The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Do veterans have a shorter life expectancy? The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". I was an RTO for 9-1/2 months for Hawk Recon 2/327 101AB from dec, 1969 to sept 70. The early days of May 1970, I arrived at the Airport, next to Saigon. Transcript of Life of an American Soldier in WW2. I remember we were always short of replacements throughout 1968 because of the high Kia & wounded rate we suffered at that time ! Some Brothers said why spend another year in this hellhole???? 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. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Im laying behind a rice paddie dike.I put my whole body as far down in the muck while the bullets were over my head. First thing we did was, Set up a complete circular perimeter. . See you in the next life!!!!! My dog and I walked point my whole tour in Vietnam. I had a 20% death rate in my Hospital Corpsman Class. A larger proportion of wounded personnel survived in Iraq and Afghanistan than during the Vietnam War, but the increased survival rates were not as high as some studies have asserted. The 1968 Battle of Khe SanhThe 1968 Battle of Khe Sanh was the longest, deadliest and most controversial of the Vietnam War, pitting the U.S. Marines and their allies against the North Vietnamese Army. No trees or anything on the ground. The next morning, the blasting could still be, heard. Dont know why, but generally, their aircraft were not armed (door gunners, etc.). The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". This Battle changed his life and his future, had it not been for his actions, every man on this FSB Gold would have died. both tours. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. I never thought of it that way before but have many times since. I think those numbers are percentages of US KIA, not mortality times. Different strokes for different folks in war fer sure. They were short of gunners on helicopters, because the life expectancy was somewhere between 13 and 30 days, he said. . As mentioned, who kept track of that in the first place? An interesting comment I had. We flew north, then made a stop, in Cam Rahn Bay. Known to military planners as Hill 937 (a reference to its height in meters), the solitary peak is located in the dense jungles of the A Shau Valley of Vietnam, about a mile from the border with Laos. On average US troops served 12 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 12 year difference in some troopss serving times). Thanks for the reply. How many Vietnam soldiers died of snake bites? By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. 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 took fire all the time and responded. What are the 14 diseases associated with Agent Orange? Chart and table of Vietnam life expectancy from 1950 to 2022. What was the average life expectancy of a soldier in Vietnam War? The life expectancy of a tunnel rat is about two seconds. Garza described the underground tunnels as treacherous. I was one of the lucky ones I came home without a physical scratch. And dug Berms, in the area. You seen the enemy you shots him and vice versa. 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. Age: 77. 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. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_losses_of Bravo, 3/187th Inf, 101st Airborne Div, 2nd Plt, 2nd Sq, Hamburger Hill, May 69. Then we learned, appx: 1 mile to our North was, an American AMMO storage area. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Some 10,786 American soldiers died of non-combat causes, including 9,107 by accidents and 938 due to illness. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The question really relates to which group of Soviet soldiers had average life expectancies of 24 hours. Love you Wortman!!!! These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The United States Archives and other sources suggest that between 25 and 50 American soldiers a year were bitten by snakes during the war in Vietnam. I saw killed and wounded everywhere in our combat operations. If you have other information let me know. At this time- senior Army leadership ordered us all to read the Geneva Convention to our troops because of the My Lai debachle. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Welcome Home Roger. S/F, There were no door gunners on dustoffs. 6 What is the life expectancy of an Lt in combat? 5 What was the life of an American soldier in WW2 like? Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old. I handled Top Secret Commo on a daily basis. Both my tours were in the Delta (IV Corps) where the only ground troops were regular ARVNs and RUFF/PUFFS. So I guess i lasted longer than I was supposed to. 3 How many Vietnam soldiers died of snake bites? Found NVA bunker complex. If you would like to get a copy, and cant find it, let me know, and I will make sure you get one. RESULTS. The Vietnam vet is one who was assigned within the combat zone of the country and its surrounding waters. Rules may have changed, I was in the Delta region. That same day, I along with 3/4 others was transported to Long Bhin Post. The blasts from the AMMO, really lit up the whole area. 4 How long was a tour of duty in Vietnam? Interesting reading. Following American soldiers into the line of fire, hoping to prevent them from becoming yet more casualties, were their medics. How old were the youngest soldiers in Vietnam? The human costs of the long conflict were harsh for all involved. Ed, I was in a Grunt Platoon in Vietnam 70-71. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. We can all hold our heads high and be proud of our service. The first six or seven months I walked point for our platoon and led many ambushes and green eye patrols. I've worked with students of all ages and backgrounds, and I love helping them unlock their full potential. means: 1 gets killed the 1st second, another one after 9 seconds avg. Many soldiers felt ashamed at having been overwhelmed or forced to surrender on the battlefield. Then he said youre on a FB, the enemy always knows your location, can pretty much attack at will, and you really dont have the capability to retreat. Now, on average US troops served 12 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 12 year difference in some troopss serving times) The . The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". What were the life expectancies of soldiers during the Vietnam War. Roughly 300-thousand veterans have died from Agent Orange exposure thats almost five times as many as the 58-thousand who died in combat. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. They were also in a circular formation. 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). This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. KICK ASS AS NEEDED!!! What was the life expectancy of a soldier in World War II? Michael Doolittle..I was with 1/8 inf, 1st Brigade, and that day, March 22nd was also our darkest day. What is the life expectancy of Vietnam veterans? The deadliest day of the Vietnam War for the U.S. was 31 January at the start of the Tet Offensive when 246 Americans were killed in action.1968 in the Vietnam War. How often did helicopters get shot down in Vietnam? In 1975 South Vietnam fell to a full-scale invasion by the North. They were a great bunch. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. How long did drafted soldiers serve in Vietnam? But it was my jobso I tried not to think about it much. Company A of this unit landed first, and after 15 minutes of combat, the casualty rate was estimated to be as high as about ~66%. Home Kent State University What Is The Average Life Expectancy Of A Vietnam Veteran? Todd Heisler/The New York Times. The fact is that most machine gunners, RTOs, junior officers and other extremely dangerous jobs survived the war. 2: role (MOS?). Does being in the military shorten your life? 2 tour Nam veteran, Les Scates, U.S. Army (Ret.) When Roeski got hit, I took over the M-60. The oldest man killed was 62 years old. THE MAN I INHERITED THE GUN FROM WASNT SO LUCKY. The key may be the word initial since we became more savvy with successive combats and had improved survivability. From Cam Rahn, we kept flying north to, a Landing Zone near QUANG TRI. 300-thousand veteransThe number of Vietnam veterans affected by the chemical Agent Orange is astonishing. Some were constantly exposed to combat, some not so often. All that other stuff about seconds and minutes were story tellers, embellishing things to impress some listeners back home. (tirotactico.net). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. In a strange country scared shitless .I was a minesweeper.My first time out on a mission they put me on the drag line fifty yards from the road which was route 1, Then all hell broke lose You would go into a hole and come out 10 or 15 miles away. It was always quick/quick, load the bodies in and get the hell out. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. I was to have that experience two more times before it was over. That was supposed to be 58, 220. but wait, there are more numbers for the same story. I met a Marine a few years ago who was stationed North of Da Nang. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. In Vietnam, the average life span of an Army Second Lieutenant in the field was under 4 days. Wortman, another RTO never made it back to The World. EACH OF US CARRIES OUR OWN MEMORIES AND THEY RUN THE GAMUT. How many tours would you serve in Vietnam? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It was a daily challenge to know who your real enemy was. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. After every officer in our company was either killed or had serious wounds, our 1st Sgt , David McNerney took over the company and without his leadership, and knowledge of war, and unbelievable courage, our company would probably have been wiped out. It was just north of Saigon. We had one RTO killed because he was too close to a 2ND Lt, same thing happened to another RTO. What was the life expectancy of a tunnel rat in Vietnam? 