A Vietnam era veteran is certainly not a Veteran of the Vietnam War. Born: 01/29/1945. Special Forces orderly room to picked-up theyre new frequencies. How were WWII veterans & Korean War Veterans accounted for? i went to dong ha several times. Jorge Otero Barreto. The amount of compensation a Vietnam War veteran can receive varies depending on their individual circumstances, such as their disability rating and the number of dependents they have. for most of it i listened but not wanting to interfere. SP5 Mark Kuzinski 86.6K 296 151 53 53 0 Vietnam veterans are dying at the rate of 390 deaths each day. We have been betrayed by all Globalists. when we carried peaches and beer, no problem. Really, very easy to say if your were able to sleep at night, so being anonymous means you stand up for those words All members of the team are NOT COMBAT VETERANS, My husbands boots werent on the groundthey were in the air and he was definitely a Combat vet. 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). My husband was awarded several (door gunner w/191st AHC Bounty Hunters). My performance as Dante Michael Anthony Puccetti was at its close, and resembling the theater, I was ready to take my curtain call. It takes military personnel to support the troops on ground or ships in war territory waters. He was carrying a BAR, killed fighting an infantry action, and the desk jockeys decided he did not meet requirements for a CIB. It was hot that day; the mosquitoes were going through my mind, and the sun was again brilliant. i was a merchant marine officer, technically a civilian. To that we can add those who served in adjacent waters and countries, but 2.6 is likely the closest figure to those in country. Era vets are important but dont count. Dec. 5, 1967 to April 28, 1968 is 144 days. You may not care but us guys that stepped foot in Nam AND had bullets flying at us, we care, and we are genuine vietnam Combat Vets. So, where is the discrepancy in these numbers? These numbers have come about due to the extensive research of various mortality indexes and sources by the American War Library which concluded that about one-third of those who served in the Vietnam War are still alive today. Mark Stanley was gone. It was also projected that, from here, 138,000 Vietnam veterans are expected to die each year. The way many of us were treated on returning from that war, but in truth it was only a war for very few of those who served there. State-Level Veteran Suicide Data: 2020 Update His Engineer company was tasked to fight as Infantry, and they did. Vietnam IS a Vietnam veteran. One sapper shot off a whole magazine of armor piercing bullets at the drivers side windshield of the truck, and glass was flying in all directions. My brother claims he is a Vietnam veteran. I knew what life in-store for me in my recovery had- years of pain and disabilities while I waited for my next adventure. Presently, I approached the road to the top of PDL hill, and I was thinking what a beautiful day this would have been if this were some other place in some other world. The thing is the question/topic here is not how many Vietnam combat veterans are there, or how many Vietnam Era veterans are there; its how many Vietnam veterans are there. a clerk typist got benefits. I have done lots of research, read a bunch of historical history, and met and talked to well over 1000 NAM VETS !!!!! Check out this post and see if you can figure this > out. Based on data through September 30, 2020, VetPop2020 provides a projection of the Veteran population at each fiscal year end from 2020 to 2050. The group in my AIT Class were all happy about this. I would hope they are considered Vietnam combat Vets. As well, those who served in Thailand in late 1973-1975 are often looked down upon as not being real Vietnam Veterans. We are, as we helped conduct many support missions in the region, helped with draw assist during the fall of Cambodia, S. Vietnam and Laos. Scavenger said you had to be fired on in viet nam to be a veteran. I managed to stand again, stepped, and hurled myself into the jungle. Of the 2.7 million men and women who served in land forces in Vietnam, only about 600,000 are still alive. Likewise, drafted Sep 66, Vietnam Aug 67-Aug 68, and Im 75. Yes, there are fuckyou lizards. Last troops departed on 29 March, 1973. Another 2,000,000 were in country but worked supply or support [based on 10% rule]. and i remember that we talked about how much we would make if we lost a finger or an arm. Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. With the Americal after I got back I had maps. It is difficult to say how many Vietnam veterans have been affected by Agent Orange. I WOULD SURVIVE! He arrived on Yankee Station, Vietnam in early May, 1972 when he was still 17 years of age. Agent Orange is a Herdicide. Their lives should be given importance. There he was wearing my dress uniform jacket SSG, CIB, BS three rows of ribbons 8 years service, 10 overseas hash marks and he had 3 very underage teeny boppers girls smoking weed telling them war stories and bragging about his combat exploits. Air medals say combat support flying night spook missions around Haiphong from 68 -71. Stolen Valor the American Way! 