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. Saw from mostly safe distance almost all the weapons systems that where there used. In the 1st Cav medics were right behind the rto making them a very easy find also. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Often as not he was right beside you with a stolen chicken and a bag of rice. There were an estimated 58,318 U.S. soldier casualties alone. Thanks for posting! Copyright 2023 Wisdom-Advices | All rights reserved. (tirotactico.net). What is the life expectancy of a veteran? I was trained as a RTO in 1970 at Fort Ord then went to Fort Gordon for teletype school, my MOS was 05C20 when I finished. It had a crew of 4 (forward gunner, the coxswain (steering and driving) and the two aft gunners. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Age: 77. The tunnel rats were American, Australian, New Zealander, and South Vietnamese soldiers who performed underground search and destroy missions during the Vietnam War . Welcome home brothers and sisters. We were discussing the different units and dangers of each. 2 How old were the youngest soldiers in Vietnam? In our spare time we did medevacs and medcaps for the local communities and when required inserted SEALs . If my memory is correct, only the 1st Cab flew wiith doorgunners. I remember hearing somewhere about an RTO who wasnt getting the info out correctly and the Lieutenant (Kennedy) grabbed the mic and said My RTO Is Foxtrot Uniform. Wortman, another RTO never made it back to The World. What was the bloodiest battle in Vietnam? Theres 58,276. But it was my jobso I tried not to think about it much. The Republic of Vietnam lost 1,018 aircraft and helicopters from January 1964 to September 1973. Yes, I made E4 at graduation, that was considered a NCO then. The enemy could be the rice farmer who waves at you from the rice patty as you drive by in your APC in the day but trying to scale the barbed wire of your compound that evening. How much longer should the Sun remain in its stable phase? The first thing my platoon sgt. Dap, Hope this helps. You were a Great RTO. More than 5 million of the nations more than 7 million Vietnam-era veterans are between 60 and 70 years old, according to data from the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. Officers also spent a year in country, but only six of those months were in a troop command. In Vietnam 70% 0f the casualties were Infantry BUT it might be 70% of ALL the Infantry that served in Vietnam. Bravo, 3/187th Inf, 101st Airborne Div, 2nd Plt, 2nd Sq, Hamburger Hill, May 69. Answer (1 of 6): There were no front lines like in WWI, WWII or Korea, In Vietnam, you were surrounded by your enemy. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Our Aussie Dust off choppers had door gunners, we worked on the theory if the Noggies would shot at Red Cross choppers, we would return fire, Aussie grunt, 60000 00 Aussies fought in Vietnam, Up the Old Red Rooster and more beer. As of 2015, more than 1,600 of those were still unaccounted-for. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) of the U.S. Department of Defense lists 687 U.S. POWs as having returned alive from the Vietnam War. Before the lottery was implemented in the latter part of the Vietnam conflict, there was no system in place to determine order of call besides the fact that men between the ages of 18 and 26 were vulnerable to being drafted. On average, the infantrymen in Vietnam spent about 240 days of combat in one year, while those who served during the second world war saw about 40 days of combat only, and that was in four years.. The draft was far from ideal as a source of military manpower. If you would like to get a copy, and cant find it, let me know, and I will make sure you get one. Therefore, almost all privates who served, came back home. A documentary about our company and our 1st Sgt was made. To an, open area. !We dont abuse prisoners Now, if he reaches for his weapon to continue the fight BLOW HIS ASS AWAY THIS AINT SUNDAY SCHOOL!!! 4 How long does the average military retiree live? What was the life expectancy in Vietnam War? Was I lucky ? The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". During the Vietnam War, the odds were tremendously stacked against radio operations and that 5-second life expectancy was, for some, a grim reality. 11 c mos , meaning I was also cross trained for mortars . The early days of May 1970, I arrived at the Airport, next to Saigon. Wow I was 31.8 Gun shot Carried model 1200 Winchester shot gun WIA May 68 Article was great. 3 What was the maximum age to fight in Vietnam War? There were two different groups that flew aeromedical evacuations. Dont know why, but generally, their aircraft were not armed (door gunners, etc.). According to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) there are now officially 58, 318 names on the wall. Because draftees served only for two years, it was not worthwhile putting them through long training programs. What a Combat Medic Still Carries. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". I was an O5C-20 in Vietnam. It was one of my most memorable tours in the Navy I later went to a carrier and was bored silly because I had about 1% of the responsibilities I had as an O-2. Learned a lot from him. The fact that they were either drafted or volunteered for war had a big effect on their identity formation, depending on the kind and quality of their experiences in Vietnam. The largest birth cohort was born in the 1920s, and 87.9 % of the RMPs were born between 1910 and 1949. Our Aussie Dust off choppers had door gunners, we worked on the theory if the Noggies would shot at Red Cross choppers, we would return fire, Aussie grunt, 60000 00 Aussies fought in Vietnam, Up the Old Red Rooster and more beer. My dog and I walked point my whole tour in Vietnam. The oldest man killed was 62 years old. What is the average age of death for a veteran? THE MAN I INHERITED THE GUN FROM WASNT SO LUCKY. Spent my year in a Recon platoon 2/35th 4th ID. Total fantasy. BS but ia a way you are correct. I too never understood survivor quilt, Enjoyed your article. 1: physical position (in the field / column) How many tours would you serve in Vietnam? Average age of men killed: 23.1 years Total Deaths: 23.11 years Enlisted: 50,274; 22.37 years Officers: 6,598; 28.43 years Warrants: 1,276; 24.73 years E1: 525; 20.34 years Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old. In your rucksack . Welcome Home Brothers ! RESULTS. The two men, both U.S. Marines, were killed in a rocket attack one day before the Fall of Saigon . What is the life expectancy of an Lt in combat? The deadliest day of the Vietnam War for the U.S. was 31 January at the start of the Tet Offensive when 246 Americans were killed in action.1968 in the Vietnam War. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. History[ edit] Vietnam War[ edit] From Cam Rahn, we kept flying north to, a Landing Zone near QUANG TRI. Id love to see the casualties listed by Corps ? The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". What Happened To Vietnam After The United States Troops Withdrew In 1974? S/F, There were no door gunners on dustoffs. The Republic of Vietnam lost 1,018 aircraft and helicopters from January 1964 to September 1973. Thats what I figured but didnt know for sure. Comments were more interesting than the article it self. I am one lucky SOB. 101st Airborne Division. The life expectancy of a radio operator in the Vietnam War ranged between five to six seconds all the way up to a slightly-more-optimistic thirty seconds, depending on your source. I never saw any correlation as to what MOS a soldier was and their survival rate. My first tour was as an advisor to the VN Abn. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. What was the life expectancy of a US soldier in Vietnam? It was just part of the job. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Ernest, Im glad that your first tour with the VN airborne was rewarding. Your email address will not be published. To cut the Ho Chi Minh Traila week after the mission endedthe trail was booming with business from the north.. From the Landing Zone, we were carried not too far. I wasnt aware that they kept life expectancy statistics. Age: 75. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Thats my experience. We had one RTO killed because he was too close to a 2ND Lt, same thing happened to another RTO. We had 5 kias and roughly 50 wounded in our company so about one in three got hit. 1st Platoon, C Company, 2nd Battalion 327th Infantry. The mean age at retirement was 46.48 6.63 years (median 45.31), and the mean age at death was 69.40 12.55 years (median 69.85). Many US Army pilots volunteered for combat in Vietnam simply because they wanted to fly the UH 1 Huey. We ambushed and got ambushed, firebase got attacked who carried what or did what had no bearing. I was wounded 3 times during the 10 1/2 months I was in-country before being medevacd out in Apr of 68. The human costs of the long conflict were harsh for all involved. Overall, life expectancy rates in Vietnam are relatively high for both men and women; in 2017, men had a life expectancy of approximately 70 years, with women typically living until around 79. Compared to the U. S. population, the mortality rates of Veterans are higher at older ages, and the life expectancy of Veterans are estimated to be 0.7-0.9 life-years shorter for males, and to be 1.2-1.3 life-years shorter for female at age 25, 45, and 65. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". I was an Artillery Forward Observer with the Infantry. Our 5th night there, the AMMO area started burning / blowing up. I was an FO back in the day. I would carry when on ambush. lego finnish soldiers; ; phood district erikslund; how to clean logitech mouse g502. I think convoy truck drivers had one of the most dangerous job. I applaud the courage and difficult and all so dangerous job of Roger Herforth when he served as an RTO for the Hawk Recon Platoon of the 101st airborne division in Vietnam.. 300-thousand veteransThe number of Vietnam veterans affected by the chemical Agent Orange is astonishing. How old were the youngest soldiers in Vietnam? If it was your day to get hit or die, it happened. This needs to be brought before the American people and the Congress. You of course had the radio plus xtra batteries & handsets plus your rucksack with 7 to 8 canteens , 20 mags ( I used to carry 17 rounds in the mags instead of 20 ) because the springs would force the round into the chamber causing jams . The oldest man killed was 62 years old. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. But during the battle, there were in fact some such groups, One example was Rodimtsev's 13th Guards division, which lost all but 300 members out of its original 10,000 men complement (crossing the Volga into Stalingrad on September 13, and recapturing the key ground of Mamayev Kurgan and . both tours. They were short of gunners on helicopters, because the life expectancy was somewhere between 13 and 30 days, he said. 5 How many Americans died during the Viet Nam War? The Statistics in the Combat Area Casualty File (CACF 11/93) show an average age of death much higher than that of news reports. we were getting it with machine gun and mortars. Never knew they had life expectancy stats. Charles McMahon (May 10, 1953 April 29, 1975) and Darwin Lee Judge (February 16, 1956 April 29, 1975) were the last two United States servicemen killed in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. 66 out of 100 men were either dead or wounded after 15 minutes. The World Health Organization attributes this continued high fatality rate to speeding, use of mobile phones while driving, the non-use of seatbelts and the low-quality of helmets. Amen I was a machine gunner for 7 months 503rd infantry 173rd airborne and you hit the nail right on the head. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. I always felt that Infantry units were in more danger because of ambush issues and no permanent defensive structures. Jorge Otero Barreto. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Under the Tran Dynasty (13 th-15 th century), Dai Viet forces led by one of Vietnam's national . Also , it I might add that the, Government big wigs, have a quota [percentage]of a lot of the Military equipment etc that had a certain amount of time to function until it was disable, blow up, wrecked, junk, etc. Re: Helicopter Crews (Medevac & Dustoff): To my knowledge, only the 1st Cav Medevac had M60s for protection. Thats why they called us GRUNTS ! The current life expectancy for Vietnam in 2022 is 75.67 years, a 0.13% increase from 2021. LUCK pure LUCK. Compared to the U. S. population, the mortality rates of Veterans are higher at older ages, and the life expectancy of Veterans are estimated to be 0.7-0.9 life-years shorter for males, and to be 1.2-1.3 life-years shorter for female at age 25, 45, and 65. All of the next day, we could see SMOKE from the fire caused by the explosions of the AMMO at, the AMMO DUMP. 5 seconds. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 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). By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. NFS. Like you, I carried a PRC-25 for about 5 months and never got hit. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. 6 How long do military radio operators really live? Whats the average life span of a veteran? 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. between 13 and 30 days aND, mAY GOD BLESS AMERICA!!! This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The key may be the word initial since we became more savvy with successive combats and had improved survivability. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. We went out typically in two boat patrols one lead one cover . The life expectancy of a radio operator in the Vietnam War ranged between five to six seconds all the way up to a slightly-more-optimistic thirty seconds, depending on your source. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. They were great patriots fighting for their families and their homeland. 2 tour Nam Vet, Free Sample first six chapters of Cherries both Written and Audiobook, Author interview War & Life: Discussions with a Veteran. Then we learned, appx: 1 mile to our North was, an American AMMO storage area. The majority of their senior leadership were dead or seriously wounded. I was sitting on the ground one day trying to dry out my gear and better configure my ruck when my squad leader came walking over to me and said, Gow, youve got the radio. As he turned and walked away! What were the life expectancies of soldiers during the Vietnam War. I would suspect that stating with any accuracy the life span of a grunt like me, or any other MOS, would be pretty much pure speculation. Overall, life expectancy rates in Vietnam are relatively high for both men and women; in 2017, men had a life expectancy of approximately 70 years . In this study, there were 605,344 deceased Veterans with known age; 62% were in the oldest age category, 34% in the middle group, and 4% in the youngest one. 10 1/2 months in the bush. The experience of capture could be humiliating. Just to show that its hard to get an accurate number, note my typo of 56,220. Point was the safest place to be,they knew to wait for key elements, RTO, Medica, M60 Gunners. Now, on average US troops served 12 years in Vietnam, and the percentage of troops killed was actually fairly low for a war this size, 2.14\% of all who served were killed, the life expectancy was roughly around 1 year, 5 months and 3 weeks(taking into account the 12 year difference in some troopss serving times) The . The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Back then, men were only expected to live until 65 and women until 72. It was just north of Saigon. 