35th Anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War

Started by cap235629, April 30, 2010, 09:34:30 PM

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cap235629

To all who served, Welcome Home!

Copied from a Facebook posting:

Since today is the 35th anniversary of the Official end to the VietNam war and since it was mis-reported back then and is still being mis-represented today, Here are the true facts:

"Of the 2,709,918 Americans who served in Vietnam, fewer than 850,000 are estimated to be alive today. The youngest American Vietnam veteran's age is approximated to be 54 years old."

How does it feel to be among the last 1/3rd of all the U.S. Vets who served in Vietnam? Don't know about you, but kinda gives me the chills, considering this is the kind of information we are used to reading about WWII and Korean War vets. The last 14 years we are dying too fast; only a few will survive by 2015, if any.

If true, 390 VN vets die a day. In 2190 days from today you're lucky to be a Vietnam veteran alive in only 6 years..

STATISTICS FOR INDIVIDUALS IN UNIFORM AND IN COUNTRY VIETNAM VETERANS:
(Taken from a variety of sources to include: The VFW Magazine, the Public Information Office, and the HQ CP Forward Observer - 1st Recon April 12, 1997.)

* 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam Era (August 5, 1964 - May 7, 1975).

* 8,744,000 GIs were on active duty during the war (Aug 5, 1964 - March 28,1973).

* 2,709,918 Americans served in Vietnam. This number represents 9.7% of their generation.

* 3,403,100 (Including 514,300 offshore) personnel served in the broader Southeast Asia Theater (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, flight crews based in Thailand, and sailors in adjacent South China Sea waters).

* 2,594,000 personnel served within the borders of South Vietnam (Jan 1,1965 - March 28, 1973). Another 50,000 men served in Vietnam between 1960 and 1964.

* Of the 2.6 million, between 1 - 1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in combat, provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack.

* 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam .

* Peak troop strength in Vietnam: 543,482 (April 30, 1968).

CASUALTIES:

The first man to die in Vietnam was James Davis in 1958. He was with the 509th Radio Research Station. Davis Station in Saigon was named for him.

Hostile deaths: 47,378

Non-hostile deaths: 10,800

Total: 58,202 (Includes men formerly classified as MIA and Mayaguez casualties). Men who have subsequently died of wounds account for the changing total.

8 nurses died -- 1 was KIA.

61% of the men killed were 21 or younger..

11,465 of those killed were younger than 20 years old.

Of those killed, 17,539 were married.

Average age of men killed: 23.1 years.

Enlisted: 50,274, average age 22.37 years

Officers: 6,598, average age 28.43 years.

Warrants: 1,276 24.73 years.

E1: 525, average age 20.34 years.

11B MOS: 18,465, average age 22.55 years.

Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old.

The oldest man killed was 62 years old.

Highest state death rate: West Virginia - 84.1% (national average 58.9% for every 100,000 males in 1970).

Wounded: 303,704 -- 153,329 hospitalized + 150,375 injured requiring no hospital care.

Severely disabled: 75,000. 23,214 were100% disabled; 5,283 lost limbs; 1,081 sustained multiple amputations.

Amputation or crippling wounds to the lower extremities were 300% higher than in WWII and 70% higher than Korea.

Multiple amputations occurred at the rate of 18.4% compared to 5.7% in WWII.

Missing in Action: 2,338.

POWs: 766 (114 died in captivity).

As of January 15, 2004, there are 1,875 Americans still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.

DRAFTEES VS. VOLUNTEERS:

25% (648,500) of total forces in country were draftees. (66% of U.S. armed forces members were drafted during WWII).

Draftees accounted for 30.4% (17,725) of combat deaths in Vietnam.

Reservists killed: 5,977.

National Guard: 6,140 served: 101 died.

Total draftees (1965 - 73): 1,728,344.

Actually served in Vietnam : 38% Marine Corps Draft: 42,633.

Last man drafted: June 30, 1973.

RACE AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND:

88.4% of the men who actually served in Vietnam were Caucasian; 10.6% (275,000) were black; 1% belonged to other races.

86.3% of the men who died in Vietnam were Caucasian (includes Hispanics);

12.5% (7,241) were black; 1.2% belonged to other races.

170,000 Hispanics served in Vietnam. 3,070 (5.2% of total) died there.

70% of enlisted men killed were of North-west European descent.

86.8% of the men who were killed as a result of hostile action were caucasian; 12.1% (5,711) were black; 1.1% belonged to other races.

14.6% (1,530) of non-combat deaths were among blacks.

34% of blacks who enlisted volunteered for the combat arms.

Overall, blacks suffered 12.5% of the deaths in Vietnam at a time when the percentage of blacks of military age was 13.5% of the total population.

Religion of Dead: Protestant -- 64.4%; Catholic -- 28.9%; other/none -- 6.7%

SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS:

Vietnam veterans have a lower unemployment rate than the same non-vet age groups.

Vietnam veterans' personal income exceeds that of our non-veteran age group by more than 18 percent.

76% of the men sent to Vietnam were from lower middle/working class backgrounds.

Three-fourths had family incomes above the poverty level; 50% were from middle income backgrounds.

Some 23% of Vietnam vets had fathers with professional, managerial or technical occupations.

79% of the men who served in Vietnam had a high school education or better when they entered the military service. 63% of Korean War vets and only 45% of WWII vets had completed high school upon separation.

Deaths by region per 100,000 of population: South -- 31%, West --29.9%; Midwest -- 28.4%; Northeast -- 23.5%.

DRUG USAGE & CRIME:

There is no difference in drug usage between Vietnam Veterans and non-Vietnam Veterans of the same age group. (Source: Veterans Administration Study).

