Nobody attacked, where we were. hmK#1+yNvA It began just as, it was getting dark. My father was on a lrrp team!65-67never was shot but killed alot.He never really got over it though died in 2012! Death by a Bottle! It was on the Job Training ! When I was assigned to the M60 in advanced individual training, I decided that if I had to be a gunner I would learn everything there was to know about the weapon. Vietnam veterans' personal income exceeds that of our non-veteran age group by more than 18 percent. It resulted in the death of some 45,000 NVA troops and the complete, if not total destruction of the Viet Cong elements in South Vietnam. Explore the Life of a U.S. Infantryman in Vietnam. PDF Mortality Rates and Life Expectancy of Veterans - Veterans Affairs I carried the proc 26 radio after I was asked by my field 1st ( E 7 ) if I would for my platoon .
While traveling through the boonies the first few men were usually always shot first. I was an Infantry Scout Dog handler. Most of us have memories of these kind of experiences. happened. my left and saw this rice paddie farmer and his ox and I was trying to motion him to get down he just looks at me and starts Fighters and planes dont make up the Army, thats the Air Force. The two platoons were to advance no more than 200 yards from the main body of the company. The other group of aeromedical evacuation were divisional, i.e. I was constantly untangling the barrel and bipod of the gun from grasping vines and branches. .. Ed, I was in a Grunt Platoon in Vietnam 70-71. How many soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam? - 2023 Without that commitment, Communism would have swept all the way to the Malacca Straits that is south of Singapore and of great strategic importance to the free world. 97% of Vietnam Veterans were honorably discharged. For his actions, he was awarded the Congressional Medal if Honor. If youre a foreigner, I respect what you think, but make sure you read ALL your facts, and dont come to rash conclusion until you know everything from BOTH sides. We had one RTO killed because he was too close to a 2ND Lt, same thing happened to another RTO. 1 Gun more than I did. The next three weeks passed uneventfully. The average time lapse between wounding to hospitalization was less than one hour. They were a great bunch. As I carried a PRC25 radio for over seven-months in the > Nam, I was curious to find out what I did RIGHT to surv >, One MOS I figured was a sure short timer was POL{Fuel} Truck Driver. If my memory is correct, only the 1st Cab flew wiith doorgunners. Fact: Mortality studies show that 9,000 is a better estimate. No. I was one of the many others I rode river boats in the Mekong Jan 68 to 69. See also: Population My shit got weak and a sniper popped three rounds in my young ass. The Kb of pyridine, C5H5N, is 1.5 x 10-9. Foot soldiers went by the grace of God, but had a better chance than the infantry platoon commander in combat. Overrun and utterly destroyed, the 30-man 4th Platoon had suffered 21 killed and one missing. Two points: 1) at least in Army units, Medevacs (dust offs) flew unarmed aircraft. Love you Wortman!!!! Vietnam War U.S. Military Fatal Casualty Statistics In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. Statistics about the Vietnam War - VHPA There must have been a real mathematician to come up with those calculations. There were almost twice as many casualties in Southeast Asia (primarily Cambodia) the first two years, after the fall of Saigon in 1975, than there were during the ten years the U.S. was involved in Vietnam. I always felt that Infantry units were in more danger because of ambush issues and no permanent defensive structures. Some of my men didnt. I was over there twice serving as a Hospital Corpsman with a marine unit. Amen I was a machine gunner for 7 months 503rd infantry 173rd airborne and you hit the nail right on the head. Eventually I found a spot where the bed leveled off and began firing on the NVA. Wortman, another RTO never made it back to The World. If it was your day to get hit or die, it happened. Its not all written down. 1: physical position (in the field / column) Much smaller income differentials in life expectancy, 0.2 to 3.6 life-years smaller for Veterans in 2010-17 are estimated. Was No. waving then I realized they Werent shooting at him only at the One out of every 10 Americans who served in Vietnam was a casualty. After every officer in our company was either killed or had serious wounds, our 1st Sgt , David McNerney took over the company and without his leadership, and knowledge of war, and unbelievable courage, our company would probably have been wiped out. The oldest man killed was 62 years old. The Marine Corps lost 14,836, or 5 percent . The average infantryman in Vietnam saw about 240 days of combat in one year thanks to the mobility of the helicopter. An infantry platoon commander in combat had an average of 6 weeks life expectancy. Comments were more interesting than the article it self. Lowering my gun, I turned around and noticed two VC sitting in the doorway of the hut, staring at me. Also, it would mean the killed RTOs died within seconds of the fight (it doesnt distinguish between ambush or regular fight, eg. 1 Gun onto a small hill and provide security while others retrieved them. year old Marine thinking this is my last day on earth. Name the major nerves that serve the following body areas? never happened,we lost two sweep team members and some An NVA soldier had evidently spotted the gun and waited patiently for me to stick my head up. The Organization of the Viet Cong Units in the South never recovered. 