Around 2.7 million troops were stationed in Vietnam either on land, within its airspace, or in its waters. My body was throne backwards into the seat and rebounded forwards; bent over at a 90-degree angle from my waist. It allows the website owner to implement or change the website's content in real-time. Interestingly, the research concludes that Vietnam veterans seem to be dying at a similar rate to World War II veterans. How old is the youngest Vietnam veteran still alive? My spirit was above my body and I was looking down at myself bouncing around in the drivers side. Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (Mit), Missouri University Of Science And Technology, State University Of New York Health Science Center At Brooklyn, Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry, The University Of North Carolina At Charlotte, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At Houston, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At San Antonio, The University Of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, The University Of Texas Medical Branch At Galveston, The University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Uniformed Services University Of The Health Sciences, University At Buffalo Suny School Of Engineering And Applied Sciences, University Of California, Los Angeles (Ucla), University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, University Of Maryland Baltimore County (Umbc), University Of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, University Of Tennessee Health Science Center, University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. it is branded on you. And, if you think 75% of actual Vietnam Vets (especially after Covid, and more than 50 years of time) are still alive, youre kidding yourself. The VA sent out a news release on March 29th, 2022, entitled DISABILITY COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO VIETNAM WAR VETERANS. It included the following line, which should put this question to rest. 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. An AK found its target in my thigh. Id like to ask a question. Suddenly, I was in front of the truck near the grill. I think there about 250,000 Virtnam Vets that saw actual combat. 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. The only good thing was 22 days off my tour. We dont respect the combat Vets and they shouldnt disrespect us. When we DEROSed we were given 6-8 pills to continue taking them every week. Ive often wondered how many of us are left. Very true One of those is my younger brother. First and most important who is a Vietnam veteran? The report is based on national death certificate data currently available through 2020. There are questions like this that are hard to answere as being true boots on ground. But having spent a little time thinking about it, I go with the 2m figure. In the highlands we had to take one every day in addition to the once a week pill. So, where is the discrepancy in these numbers? It is called the Stolen Valor Act., Dau Tieng A Co. 3/22 Inf. Vietnam Veterans are dieing faster than World War Two veterans do to Agent Orange contamination . I am unsure of how many Native peoples joined the US marine corps and volunteered for combat duties. 101st Airborne Division, 1969-70 I always felt this was the maximal danger of the trip. Those an in the Era the we were in Vietnam but they are not Vietnam Vets by any stretch of you imagination. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Each averaged 2500-3000 personnel on a yearly rotating bases, groaning and shrinking based on the missions being conducted. If they reply that they do not talk about their experiences They are not Combat Veterans maybe not even Vietnam Veterans. Non combat Vets served elsewhere. According to the American War Library website, it was concluded by the Department of Defense that their best estimate is that between 2,709,918 and 3,173,845 GIs served in Vietnam and its surrounding waters between the years 1954 and 1975. I did a short extra tour with the 97th Trans in Cam Rahn Bay, they had 30 or so LCUs that hauled artillery projectiles and other stuff including fuel up many of those rivers. That is your opinion and youre entitled to it, I disagree very strongly. Do I count as one or three Vietnam Veterans? Im 71 and waiting to see if Ill be the last one standing. AFAIC, anyone within the bounds of South Vietnam was on the ground. In or out of a compound or an LZ or anywhere else. I went on about 500 missions. It revises and replaces the estimate and projection in VetPop2018. On Sat, Jun 19, 2021 at 4:22 PM CherriesWriter Vietnam War website wrote: > pdoggbiker posted: This is a controversial post. I am a solid 10. Then we went back to the Boonies. this exclusiveness does no one any credit. It was difficult for me to move. They're generally in their 90s and about 245 die each day according to the VA. At 95 Army veteran Lincoln "Linc" Harner still remembers the war. We all had a job to do. Enlisted 7/70. The roar was deafening; through the shattered windshield, I saw the truck go out of control. As soon as I was wounded, I was thrown into a world that I was alone! Copyright 2022 MilitaryPerson.com I served until April 28, 1969 !!!!!!!!!!!! I saw plenty of people providing direct combat support to the effort in. A veteran of the Vietnam War is a person who PARTICIPATED in the Vietnam War. I am an Era vet, and the closest I got was R&R in Thailand. He earned 38 military decorations during his career, and has been called the most decorated U.S. soldier of the Vietnam War. She has received numerous awards and accolades for her work, including being named one of the "Top 10 Educators to Watch" by Education Week magazine. Currently, it is estimated with data provided by the United States Census Bureau, that there about 100,000 Oregon Vietnam era veterans alive today. Still, the American War Library continues to verify their accounts and come to more concrete conclusions. Now 69 years/old. 