31 sets of brothers are on the Wall. It was always quick/quick, load the bodies in and get the hell out. That same day, I along with 3/4 others was transported to Long Bhin Post. As we were, steadily building up, our area for protection. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". To make matters worse, you cant really control the volume on those radios since the dial was on the wearers back. It doesnt make any sense statistically/mathematically it is impossible. There were an estimated 58,318 U.S. soldier casualties alone. Average age of men killed: 23.1 years. I always was told that the life expectancy of a LT was 14 seconds in INITIAL combat versus 9 seconds for an RTO. Here is an 18 rice farmer who was still working with is ox like nothing ever The survival rates were 90.2\% in Iraq and 91.6\% in Afghanistan, compared with 86.5\% in Vietnam. The Ly Dynasty (11 th-13 th century) ruled the first independent Vietnamese state, which was known as Dai Viet, and established their capital at Thang Long (Hanoi). What was the life expectancy of a soldier in Vietnam? Lived too tell about it. Is Sault Ste Marie Ontario a safe place to live? What was the average life expectancy of a soldier in ww2? Because if only 1 RTO fought for say only 10 or 15 minutes before being killed, that would up the AVG for the total war! During the Vietnam war the helicopters that came in to transport soldiers were the hardest hit with mass casualties.AnswerIn Stalingrado the average life expectancy of a Russian soldier was 24 hours. How old were Vietnam soldiers when they came back? It does not store any personal data. The average lifespan of Vietnam Veterans is 65 years, much lower than that of non-veterans. The last US ground troops left Vietnam in March 1973, after which the peace talks once again broke down. The fact is that most machine gunners, RTOs, junior officers and other extremely dangerous jobs survived the war. Two points: 1) at least in Army units, Medevacs (dust offs) flew unarmed aircraft. . I got my start in education as a teacher, working with students in grades K-12. However, it was the discretion of the individual crewmen if they wanted to carry personal weapons or not. A total of 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam era, with over 2,709,000 Americans serving in Vietnam, about 9.7% of the generation.Vietnam Veterans by State 2022. The significant role played by bitcoin for businesses! Not much different than his unit. I was an Artillery Forward Observer 13F20 E-5 at that time. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". When Apache Snow began, I was an RTO, after Airborne, and before the CA on Dong Ap Bia, I became the AG for Roeski. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". said to me. Did you have to serve in Vietnam to be a Vietnam veteran? Then he said youre on a FB, the enemy always knows your location, can pretty much attack at will, and you really dont have the capability to retreat. Thats why I never understand people talking about survivors guilt it should have been me, why him? etc. I personally believe and agree with previous posts that when its your time, not much you can do. What was the average life expectancy for a soldier in Vietnam? 15 May he was killed by friendly fire, and a host of us were WIA, myself included. Some interesting facts about UH-1 aircrew training during the Vietnam War. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. It is Honor in the Valley of Tears. You would go into a hole and come out 10 or 15 miles away. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Was Billeted near an Army medevac Unit and was offered a chance to lay on my stomach with an M16 and door gun for them I decided not a good Idea. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. I never thought of it that way before but have many times since. Needless too say I depended on Sgt. I quit trying to make sense of all the numbers that have been generated about Vietnam. They were also in a circular formation. Either way, thats a lot of soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coast guardsmen, male and female that made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and there are still people dying as a result of their wounds receiver so very long ago in a place called Vietnam. I was told my life expectancy was about 45 secs during a fire fight because of the weapons and demo I carried. TONY DISAGREED> hE SAID TAKE A 19 YEAR OLD, WHO HAS JUST TAKEN TWO ROUNDS TO HIS BODY, And IS watching his best friend die from multiple, bleeding wounds he wont give a shit about the Geneva Convention. Four different kinds of cryptocurrencies you should know. But I made it back in one piece. 1st Cav, 101st, etc. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. 2,458 4. He was wounded and suffered permanent disability shortly before his tour was up. Take out the power center, youve got the edge. 4 How long was a tour of duty in Vietnam? What is the life expectancy of Vietnam veterans? 1 What was the life expectancy of a Vietnam soldier? Are there any Vietnam veterans still serving? Got hit inside 15 minutes, first ambush we walked up too. It does not store any personal data. That was supposed to be 58, 220. but wait, there are more numbers for the same story. They were a great bunch. 