9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the official Vietnam era from August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975. 2,709,918 Americans served in uniform in Vietnam. 240 men were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War.
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How long did soldiers serve in Vietnam?
The majority of service members deployed to South Vietnam were volunteers, even though hundreds of thousands of men opted to join the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard (for three or four year terms of enlistment) before they could be drafted, serve for two years, and have no choice over their military occupational
Did any American soldiers stay in Vietnam after the war?
It’s estimated that tens of thousands of veterans have returned to Vietnam since the 1990s, mostly for short visits to the places where they once served. Decades after the fall of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) many former soldiers still wonder why they were fighting.
How long was a tour of duty in Vietnam?
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).
Who was the longest serving soldier in Vietnam?
Apparently the longest-serving American in the Vietnam War was Robert Lewis Howard, who started his first tour in 1965 with the 101st Airborne Division, and went on to serve with the Special Forces and Military Assistance Command Vietnam/Studies and Observation Group (MACV/SOG), doing a record five tours of duty and
How long did Vietnam draftees serve?
two years
The draft was far from ideal as a source of military manpower. Because draftees served only for two years, it was not worthwhile putting them through long training programs. The technical specialties had to be filled with volunteers.
What was life like for soldiers in Vietnam?
About 75% of the 2.5 million soldiers fighting in Vietnam worked in support roles as clerks far away from the front lines. These men had access to all the luxuries of home, including getting to sleep in a bed, eating hot meals, drinking at bars, and shopping at a well-stocked commissary.
What did the Vietnamese call American soldiers?
American soldiers referred to the Viet Cong as Victor Charlie or V-C. “Victor” and “Charlie” are both letters in the NATO phonetic alphabet. “Charlie” referred to communist forces in general, both Viet Cong and North Vietnamese.
What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat?
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.
How many Vietnam soldiers died of snake bites?
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. Some 10,786 American soldiers died of non-combat causes, including 9,107 by accidents and 938 due to illness.
How many tours would you serve in Vietnam?
‘ During the Vietnam War, the U.S. Army used a personnel rotation policy that at first blush defies military logic. The Army rotated soldiers through Vietnam on one-year tours. Officers also spent a year in country, but only six of those months were in a troop command.
Who served the most tours of duty in Vietnam?
He earned 38 military decorations during his career, and has been called the most decorated U.S. soldier of the Vietnam War.
| Jorge Otero Barreto | |
|---|---|
| Years of service | 1959–1970 |
| Rank | Sergeant First Class |
| Unit | 101st Airborne 25th Infantry 82nd Airborne 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War ( WIA ) |
Where was the worst fighting in Vietnam?
The Battle of Khe Sanh (21 January – 9 July 1968) was conducted in the Khe Sanh area of northwestern Quảng Trị Province, Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), during the Vietnam War.
What unit saw the most combat in Vietnam?
Activated in 1915, as the 173rd Infantry Brigade, the unit saw service in World War II but is best known for its actions during the Vietnam War.
Was fragging common in Vietnam?
Fragging was rare among Navy and Air Force personnel, who had less access to grenades and weapons than did soldiers and marines.After the Tet Offensive in January and February 1968, the Vietnam War became increasingly unpopular in the United States and among American soldiers in Vietnam, many of them conscripts.
Who is America’s most decorated soldier?
Audie Leon Murphy
Audie Leon Murphy (20 June 1925 – 28 May 1971) was an American soldier, actor, songwriter, and rancher. He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II.
| Audie Murphy | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Audie Leon Murphy |
| Born | 20 June 1925 Kingston, Texas, U.S. |
How long is a tour of duty?
In the Army, the tour of duty could last anywhere from six months to 12 months and up to 15 months. A soldier who has a family will experience a tour of duty that lasts 36 months, if accompanied by the family. If the soldier does not have a family, it will be for 12 months.
Why do soldiers not talk about Vietnam?
Civilians do not like to hear about killing, and combat soldiers do not want to talk about it. There is no euphemistic way to talk about killing, and there is no eloquent way to describe a violent death. So, in order to cope, soldiers have invented their own private language to talk about these subjects.
Did it rain a lot during the Vietnam War?
Some agree that the manmade clouds created between one and seven inches of rainfall every year of the operation.Meanwhile General Westmoreland,who was commander of US military operations during the Vietnam War, did not believe the cloud units had created any great increase in rain in the region.
Did 17 year olds fight in Vietnam?
Statistics show that at least five men killed in Vietnam were sixteen years old, and at least 12 were seventeen years old. 61% of those killed were younger than twenty one and 11,465 of those killed were younger than twenty years of age.
What does Dinky Dau mean?
crazy
Dien-Cai-Dao: (Pronounced “dinky-dow”). Vietnamese for “crazy”. They say all Americans are a little dinky-dow and all Australians are beaucoup dinky-dow.
