All I know is that Im a Vietnam Combat Vet. The article states that The youngest Vietnam Veteran is aged in the late 60s today. Yep feet never left the ground except to do my mos. Alice, my sister lost hers in Oct 2020 from throat cancer due to agent Orange. I was on LZ Bayonet during 1970 and experienced many of the things you described. The now call them Vietnam era veterans. I don't know about you guys, but it kind of gives me the chills. Got home after the war, never spoke about my service, never went hunting again, never cut my feeling back on! Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. AFAIC, anyone within the bounds of South Vietnam was on the ground. In or out of a compound or an LZ or anywhere else. The NOISE ringing in my ears, the torment, the muggy damn heat, and the distance echo of gunfire ALL STOPPED! Age: 84. 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. I was out of my earthly shell. This accurate accounting gives us persepective on the cost of current and future wars. RVN. How many Vietnam veterans are still alive? (2023) I raised my left leg and body up and pushed off that knee with my left hand. They lost about 20 men KIA in late January, many captured. i know what a combat veteran is. There are still a lot of us left by some miracle! next with 1st of 12th cav. I was there in 1969. Around 2.7 million troops were stationed in Vietnam either on land, within its airspace, or in its waters. Some advisors embassy guards, but all combat units left. to believe, losing nearly 711,000 between '95 and '00. My government murdered me. I didnt know that. Apparently, its been agreed upon that 800,000 Vietnam veterans had passed away by the year 2000. Who is the oldest living Vietnam veteran? But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. why not compare them?. 101st Airborne Division 69-70 It was a free-fire zone, and a nearby flight of gunships was engaged in shooting up the western valley. How many Vietnam vets die each day? - nobelvoice.com I do not know how many others served with us. Videos, Film, Music, and Movies about VN War, Author interview War & Life: Discussions with a Veteran, A Chat Between Three Veterans [live video with author], Lest We Forget Meet the Authors & Book Signing April 4th: Cherries and Donut Dolly, Interview with author John Podlaski in Examiner Magazine, American Heroes Radio interviews author of Cherries A Vietnam War Novel, Cherries Author Interviewed on British Website, U.K. Blogspot posts interviews author, John Podlaski, More Book Reviews and author interviews about Cherries, https://news.va.gov/89450/vietnam-war-veterans-honoring-served-memorial-day-2021/, https://cherrieswriter.com/2015/11/13/lost-to-history-the-canadians-who-fought-in-vietnam/, Three maps remind us of the horror of the Vietnam War WebInvestigator.KK.org by F. Kaskais, Three maps remind us of the horror of the Vietnam War | Self Improvement Life Hacks, Three maps remind us of the horror of the Vietnam War | Top Pin Answers, A Day in the Life of an Infantry Point Man in Vietnam. 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. ho, i could not . We dont forget, and resent the tail gating by those who, during the war, did all they could to avoid it, and now desperately hope others will conveniently forget this fact, and give them some of the respect they never earned. My number one issue is running into a FAKE. I was drafted and sent to Germany 66-68 because of the Vietnam War in the 4Armored Division. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on the specific situation and the individual's age, health, and military experience. All Lawyer adds is for 2 percent, do you think that this was a greater risk for Cancer. Exiting the jungle, still at the foot of the mountain opposite from my defenses; the mountains bulk acted as a radio barrier between help from S3 at Enari or the SFs at the Ville. With the Americal after I got back I had maps. I have VSM on my DD215 which deleted the AFEM on my DD214. I have one, but I fought a ferocious battle at FSB Gold at the beginning of Operation Junction II March 21, 1967, the artillery guys in Vietnam were every bit an infantryman as well, they suffered mortar & rocket attacks, enemy probes and attacks They were lucky in some ways that they did not have to crawl through the shit every day. I served in Vietnam from Jul 68 to Jul 69. Yep we got briefings then helloed into some ridge in who knows where. The New York Times, as always, gets it wrong. Depends on where you were. a clerk typist got benefits. 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. 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. Does anyone else remember ? There were 7 RoyalThai Air Force bases used during the war, from 1961-1975, three closed between 1972 to 1973. nearly every classmate from the academy served on some basis during the vn war. How Many Vietnam War Veterans Are Still Alive? We all started getting heart attacks around the same time. This was with conversations with them while waiting our turn to be seen in the VA. 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. Please do all you can to inform our fellow vets that the VA presumes Agent Orange exposure if you were in-country. when we carried peaches and beer, no problem. I would not believe the NYT. To my understanding, Army aviation unitsAssault Companies, Cav Troops, ARA units etc., had the highest casualty rates of any TO & E unit in Vietnam. There was a huge difference between tours of duty also. 9.2 million served on active duty (5 August 1964 to 7 May 1975) 2,590,000 served in the combat zone. Vietnam Veteran ages range from 55 to 97 years old. The term I like to use is Together We Served. But Officers do not get CIBs But for those Cav troopers who know I have my Spurs. In my mirror I saw its beam illuminate each and every particle of dust that my passing vehicle spewed into the air; thus creating a mobile, magical, camouflaged chamber of brightly dancing fairies shielding me from harm. CIB. Kenneth, your definition of combat veteran is so wrong on so many levels that it would be funny if it did not besmirch the service of so many good men, alive and dead. Mark Stanley was gone. We all bleed red. We need a better more definitive for VIETNAM Vet. I began to think that was the excuse for NOT being in combat. It allows the website owner to implement or change the website's content in real-time. Or did you spend 24/7 365 days in the boat? Serving in combat waters. 