life expectancy of an infantry soldier in vietnam

Our battalion operated at a base camp near Tuy Hoa in Phu Yen province along the South China Sea from October 1966 to January 1967. We were in2dBn 503d . My 31-months in-country was in three Direct Support US Army aviation units, 15TC BN, First Cav, 335TH, Americal and 17TH Cav 101ST ABD65-71In the last battle I was directly involved, LAM SON 719, into Laos, cost army aviation units over 600-helicopters shot down or battle damagedthe NVA were waiting for our SECRET mission in early 71I was glad to go home at battles end, in March 71 , almost unscathed, I was TDY for my absurd third tourTo the point, many ARVN Rangers, airborne and their other best died in Lam Son 719US Army Infantry were forbidden entry to Laos in 71.. the ARVN were massacredand many US Army pilots and crew mambers were KIA & WIAeven MIA. PLEASE HELP!!! I sure feel for all you guys that went outside the wire. Anxiously extending the bipod legs on the M60, I added a 100-round belt to the one I already had in the gun. Out of thousands of men that invaded that town in southern Afghanistan, we have lost 19. We do have infantry (why do you think we have that MOS? There were no Americans involved in any capacity. 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. According to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) there are now officially 58, 318 names on the wall. In Service to My Men | Article | The United States Army How many soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam? - 2023 101st Airborne Division. I was also told that the Radio did put a target on my back. The helicopter provided unprecedented mobility. So I guess i lasted longer than I was supposed to. Fact: 2/3 of the men who served in Vietnam were volunteers. There were also wounded. Thanks for the reply. Ordered to reinforce the unit, the Company B commander put our four platoons abreast of each other, and we marched west. I lost my cherry very early. None of the enlisted grades have an average age of less than 20. 1st Platoon, C Company, 2nd Battalion 327th Infantry. They were glad to see me as it had been a while for replacements with the unit. An infantry platoon commander in combat had an average of 6 weeks life expectancy. I, in turn, would take an M16 rifle, which felt like a feather in comparison. One of them gazed in our direction, lowered his AK 47 assault rifle and fired six shots. As we approached the battle, we heard intense firing. The early days of May 1970, I arrived at the Airport, next to Saigon. Papitto Opportunity Connections Mission: The Papitto Opportunity Connection (POC) is a private foundation dedicated to listening and working together with Rhode Islands BIPOC communities to empower and create individual success stories by investing in education, job skills training, and entrepreneurial ventures. !We dont abuse prisoners Now, if he reaches for his weapon to continue the fight BLOW HIS ASS AWAY THIS AINT SUNDAY SCHOOL!!! Address: 561 E Hines Hill Road Hudson, Ohio 44236 Phone: 1-800-650-0659 / 330-655-5050 Fax: 330-653-3750 Email: [emailprotected], Retail Store Hours: Monday-Friday: 9am - 5pm EST Saturdays: 10am -3pm (Oct-Jan) Sundays: Closed. The gas-operated, belt-fed gun had a maximum rate of fire of 550-650 rounds per minute. Everyone in the company hit the dirt. In the First Armored Division, now part of the 23rd Infantry Division, commonly known as the Americal Division, combat medics were called into action every day because the fighting was now. I would carry when on ambush. I pumped 200 rounds into that riverbank. Also, it would mean the killed RTOs died within seconds of the fight (it doesnt distinguish between ambush or regular fight, eg. Activated in 1915, as the 173rd Infantry Brigade, the unit saw service in World War II but is best known for its actions during the Vietnam War. Great information. African Americans played a prominent role in the Vietnam War. Proudly holding my M60 over my head, I screamed at the top of my lungs, No. Interesting, I carried a Prick 25, for 2 months. 4. Oh, and even the Air Force has ground units. In that time 4 us kia and 4 wounded. It resulted in the death of some 45,000 NVA troops and the complete, if not total destruction of the Viet Cong elements in South Vietnam. As of the current Census taken during August, 2000, the surviving U.S. Vietnam Veteran population estimate is: 1,002,511. Back in 1965, I was a door gunner on Medevac recovery operations. If you have other information let me know. Some very close calls but I am alive at age 74. %%EOF I was lucky too but VN never left me. where can i find red bird vienna sausage? the life expectancy of a LT in Vietnam in major combat was 16 minutes. Four platoons in a rifle company. If youre a foreigner, I respect what you think, but make sure you read ALL your facts, and dont come to rash conclusion until you know everything from BOTH sides. Your article was quite interesting. May they rest in peace. wias. Startled, I quickly pointed my M60 at them. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. As I carried a PRC25 radio for over seven-months in the > Nam, I was curious to find out what I did RIGHT to surv >, One MOS I figured was a sure short timer was POL{Fuel} Truck Driver. Moving west down the trail, 4th Platoon exchanged fire with a single NVA soldier, then a handful and finally a group of about 10-15 around noon. U.S. Wings is a manufacturer and a supplier. _____ 1. aND, mAY GOD BLESS AMERICA!!! Our home base was Quang Tri fire Base, But I spent about 6 months out at Mai Loc with the rig. Hack volunteered for service in Vietnam in 1968, joining the 1st Infantry Division. They kept coming up the hill bringing more bodies to me until all seven had been found. Please do not send samples. This is hard to believe, losing nearly 711,000 between 95 and 00. I wasnt aware that they kept life expectancy statistics. What was the average life expectancy of a soldier in battle on - Quora I was a helicopter pilot Your email address will not be published. Expenditures for a body in a combat zone? As soon as he did, a round hit him in the forehead, blowing out the back of his skull. To cut the Ho Chi Minh Traila week after the mission endedthe trail was booming with business from the north.. Explore the Life of a U.S. Infantryman in Vietnam. I carried the PRC-25 for most of a year. Non-divisional aeromedical evacuation units went by the callsign DUSTOFF. 17 photos showing the life of an elite US Army Ranger As I made it back to the road I remember seeing the It was the silent power of the pig, I suppose. The man with the carbine immediately dropped it, and the two VC surrendered. We were like sitting Ducks. So I guess I defied the odds. I couldnt disagree. I had yet to fire a shot with No. I have a fried Who is killed in Vietnam six months before I got there cause of death was other how would I find out since his parents are long gone, Do a search for his name n Coffeltdatabase.org, Sir, would you mind me translating this into Spanish and getting it posted in our blog? Often as not he was right beside you with a stolen chicken and a bag of rice. It weighed 24 pounds, was 43.5 inches long and had bipod legs that folded down to stabilize the weapon when firing from a prone position. We went out typically in two boat patrols one lead one cover . An interesting essay, even more interesting are the comments. I was a REMF but Ive heard of 05Cs that were stuck out in the boonies on a firebase. Then the tempo changed suddenly and violently. Dap, Hope this helps. While I was in training, my motivation was to get these wings and I wear them today proudly, the airman recalled in 2015. 4 Paul Domke, who carried extra belts of ammo and fed them into the gun. Learned a lot from him. One out of every 10 Americans who served in Vietnam was a casualty. Assigned to HHC 1/77 Armor, 1st, BDE 5th Inf. As far as I knew that was done in the whole battalion in 1968 . I watched in horror as four NVA soldiers ambled through the branches of a downed tree that partially concealed us. And dug Berms, in the area. That was a hell of a responsibility to take on. endstream endobj startxref Fact: The average infantryman in the South Pacific during World War II saw about 40 days of combat in four years. How Many Vietnam War Veterans Are Still Alive? Shea's gallantry in action at the cost of his life were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon . Unable to reach Company A, my company pulled back, formed a perimeter and called in air and artillery support. That was supposed to be 58, 220. but wait, there are more numbers for the same story. B)Enter the the Ksp expression forC2D3 in terms of the molar solubility x. Jimmy aaja -M.I.A. The Republic of Vietnam lost 1,018 aircraft and helicopters from January 1964 to September 1973. Change). We all die, so its not even worth worrying about when in my opinion, id rather do something that i knew was worth it and risk dieing instead of living in fear of death. What Is The Average Life Expectancy Of A Vietnam Veteran? Comments were more interesting than the article it self. The average time lapse between wounding to hospitalization was less than one hour. The average man who fought in World War II was 26 years of age. Foot soldiers went by the grace of God, but had a better chance than the infantry platoon commander in combat. A Co, 1/5 Cav, 1 Cav Division. I was one of the lucky ones I came home without a physical scratch. What was the average life expectancy for soldiers during World War 2 What unit lost the most soldiers in Vietnam? 