3/3 RVN Newsletter Vol 1, Issue 7
Pages 11-12 Printed Version
The results of a survey from (purported to be from)
THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL FUND Wash DC.
VIETNAM WARRIORS:
A STATISTICAL PROFILE IN UNIFORM & IN COUNTRY
* Vietnam Vets: 9.7% of their generation. 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam era (Aug 5, 1964-May 7, 1975).
* 8,744,000 GIs were on active duty during the war (Aug 5, 1964-March 28, 1973).
* 3,403,100 (including 514,300 offshore) personnel served in the Southeast Asia Theater (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, flight crews based in Thailand, and sailors in adjacent South China Sea waters).
* 2,594,000 personnel served within the borders of South Vietnam (Jan 1, 1965-March 28, 1973).
* Another 50,000 served in Vietnam between 1960 and 1964.
* Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in combat, provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack.
* 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam.
* Peak troop strength in Vietnam: 543,482 (April 30, 1969).
CASUALTIES
* Hostile deaths: 47,378.
* Non-hostile deaths: 10,800.
* Total: 58,202 (includes formerly classified as MIA and Mayaguez casualties), subsequently died of wounds account for the hanging total.
* 8 nurses died-1 was KIA.
* Married men killed: 17,539.
* 61% of the men killed were 21 or younger.
* Highest state death rate: West Virginia- 84.1 (national average 58.9 for every 100,000 males in 1970).
* Wounded: 303,704-153,329 hospitalized + 150,375 injured requiring no hospital care.
* Severely disabled: 75,000-23,214 100% disabled; 5,283 lost limbs; 1,081 sustained multiple amputations.
* Amputation or crippling wounds to the lower extremities were 300% higher than in WWII and 70% higher than in Korea.
* Multiple amputations occurred at the rate of 18.4% compared to 5.7% in WWII.
* Missing in Action: 2,338.
* POWs: 766 (114 died in captivity).
DRAFTEES VS. VOLUNTEERS
* 25% (648,500) of total forces in country were draftees. (66% of US armed forces members were drafted during WWII).
* Draftees accounted for 30.4% (17,725) of combat deaths in Vietnam.
* Reservists killed: 5,977.
* National Guard: 6,140 served, 101 died.
* Total draftees (1965-73) 1,728,344.
* Actually served in Vietnam 38%.
* Marine Corps drafted: 42,633.
* Last draftee: June 30, 1973.
RACE AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND
* 88.4% of those who actually served in Vietnam were Caucasian.
* 10.6% were black.
* 1% belonged to other races.
* 86.3% of the men who died in Vietnam were Caucasian (includes Hispanics)
* 12.5% (7,241) were black
* 1.2% belonged to other races.
* 170,000 Hispanics served in Vietnam; 3,070 (5.2% of total) died there.
* 70% of enlisted men killed were of Northwest European descent.
* 86.8% of the men who were killed as a result of hostile action were Caucasian
* 12.1% (5,711) were black
* 1.1% belonged to other races.
* 14.6% (1,530) of non-combat deaths were among blacks.
* 34% of blacks that enlisted, volunteered for the combat arms.
* Overall, blacks suffered 12.5% of the deaths in Vietnam at a time when the percentage of blacks of military age was 13.5% of the total population.
RELIGION OF DEAD
* Protestant-64.4%
* Catholic-28.9%
* Other/none-6.7%.
SOCIETY-ECONOMIC STATUS
* 76% of the men sent to Vietnam were from lower middle and working class backgrounds.
* 3/4ths had family incomes above the poverty level; 50% were from middle income backgrounds.
* Some 23% of Vietnam vets had fathers with professional, managerial or technical occupations.
* 79% who served had a high school education or better. (63% of Korean War and only 45% of WWII vets had completed high school upon separation).
DEATHS BY REGION PER 100,000 OF POPULATION:
* South-31
* West-29
* Midwest-28.4
* Northeast-23.5
HONORABLE SERVICE
* 97% of Vietnam-era veterans were honorably discharged.
Plaque carved by Dr. John Miller, Bn Surgeon 3/3 in 1967.
Dr. Miller carved many pieces during his tour with the Battalion.