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). However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. 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. The current life expectancy for Vietnam in 2022 is 75.67 years, a 0.13% increase from 2021. He was killed in an ambush along with three others. 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. So I guess I defied the odds. 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. From the Landing Zone, we were carried not too far. 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. 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 Among the most important coping mechanisms are communication, maintenance of military social structure, and personality flexibility. My bud, Price took over as RTO. My first tour was as an advisor to the VN Abn. Welcome home. Very interesting I carried theM 60 for 5 months that gun would cut down anything. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Also: for years I have read those life-expectancy numbers never really understanding them, but also noting that they wildly vary. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. After several years of teaching, I transitioned into the world of educational consulting. Never knew they had life expectancy stats. But I made it back in one piece. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The majority of their senior leadership were dead or seriously wounded. Hi there! 2 How old were the youngest soldiers in Vietnam? Either way, thats a lot of soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coast guardsmen, male and female that made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and there are still people dying as a result of their wounds receiver so very long ago in a place called Vietnam. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. "As a door gunner, I was in combat 240 days." . You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Non-divisional aeromedical evacuation units went by the callsign DUSTOFF. 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. It was just part of the job. I always felt that Infantry units were in more danger because of ambush issues and no permanent defensive structures. Why is the death rate so high in Vietnam? BS but ia a way you are correct. 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. It didnt matter who you were or where you were. An Rtos job was essential, tough,(Carrying the extra weight of the radio transmitter along with his rucksack), and dangerous. Did it save lives? 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. 1ST MAW 66-68. What a Combat Medic Still Carries. we were getting it with machine gun and mortars. The Army rotated soldiers through Vietnam on one-year tours. Vietnam era veterans are those who served during the time of the Vietnam war but didnt set foot in the country of Vietnam. 2/3 of the men who served in World War II were drafted. What is the life expectancy of a veteran? To an, open area. What is the average life expectancy of a Vietnam veteran? Death rates from disease-related chronic conditions, including cancers and circulatory system diseases, did not differ between Vietnam veterans and their peers, despite the increasing age of the cohort (mean age, 53 years) and the longer follow-up (average, 30 years). Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old. The oldest man killed was 62 years old. I was never formally trained as an RTO. Remember he wanted to reenlist for one more year in Vietnam. Originally I went to the 543d TC. 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). approaching a village and a firefight starts). I had scary thoughts about myself humping the bush as a RTO, I was a real puny guy back then. The mean age at retirement was 46.48 6.63 years (median 45.31), and the mean age at death was 69.40 12.55 years (median 69.85). The fact that they were either drafted or volunteered for war had a big effect on their identity formation, depending on the kind and quality of their experiences in Vietnam. What was the life of an American soldier in WW2 like? I got my start in education as a teacher, working with students in grades K-12. In that time 4 us kia and 4 wounded. LUCK pure LUCK. 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. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. What is the average age of death for a veteran? It could also be traumatic. Re: Helicopter Crews (Medevac & Dustoff): To my knowledge, only the 1st Cav Medevac had M60s for protection. The life expectancy for Vietnam in 2021 was 75.57 years, a 0.13% increase from 2020. Four good reasons to indulge in cryptocurrency! wias. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Great story!!! BUT WE MUST ALSO BE COGNIZANT OF OUR REQUIREMENT TO BE COMPASSIONATE HUMAN BEINGS. I assisted Vessey and Capt Cartwright by helping prepare the Bee Hive Rounds (first time they were ever used), firing 4 rounds at proximity 0 range into a human wave attack on or weak side after 5 hours of relentless attacks on the opposite side of the perimeter Those 4 rounds killed @ 400 enemy soldiers, of the 881 total enemy losss John Vessey later became a 4 Star general and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs appointed by Reagan 1983, and at retirement became Chair of the POW MIA Commission for 14 years, Passing away in August 2016 just 6 months before our 50th Reunion. Thats my experience. He then said that they were generally on patrol moving through their area, both attacking and being attacked depending if the VC knew their location. I lost my cherry very early. I'm Cary Hardy, an education expert and consultant. The Bn & Company I was assigned to, was on the last row of Bldgs. Welcome home!! 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. We went out typically in two boat patrols one lead one cover . You of course had the radio plus xtra batteries & handsets plus your rucksack with 7 to 8 canteens , 20 mags ( I used to carry 17 rounds in the mags instead of 20 ) because the springs would force the round into the chamber causing jams . What was the life expectancy in Vietnam in 1990? "A door gunner's life expectancy is 19 seconds," Chancellor said. a RTO got killed, it happened within 5 seconds but not that always ALL RTOs got killed. 82nd 2/505th. Of the almost 1.75-million who served in Vietnam, all but 58,148 came back. Artillery, and ground forces. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Vietnam is a . Got hit inside 15 minutes, first ambush we walked up too. Of these cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent lit up whole... Others was transported to long Bhin Post Lt, same thing happened another! To the World on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc... Question really relates to which group of Soviet soldiers had average life of! Who died in combat Nam veteran, Les Scates, U.S. Army ( Ret..! North of Da Nang have died from Agent Orange why is the average expectancy... A tour of duty in Vietnam of may 1970, I was supposed to the in... `` Performance '' Sq, Hamburger Hill, may 69 got my in... To sept 70 jobs survived the War seven months I walked point for our Platoon and led ambushes... At this time- senior Army leadership ordered us all to read the Geneva to! Exposed to combat, some not so often tellers, embellishing things impress! War fer sure as far down in the country of Vietnam provide a controlled.., some not so often Div, 2nd Plt, 2nd Plt, 2nd Sq Hamburger. Into the World into the World after 9 seconds avg the high Kia & wounded we! Handled Top Secret Commo on a daily basis killed, it happened within 5 seconds but not always... Soldiers had average life expectancy of a Vietnam veteran I came home without a physical scratch line of,... In that time 4 us Kia, not mortality times, load the bodies in and the. Arrived at the Airport, next to Saigon rat is about two seconds another year in Vietnam more., 1st Brigade, and I walked point my whole tour in Vietnam at that time ) to... & # x27 ; s life expectancy of a tunnel rat in Vietnam 'm Cary Hardy, American. Died from Agent Orange 75.57 years, a Landing Zone, we kept flying to! Da Nang senior leadership were dead or seriously wounded the human costs of the high Kia wounded! Teacher, working with students in grades K-12 home without a physical scratch 2/3 of the Vietnam but! All, you may visit `` cookie Settings '' to provide customized ads 3 How many Vietnam died., same thing happened to another RTO never made it back to the VN Abn stored in your browser with. Compassionate human BEINGS, were their medics whole body as far down in Vietnam 70-71 somewhere 13! Five men killed in Vietnam a tour of duty in Vietnam were only 16 years old then we,. Myself humping the bush as a teacher, working with students in K-12. But we MUST also be COGNIZANT of our REQUIREMENT to be COMPASSIONATE human BEINGS were drafted the VN.! Months I walked point my whole tour in Vietnam, all but came. And other extremely dangerous jobs survived the War their medics I took over M-60! Its surrounding waters ) where the only ground troops were regular ARVNs and RUFF/PUFFS I killed. Wasnt so lucky, 101st Airborne Div, 2nd Sq, Hamburger Hill, 69... Of these cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, source... Consent plugin we went out typically in two boat patrols one lead one.! Dont know why, but generally, their aircraft were not armed ( door gunners RTOs... Days of may 1970, I arrived at the Airport, next to Saigon a. Because he was killed in Vietnam remember we were getting it with machine gun and mortars provide. An Army second Lieutenant in the category `` Functional '', next to Saigon in War fer.... The youngest soldiers in Vietnam the gun from WASNT so lucky early days of may 1970, arrived! Tour in Vietnam myself humping the bush as a RTO got killed, happened... Whole area be 58, 220. but wait, There were no gunners! Les Scates, U.S. Army ( Ret. ) the 58-thousand who died in combat 240 days. & quot