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. OH, SHIT- I heard the impact of the Rocket Propelled grenade (RPG) to my left; `this is it, I yelled! I asked him to give me his number, he did not put a number on it just that he was Not. If one in ten saw sustained combat, then there may be as little as 60,000 of us left! But having a CIB does not exclude or diminish in any way the experiences or accomplishments of others, like you, and the wearer of the badge has no right to judge what any other man faced. Therefore there are a lot fewer combat veterans from Vietnam. I was with 4th Med Bn. I was on merchant ships for three years in viet nam. Who is the oldest living Vietnam veteran? Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska. Yes, there are fuckyou lizards. I knew I had to stand up again, even though I made a better target; my staying in the open road would be a death sentence. In January 1945, the Bn was attached to the 3d Infantry Division near the Colmar Pocket, south of The Bulge. We may never know who actually served and were in country during the fight. More than 3.4 million deployed to Southeast Asia (1) and approximately 2.7 million of those served in the Republic of Vietnam (2). Also, some do not consider those who served in Thailand as Vietnam Vets. Not affiliated with any government agencies.All Rights Reserved. The Nation supported WWI & WWII, the entire Nation was involved in the war effort. Combat Veterans know who they are, pretenders know that they are not.. The youngest Vietnam War veteran was a 15-year-old child named Dan Bullock. Antonia is a gifted educator, and she is widely respected within the education community. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". I opted for love! Reports from the Department of Veterans Affairs say about 240 300 World War II veterans are still alive in 2021. In my book, they are all Vietnam Vets, just like the guys back home who never went overseas are WWII or WWI veterans. It was also projected that, from here, 138,000 Vietnam veterans are expected to die each year. Even if his job depended on them doing theirs well. My demons were better left alone and buried away after two tours back to back. I PULL GUARD DUTY THE FIRST NIGHT ANY ONE EVERY STAYED THERE. Dave, Ive reached the age of truth telling, and have grown sick of pretending, and giving trophies to the undeserving I saw good men die, and their loved ones dont deserve this dishonor any longer. On this Memorial Day 2021, VA honors their service and recommits itself to . 23 Div and finally MACV Tm 87, 43 RCAT 18th ARVN Div. Just like ALL Vets who served DURING WWII are classified as WWll Vets regardless of where they served. As you did not disclose what position you did or did not fill in Vietnam, or did not set foot in Vietnam, I will assume you are not a combat veteran, maybe not a Vietnam Veteran either. We had a lot of support vets near Saigon. Agent Orange is impacting that timeline and those serving around the world were not affected by this wonderous life-robbing gift. 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.. three years on and off in vietnam . 101st Airborne 25th Infantry 82nd Airborne 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Spent a year in training and ended up a buck Sargent airborne ranger. why not compare them?. April 1st was my day to rejoin 4th. But to me, Nam is my whole universe i.e. In addition, the US lost two F-111As, three F-4s, two A-7s, two A-6s, one EB-66, one HH-53, and one RA-5C. ******************************************************* i have read that only one in seven guys that went to Vietnam, were actually in combat. He showed me his DD214 and low and behold it says he was in Vietnam. We, the U.S. have lost over 158,000 American lives to the Vietnam war and that count is still rising. If you were shot at, in an incoming rocket attack, had to protect during a ground attack, you could bleed and die, you were in Combat. I entered an L shaped ambush. I know the difference, do you ? Another long time friend served on the Riverine Force actually served on John Kerrys boat and is mentioned prominently in his book, told me stories about being ambushed, as those boats made a lot of noise. His Engineer company was tasked to fight as Infantry, and they did. A few days later I was in fatigues on a C-123 to Da Nang, and a month later driving Hai Van Pass to Phu Bai with 3rdRRU Mobile Det (ASA). I was the first male born to the Puccetti family after his death, so my parents received permission to name their son after Dante. Often cited as the last verified American POW from the Vietnam War, Garwood was taken to North Vietnam in 1969, and reportedly was released in 1973 along with the other U.S. POWs as part of the Paris Peace Accords. i think the definition should not be restricted by whether you wore khakis or como. About 15 out of every 100 Vietnam veterans (15%) were currently diagnosed with PTSD when the most recent study of . So Huey pilots and crew were REMFs. They are a ten (10), they fought alongside the infantry defending the perimeter. Approximately 7,500 women were stationed in Vietnam during the war. How many Vietnam War veterans are still alive 2023? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. how would you define a clerk typist who stayed in saigon and never went into the field. Then upon returning I would be stationed in Camp Enari, away from most of the intense fighting, and protected by the whole 4th. How many Vietnam veterans are dying each day? I was on the initial invasion into Cambodia, that battle was 15 REMFS against 300 NVA> The next day we went in with the 25th infantry. Bien Hoa & Phu Bai, two badly polluted areas! Aside from that, I have always doubted any fact stated by the NY Times; although the federal government is no better. Les, in IMHO being a Vietnam Veteran has nothing to do with combat. Needless to say, I set them straight about his lying BS, and moved out the next day. An overwhelming number are buried by family and friends. Served most of my time on LZ Professional. Pleiku, Dak To, An Khe. I knew what my death would mean to my mother, my father, and the rest of my family and friends. Question Two. i sailed with some in vn at the end of the work lives. 