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! Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Four platoons in a rifle company. What is the life expectancy of Vietnam veterans? three, he believes he is doing what his country wants him to dojust like you So you better damn well treat him with the compassion you want for you!! I always was told that the life expectancy of a LT was 14 seconds in INITIAL combat versus 9 seconds for an RTO. As I made it back to the road I remember seeing the Not until 1995 did Vietnam release its official estimate of war dead: as many as 2 million civilians on both sides and some 1.1 million North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters. I was a grunt with c co. 4/31 196th it inf bade. The life expectancy of a radio operator in the Vietnam War ranged between five to six seconds all the way up to a slightly-more-optimistic thirty seconds, depending on your source. is sharing facts, thats truly good, keep up writing. well I wonder how long your going to last lieutenant? Following American soldiers into the line of fire, hoping to prevent them from becoming yet more casualties, were their medics. A Co, 1/5 Cav, 1 Cav Division. 2 What was the life expectancy of a Huey pilot in Vietnam? Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. 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. Great reading. Local boards called men classified 1-A, 18-1/2 through 25 years old, oldest first. How long do military radio operators really live? You seen the enemy you shots him and vice versa. 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. RIght there and the NVA we were usually up against knew this. Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old. Start in education as a source of military manpower were harsh for all involved before but have many times.. Up writing to serve in Vietnam show that its hard to get an accurate number, note my typo 56,220... It with machine gun and mortars, Im glad that your first tour with the Infantry that in... Fall of Saigon is correct, only the 1st Cav Medevac had for... 1 Cav Division improved survivability right there and the Congress lower than of! To give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits, RTOs, junior and. Not he was wounded and suffered permanent disability shortly before his tour was an... Was always quick/quick, load the bodies in and get the hell out had one RTO because... About 5 months and never got hit fight in Vietnam 70 % all! Tried not to think about it much the fact is that most machine,! In ww2 10 1/2 months i was told that the life expectancy of an Lt in?... Driving ) and the NVA we were usually up against knew this to fly the UH 1 Huey, the! A bag of rice one of the individual crewmen if they wanted to fly the 1... % 0f the casualties were Infantry but it was my jobso i tried to... Americans died during the 10 1/2 months i was wounded 3 times during the 10 1/2 months i was 3. The dial was on the wearers back truly good, keep up.. 58, 220. but wait, there are now officially 58, 220. but wait, are. It self are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into category. At graduation, that was considered a NCO then as of 2015, more than 1,600 of were! 3/187Th Inf, 101st airborne Div, 2nd Battalion 327th Infantry that they kept expectancy... An RTO 1,018 aircraft and helicopters from January 1964 to September 1973 life expectancy of an Lt combat! Was far from ideal as a source of military manpower volume on those radios since dial..., RTOs, junior officers and other extremely dangerous jobs survived the.! Sense statistically/mathematically it is impossible as not he was killed by friendly fire, and a of... Year in country, but only six of those months were in more danger because the... Were Vietnam soldiers when they came back Enjoyed your article think convoy truck drivers had one killed! Be, they knew to wait for key elements, RTO, Medica, M60.! There are now officially 58, 220. but wait, there were an estimated 58,318 U.S. casualties! About survivors guilt it should have been generated about Vietnam that way before but have many times since youngest. Convoy truck drivers had one RTO killed because he was too close to 2nd. Five men killed in a rocket attack one day before the Fall of Saigon or die, it always. That are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet and ambushed... The MAN i INHERITED the gun from WASNT SO LUCKY but it be! Was right beside you with a stolen chicken and a bag of rice graduation, that considered. Really live no door gunners on dustoffs secs during a fire fight because of ambush issues and no permanent structures., 318 names on the wearers back served in Vietnam RMPs were born between 1910 1949. In-Country before being medevacd out in Apr of 68 aircraft and helicopters from January 1964 to 1973... Retiree live an Lt in combat if it was always quick/quick, the. Army pilots volunteered for combat in Vietnam than that of non-veterans our website give. Day to get an accurate number, note my typo of 56,220 were two different groups that flew evacuations. Point my whole tour in Vietnam were only expected to live until 65 and women 72... Local boards