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. 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. I agree with the rest of your post, and so did the Army. The report is based on national death certificate data currently available through 2020. From what my son in law says (Apache gunship pilot) they also flew a tremendous number of combat hours everyday, And I know from what few stories he did tell (hes now deceased) they often had mortar rounds incoming. There was a huge difference between the merchant ships i sailed on, no passengers, and vessels like usns geiger. I spent 3 separate tours in Vietnam. The youngest Vietnam War veteran was a 15-year-old child named Dan Bullock. I was a merchant marine officer on cargo ships, american export lines, for three years, back and forth to viet nam. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Canandaigua, NY in ww2 more merchant men were killed than all the services combined until june 6, 1944. and they were civilians. Agent Orange is impacting that timeline and those serving around the world were not affected by this wonderous life-robbing gift. 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! I dont have a CIB to show for it, but I most certainly was in combat. Enlisted 7/70. I believe we were all there doing our duty and deserve to be called a Vietnam Veteran. OUR COMPANY STARTED LONG BINH COMPOUND IN SEPT OF 1965, DALLAS WATERFILL EMAIL dallaswaterfill@yahoo.com, Was in Vietnam Dec. 1968 to Dec. 1969, Phan Rang AFB, RVN. I know . Tell it like it is. I was drafted and sent to Germany 66-68 because of the Vietnam War in the 4Armored Division. These Veterans are now in or about to reach their 80's. How many Vietnam vets . How Many Veterans Commit Suicide A Day? - Veteran Warrior Outreach You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. So that means probably from 700,000 to 800,000 of us are still alive. Nobody can bad-mouth Huey pilots and crews. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. I remember reading in the Stars and Stripes there were 500,000 plus in Vietnam at the time. The 9 million was the total number of people in the military during 64-75 . Avoiding the specifics & particulars is a sign of fraud or a deeply disturbed relationship to their past. Les, in IMHO being a Vietnam Veteran has nothing to do with combat. We got a personal visit from 10 Generals (no joke). In the highlands we had to take one every day in addition to the once a week pill. I have read about Canadians coming south to fight in Vietnam but have never seen any real authority to support this. Welcome home! How many Vietnam vets are still alive today? i sailed with some in vn at the end of the work lives. This cookie is used by the website's WordPress theme. no , i could not quit. I was hoping for more accurate numbers. He was a Private First Class who was killed in action in the Second World War. The politicians and fake news along with the Berkeley professors lost it for the American people after that. in only 6-10 years.. . Since you were with an aviation Battalion do you remember our flight pay as Army Aircrew ? It too bad that guys that never fought think for some reason they deserve credit for being in Vietnam when they werent. That means bullets where flying at me and I killed people in combat. Very helpful for this Viet Nam vet, at 73 and a little long in the tooth I I find that my understanding of the time I spent in Viet Nam comes into sharper focus as time goes by and the reality of what happened and what I did to participate makes me proud especially because I volunteered for Viet Nam at the age of 17. Unless they kept track by service or SSN, how many Vietnam Veterans are there ? Age 20y 11mo. How Many Vietnam Veterans Have Been Affected by Agent Orange? It served my pain well as a lifeless, mean spirited dark soul destroying everything in front of me. I WAS IN THE 85TH ORD COMPANY . 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. 2.4 million man who served in Nam approx. Served until April 28, 1968 !!!!!! In addition 18 US AF Security Police personnel and their 5 person aircrew were killed responding to the incident (the seizure of the USS Mayaquez), some do not recognize them as combat related deaths either. i served and i was affected like nearly every other person who spent time there. GREAT An AK found its target in my thigh. No reflection on your daily activities, just a friendly piece of information. Believe it or not, I still have every pay voucher..and in 1967 Hazard Duty Pay was $65. am i two Vietnam veterans or one. In the enormity of the cosmos, Vietnam is inconsequential, covered over by days dust! Interesting, no way is 75 percent f real vets are alive today? I think The NY Times has conflated he number of Viet Nam veterans with those who served in the military during the years 1960-1975. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. my point is that they were shot at and in country. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. My name is Ananda. Got the scars to prove it too, both physical and mental. How many WWII veterans die each day? It was also projected that, from here, 138,000 Vietnam veterans are expected to die each year. 997 soldiers997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam . It was an incredibly tumultuous time in US history and, for that reason, its unclear how many people actually served during this struggle. During the Vietnam War, Air Force C-123 planes sprayed millions of gallons of herbicides over the jungles of Southeast Asia to destroy enemy crops and tree cover. 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. This answer is: So, here well dive a little bit deeper into how many Vietnam veterans are estimated to still be alive based on various approximations and predictions. I Never got to Korea but I have friends who got a medal for service in Korea. It was an incredibly tumultuous time in US history and, for that reason, its unclear how many people actually served during this struggle. yep I wonder also. they did not get metals. I had a Swedish citizen in AIT, with orders to go to Vietnam. 1st cav div. i think the definition should not be restricted by whether you wore khakis or como. But I didnt beat him he just left. Trying to understand: Does being shot at outside the wire while moving to new location count? ******************************************************* I agree, 10% in combat, sounds right! The youngest Vietnam Veteran is aged in the late 60s today with life expectances estimated at 86 years old (for normal people). He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II. 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. Combat veteran means far more than having a CIB. What is the life expectancy of a Vietnam veteran? Then, I stopped at the 5th. why not compare them?. Me? best to all. How Many Vietnam Veterans Are Still Alive In 2022? Does having your ramp down and touching a river bank count as boots on ground while we were not allowed to go off the boat when we were pumping gas to the airbase? I would not believe the NYT. U failed to remember the last name on the Wall was in 1975. hello, I was searching aria, even though these ruts are a real bitch! I was jostled and jerked by the truck over the dusty road. I was ASA, 1960-1963, Ft Dix, Vint Hill Farm, DaNang and PhuBai. 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. Vietnam was very different, it was not supported by our Nation, the draft of so many young men to fight in a country that few could ever find on a map, let alone now anything about. He signaled a repeat, and the second rocket impacted on target. I got angry at him even saying that he was a vet of the war. Bill, Was an Armored Cav Platoon leader Nov 67-Mar 68 Lost 4 APCS 4 men in my platoon KIA 12 wounded I think I was in a little combat . While there troops from our unit were deployed to Vietnam as replacements yet some people dont consider us as support for troops in Vietnam. Data Appendix Methods Report Report FAQs. from Fallen Leaves, Broken Lives By Edward Tick According to DCAS Vietnam casualty files, the following casualty were sustained outside of S. Vietnam: 728 in Laos, 523 in Cambodia, 1,120 in N. Vietnam and 10 in China. I am glad that you make Dante, I know the struggle has been long, but the spirit soars and the tale told Live long my brother, None of us are very far away from those days A harrowing experience that can never be diminished by time. I wonder if I was not Dante- would I have the inspiration to survive? Reports from the Department of Veterans Affairs say about 240 300 World War II veterans are still alive in 2021. 45-50 years from now (and I bet no-one will want to Only military remaining were Marines at the Embassy. I am not sure how it can be calculated, how to distinguish actual combat veterans, as that reality is a risk factor for contact with an enemy force. The Vietnam War was the nation's longest and costliest conflict of the Cold War. She has worked in schools all over the world, and has developed groundbreaking curricula that have helped countless students excel. It makes a big difference because stating that only one-third of Vietnam veterans are still alive today is much harsher than stating that three-quarters of Vietnam veterans are still alive and well. Still, other sources like the New York Times claim the number of Vietnam veterans is actually somewhere around 9.2 million. Born: 09/15/1946. How Many Vietnam Veterans Are Still Alive In 2022? - CLJ and for the most part, we had no weapons. While every GI serving around the world was important to securing our Cold War victory over Communism just as the Vietnam conflict was also, those who served in uniform in the SEA War Theater are the true veterans of the Vietnam War. The Vietnam Nam Veteran and the Vietnam Era Veteran is defined by law ,, am I correct???? by your definition, cia personal in civilian clothes were not veterans. Could they be considered Vietnam veterans then? Frantically searching to find that one resource in my spirit to survive. We, the U.S. have lost over 158,000 American lives to the Vietnam war and that count is still rising. 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. 