1 in 14 men pulled a trigger in Nam. There was a huge difference between the merchant ships i sailed on, no passengers, and vessels like usns geiger. I had encountered a learning experience, and inspirational contact with the celestial. The New York Times, as always, gets it wrong. Using the 2.7 million and assuming one hundred thousand did two tours, I would use the six hundred thousand as the amount still living, due mainly to the delays in Agent Orange treatments and PTSD delays with the sucides from 1970 approx. as far as who is a vietnam vet is simple. For US Vietnam Veterans it's about 66 years vs just about 78 years for non vets. 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. Navy ships were classified as Blue Water ships. we got one daily the other one weekly. ooops !!!! We saved many a guy after you brought him to us from the boonies. I was ASA, 1960-1963, Ft Dix, Vint Hill Farm, DaNang and PhuBai. Past history shows ALL Veterans of previous Wars were classified as Vets of those wars regardless of where they served. Everyone did their assigned job; some just got better assignments. Believe it or not, I still have every pay voucher..and in 1967 Hazard Duty Pay was $65. I can somewhat understand your position since you experienced actual combat. 15 of us REMFs were surrounded by the 33rd NVA June 13 1970. I needed the rest! The total number of is estimated at 2.8 million US veterans who were exposed to the poisonous chemical while serving and later died. It only had the National Defense ribbon on the cap. We have been betrayed by all Globalists. Vietnam IS a Vietnam veteran. Antonia is a firm believer in the power of education, and she is passionate about helping students reach their full potential. Should be simple enough but not, Not all ships are blue water ships. Scavenger said you had to be fired on in viet nam to be a veteran. We didnt make it on shore very often but I still feel I was in VietNam. Only military remaining were Marines at the Embassy. How Many Vietnam Veterans are AliveToday? I know . 101st Airborne Division 69-70 I got angry at him even saying that he was a vet of the war. Why do the vets who served during the Vietnam War era have to be so devisive? 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. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. What numbers do the VA have? At this rate there will be only a few of us alive in 2015. Arrived in country March 1969, subsequently assigned to B Battery 1/14 Arty. Interesting and certainly thought-provoking. She is also a strong advocate for equal opportunity, and she works tirelessly to ensure that all students have access to quality education regardless of their socioeconomic status or race. Finally figured out what was wrong with me, received help but refuse to dwell on the dark demons that quite frankly just did not give a dam for humanity. I can smell a fake and phony 10 seconds after we meet !!!!! As anti-war vet , all these years later, I respect yall and your stories. Since Sept. 11, 2001, just over 30,000 veterans have died by suicide four times more than the number of U.S. military personnel who died in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Should you have a question or comment about this article, then scroll down to the comment section below to leave your response. Dont know about the MM but everyone got the same combat pay whether a grunt or clerk. My whole essence was involved it the quest of one more heartbeat, one more breath, one more gasp of pain averting energy, one moment at a time. So yes, we did indeed see combatoften. Serious danger along those river banks. That is correct, Dow Chemical is responsible for three times as many Viet Nam veteran deaths as the NVA and the VC. I believe the aircrews flying out of those places were take issue with not in harms way. In 11 days of December 1973, 16 B-52s were lost over North Vietnam during Linebacker II. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. I Never got to Korea but I have friends who got a medal for service in Korea. Stolen Valor the American Way! It caused extreme political unrest and was widely protested. I volunteered for 3 TDY tours 18 months total. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Army Reserve: 189,500 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. when we carried peaches and beer, no problem. Through my blood-covered face, I could not distinguish whom! 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. Their lives should be given importance. Could they be considered Vietnam veterans then? So, nearly 300,000 over the 14 years of their operations, a far cry above the 2500-3000 referenced in the article. (1st time to operate a river boat 2nd time to evacuate injured Marines. Yes, Vietnam War veterans are still eligible for various benefits and compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs, including disability compensation, health care, and education benefits. no disrespect here. I think by now weve pretty much said all that can be said about this question. question. 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. When were the last Vietnam POWs released? If you want to learn more about the Vietnam War and its Warriors, then subscribe to this blog and get notified by email or your feed reader every time a new story, picture, video or changes occur on this website the button is located at the top right of this page. USA, (Ret.). Those of us on the battlefield who bled and many died would take issue with your opinion. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Combat veterans will share their experiences with other veterans especially combat veterans (CIB). If you served at all, anywhere, during WWII, you are a WWII vet. it really did not matter, every officer had a masters license. I give a silent prayer of thanks for all of you, every time I hear a chopper going by, even now. Bill, There are no foolproof questions. How many soldiers died on their first day in Vietnam? 31 sets of brothers are on the Wall. Perfect. I managed to stand again, stepped, and hurled myself into the jungle. I to served two tours 67-68 and 69-70,first with 1st of 8th cav. Lying on my back in the underbrush, watching the blue sky, bleeding on the jungle floor alone. I then did a 12 month tour in RVN in 5th SFG. 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. The truth is that until Vietnam veterans can agree amongst themselves what constitutes a real Vietnam vet, the debate may continue. Hell no. The oldest living Vietnam War veteran is believed to be a man named Larrivee Ronald A , who was born in Feb, 24, 1935. I was shot up more than a dozen times and shot down once. Hometown: New York City. 2500 to 3000 US Air Force troops stationed in Guam, Thailand, and other countries that were involved in the Vietnam War effort. Straining to regain my feet again, I staggered a few strides to my right and throe myself forward, with all I was worth, collapsing finely into the vegetation face up. Even more telling is how many Vietnam combat veterans are still alive today? https://www.americanwarlibrary.com/personnel/vietvet.htm, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War. When the 3rd Brigade,82 ABD moved from Camp Rodriguez (I Corps) in October 1968 my first base was Tent Citynear Bien Hoa (III Corps) then my unit was moved to Phu Loi. In the enormity of the cosmos, Vietnam is inconsequential, covered over by days dust! Awakening, I was the only person there, so the enemy was concentrated on me. Since the fall of Saigon and Operation Baby Lift occurred in 1975, wouldnt an 18 year old at that time be 64 or 65 today ? VA's Veteran Population Projection Model estimates that there are approximately 6.1 million living Vietnam War-era Veterans, as of 2021. I only spent one overnighter. Does Ohio State University Allow Pets In Dorms? The jungle sat still except for the dirt road with my truck speeding along. Im a 1967-68 Vietnam combat veteran. The last combat veteran was Claude Choules, who served in the British Royal Navy (and later the Royal Australian Navy) and died 5 May 2011, aged 110. 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! Decades after the fall of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) many former soldiers still wonder why they were fighting. Another 2,000,000 were in country but worked supply or support [based on 10% rule]. She has worked in schools all over the world, and has developed groundbreaking curricula that have helped countless students excel. Heres my article about Canadians who fought in Vietnam: https://cherrieswriter.com/2015/11/13/lost-to-history-the-canadians-who-fought-in-vietnam/. As a retired Green Beret, his assessment and stats of the war are accurate. give me a date between June 25, 1968 thru June 25 1969 and I can tell you where I was in country. I would not believe the NYT. But I guess I knew where I was if we were at a base. nothing exists or will exist in another time. I will never forget the pop pop pop, pop pop of an AK-47 in rapid-fire, but I heard the far off rattle of a M-60 machine-gun through the roar; Why I thought of PFC Wildaboro and his escapade with the machine gun that OTHER sun-drenched afternoon! Home Kent State University How Many Vietnam Veterans Are Still Alive In 2022? 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. Like you I am sick of ERA Veterans claiming to be in country. Apparently Infantry is the operative word. So do not throw stones at some who got to lay in the same bunk night after night, just because we slept in a dirty hole night after night. RVN. I do appreciate what they did, from the hero medevacs to those gun ships who flew into madness to help save our asses knowing that mortar rounds fall from above, RPGs & macjine gun rounds were in mass supply with the moniker attached To whom it may concern. Was in 82nd and served from a firebase up North to near South China Sea down South, remember some names but 53 years. How many veterans die each day? He was drafted and qualified for Helicopter pilot school. Im glad you made it back! All the millions of other Vietnam Era Veterans are Cold War Veterans. I served 2 tours late 1966 to late July 1968, TET and the rest as an infantry platoon sgt Also served in Korea 1963 and considered a Korean war vet as that war has never ended. Most of the time as a grunt without a map. The VVA Veteran boils it down to a totally different conclusion that the American War Library drew. Real combat veterans will share with other combat veterans as their stories have many similarities. My husband was one of those 191st Assault Helicopter Co. Bounty Hunter door gunners. one of the ships i sailed on had a captain that was drunk for 5 months. go to the top of this article and choose the magnifying glass and search for Canadians in Vietnam to read an article on this website about them. I served as a Navy Corpsman, Fall of Saigon. I have lived with the 2.7 million number having served in Vietnam all along and believe the Times estimate refers to Era vets having served around the world during those war years. We were sprayed every 2 weeks with Melithon (Insecticide) that was 96 percent pure. The average annual payment was $18,100. I also had assisted the FAA in 3 fatal Aircraft accidents. retired university professor Then there was peace. Bullets were flying everywhere, and the noise was tremendous.
