list individually on any one web site. Fact: The average infantryman in the South Pacific during World War II saw about 40 days of combat in four years. For instance, statistics from the Combat Area Casualty File (CACF) as of November 1993 show that an average army infantry life expectancy for 11B MOS killed in Vietnam was 22.55 years. (Petty Officer 2nd Class . The life expectancy of a "tunnel rat" in Vietnam was three seconds. The average age of American troops in Vietnam was nineteen, compared to an average age of twenty-six for U.S. soldiers in World War II (1939-45). Well, since the overwhelming majority of officers (as well as all other ranks) came home alive from Vietnam, and the usual tour length was around 13 months, it would seem that the "average" life expectancy would have been well over 12 months. "The Rangers pulled themselves over the top," President Ronald Reagan said of the men, in 1984. At the height of the Vietnam War, up-and-coming commo guys who wanted to learn the art of radio operation would walk into a classroom and see a huge number f. "And in seizing the firm land at the . Vietnam veterans' personal income exceeds that of our non-veteran age group by more than 18 percent. With such a statistic it is amazing Richard Blair survived 18 months scurrying through enemy tunnels, but today at the age of 75 he struggles with memories and health issues from . During the period of the Vietnam War, well over half of African American draft registrants were found ineligible for military service . Some 23% of Vietnam vets had fathers with professional, managerial in Stalingrad during WW2, the average life expectancy of a Soviet soldier was 24 hours and that of an entire air squadron, one week. It is constructed with pictures of US Army troops, Vietnam soldiers and Vietnamese civilians. Other soldiers came from the 3rd, 41st, and 44th Infantry Divisions. He is now known on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial ("the Wall") as James Gregory Brady 28jan48 27nov68 Sacramento Ca. Ft Sam is in the city limits of San Antonio and includes the huge Brooke Army Hospital Complex. life span of only 30 minutes. ADVANCED TRAINING What a medic really has to do. I was finally told years later that none of the 25th Infantry Division troops who were aboard the chopper had been killed. At 0430 Hours, on January 23, 1968, Patterson reported to Lt. Col. Charles "Charlie" Beckwith, the commander of 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne. Vietnam War soldiers endured many hardships and faced many problems. U.S. Army SP4 Joseph LaPointe Jr. sacrificed his life by using his own body as a shield in an attempt to save a wounded soldier on June 2, 1969. During the Vietnam War, and in previous wars fought by the United States Army, such as the Korean War, WWII, WWI, Spanish-American of 1898, etc. Three-fourths had family incomes above the poverty level; 50% were from middle income backgrounds. In other words, half of Vietnam-era veterans will be dead by late 2024. A husky, blonde haired soldier rises from his air mattress, quickly shedding his nightly cocoon, a damp, green camouflaged poncho liner, from around his body. . Here are statistics from the Combat Area Casualty File (CACF) as of November 1993. F ALL THE INFANTRY !!! I served in Vietnam 68 and 69 with the Bravo 1/3 FO team and a few other 'snoopin and poopin' units. During the Vietnam War, and in previous wars fought by the United States Army, such as the Korean War, WWII, WWI, Spanish-American of 1898, etc. The #1 contributor to casualties were the green troops who lacked the experience that the veterans would give them. "My mother died of . mr G777 2,458 2 Jan 09, 2010 #5 ggold7211 wrote: G, Your going it make to 90. Life expectancy in the United States is 78.6 years (CDC) So, the apex Vietnam-era veteran will be 78.6 around Sep. 26, 2024. Life expectancy at birth. Another 2.2% of the entire military is an O-2 (Army 2.4%, Marines 1.9%) and 5.4% are O-3s (Army 5.2%, Marines 3.5%). Veteran: Greg Gorrell, age 74 Branch: United States Army Service period: April 1966 to Nov. 30, 1967 Ashland County's Greg Gorrell saw his share of tragedy early in life. Though comprising 11% of the US population in 1967, African Americans were 16.3% of all draftees. Soldiers also act in the mobilization of vehicles, weaponry, troops, and more. McGriff survived serious injuries in 1970 at . For officers it was a slightly higher three days. For 20 years I lived with the thought that all the infantry aboard had died. For instance, statistics from the Combat Area Casualty File (CACF) as of November 1993 show that an average army infantry life expectancy for 11B MOS killed in Vietnam was 22.55 years. I always was told that the life expectancy of a LT was 14 seconds in INITIAL combat versus 9 seconds for an RTO. Milan, 73, served several tours in Vietnam as part of the Army's Special Forces, 173rd and 101st Infantry Divisions. Three-fourths had family incomes above the poverty level; 50% were from middle income backgrounds. If you look at all of the things the radio operators were tasked with, it becomes abundantly clear why commo guys weren't expected to last long. Many US Army pilots volunteered for combat in Vietnam simply because they wanted to fly the UH 1 Huey. Rifleman. US soldiers call for a medical evacuation during an operation. and most units that served in Vietnam. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. For example, life expectancy of male and female Veterans with household incomes less than $20,000, at respectively. Pararescue. Combat Medic Combatants on both sides faced physical challenges posed by the climate, terrain and wildlife of the country. The UH-1 evolved from a 1955 US Army competition for a new utility helicopter.The Army employed it in various roles, including that of an armed escort or attack gunship in Vietnam.The initial Army designation was HU-1, which led to the common unofficial nickname of "Huey." Here are statistics from the Combat Area Casualty File (CACF) as of November 1993. If you survived the 3 weeks, your life expectancy was to survive the war.