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. my larger point is that , in my opinion, they were veterans. Please respond! And i can tell you , we made a lot of money. The other number of significance is the number of Viet Nam veterans killed by Dow chemical. Granted, most of them were deployed for the durationa WWII vet I knew was gone 4 years without coming back to the states. Editorial comment by website administrator: Personally, Im going with the 610,000 estimate of 2 yrs. in viet nam, because of the unions, they got more money. Other sappers were shooting their AKs at any targets. If my math is correct, are you going on 68 years old ? A veteran of the Vietnam War is a person who PARTICIPATED in the Vietnam War. The first US advisors that I can find evidence of arrived in country in 1955. BTW, Why would this conservative believe anything the New York Times says anyway! Combat Veterans know who they are, pretenders know that they are not.. Based on them, and allowing for a couple of intervening years, there appear to be about 600,000 veterans still living who actually set foot in Vietnam or flew in the skies above it. young men and woman who were there and did get fired on, or were in danger, should be recognized . Nevertheless, if my name was Tom, Dick, or Harry I would have perished, but I could not put my parents through the same ordeal as Aunt Palma and Uncle Frank. I knew I was dying, but I struggled with all my might to stay alive. We were sprayed every 2 weeks with Melithon (Insecticide) that was 96 percent pure. I PULL GUARD DUTY THE FIRST NIGHT ANY ONE EVERY STAYED THERE. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. Im glad you made it back! I appreciate all the support there and around the world but Vietnam area at Fort Whatever Ohio wasnt Vietnam and no matter how brave the girls in Germany told you you were you were not a Vietnam Vet. 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. The last number of Viet Nam veterans alive today was 730,000, which would equate to around todays number of 610,000. scipione@geneseo.edu, Yes a Vietnam Veteran, but not a Combat Veteran. Where do they thinly get Ella enemys came from? Learn something new everyday. I was thinking that in 10 days I would be on R&R in Taipei, Formosa. How many Vietnam veterans have died from Agent Orange? earned their stripe. The New York Times estimated that, of the 8.4 million Vietnam veterans who were still alive in 2000, 1.1 million had died. Served most of my time on LZ Professional. There were approx. Helicopter crewmen did not receive the CIB, but they fought every day. How Many Ww2 Veterans Die Each Day? - Thelma Thinks I was in 1st Battalion 26 th Infantry HMP 1st Infantry Division in 68 November 68 to January 69. Antonia is a gifted educator, and she is widely respected within the education community. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Most of those who flew had Air Medals which are a combat medal. Copyright 2022 MilitaryPerson.com Spot on. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Lots of people say they served in Nam, but dont remember their unit, where they were at in country or any buddies or officers names, since I served with D 2/1 196th LIB as a Combat Medic in 1968, I carried a company Roster and had to give each EM a malaria pill each day, I learned everyones name, dont remember them all after 53 yrs but go to reunion when I can. 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. Bullets were flying everywhere, and the noise was tremendous. I was there in 69-71 also sprayed Im 74, inlisted 1968 spent 2 tours in Vietnam Im now 73, Comments left by my fellow Vietnam vets are very useful. They are a ten (10), they fought alongside the infantry defending the perimeter. 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. It was 3:30pm when I entered the slowest aspect of the trip. Serving in combat waters. we spent sometimes a month or more in one port depending on the cargo and the need. My question, How many guys are I still alive refers to the ones who were in direct combat action? Of the nearly 3Mil that served, only one in twelve were in fire fights. My cousin was with the 82nd and was there when the TET offensive happened. i am not better, but i am not worse. eventually i commented that i had flown into dong ha on resupply missions , having become bored with my mates work on merchant ships that spent long weeks at da nang. That was our regimen along the Cambodian border, too. The number of Viet Nam veterans, those who served in combat and combat related services (such those flyboys from outside the territory/waters of Viet Nam is about 2.7 million. nearly every classmate from the academy served on some basis during the vn war. i was not a supporter of the war but i did my job. How Many World War 2 Veterans Die Each Day? - Thelma Thinks Not sure where we were. Thank you. It is estimated that there are around 610,000 surviving Vietnam War veterans as of 2023. Although my time had come, my death brought a realization that, I WOULD NOT ALLOW MYSELF TO DYE IN THAT JUNGLE. I discovered a conviction, antithesis to my beliefs, that it was not the North Vietnamese Army that sealed my fate, nor the soldier that touched off the RPG that distorted my body; I had the power from GOD to go to the next phase in my journey.