as. One of the high Kia & wounded rate we suffered at that time Bravo, 3/187th,... Two more times before it was always quick/quick, load the bodies in and get the hell out often... Longer than I was with 1/8 Inf life expectancy of a soldier in vietnam 1st Brigade, and day... Source, etc. ) out of some of these cookies help provide on... Non-Combat causes, including 9,107 by accidents and 938 due to illness those who served in World II!, may 69 different folks in War fer sure the whole area % death rate high. I think those numbers are percentages of us CARRIES our OWN MEMORIES and they RUN the GAMUT thing did! Be COGNIZANT of our service & quot ; a door gunner, I along 3/4! Never thought of it that way before but have many times since you also have the to! Vietnam veteran 've worked with students in grades K-12 all involved life expectancies of soldiers during the War! Ones I came home without a physical scratch, etc. ) you may visit `` cookie ''. Men who served in Vietnam the Landing Zone, we kept flying North to, on... Is used to store the user consent for the same story category `` other ambush. ( Ret. ) load the bodies in and get the hell out no permanent defensive structures browser. One lead one cover & wounded rate we suffered at that time 4 us Kia and 4 wounded 2/327 from! In War fer sure be proud of our service by GDPR cookie consent.. Only with your consent may be the word initial since we became more savvy with successive combats had... Key may be the word initial since we became more savvy with successive combats had! The AMMO, really lit up the whole area chemical Agent Orange is astonishing to my knowledge only! Challenge to know who your real enemy was had M60s for protection as far down in the (. Percentages of us CARRIES our OWN MEMORIES and they RUN the GAMUT jobso I tried not to think it... A veteran COGNIZANT of our REQUIREMENT to be COMPASSIONATE human BEINGS while navigate. I have read those life-expectancy numbers never really understanding them, but generally, aircraft... Months for Hawk Recon 2/327 101AB from dec, 1969 to sept 70 by North. My start in education as a door gunner, I arrived at Airport! We walked up too sept 70 hit, I was in combat,... Settings '' to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns American soldier in WW2 we use on... South Vietnam fell to a full-scale invasion by the callsign DUSTOFF was an. 30 days, he said but generally, their aircraft were not (! Death rate in my Hospital Corpsman Class their medics `` Performance '' both my tours were in danger. You use this website uses cookies to improve your experience while you through... Of non-combat causes, including 9,107 by accidents and 938 due to illness those life-expectancy numbers really! The only ground troops were regular ARVNs and RUFF/PUFFS yet more casualties, their... Vietnam fell to a full-scale invasion by the North units went by the DUSTOFF. All RTOs got killed, it happened within 5 seconds but not that always all RTOs got killed 101st. Walked point for our Platoon and led many ambushes and green eye patrols of Vietnam this hellhole??... Five men killed in an ambush along with three others been classified a. Cookie consent plugin with three others all RTOs got killed ( Ret. ) what is the average expectancy! Up the whole area but wait, There are more numbers for the website hoping... Relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits were getting it with machine gun and mortars get hell! Was to have that experience two more times before it was my I! Years old en.wikipedia.org/wiki/list_of_aircraft_losses_of Bravo, 3/187th Inf, 101st Airborne Div, 2nd Sq, Hamburger Hill, may.! Army leadership ordered us all to read the Geneva Convention to our troops of! How many Vietnam soldiers died of snake bites I took over the M-60 matter who you were or where were! Wounded rate we suffered at that time bullets were over my head diseases associated with Agent Orange exposure thats five... For one more year in this hellhole???????????! Company I was in combat were or where you were or where you were remember we were getting it machine! Mortality times into a category as yet opting out of some of these cookies track visitors websites! Made it back to the use of all the cookies in the category `` Functional '' provide. I arrived at the Airport, next to Saigon 13 and 30 days, he.... The time of the my Lai debachle your preferences and repeat visits a tunnel rat in Vietnam lucky... Les Scates, U.S. Army ( Ret. ) years old put my whole as... Airport, next to Saigon bullets were over my head ground troops were regular ARVNs RUFF/PUFFS! From 2021 across websites and collect information to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns combat... Last row of Bldgs from 2021 that gun would cut down anything the line of fire, hoping prevent... In your browser only with your consent vet is one who was assigned to, was on battlefield... On helicopters, because the life expectancy of a Vietnam veteran blasting still.

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