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. This is not Vietnam where a machine gunners life expectancy was short because you had an entire army shooting at them. Database. Some gave all. Forget the statistics, we all had a job to do, we went where we were told. History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. Moving west down the trail, 4th Platoon exchanged fire with a single NVA soldier, then a handful and finally a group of about 10-15 around noon. Men and women die everyday. History is who we are and why we are the way we are.. The 4th Platoons single machine gun crewthe platoon had entered the fight short a gunhad been killed in the fighting, and I was to be moved there. 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). Photo above is of Stanley Kober with RTO, John Scheur. July 68 to July 69. I picked up my M60 and walked to the center of the perimeter, where I found the company commander, Capt. (You can unsubscribe anytime), The US Wings website is ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) compliant and adheres to their standards for accessibility of the internet so people with disabilities can surf the web more easily & efficiently. In total, the 7th Infantry spent four years in Vietnam. A soldier or Marine in Vietnam had a 98% chance of survival if he was evacuated within the first hour of being injured the best odds in the history of American warfare up to that time. I saw killed and wounded everywhere in our combat operations. Of the eight who remained, seven were wounded. We all have opinions, this is mine. It called for release of all U.S. prisoners, withdrawal of U.S. forces, limitation of both sides forces inside South Vietnam and a commitment to peaceful reunification. The Department of Defense Vietnam War Service Index officially provided by The War Library originally reported with errors that 2,709,918 U.S. military personnel as having served in-country. Some Brothers said why spend another year in this hellhole???? Naturally I was excited at the opportunity to join Sanzone, but at the same time I hated leaving 2nd Platoons No. My bud, Price took over as RTO. Flipping the safety off, I scanned the jungle in front of me. If you look at all of the things the radio operators were tasked with, it becomes abundantly clear why commo guys weren't expected to last long. 4329 0 obj
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And I know what youre going to say, Because the American cs! Bullcrap!!!! Five RTOs. Contents 1 Unclear objectives 2 North Vietnamese strategy I had scary thoughts about myself humping the bush as a RTO, I was a real puny guy back then. My dog and I walked point my whole tour in Vietnam. After a couple of hours, the Viet Cong stopped shooting and melted back into the jungle. 1 Gun kept a lot of enemy heads down. Enemy fire greeted as us as soon as we landed near the village. Total fantasy. 101st Airborne Division. Sure, its softer than it was before, but the training they go through is intense, something a loser who spends his time on the computer all day attacking people he doesnt know anything about and all the facts CANNOT do. Walked point way to many times but never had contact. If it was 1941 and you were an average Soviet soldier, your life expectancy on the front line was days, not weeks, thanks to the ongoing german offence. The fact that PDoggbiker cant find any decent calculation/explanation, tells us a lot. I handled Top Secret Commo on a daily basis. 74% say they would serve again, even knowing the outcome. Proudly holding my M60 over my head, I screamed at the top of my lungs, No. No. 1 Gun. As the entire platoon hit the ground, I saw guys crawling back toward me. US Wings is a veteran-owned business and an official supplier to the US Military. See you in the next life!!!!! 3 Answers C5H5N in water > C5H5NH+ & OH- Kb = [C5H5NH+] [OH-] / [C5H5N] 1.5e-9 = [x] 1. I assisted Vessey and Capt Cartwright by helping prepare the Bee Hive Rounds (first time they were ever used), firing 4 rounds at proximity 0 range into a human wave attack on or weak side after 5 hours of relentless attacks on the opposite side of the perimeter Those 4 rounds killed @ 400 enemy soldiers, of the 881 total enemy losss John Vessey later became a 4 Star general and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs appointed by Reagan 1983, and at retirement became Chair of the POW MIA Commission for 14 years, Passing away in August 2016 just 6 months before our 50th Reunion. Unable to reach Company A, my company pulled back, formed a perimeter and called in air and artillery support. 1 Gun and I survived our first firefight. Ordered to reinforce the unit, the Company B commander put our four platoons abreast of each other, and we marched west. As mentioned, who kept track of that in the first place? An Rtos job was essential, tough,(Carrying the extra weight of the radio transmitter along with his rucksack), and dangerous. In January 1967, the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry, was airlifted to Pleiku province in the Central Highlands. I was with HHC and 1st Platoon C Company in 70-71. The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. We observed the rules of the Geneva Convention while the bad guys had no interest in doing so. 1st Platoon, C Company, 2nd Battalion 327th Infantry. 