Well, since about 98% completed their 12 to 13 month tour and returned to the States alive, even though possibly wounded or otherwise injured, the average “lifespan of a soldier in Vietnam” would have been about 11.75 to 12.75 months.
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What was the life expectancy of a Vietnam soldier?
During the Vietnam War, the odds were tremendously stacked against radio operations — and that 5-second life expectancy was, for some, a grim reality. To make matters worse, you can’t really control the volume on those radios since the dial was on the wearer’s back.
What was the average life expectancy of an American soldier in Vietnam?
The Statistics in the Combat Area Casualty File (CACF 11/93) show an average age of death much higher than that of news reports. The average age of the 58,148 killed in Vietnam was 23.11 years (Although 58,169 names are in the Nov. 93 database, only 58,148 have both event date and birth date.
Who served the longest 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
Who was the oldest soldier killed in the Vietnam War?
Fitzgibbon III joined the United States Marine Corps and also served in Vietnam, where he was killed in September 1965.
Richard B. Fitzgibbon Jr.
| Richard Bernard Fitzgibbon Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Died | June 8, 1956 (aged 35) Saigon, South Vietnam |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
What percentage of Vietnam veterans are still alive?
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.
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.
What was the life expectancy of a helicopter door gunner in Vietnam?
between 13 and 30 days
Vlach served with the 54th General Command as a door gunner on an UH1 “Huey” helicopter. “They were short of gunners on helicopters, because the life expectancy was somewhere between 13 and 30 days,” he said.
What was the life expectancy of a Huey pilot in Vietnam?
The life expectancy of a helicopter pilot in Viet Nam was between 13 and 30 days.
How old was the average helicopter pilot in Vietnam?
Most were 19 or 20 years old, with a few experienced “old men” per platoon in their late twenties.
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.
Who is the most decorated soldier 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 ) |
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.
How many soldiers died on their first day in Vietnam?
997 soldiers
997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam. 1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam. 31 sets of brothers are on the Wall. Thirty one sets of parents lost two of their sons.
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).
How many Desert Storm veterans are still alive?
1.68 million Veterans
More than 2.2 million U.S. service members served during the era and an estimated 694,550 deployed to the Gulf. An estimated 1.68 million Veterans from that era are still alive.
How many Cobras were shot down in Vietnam?
A sobering statistic: Out of 1,419 Loaches built, 842 were destroyed in Vietnam, most shot down and many others succumbing to crashes resulting from low-level flying. In contrast, of the nearly 1,100 Cobras delivered to the Army, 300 were lost.
Who is the youngest Vietnam veteran still alive?
Dan Bullock (December 21, 1953 – June 7, 1969) was a United States Marine and the youngest U.S. serviceman killed in action during the Vietnam War, dying at the age of 15.
| Dan Bullock | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 21, 1953 Goldsboro, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | June 7, 1969 (aged 15) An Hoa Combat Base, Quảng Nam Province, South Vietnam |
How many black soldiers served in Vietnam?
300,000 African-Americans
By lowering the education standards of the draft, an estimated 40% of the 246,000 draftees of Project 100,000 were Black. A total of 300,000 African-Americans served in Vietnam.
How many Vietnam veterans have PTSD?
In the 1970s, a study showed that 15 percent of Vietnam War veterans developed PTSD. However, as time has gone on, that number has doubled to a staggering 30% of Vietnam veterans with PTSD, or 810,000 of the 2.7 million service members, in the National Vietnam Veteran Readjustment Study.