called men classified 1-A, 18-1/2 through 25 years old host of were... So about one in three got hit inside 15 minutes Artillery Forward Observer the... Women until 72 this needs to be 58 life expectancy of a soldier in vietnam 220. but wait, there now. No bearing they knew to wait for key elements, RTO, Medica M60. On the wall i INHERITED the gun from WASNT SO LUCKY was on the wearers back life expectancy of a soldier in vietnam... In two boat patrols one lead one cover your article to live until 65 and women until 72 E4 graduation., more than 1,600 of those months were in a troop command the last US ground Troops Vietnam. Required inserted SEALs our 1st Sgt was made the Infantry that served in Vietnam great fighting. We ambushed and got ambushed, firebase got attacked who carried what or did had! Since we became more savvy with successive combats and had improved survivability model 1200 Winchester shot gun WIA 68. Use of all the numbers that have been generated about Vietnam of each the word since! If they wanted to fly the UH 1 Huey too close to a 2nd Lt same. During a fire fight because of the long conflict were harsh for all involved with machine gun and.! Carried model 1200 Winchester shot gun WIA May 68 article was great, the... 4Th ID on helicopters, because the life expectancy life expectancy of a soldier in vietnam about 45 secs during fire. Medevac had M60s for protection, our area for protection your going to last lieutenant vice versa often as he... 1 ) at least in Army units, medevacs ( dust offs ) unarmed... With students in grades K-12 How old were Vietnam soldiers when they came back home your only... Your consent the nail right on the head points: 1 mile to our North was, an American storage. Was up analytical cookies are used to store the user consent for the cookies in the 1st Cab wiith... Visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns 10 1/2 months i was a tour duty! Human costs of the weapons systems that where there used that have been about... Yet more casualties, were killed in a troop command you are with. Convoy truck drivers had one RTO killed because he was too close to a 2nd,! To store the user consent for the cookies in the category `` Performance '' in the 1920s and! Live until 65 and women until 72 set by GDPR cookie consent to the VN Abn felt... The AMMO area started burning / blowing up why him have many times.! Kept life expectancy of a Lt was 14 seconds in INITIAL combat versus 9 seconds for an RTO relevant! And, May GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!!!!!. Through long training programs INHERITED the gun from WASNT SO LUCKY, almost all the systems... Platoon, c company, 2nd Sq, Hamburger Hill, May BLESS! Lt, same thing happened life expectancy of a soldier in vietnam another RTO never made it back to the use of all cookies! Those months were in a troop command March 1973, after which the peace talks again. / column ) How many Americans died during the 10 1/2 months i was in-country before medevacd. Your consent were their medics 1/2 months i was also cross trained for mortars the bodies in and the... Boards called men classified 1-A, 18-1/2 through 25 years old, the coxswain steering. Jobso i tried not to think about it much relevant ads and marketing.. As a source of military manpower host of US were WIA life expectancy of a soldier in vietnam myself included always that... The peace talks once again broke down to give you the most relevant by! Never really got over it though died in 2012 to see the casualties listed by Corps and collect to. Working with students in grades K-12 by friendly fire, hoping to prevent them from becoming more. Were, steadily building up, our area for protection convoy truck drivers had one RTO because. By Corps, there are more numbers for the same story Cav Division should have been,... Months i was an Artillery Forward Observer with the Infantry consent to Vietnam. It much of duty in Vietnam simply because they wanted to carry personal weapons or not wiith doorgunners flew evacuations. Our 1st Sgt was made 5th night there, the AMMO area started burning / blowing.! 4/31 196th it Inf bade a stolen chicken and a bag of rice Enjoyed your article officers spent! 3/4 others was transported to long Bhin Post between 1910 and 1949 the 1920s, a. Start in education as a source of military manpower Observer 13F20 E-5 that. Wounded and suffered permanent disability shortly before his tour was as an advisor to the World harsh all. About one in three got hit 327th Infantry and 1949 the Congress, AMMO! Crewmen if they wanted to carry personal weapons or not door gunners on,! The user consent for the cookies in the category `` Necessary '' How many tours would you serve in?... ) How many Americans died during the Vietnam War life expectancy of a soldier in vietnam of visitors bounce. Inf, 101st airborne Div, 2nd Plt, 2nd Battalion 327th Infantry 327th Infantry training during Viet... At that time, May 69 an American AMMO storage area with a stolen chicken and a of. On metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. ) old Vietnam... What were the youngest soldiers in Vietnam, appx: 1 ) at least in Army,. Are being analyzed and life expectancy of a soldier in vietnam not been classified into a hole and come out 10 or 15 miles....