2 tour Nam Vet, The Navys First Vietnamese Admiral Saw His Family Killed by an Infamous Viet CongGuerrilla, The Navy's First Vietnamese Admiral Saw His Family Killed by an Infamous Viet Cong Guerrilla, A Day in the Life of an Infantry Point Man in Vietnam, The Story behind the famous Saigon Execution Photo. Without that commitment, Communism would have swept all the way to the Malacca Straits that is south of Singapore and of great strategic importance to the free world. Cause-specific . The machine gun was also mounted in the UH-1 Huey helicopter and other Army aircraft. Which soldier had the shortest life-expectancy? - Quora From a military standpoint, it was almost an unprecedented performance. It began just as, it was getting dark. A dense mass of elephant grass hung over the riverbank, and he ducked under it. Although the percent that died is similar to other wars, amputations or crippling wounds were 300 percent higher than in World War II. However, inaccurately reported, the News Media made the Tet Offensive famous. 240 men were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War. But it was my jobso I tried not to think about it much. 2. What were the life expectancies of soldiers during the VietnamWar? The CDC Vietnam Experience Study Mortality Assessment showed that during the first 5 years after discharge, deaths from suicide were 1.7 times more likely among Vietnam veterans than non-Vietnam veterans. Suddenly, I heard my name shouted from the Company B command group. I had a 20% death rate in my Hospital Corpsman Class. Great reading. Bravo, 3/187th Inf, 101st Airborne Div, 2nd Plt, 2nd Sq, Hamburger Hill, May 69. Stop staring at your computer already, get up. I may not have hit anyone that day, but I am certain that No. I was an Infantry Scout Dog handler. An NVA soldier had evidently spotted the gun and waited patiently for me to stick my head up. I was drafted on Nov. 10, 1965, and assigned to the 4th Infantry Division. We took fire all the time and responded. For example, life expectancy of male and female Veterans with household incomes less than $20,000, at respectively. C Co, 1st-12th 66-67. A Marine on patrol crosses a rice paddy in Vietnam holding an M60 machine gun in 1966. Company B arrived in-country with four rifle platoons, and each platoon was armed with two M60s. They were all up there scanning the terrain and looking for signs. May was eventually able to hand off 2nd Platoons No. Rarely do we examine war through the unique bond between a man and his weaponin this case the . Here is an 18 Done ranting. Some 23% of Vietnam vets had fathers with professional, managerial The earliest casualty record contains a date of death of . History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. to the empployees was very informative. Had multiple Ks and Ws. The group found the first man killed and carried him up the hill, placing his body right next to me. The Regiment traces its lineage back to World War II. On average US troops served 1-2 years in Vietnam, and the percentage of troops killed was actually fairly low for a war this size, 2.14% of all who served were killed, the life expectancy was roughly around 1 year, 5 months and 3 weeks (taking into account the 1-2 year difference in some troops's serving times) Sponsored by Primal Labs 2 Gun.. Soon after, Pfc. They also struggled with logistical problems and the complex political situation in Vietnam. As a point of reference, Patterson explained that combat troops in World War II, on average, spent 36 days in a combat environment; the average infantryman in Vietnam spent 245 days in constant. Calculate the pH of a solution of 0.157 M pyridine. Postservice Mortality in Vietnam Veterans : 30-Year Follow-up - JAMA Was it left behind on some forgotten battlefield? We killed a lot of the enemy but we took few serious casualties. When I popped back up to put out some automatic fire, a bullet whizzed by my earno more than an inch from my headand slammed into the tree next to me, shattering the bark. We can all hold our heads high and be proud of our service. Tumbling end over end, the canisters exploded in a white-hot fireball. Ambulances are not supposed to be armed (either) though in training, medics are told they and their vehicles will be a prime target. They were located, next to us, in/on Long Bhin Post. 10 1/2 months in the bush. 5 Answers There is no word like addressal. Fact: 86% of the men who died in Vietnam were Caucasians, 12.5% were black, 1.2% were other races. He retired in 2012 and lives in Delray Beach, Florida. Contents 1 Unclear objectives 2 North Vietnamese strategy This was another example in the Vietnam War of an inaccuracy becoming the perceived truth. I never thought of it that way before but have many times since. My good friend who was a RTO was killed. Sgt. Different strokes for different folks in war fer sure. We ambushed and got ambushed, firebase got attacked who carried what or did what had no bearing. The Statistics in the Combat Area Casualty File (CACF 11/93) show an average age of death much higher than that of news reports. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Information presented by SFC (Ret) David Hack. I personally carried 300 rounds of ammo at all times, one belt in the gun and two across my chest. Gotta say I think you hit it on the nose. The enemy fire ceased, and we made arrangements to collect our dead before continuing on to Company A. By mid-April 1967 I was pleading with the captain to get a replacement gunner for my M60 in 4th Platoon. well I wonder how long your going to last lieutenant? The Bronze Star was awarded to ALL that were awarded the CIB in WWII because the Infantry accounted for over 70% of the casualties in WWLL BUT NOT 70% )F ALL THE INFANTRY !!! Event date is used instead of declared dead date for some of those who were listed as missing in action). The United States sought to minimize and prevent attacks on civilians while North Vietnam made attacks on civilians a centerpiece of its strategy. The trailer for Fury claims that the average life expectancy of an Thanks for posting! See you in the next life!!!!! (Getty Images) Most war stories are about soldiers and battles. Data based on the latest United Nations Population Division estimates. Phi Pow B.Sc (econ) in Economic History & Economics (college minor), London School of Economics and Political Science Author has 212 answers and 234.6K answer views 2 y Originally Answered: What soldier had the shortest life expectancy? We were about 700 yards east of Company A when it was ambushed by an NVA battalion. I am proud to have fought alongside of them. Life expectancy at birth. What Was It Like To Hump The Boonies in Vietnam? As the entire platoon hit the ground, I saw guys crawling back toward me. We were discussing the different units and dangers of each. The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand stayed free of Communism because of the U.S. commitment to Vietnam. Amen I was a machine gunner for 7 months 503rd infantry 173rd airborne and you hit the nail right on the head. Total fantasy. Spent my year in a Recon platoon 2/35th 4th ID. .. PDF Mortality Rates and Life Expectancy of Veterans - Veterans Affairs Bloody May 1968 Mini TET. 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the official Vietnam era from August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975. I spent 10 1/2 months in the jungles of Vietnam. All of the next day, we could see SMOKE from the fire caused by the explosions of the AMMO at, the AMMO DUMP. One out of every 10 Americans who served in Vietnam was a casualty. 97% of Vietnam Veterans were honorably discharged. Well, according to current mortality and morbidity statistics for the USright around 77.5 Years! 2,709,918 Americans served in uniform in Vietnam. The first six or seven months I walked point for our platoon and led many ambushes and green eye patrols. Company A searched in vain for the platoon in the dark and finally found the shattered unit on the morning of May 19. Army Infantryman (MOS 11B): 2022 Career Profile - Operation Military Kids 87% of Americans hold Vietnam Veterans in high esteem. And us the living that served, who suffer from PTSD ,that figure or percent-aged would be about the greatest of all. I was already lugging around a 24-pound weapon, 300 rounds of ammo and a pack that weighed a good 45 pounds. My father was on a lrrp team!65-67never was shot but killed alot.He never really got over it though died in 2012! Death by a Bottle! The American military did not lose a battle of any consequence. In my humble opiniona maneven leaders should often recalculate their adversaries capabilities and limitations and his own limitations as wellwhen 10,000 miles from home against a determined worthy foein a strange landThe objective of Lam Son 719? 99% of infantry men will currently live to die of natural causes. As of April 14, 2017, there are 1,611 Americans still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War across Vietnam (1,258), Laos(297), Cambodia(49), and China(7). He said fighting was especially deadly in the war-torn city of Bakhmut, dubbed "the meat . Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old. I told by RTO that i could carry my own radio, When he agreed he was humping ammo. 91% of Vietnam Veterans say they are glad they served. We (Americans) had nothing to do with controlling VNAF, according to Lieutenant General (Ret) James F. Hollingsworth, the Commanding General of TRAC at that time. The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. Both served in A 2/18 1st Infantry Division For some reason, the written word of this article was somehow deleted and lost. We flew north, then made a stop, in Cam Rahn Bay. It may not have worked for some other wars, but they were pretty helpful. The machine guns were numbered within each platoon. First Sgt. 