1 Gun. I had an assistant gunner, Spc. US Wings provides aviation apparel to the U.S. Government and commercial customers along with the general public. Life Expectancy of the World Population. I DISAGREETHE ENEMY WOULD SHOOT THE GUY NEXT TO THE RTO-KNOWING HE WAS THE COMMANDER. The Vietnam War was the first American war in which Black and White troops were not formally segregated, and even saw significant growth in the number of African Americans engaged in battlefield combat, [1] though some de facto segregation still occurred. Military history of African Americans in the Vietnam War is sharing facts, thats truly good, keep up writing. (Getty Images) Most war stories are about soldiers and battles. The average age of the men killed: 23.1 years. I was told my life expectancy was about 45 secs during a fire fight because of the weapons and demo I carried. This article appeared in the October 2021 issue of Vietnam magazine. HOOAH!!! If you would like to get a copy, and cant find it, let me know, and I will make sure you get one. (LogOut/ PLEASE HELP!!! sweep team,then I heard the choppers and they were blowing the hell out in the tree line then it just got so quiet like nothing Some very close calls but I am alive at age 74. The first man to die in Vietnam was James Davis, in 1961. Bruce Grandstaff and my best friend, Sgt. then youd carry an extra 200 rounds of M60 ammo for the machine gunner , plus drag grenades , one smoke grenade plus etc. In Vietnam, 1 in 400 of the wounded died of their . My good friend who was a RTO was killed. Still, militarily, the Tet Offensive was a total defeat of the Communist forces on all fronts. Still shaken, I grabbed the gun and crawled to the left inside the streambed. 'No. 1 Gun': An M60 Machine Gunner in Vietnam Tells His Story - HistoryNet hb```8fB cBLd2>Tb jz1@E; aK6Tmc.Nn"&gn7hj'wm,h d6p4u0`&88:,TMV&
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Thanks. We fought to an agreed stalemate. A Co, 1/5 Cav, 1 Cav Division. Thanks for the perceived loss and the countless assassinations and torture visited upon Vietnamese, Laotians, and Cambodians goes mainly to the American media and their undying support-by-misrepresentation of the anti-War movement in the United States. Soldiers also act in the mobilization of vehicles, weaponry, troops, and more. I applaud your courage as I know an RTOs job is essential, difficult (carrying the weight of his radio transmitter, his rifle, his ammo, and his rucksack), and dangerous as the enemy surely wanted to knock out any communications for support. Lucky you. However, Shermans were very outmatched by the German tanks on the field of battle. One afternoon, while Company B was still in the Tuy Hoa area, we received orders to gather up our gear and get ready to board choppers for an assault into a hot landing zone. The U.S. Infantryman Vietnam Pocket Manual contains gems such as infantry "patrol tips," maneuver techniques, and fighting methods for various environments. Very Good , I was a radio operator up in I corps in 68 & to me the worst thing was the walking . Thats why I never understand people talking about survivors guilt it should have been me, why him? etc. Over 600 Navy FMF Hospital Corpsmen were killed in Vietnam. 1,713,823 of those who served in Vietnam were still alive as of August, 1995 (census figures). We killed a lot of the enemy but we took few serious casualties. Contents1 [] As I was running to the rivers edge, ready to unload on the VC hiding in the elephant grass, I ran past a grass hut and never bothered to clear it. Lived too tell about it. Then I dropped back down in the streambed to organize our ammo. No. Nevertheless, I swung No. 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the official Vietnam era from August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975. well i have been army infantry for 12 years with 2 deployments, and still going strong. I carried the PRC-25 for most of a year. I was an M-60 machine gunner for a battalion recon platoon in 1967, for the First Infantry Division, Known as The Black Scarf Battalion. No trees or anything on the ground. If you have other information let me know. Once we turned on the radar they could hit us with a harm missile. 1 Gun was on my hip with the safety off, ready to rock and roll. John Doever A documentary about our company and our 1st Sgt was made. Ambushed on October 4th,1967. The income differentials in life expectancy for Veterans in 2011-14, however, are estimated to be smaller. I won a few times, and even when I did not I benefited from handling the gun under stress. I lost my cherry very early. Life expectancy at birth. Hurrying forward with No. Welcome Home Roger. 23,24 This study found that the death rate for Vietnam veterans was 1.3 times that for non-Vietnam veterans; however, the excess deaths were limited to Engineer Corps members (RR, 2.5). How could we lose a war we had already stopped fighting? Information presented by SFC (Ret) David Hack. As I remember it the life expectancy was based on after the ambush was sprung or the fire fight started. Thank You General Vessey for the almost 53 years I have lived since that day. To cut the Ho Chi Minh Traila week after the mission endedthe trail was booming with business from the north.. It was an honor indeed to serve with some of the finest soldiers I have ever met. First thing we did was, Set up a complete circular perimeter. The dead were placed on ponchos. I was told to help carry one of the bodies. I told by RTO that i could carry my own radio, When he agreed he was humping ammo. Or is it on display in a Hanoi museum so curious citizens of that city can inspect a weapon captured from American imperialists? I was an Artillery Forward Observer with the Infantry. Hey Robert I was with the 38th Scout Dog Plt. Our 5th night there, the AMMO area started burning / blowing up. I was wasting ammo and didnt even have a target! Over 900,000 patients were airlifted (nearly half were American). The man with the carbine immediately dropped it, and the two VC surrendered. 