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. The one that should be there is the combat medic. The average age of a Vietnam vet is 65 years old. More than 58,220 American troops died during the course of the Vietnam War, for a death rate of about 1.7%. 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 about two seconds 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). I was told my life expectancy was about 45 secs during a fire fight because of the weapons and demo I carried. 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. Good article. 1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. So I guess I defied the odds. 2 tour Nam veteran, Les Scates, U.S. Army (Ret.) Sorry,I was one of your Brothers in Arms that helped talk you out of enlisting for another year in Vietnam. More than 5 million of the nations more than 7 million Vietnam-era veterans are between 60 and 70 years old, according to data from the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. We can all hold our heads high and be proud of our service. Our home base was Quang Tri fire Base, But I spent about 6 months out at Mai Loc with the rig. To make matters worse, you cant really control the volume on those radios since the dial was on the wearers back. I think what is missing is the fact that the life expectancy of those firing at us was much shorter than those that they were firing at. Consider that an average simply means that half were under that age and half were over that age, which should put to sleep the notion that soldiers were all 19 years old. State Vietnam Veterans Vietnam Veterans (per 100k) Utah 42,774 1,272 How [] 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. never happened,we lost two sweep team members and some 6 When was the last American combat death in Vietnam? Carried the prc25 for about 7 months. 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. Home Kent State University What Is The Average Life Expectancy Of A Vietnam Veteran? Opposition to the war in the United States bitterly divided Americans, even after President Richard Nixon ordered the withdrawal of U.S. forces in 1973. The largest birth cohort was born in the 1920s, and 87.9 % of the RMPs were born between 1910 and 1949. Compared to the U. S. population, the mortality rates of Veterans are higher at older ages, and the life expectancy of Veterans are estimated to be 0.7-0.9 life-years shorter for males, and to be 1.2-1.3 life-years shorter for female at age 25, 45, and 65. despite their oral claim of service there. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. I was stationed on 2 FSBs (8 & 175mm guns) west of Tay Ninh on the Cambodian boarder in the Ho Chi Minh trail and was wounded but nothing as bad as he was. located on the South End of, the Post. It was always quick/quick, load the bodies in and get the hell out. Originally I went to the 543d TC. The life expectancy of a tunnel rat is about two seconds. Garza described the underground tunnels as treacherous. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Me, a vehicle mechanic with Btry E, 41st Arty Quads 1970. Was a door gunner and crew chief for just shy of 18 months (I extended to get out early). Be glad you served with a soldiers soldier like LTC Herbert. See how this article appeared when it was originally published on NYTimes . Born: 08/27/1943. Your email address will not be published. It does not store any personal data. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Are Black Squirrels More Aggressive Than Grey Squirrels? We went out typically in two boat patrols one lead one cover . My dog and I walked point my whole tour in Vietnam. They were short of gunners on helicopters, because the life expectancy was somewhere between 13 and 30 days, he said. As we were, steadily building up, our area for protection. I would suspect that stating with any accuracy the life span of a grunt like me, or any other MOS, would be pretty much pure speculation. If you look at all of the things the radio operators were tasked with, it becomes abundantly clear why commo guys werent expected to last long. Ambushed on October 4th,1967. RTO, John Scheur. For some reason, the written word of this article was somehow deleted and lost. What was the life expectancy of a soldier in World War II? The experience of capture could be humiliating. The significant role played by bitcoin for businesses! I'm also a big believer in lifelong learning- there's always something new to learn! 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. What was the average life expectancy of a soldier in Vietnam War? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. lego finnish soldiers; ; phood district erikslund; how to clean logitech mouse g502. 5 How many Americans died during the Viet Nam War? They were located, next to us, in/on Long Bhin Post. The early days of May 1970, I arrived at the Airport, next to Saigon. Great information. Roughly 300-thousand veterans have died from Agent Orange exposure thats almost five times as many as the 58-thousand who died in combat. John Doever What is the life expectancy of a veteran? Like you, I carried a PRC-25 for about 5 months and never got hit. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Thanks. well I wonder how long your going to last lieutenant? Some very close calls but I am alive at age 74. If there was anything to this life expectancy of a few minutes then myself and many of my friends that are still alive today would be a long time dead. Certainly got my attention. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. BS but ia a way you are correct. How do you know if a case is federal or state? !We dont abuse prisoners Now, if he reaches for his weapon to continue the fight BLOW HIS ASS AWAY THIS AINT SUNDAY SCHOOL!!! Five RTOs. I couldnt disagree. year old Marine thinking this is my last day on earth. 2 How old were the youngest soldiers in Vietnam? . However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. In all fairness, that number was on the more extreme side of estimates. What is the average life expectancy of a Vietnam veteran? Because of this harsh truth, Tim O'Brien sheds light on the physical and psychological burdens on the life of a common soldier through his autobiography, The Things They Carried. The Republic of Vietnam lost 1,018 aircraft and helicopters from January 1964 to September 1973. The last US ground troops left Vietnam in March 1973, after which the peace talks once again broke down. The UH-1 evolved from a 1955 US Army competition for a new utility helicopter.The Army employed it in various roles, including that of an armed escort or attack gunship in Vietnam.The initial Army designation was HU-1, which led to the common unofficial nickname of "Huey." Back then, men were only expected to live until 65 and women until 72. Because draftees served only for two years, it was not worthwhile putting them through long training programs. How many US soldiers stayed in Vietnam after the war? In the last 5 years the symptoms of PTSD and AO are starting getting worse in me. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. AS LEADERS IN AMERICAS SERVICES WE MUST BE PROFICIENT AND READY TO ACCOMPLISH OUR MISSIONS- As a Huey door gunner, when we left the ground on a mission, I always thought that this mission would be my last! 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 . Myth: Common belief is that most Vietnam veterans were drafted. What is the life expectancy of an Lt in combat? It was a daily challenge to know who your real enemy was. How long does the average military retiree live? 31 sets of brothers are on the Wall. What was the life expectancy of a radio operator in Vietnam? I am 81 now and survived the encounter by terminated the sniper. 5 How old were Vietnam soldiers when they came back? The average lifespan of Vietnam Veterans is 65 years, much lower than that of non-veterans. Ron. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. It was an HONOR and a privilege to serve with these brave men for my 11 month tour. Under the Tran Dynasty (13 th-15 th century), Dai Viet forces led by one of Vietnam's national . How long do military radio operators really live? For example, life expectancy of male and female Veterans with household incomes less than $20,000, at respectively. Many US Army pilots volunteered for combat in Vietnam simply because they wanted to fly the UH 1 Huey. Our patrols were typically about 14 hours 24/7 We operated of old LSTs and large barges. The fact that PDoggbiker cant find any decent calculation/explanation, tells us a lot. 2/3 of the men who served in World War II were drafted. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Do the math. Is Sault Ste Marie Ontario a safe place to live? Love you Wortman!!!! I was sitting on the ground one day trying to dry out my gear and better configure my ruck when my squad leader came walking over to me and said, Gow, youve got the radio. As he turned and walked away! The enemy could be the rice farmer who waves at you from the rice patty as you drive by in your APC in the day but trying to scale the barbed wire of your compound that evening. Two points: 1) at least in Army units, Medevacs (dust offs) flew unarmed aircraft. Died in combat I extended to get out early ) men for my 11 month tour one should... 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