Before I became a team leader on ambush and recon I was in command of the scout jeep for the 25th ID resupply convoy from January 1968 to June 15, 1968 and I found the resupply convoys a lot more dangerous because the enemy always knew where it would be and when. 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. Thats why I never understand people talking about survivors guilt it should have been me, why him? etc. Very memorable comments. Home Kent State University What Is The Average Life Expectancy Of A Vietnam Veteran? How did the American colonies actually win the war and gain their Independence from Britain? There were houses down there and hospitals, Garza noted. located on the South End of, the Post. The question really relates to which group of Soviet soldiers had average life expectancies of 24 hours. 5 seconds. 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 . Ron. 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. I was one of the lucky ones I came home without a physical scratch. What unit saw the most combat in Vietnam? How many soldiers died their first day in Vietnam? houseboat netherlands / brigada pagbasa 2021 memo region 5 / life expectancy of an infantry soldier in vietnam. Who wrote the music and lyrics for Kinky Boots? S/F, There were no door gunners on dustoffs. Theres 58,276. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The two men, both U.S. Marines, were killed in a rocket attack one day before the Fall of Saigon . 6 When was the last American combat death in Vietnam? My first tour was as an advisor to the VN Abn. As I remember it the life expectancy was based on after the ambush was sprung or the fire fight started. They were glad to see me as it had been a while for replacements with the unit. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The article was interesting. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. In my humble opiniona maneven leaders should often recalculate their adversaries capabilities and limitations and his own limitations as wellwhen 10,000 miles from home against a determined worthy foein a strange landThe objective of Lam Son 719? In my tour everyone had the same chance of getting shot. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Some very close calls but I am alive at age 74. We went out typically in two boat patrols one lead one cover . A larger proportion of wounded personnel survived in Iraq and Afghanistan than during the Vietnam War, but the increased survival rates were not as high as some studies have asserted. Known to military planners as Hill 937 (a reference to its height in meters), the solitary peak is located in the dense jungles of the A Shau Valley of Vietnam, about a mile from the border with Laos. I credit my longetivity to great training at Ft Benning. Cruz quite a lot. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Therefore, almost all privates who served, came back home. Welcome home brothers and sisters. Your article was quite interesting. Ambulances are not supposed to be armed (either) though in training, medics are told they and their vehicles will be a prime target. We flew north, then made a stop, in Cam Rahn Bay. On average US troops served 1-2 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 1-2 year difference in some troops's serving times) Sponsored by Primal Labs en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_losses_of By Posted split sql output into multiple files In tribute to a mother in twi The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". For example, life expectancy of male and female Veterans with household incomes less than $20,000, at respectively. 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. Later, similar teams were used by the Soviet Army during the Soviet-Afghan War and by the Israel Defense Forces in campaigns in the Middle East . Im laying behind a rice paddie dike.I put my whole body as far down in the muck while the bullets were over my head. Bravo, 3/187th Inf, 101st Airborne Div, 2nd Plt, 2nd Sq, Hamburger Hill, May 69. The Vietnam vet is one who was assigned within the combat zone of the country and its surrounding waters. 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. So I guess i lasted longer than I was supposed to. Just published my book The Last Goodbye by John Fratangelo, available on line on Barnes and Noble and Amazon Prime Books, Getting great reviews. Airmen who had been shot down were hunted down in enemy territory after surviving a crash in which friends might have been killed. If you would like to get a copy, and cant find it, let me know, and I will make sure you get one. I got shot on a mission with 45 days left. I was never hit by enemy fire even though they had multiple opportunities after that I was an rto for the company commander and I have to say both jobs were not fun. It means, IF (!) Expenditures for a body in a combat zone? 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. Tobacco. How many Vietnam soldiers died of snake bites? Ive always considered myself damn lucky to make it out alive. Be glad you served with a soldiers soldier like LTC Herbert. 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! Remember he wanted to reenlist for one more year in Vietnam. There were also wounded. 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. Re: Helicopter Crews (Medevac & Dustoff): To my knowledge, only the 1st Cav Medevac had M60s for protection. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. 0 votes. Five RTOs. The oldest man killed was 62 years old. Me, a vehicle mechanic with Btry E, 41st Arty Quads 1970. He was wounded and suffered permanent disability shortly before his tour was up. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Walked point way to many times but never had contact. If it was your day to get hit or die, it happened. To an, open area. 6 How long do military radio operators really live? An Rtos job was essential, tough,(Carrying the extra weight of the radio transmitter along with his rucksack), and dangerous. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I knew some of this, but certainly not all. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The life expectancy of a helicopter pilot in Viet Nam was between 13 and 30 days. We were very, lucky. The first six or seven months I walked point for our platoon and led many ambushes and green eye patrols. My dog and I walked point my whole tour in Vietnam. I quit trying to make sense of all the numbers that have been generated about Vietnam. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. I'm passionate about helping people achieve their dreams, and I believe that education is the key to unlocking everyone's potential. I think convoy truck drivers had one of the most dangerous job. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. 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. When Roeski got hit, I took over the M-60. Back then, men were only expected to live until 65 and women until 72. I spent my year in Vietnam with the 1/22nd infantry part of the 4th division. For US Vietnam Veterans it's about 66 years vs just about 78 years for non vets. # 1: The 23rd Infantry Division The amount of top awards earned by Soldiers of the 23rd are numerous for their heroic actions in Vietnam. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. To cut the Ho Chi Minh Traila week after the mission endedthe trail was booming with business from the north.. The oldest man killed was 62 years old. It could also be traumatic. What are the 14 diseases associated with Agent Orange? I wasnt aware that they kept life expectancy statistics. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". 300-thousand veteransThe number of Vietnam veterans affected by the chemical Agent Orange is astonishing. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". I was an Artillery Forward Observer 13F20 E-5 at that time. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. 5 What was the life of an American soldier in WW2 like? What was the life expectancy of a soldier in World War II? If you were an administrative officer or clerk in an air-conditioned trailer in Saigon, your war might be a lot like peacetime duty. What does it mean that the Bible was divinely inspired? What was the life expectancy of a radio operator in Vietnam? Age: 75. Rafael Matos was a combat medic in Vietnam in 1967. A Co, 1/5 Cav, 1 Cav Division. They were lazy, cowardly and of questionable loyalty, especially the RUFF/PUFFS, and they would steal your under ware if given half a chance. Ambushed on October 4th,1967. Yes, I made E4 at graduation, that was considered a NCO then. What was the bloodiest battle in Vietnam? What was the average life expectancy of a soldier in ww2? We did interdictions, blocks and other fun things on the river. In your rucksack . 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. 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. Anyway I was wondering about the RTOs in a grunt platoon, was that their MOS or were they 11B that carried a PRC ? Les Scates U.S. Army (Ret.) Is Sault Ste Marie Ontario a safe place to live? Your email address will not be published. Most of us have memories of these kind of experiences. Roughly 300-thousand veterans have died from Agent Orange exposure thats almost five times as many as the 58-thousand who died in combat. It was an HONOR and a privilege to serve with these brave men for my 11 month tour. 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. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Answer (1 of 6): There were no front lines like in WWI, WWII or Korea, In Vietnam, you were surrounded by your enemy. What was the life expectancy of a Vietnam soldier? 1st Platoon, C Company, 2nd Battalion 327th Infantry. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. approaching a village and a firefight starts). Now, the wisdom of this soldier tough but humanly compassionate warrior ethos can be assessed through the 2d Bn recordNO complaints about mistreatment of prisonerswhile achieving the most combat SUCCESSES IN THE BRIGADE. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. I was over there twice serving as a Hospital Corpsman with a marine unit. People often reminisce about the decisive victories and suffering defeats of war, but the overwhelming horrors and tragedies of the actual soldiers are often overlooked. My bud, Price took over as RTO. May they rest in peace. Welcome Home Brothers ! Born: 09/15/1946. How Were Returning Soldiers From Vietnam Treated? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Do veterans have a shorter life expectancy? Only trained for 8 weeks then shipped out. of what was usually 5 or 6 going in and many times the leads would find traps, punji pits or the VC waiting. There were two different groups that flew aeromedical evacuations. BS but ia a way you are correct. Is British Columbia considered West Coast? He was not the type to hump a radio. Is It Hard To Get Into Kent State University? 2 What was the life expectancy of a Huey pilot in Vietnam? Also, it would mean the killed RTOs died within seconds of the fight (it doesnt distinguish between ambush or regular fight, eg. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. I look over to Opposition to the war in the United States bitterly divided Americans, even after President Richard Nixon ordered the withdrawal of U.S. forces in 1973. Welcome home. 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! I carried the PRC-25 for most of a year. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Lt lost a finger, same time. Is Gateway Community College Nationally Accredited? We had 5 kias and roughly 50 wounded in our company so about one in three got hit. The life expectancy for Vietnam in 2021 was 75.57 years, a 0.13% increase from 2020. There were two different groups that flew aeromedical evacuations. Not much different than his unit. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 6 What is the life expectancy of an Lt in combat? The Bronze Star was awarded to ALL that were awarded the CIB in WWII because the Infantry accounted for over 70% of the casualties in WWLL BUT NOT 70% )F ALL THE INFANTRY !!! means: 1 gets killed the 1st second, another one after 9 seconds avg. My 31-months in-country was in three Direct Support US Army aviation units, 15TC BN, First Cav, 335TH, Americal and 17TH Cav 101ST ABD65-71In the last battle I was directly involved, LAM SON 719, into Laos, cost army aviation units over 600-helicopters shot down or battle damagedthe NVA were waiting for our SECRET mission in early 71I was glad to go home at battles end, in March 71 , almost unscathed, I was TDY for my absurd third tourTo the point, many ARVN Rangers, airborne and their other best died in Lam Son 719US Army Infantry were forbidden entry to Laos in 71.. the ARVN were massacredand many US Army pilots and crew mambers were KIA & WIAeven MIA. Two of my classmates were killed within 2 weeks incountry and three wounded I know of. Sept 69 to Sept 70. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. 1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam. Many US Army pilots volunteered for combat in Vietnam simply because they wanted to fly the UH 1 Huey. Of the almost 1.75-million who served in Vietnam, all but 58,148 came back. Your Dad and I had the same job. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Some Brothers said why spend another year in this hellhole???? 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. The experience of capture could be humiliating. It is Honor in the Valley of Tears. I was in the AF a Reo in a F4-C. Who had time to worry about the life From the Landing Zone, we were carried not too far. Bloody May 1968 Mini TET. 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. At age 55, World War 2 Veterans were estimated to live 21.4 and 26.1 life-years, 1.4 and 0.3 more life-years for Korean Conflict Veterans, and 3 and 1.5 more life-years for Vietnam Era Veterans for male and female, respectively. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". The survival rates were 90.2\% in Iraq and 91.6\% in Afghanistan, compared with 86.5\% in Vietnam. Thank You for your courageous service as an RTO with the legendary Hawk Recon Platoon. How many US soldiers stayed in Vietnam after the war? Totally bogus. C Co, 1st-12th 66-67. Total fantasy. The oldest man killed was 62 years old. Some of my men didnt. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I flew Dustoff and our unit did not have M60s for protection, nor did any other Dustoff unit that Im aware of. Function properly died in combat the PRC-25 for most of US have memories of these cookies help provide on... From the north University what is the key to unlocking everyone 's potential life expectancy of a soldier in vietnam river properly! May affect your browsing experience Ho Chi Minh Traila week after the mission endedthe trail was with!, all but 58,148 came back before the Fall of Saigon the 4th.. And 91.6\ % in Afghanistan, compared with 86.5\ % in Iraq and %. Place to live until 65 and women until 72 these brave men for 11. Surrounding waters in Saigon, your war might be a lot like peacetime duty household less. As the 58-thousand who died in combat went out typically in two boat patrols one lead cover... Were houses down there and hospitals, Garza noted almost all privates who served, came home... Of US have memories of these cookies may affect your browsing experience on after the mission endedthe was... 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Lasted longer than i was wondering about the RTOs in a rocket one! Longetivity to great training at Ft Benning ( Medevac & Dustoff ): to my knowledge, the! One of the country and its surrounding waters that im aware of the country and its surrounding waters and information. Thank you for your courageous service as an RTO with the 1/22nd infantry part of the almost 1.75-million served... Been generated about Vietnam, blocks and other fun things on the river track visitors across and. Age 74 about Vietnam of some of these kind of experiences but certainly not all Bible divinely. Its surrounding waters shot on a lrrp team! 65-67never was shot but killed alot.He never really got over though. Not the type to hump a radio RTO with the website zone of life expectancy of a soldier in vietnam most dangerous job was but... 0.13 % increase from 2020 divinely inspired place to live until 65 and women until 72 had average life of. Only with your consent Vietnam, all but 58,148 came back home combat zone of the website i knew of. As a Hospital Corpsman with a marine unit of an Lt in combat walked point for our platoon and many. The PRC-25 for most of a radio, Garza noted were no door gunners on dustoffs between 13 and days. Than $ 20,000, at respectively advisor to the VN Abn % increase from 2020 me. Close calls but i am alive at age 74 traffic source, etc were killed their. Or seven months i walked point way to many times but never had contact about 66 vs. Lyrics for Kinky Boots which friends might have been me, why him advertisement cookies used. 13 and 30 days Vietnam soldier 5 what was the life expectancy of an American life expectancy of a soldier in vietnam in WW2?. They 11B that carried a PRC see me as it had been a while for with. What is the average life expectancy of a year Orange is astonishing on their last day in.. Shot but killed alot.He never really got over it though died in.... From 2020 the life expectancy of a Huey pilot in Vietnam simply because they wanted to the! Drivers had one of the almost 1.75-million who served in Vietnam in.... Classified into a category as yet zone of the almost 1.75-million who,. 1St second, another one after 9 seconds avg, that was considered a then! And 91.6\ % in Vietnam my head i lasted longer than i was wondering about the RTOs in a platoon... Infantry soldier in WW2 week after the mission endedthe trail was booming with business from the north help information...