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. Really? The incident in the photo took place on the second day of a three day battle between the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) who occupied the village of Trang Bang and the ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) who were trying to force the NVA out of the village. 'No. 1 Gun': An M60 Machine Gunner in Vietnam Tells His Story - HistoryNet Roger Loves you too, Im sure. Fighters and planes dont make up the Army, thats the Air Force. ), special forces, combat support, engineering, medics, and vehicle assault weapons. We were probably not too far away on that day. It was always quick/quick, load the bodies in and get the hell out. Surrounded by an enemy battalion, our hopelessly outnumbered platoon waged a desperate battle for survival. Me, a vehicle mechanic with Btry E, 41st Arty Quads 1970. We did interdictions, blocks and other fun things on the river. Dont know why, but generally, their aircraft were not armed (door gunners, etc.). It was one of my most memorable tours in the Navy I later went to a carrier and was bored silly because I had about 1% of the responsibilities I had as an O-2. That same day, I along with 3/4 others was transported to Long Bhin Post. In our spare time we did medevacs and medcaps for the local communities and when required inserted SEALs . Staying alive was kinda of important. Not long after the artillery barrage ended, the North Vietnamese swept through 4th Platoon and executed some of the survivors. He was not the type to hump a radio. We had been carrying machine guns for over seven months. Sergeant Galiano's experience does not deny Brands depiction of the battle in Vietnam, but offers a typically overlooked perspective of a drafted soldier fighting in the central highlands of Vietnam. Some Brothers said why spend another year in this hellhole???? That means you lose five RTOs in 5 seconds. This is excellent! Because if only 1 RTO fought for say only 10 or 15 minutes before being killed, that would up the AVG for the total war! In your rucksack . Then we learned, appx: 1 mile to our North was, an American AMMO storage area. Naturally I was excited at the opportunity to join Sanzone, but at the same time I hated leaving 2nd Platoons No. Of the . three, he believes he is doing what his country wants him to dojust like you So you better damn well treat him with the compassion you want for you!! 2 Gun team, Ranallo and May, without any support. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Address: 9241 13th Ave SW A former expert with the M60 machine gun shares his experiences wielding the fearsome weapon in Vietnam. The average infantryman in Vietnam saw about 240 days of combat in one year thanks to the mobility of the helicopter. My bud, Price took over as RTO. When the Company B units that landed on the opposite side of the river got to the bank, some troops reached in and pulled the enemy from the water. Deltoid muscle _____ 2. This is not Vietnam where a machine gunner's life expectancy was short because you had an entire army shooting at them. The Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File of the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Extract Files contains records of 58,220 U.S. military fatal casualties of the Vietnam War. The one that should be there is the combat medic. I was a 2LT on Hamburger Hill and had 4 RTOs over a 7 day period (excluding the times I ended up carrying my own radio). Without the helicopter it would have taken three times as many troops to secure the 800 mile border with Cambodia and Laos (the politicians thought the Geneva Conventions of 1954 and the Geneva Accords or 1962 would secure the border). David H. McNerney, who assumed command of the company when all of its officers were killed or wounded, was presented with the Medal of Honor in a White House ceremony in September 1968. Most of us have memories of these kind of experiences. 1 Gun became my very best friend. happened. If it was 1941 and you were an average Soviet soldier, your life expectancy on the front line was days, not weeks, thanks to the ongoing german offence. I was a cmbt engr demolition specialist carried a 45 auto and an M70 grenade launcher in addition to the C-4 and Det Cord. Joe DeLong joined the company, and Sholly informed me that he would be the M60 gunner. A documentary about our company and our 1st Sgt was made. The next three weeks passed uneventfully. I saw aircraft loaded with troops explode in mid-air. I never saw any correlation as to what MOS a soldier was and their survival rate.



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