Vietnam Veterans are less likely to be in prison - only one-half of one percent of Vietnam Veterans have been jailed for crimes.

85% of Vietnam Veterans made successful transitions to civilian life.

WINNING & LOSING:

82% of veterans who saw heavy combat strongly believe the war was lost because of lack of political will.

Nearly 75% of the public agrees it was a failure of political will, not of arms.

HONORABLE SERVICE:

97% of Vietnam-era veterans were honorably discharged.

91% of actual Vietnam War veterans and 90% of those who saw heavy combat are proud to have served their country.

74% say they would serve again, even knowing the outcome.

87% of the public now holds Vietnam veterans in high esteem..

INTERESTING CENSUS STATISTICS & THOSE TO CLAIM TO HAVE "Been There":

1,713,823 of those who served in Vietnam were still alive as of August,1995 (census figures).

During that same Census count, the number of Americans falsely claiming to have served in-country was: 9,492,958.

As of the current Census taken during August, 2000, the surviving U.S. Vietnam Veteran population estimate is: 1,002,511. This is hard to believe, losing nearly 711,000 between '95 and '00. That's 390 per day.

During this Census count, the number of Americans falsely claiming to have served in-country is: 13,853,027. By this census, FOUR OUT OF FIVE WHO CLAIM TO BE Vietnam vets are not.

The Department of Defense Vietnam War Service Index officially provided by The War Library originally reported with errors that 2,709,918 U.S. military personnel as having served in-country. Corrections and confirmations to this erred index resulted in the addition of 358 U.S. military personnel confirmed to have served in Vietnam but not originally listed by the Department of Defense. (All names are currently on file and accessible 24/7/365).

Isolated atrocities committed by American soldiers produced torrents of outrage from anti-war critics and the news media while Communist atrocities were so common that they received hardly any media mention at all. The United States sought to minimize and prevent attacks on civilians while North Vietnam made attacks on civilians a centerpiece of its strategy. Americans who deliberately killed civilians received prison sentences while Communists who did so received commendations.

From 1957 to 1973, the National Liberation Front assassinated 36,725 Vietnamese and abducted another 58,499. The death squads focused on leaders at the village level and on anyone who improved the lives of the peasants such as medical personnel, social workers, and school teachers. - Nixon Presidential Papers.

If you served, welcome home and hold your head up high.
Bill Hobbs, Major, CAP
Arkansas Certified Emergency Manager
Tabhair 'om póg, is Éireannach mé

bosshawk

thank you, Bill.  I have always held my head up high over my Viet Nam service, just as I have regarded my service in Germany and Korea in that same era.

Viet Nam: Dec 65 to Nov 66, 1st MI Bn, 526 MI Gp, J2 MACV.
Paul M. Reed
Col, USA(ret)
Former CAP Lt Col
Wilson #2777

wingnut55

I have been depressed all day thinking about how I felt that day watching the Soviet tank breaking down the fence. There having a celebration in Hollywood with Martin Sheen and it makes me sick. I lost several buddies on the Mayaguez debacle.

USAF 1972-1977
USAR 1984-1987

Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Secret Squirrel

m981

I remember reading that the NVA had more armor in their final offensive than Hitler sent into the then USSR in June of 1941. Can anyone verify?( sounds about right)
LTC. CAP
Spaatz
Wilson

bosshawk

I really don't have any authoritative data, one way or the other, but I doubt that statement.  I doubt that the NVA had that much armor in their entire inventory.  Probably no body even  bothered to count at that point.
Paul M. Reed
Col, USA(ret)
Former CAP Lt Col
Wilson #2777

BillB

Germany sent six Panzar Divisions into the initial attack on USSR. North Viet Nam had only 2 tank divisions in the entire inventory. Appeared that only one tank division entered South Viet Nam in that final push after the United States pulled out.
Gil Robb Wilson # 19
Gil Robb Wilson # 104

AC

Thank you for your post Bill.

I thought I was lucky to still be alive in 1967 when I got back from SEA. I guess I'm still lucky!

I appreciate the welcome homes I get when people these days meet me. Thanks again!

Terence Maroste      "We're Paratroopers, Lieutenant. We're
Maj, CAP                   supposed to be surrounded."
AEO
SWR-TX-293                  -Captain Richard Winters

capmaj

Thanks, Lt Hobbs (Bill)

USAF 1968-1972
6486th ABW

rmcmanus

Ive always remembered flying out of Tan Son Nhut (off of Plantation Road in the former Saigon) on March 29, 1973, however the date MAY have actually been the 28th considering the monumental time zone difference.  Whenever I encounter an individual who claims to have served I ask him "what was your DEROS."  If he cannot quickly shout the date without thinking, that creep is a liar.  Every Nam vet remembers the Date of Expected Return from Overseas Service.  I left on the second from last plane (11:15pm) on "X-61."  That's no lie.

bosshawk

Pretty true: my DEROS was 30 Nov, but I actually left on 18 Nov 1966.  165 howls of gratitude when the gear hit the wells on that TWA 707, once off the runway at Tan Son Nhut.  I think that another one was 9 July out of Korea and 13 July out of Germany: of course, different years.
Paul M. Reed
Col, USA(ret)
Former CAP Lt Col
Wilson #2777

tarheel gumby

I have to echo Bill's welcome home. I thank each and every one of you that served, I am humbled when I meet veterans that have served in Southeast Asia. I my hospitality career I have been honored to meet several former PO W's and one of them was a guest at the Hanoi Hilton in the cell next to John McCain's, that was a very moving moment for me. I can not express how much I  am awed by the spirit of all of these men and women. Thank you for all of your service and sacrifice.
Joseph Myers Maj. CAP
Squadron Historian MER NC 019
Historian MER NC 001
Historian MER 001