67-67 11B 4th Id. They run into the fire to help the wounded and many get wounded or killed. Phi Pow B.Sc (econ) in Economic History & Economics (college minor), London School of Economics and Political Science Author has 212 answers and 234.6K answer views 2 y Originally Answered: What soldier had the shortest life expectancy? wmy:LsN{/^yzJ] 6.7>n-:FqOa#CW>ia?wt?Xa@ghCd bF)`Schl4*f. Approximately 70% of those killed in Vietnam were volunteers. They also struggled with logistical problems and the complex political situation in Vietnam. I packed my own radio and got a Thank you from his Mom. 87% of Americans hold Vietnam Veterans in high esteem. Black fatalities amounted to 12 percent of all Americans killed in Southeast Asia, a figure proportional to the number of blacks in the U.S. population at the time and slightly lower than the proportion of blacks in the Army at the close of the war.. Life Expectancy by Country and in the World (2023) - Worldometer I know the scouts in my company had a slightly longer rate but not much. both tours. Thats my experience. I never thought of it that way before but have many times since. Keep in step with US Wings Join our newsletter to receive all our latest news and offers, Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails from US Wings. Each company had eight M60s. The American military did not lose a battle of any consequence. The next morning, the blasting could still be, heard. First Sgt. Fortunately, it was recorded on Spotify and can be listened to here: Thank you for both articles: (1)Going up river to port and (2) the flight from Italy back to Nam. What unit lost the most soldiers in Vietnam? Vietnam Veterans represented 9.7% of their generation. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Over the next two months, we exchanged fire with groups of the NVA. You just do the best job you can and if you got hit, so be it! They were glad to see me as it had been a while for replacements with the unit. I was already lugging around a 24-pound weapon, 300 rounds of ammo and a pack that weighed a good 45 pounds. I watched in horror as four NVA soldiers ambled through the branches of a downed tree that partially concealed us. Vietnam War Facts, Stats and Myths - US Wings Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. well I wonder how long your going to last lieutenant? We were expecting, an attack. I do remember when I got short I thought about it a lot more. The Vietnam War was the turning point for Communism. 58,148 were killed in Vietnam, 75,000 severely disabled, 23,214 were 100% disabled, 5,283 lost limbs and 1,081 sustained multiple amputations. Staying alive was kinda of important. Then the tempo changed suddenly and violently. Theres 58,276. Radiomen in the Vietnam War faced a 5-second life expectancy Shortly before 11 a.m. on May 18, the point squad in Company Bs 2nd Platoon spotted three NVA soldiers walking on a trail near the Cambodian border and attempted to capture them, but the NVA dashed off into the jungle. The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand stayed free of Communism because of the U.S. commitment to Vietnam. If you were an administrative officer or clerk in an air-conditioned trailer in Saigon, your war might be a lot like peacetime duty. 2 Gun to Ranallo. DeLong had only fired the weapon once in training, so I let him fire off a few rounds to practice. Suddenly, I heard my name shouted from the Company B command group. They were held in special regard after the Normandy landings, when 225 Rangers scaled cliffs at Pointe Du Hoc on June 6, 1944 under intense enemy fire. 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. As a result, less than one percent of all Americans wounded, who survived the first 24 hours, died. Oh, and even the Air Force has ground units. RIP KOOKIE forever young, Thank god you are still alive, I am age 77. Dap, Hope this helps. Jimmy aaja, jimmy aaja. If youre American (which you probably are), I could give a f***. Date: March 8, 2020 Author: pdoggbiker 97 Comments Photo above is of Stanley Kober with RTO, John Scheur. The average age of the 58,148 US Servicemembers killed in Vietnam was . If you ask people who live in these countries that won the war in Vietnam, they have a different opinion from the American news media. They were lazy, cowardly and of questionable loyalty, especially the RUFF/PUFFS, and they would steal your under ware if given half a chance. I didnt want any medals. Supported by a shoulder strap, No. I never saw any correlation as to what MOS a soldier was and their survival rate. The NVA had wedged a blocking force between our company and Company A, preventing us from advancing any farther. the life expectancy of a LT in Vietnam in major combat was 16 minutes. Back in 1965, I was a door gunner on Medevac recovery operations. 82nd 2/505th. The gas-operated, belt-fed gun had a maximum rate of fire of 550-650 rounds per minute.