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. Some idiot in DC decided to do this. Combat veteran means far more than having a CIB. Tom Selleck. one of the ships i sailed on had a captain that was drunk for 5 months. I think its just a generalization but should be cleared. Combat Veterans know who they are, pretenders know that they are not.. retired university professor fired on coming up river, a few other things. Plane had 4 engines and rarely got shot up although we did have a pilot get a 50 in the leg. Ive seen start dates for the VN war as 1954, 1959, 1961, 1964 and 1965. Interestingly, the research concludes that Vietnam veterans seem to be dying at a similar rate to World War II veterans. The VA researchers analyzed the death certificates of 21 states to create the 2010 national estimate for veterans from all age groups. you tell me. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Age: 77. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 530 Vietnam veterans die every day. The disparity seems to be In Theatre veterans between the years 1954-1975, and veterans in the Military at that time that were not deployed, or NOT In Theatre! Anyone suggesting that only a CIB award means you were a combat veteran is very uninformed The Battle of Soui Tre March 21, 1967 the men of the 2/77 Artillery were every bit infantry as well as Arty that day and many many other FSB battles. But having spent a little time thinking about it, I go with the 2m figure. 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. 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. I was driving the OPs 3/4-ton, 4X4 truck down the main dirt highway from Camp Enari entering the Ville and Mark Stanley was a passenger in the cab. Thanks for your responses. Scavenger said you had to be fired on in viet nam to be a veteran. I got the disability benefits at age 79. 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. Last troops departed on 29 March, 1973. Were you at Saigon firebase when guys set off grenade in APC ? Lost my Vet to Leukemia just after this count was done. I actually vollenteered to go to NAM. I can tell you that those who served in Thailand should definitely be considered Vietnam Vets. A Vietnam Era Veteran is everyone who was serving in the military while the Vietnam War was going on. The average lifespan of a door gunner on a Huey in Vietnam was just two weeks. How Many Vietnam Veterans Are Still Alive? - MilitaryPerson.com Divarty (how ironic), and with my DEROS (Date I returned to the States) in the end of May boarding The BIG Bird, flying across the Pond and back to the World! the merchant marine needed every officer and sailor they could find. About 15 out of every 100 Vietnam veterans (15%) were currently diagnosed with PTSD when the most recent study of . Why the Shame? I know what I did while there in 1975, protecting USAF resources and aiding in the support of many end of the war mission. You would think the services would know how many were assigned to RVN and direct support of RVN, wouldnt you?? makes no diff, if you were a grunt or cook. Excellent questions. (How Convenient), Hi. Yes, there are fuckyou lizards. The stroke wasnt assumed until after 2000 & heart not until 2010. However, like it or not, the U.S. government makes the final decisions on who is officially considered a war veteran and thats really the way it HAS to be. Should you have a question or comment about this article, then scroll down to the comment section below to leave your response. one yearA tour of duty in Vietnam for most ground forces lasted one year. My body, accompanied by my mind, was pitched out the right-side door, sliding between the seat and under the dashboard to land on the shoulder of the dirt road alone. 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. However, he did not return to the United States until March 22, 1979. Just because some idiot politician or people want to say you were not a war vet unless you saw combat dont feel bad most of those people found ways to evade even getting drafted. Be content with your service, and leave it there. September 27, 2022 by Editorial Team. I believe you mean the malaria pill was once a week. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. for myself, being bored sometimes, and anxious to see and do more, i volunteered and went on a number of supply missions to the fire bases. 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 like 75 percent of Vietnam veterans still living and breathing today. But having said that, here are some sources: There were approx. Agent Orange was sprayed on the Jungle areas, and Melathion (Insecticide) was sprayed on Base Camps. In fact, the first two advisors (MAJ Dale Buis and MSG Chester Ovnand) killed by the enemy died in an attack on their base near Bien Hoa on July 8, 1959. Only believing what Fox & Friends has to say is really what you need to question Most things in the NYT does get critical peer review and push back when questionable Fox NOT SO, look at the crap coming out of Tucker Carlson, now that is scary extreme BS, The picture tells far more than a Thousand Words, it is that thousand yard stare, and any veteran who was out there can fill in the blanks of what they were thinking at that moment Offshore ocean sailing is a lot like being out trucking thru the jungle Minutes , hours day upon day of monotony and boredom, interrupted by moments of fright & terror I know that thousand yard stare, and many a time since I have found myself back there in my mind, staring at whatever and seeing nothing but what was in my mind. Fact: Everyone who served during the Vietnam War are classified as Vietnam Era Vets. at DaNang If we came in they set up tents to sleep in and had a big blivet bag for a shower. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The number of Viet Nam veterans, those who served in combat and combat related services (such those flyboys from outside the territory/waters of Viet Nam is about 2.7 million. This is a suicide rate of 1 EVERY 65-80 minutes (APPROX). Forget 1954, let use a true date of 1962 (first advisors) Everyone that served and was in combat which means they were in the line of fire (received it and returned it in some form or fashion) deal with their dark side in various ways. How many Canadian WWII veterans are still alive? 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. You go, brother! Anyone who served during or because of The Vietnam War IS a Vietnam War Veteran. Active duty 70-71, Quang Tri, Khe Sahn, Danny. I had several Canadians in our Company in Vietnam. I served in Quang Tri (70-71) and took two types of Malaria pills. We just hoped the pilot put us where we were supposed to be. As a child I knew several WWII veterans. 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. And your comment about Agent Orange shows that you have no understanding of how the chemical poisoned everyone who set foot in Vietnam. 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. Veteran Suicide Data and Reporting - Mental Health I always ask those who claim to be Compare yourself to the Marines at Fallujah, if they are a 10, what number are you, Thanks for your comment! Again, I see a jumbled view of jungle and sky, and vaguely see a solitary soldier standing over me. Tell it like it is. 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. Some, like myself did not serve a full 12month tour. Decades after the fall of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) many former soldiers still wonder why they were fighting. The dust settled back to normality, as if man did not exist. Through my blood-covered face, I could not distinguish whom! In 1995 Vietnam released its official estimate of the number of people killed during the Vietnam War: as many as 2,000,000 civilians on both sides and some 1,100,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters. The politicians and fake news along with the Berkeley professors lost it for the American people after that. It could be a Yard, Don Porier, or a sapper. I went into shock and lost conscienceless. Served until April 28, 1968 !!!!!! Reports from the Department of Veterans Affairs say about 240 300 World War II veterans are still alive in 2021. SFC Chester D Carpenter, I liked it very much this war was up close and personal to me I first thought if the French were there for over twenty years what could we do from the beginning this was a war about money and troops paying the high price in blood I will not name names but Agt Orange was used in Korea they knew how harmful it was I had two personal losses my Navy pilot and my best friend a Marine he came home but never could come to terms with life again, John, I need to talk to you about this article. waited and waited for our slot in port. I can assure you there will be those of us alive longer than 10 years from now. 240 300 World. Era vets are important but dont count. Who really cares who stepped foot on land. I used this experience and we cut down the Helicopter replacement time from about 2 1/2 weeks to 2 to 4 days. Everyone knows this. Mekong Delta US Army 1969. many US MILITARY PERSONNELL served in Afghanistan from the start to when the last GI got on the last plane/helicopter out. they sucked. I went on about 500 missions. Phill Coleman, who surfaced in the very early days of the Internet, and has been profiting from veterans (first Vietnam, now all) for years. 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. 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. Therefore there are a lot fewer combat veterans from Vietnam. Still, the American War Library continues to verify their accounts and come to more concrete conclusions. it is branded on you. 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. Im a 1967-68 Vietnam combat veteran. How many Vietnam veterans died from Agent Orange? If you are a pretender go stand in front of the mirror and tell that lie one more time so you can watch yourself steal the respect from an actual COMBAT VETERAN A/3/22 3rd Brigade 4th ID Dau Tieng 12/66 to 1/68. It served my pain well as a lifeless, mean spirited dark soul destroying everything in front of me. Presently, I approached the road to the top of PDL hill, and I was thinking what a beautiful day this would have been if this were some other place in some other world. The Korean War was not supported by the ENTIRE nation, actually that is why it is known as the Forgotten War. 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. So, nearly 300,000 over the 14 years of their operations, a far cry above the 2500-3000 referenced in the article. Mike. We all figured it was a Combat death. So Huey pilots and crew were REMFs. The 30 September 2007 Veterans Administration estimate places the daily deaths of WWII US veterans at 1,000 per day. Statistics on PTSD in Veterans | US News This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. If you have any doubts, take a closer look at your DD-214. How many REAL Vietnam vets are alive today? - American War Library Do I count as one or three Vietnam Veterans? If they enlisted or were drafted before 1975, they likely are in their late 60s now. Which Statement Best Describes How Americans In The 1960S Felt About The Vietnam War? These numbers do not include the Americans who served in Vietnam during World War II. he was wearing his VIETNAM ERA VETERAN cover. ooops !!!! maybe, maybe not. Or is this a total number of vets with all the other countries that supported us . GREAT 997 soldiers997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam .

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