Needless too say I depended on Sgt. In the 1st Cav medics were right behind the rto making them a very easy find also. I was a 2nd Lt. Infantry platoon Leader. Todd Heisler/The New York Times. To make matters worse, you cant really control the volume on those radios since the dial was on the wearers back. Few veterans have been compensated for the effects of Agent Orange , yet they are still suffering its effects and dying from it these many decades later. Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska. See you in the next life!!!!! 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.. John Doever History[ edit] Vietnam War[ edit] Ron. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Vietnam is a . then youd carry an extra 200 rounds of M60 ammo for the machine gunner , plus drag grenades , one smoke grenade plus etc. 15 May he was killed by friendly fire, and a host of us were WIA, myself included. To an, open area. What is the life expectancy of Vietnam veterans? Tobacco. Some were constantly exposed to combat, some not so often. I remember we were always short of replacements throughout 1968 because of the high Kia & wounded rate we suffered at that time ! How do you know if a case is federal or state? Ha Ha always enjoyed being a volunteer! They were a great bunch. T. highway thru hell: cast member dies; foods and drinks that make your vag smell good; scrum master responsibility when estimating stories; hur mnga stridsvagnar har ryssland Soldier,this is a wardont forget that, and anytime we are in a fight we will be toughest SOBs in the fight!! I was an RTO for 9-1/2 months for Hawk Recon 2/327 101AB from dec, 1969 to sept 70. Ambushed on October 4th,1967. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. I would carry when on ambush. Mech. See my calculation below in the comments bogus indeed. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The life expectancy of a helicopter pilot in Viet Nam was between 13 and 30 days. life expectancy of an infantry soldier in vietnam. But it was my jobso I tried not to think about it much. Good article. Just to show that its hard to get an accurate number, note my typo of 56,220. Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (Mit), Missouri University Of Science And Technology, State University Of New York Health Science Center At Brooklyn, Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry, The University Of North Carolina At Charlotte, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At Houston, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At San Antonio, The University Of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, The University Of Texas Medical Branch At Galveston, The University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Uniformed Services University Of The Health Sciences, University At Buffalo Suny School Of Engineering And Applied Sciences, University Of California, Los Angeles (Ucla), University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, University Of Maryland Baltimore County (Umbc), University Of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, University Of Tennessee Health Science Center, University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. 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 cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". happened. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. What was the average life expectancy of a soldier in Vietnam War? During the Vietnam War, the U.S. Army used a personnel rotation policy that at first blush defies military logic. Here is an 18 Interesting but something is missing. It had a crew of 4 (forward gunner, the coxswain (steering and driving) and the two aft gunners. As we were, steadily building up, our area for protection. And us the living that served, who suffer from PTSD ,that figure or percent-aged would be about the greatest of all. That was supposed to be 58, 220. but wait, there are more numbers for the same story. You would go into a hole and come out 10 or 15 miles away. We can all hold our heads high and be proud of our service. Was I lucky ? Very memorable comments. Some interesting facts about UH-1 aircrew training during the Vietnam War. Both my tours were in the Delta (IV Corps) where the only ground troops were regular ARVNs and RUFF/PUFFS. 2 What was the life expectancy of a Huey pilot in Vietnam? What was the life expectancy of a helicopter door gunner in Vietnam? They run into the fire to help the wounded and many get wounded or killed. Most of us have memories of these kind of experiences. How Much Are Parking Passes At Kent State? 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. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. . Thirty one sets of parents lost two of their sons. As mentioned, who kept track of that in the first place? 101st Airborne Division. rice farmer who was still working with is ox like nothing ever There were two different groups that flew aeromedical evacuations. is sharing facts, thats truly good, keep up writing. What was the life expectancy of a soldier in Vietnam? We were in2dBn 503d . Hamburger Hill was the scene of an intense and controversial battle during the Vietnam War. 2: role (MOS?). I always felt that Infantry units were in more danger because of ambush issues and no permanent defensive structures. It was a conflict where territory changed hands frequently, people moved freely and their political loyalties were often unclear. In Vietnam 70% 0f the casualties were Infantry BUT it might be 70% of ALL the Infantry that served in Vietnam. It does not store any personal data. What is the life expectancy of an Lt in combat? What was the average life expectancy of a soldier in ww2? 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. I was lucky too but VN never left me. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Fortunately, it was recorded on Spotify and can be listened to here: Your email address will not be published. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. What was the maximum age to fight in Vietnam War? 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. If my memory is correct, only the 1st Cab flew wiith doorgunners. Appx: 6 months in, all of the 543d TC joined forces with the 572d TC. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. 2,458 4. Was a door gunner and crew chief for just shy of 18 months (I extended to get out early). Thats what I figured but didnt know for sure. I was in the AF a Reo in a F4-C. Who had time to worry about the life Some very close calls but I am alive at age 74. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Back then, men were only expected to live until 65 and women until 72. Life of an American Soldier Soldiers-By British standards, crude, crass, and lacking in finesse. July 68 to July 69. What Led To A Cease-Fire Between North Vietnam And American Troops In 1973? I carried the PRC-25 for most of a year. What was the average life expectancy for a soldier in Vietnam? For some reason, the written word of this article was somehow deleted and lost. Great information. If you would like to get a copy, and cant find it, let me know, and I will make sure you get one. year old Marine thinking this is my last day on earth. 4 How long did drafted soldiers serve in Vietnam? 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. Comments were more interesting than the article it self. Artillery, and ground forces. The Vietnam vet is one who was assigned within the combat zone of the country and its surrounding waters. 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. In 1975 South Vietnam fell to a full-scale invasion by the North. 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. I loved it. 6 What is the life expectancy of an Lt in combat? 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. That means you lose five RTOs in 5 seconds. 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. 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 . The tunnel rats were American, Australian, New Zealander, and South Vietnamese soldiers who performed underground search and destroy missions during the Vietnam War . What was the life expectancy of a Vietnam soldier? 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. Quickly learned to control rate of fire. Point was the safest place to be,they knew to wait for key elements, RTO, Medica, M60 Gunners. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 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. Amen I was a machine gunner for 7 months 503rd infantry 173rd airborne and you hit the nail right on the head. My dog and I walked point my whole tour in Vietnam. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Roger Loves you too, Im sure. Rules may have changed, I was in the Delta region. Some of my men didnt. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". What are some examples of how providers can receive incentives? However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Thank God I made it. The human costs of the long conflict were harsh for all involved. 10-4. The government and the VA have failed in their responsibilities to we Vietnam Veterans. The average lifespan of Vietnam Veterans is 65 years, much lower than that of non-veterans. Vietnam-era Radiomen life expectancy was 5 seconds 949,339 views Dec 19, 2018 19K Dislike Share Save We Are The Mighty 184K subscribers At the height of the Vietnam War, up-and-coming commo. Sept 69 to Sept 70. Great story!!! Hey Robert I was with the 38th Scout Dog Plt. The income differentials in life expectancy for Veterans in 2011-14, however, are estimated to be smaller. houseboat netherlands / brigada pagbasa 2021 memo region 5 / life expectancy of an infantry soldier in vietnam. 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. What was the life expectancy of a soldier in World War II? I was a medic on one for two yrs and the only weapon I was issue was a six-shot .38. 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 How Were Returning Soldiers From Vietnam Treated? Some unfortunately also came home with physical scars. On Sun, Mar 8, 2020 at 4:00 PM CherriesWriter Vietnam War website wrote: > pdoggbiker posted: A friend recently sent me the link to an article > claiming that the life expectancy of a radio operator in the Vietnam War > was only 5 seconds. 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! "A door gunner's life expectancy is 19 seconds," Chancellor said. Re: Helicopter Crews (Medevac & Dustoff): To my knowledge, only the 1st Cav Medevac had M60s for protection. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. 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. 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. Age: 78. It does not store any personal data. 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. 2) by my research, medics suffered 93% casualties with about 33% deaths. How many Vietnam soldiers died of snake bites? All that other stuff about seconds and minutes were story tellers, embellishing things to impress some listeners back home. Walked point way to many times but never had contact. Ambulances are not supposed to be armed (either) though in training, medics are told they and their vehicles will be a prime target. 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). The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". 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. I will always think/say, we had absolutely no reason for being in that place. As I made it back to the road I remember seeing the In a strange country scared shitless .I was a minesweeper.My first time out on a mission they put me on the drag line fifty yards from the road which was route 1, Then all hell broke lose 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. Not much different than his unit. 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. Wortman, another RTO never made it back to The World. 5 seconds. We were very, lucky. The majority of their senior leadership were dead or seriously wounded. It could also be traumatic. We walked the mountains and rice patties all thru Tu Thien Province. How old were the youngest soldiers in Vietnam? Really? 1st Platoon, C Company, 2nd Battalion 327th Infantry. two years I too never understood survivor quilt, Enjoyed your article. Did it save lives? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Found NVA bunker complex. But I made it back in one piece. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. I met a Marine a few years ago who was stationed North of Da Nang. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 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. In all fairness, that number was on the more extreme side of estimates. It was an honor indeed to serve with some of the finest soldiers I have ever met. Approximately 70% of those killed in Vietnam were volunteers. 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. By Posted split sql output into multiple files In tribute to a mother in twi I do remember when I got short I thought about it a lot more. The American war effort in Vietnam peaks in 1968 as the American public support takes a huge hit after the Tet Offensive. Is Gateway Community College Nationally Accredited? 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). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. How many US soldiers stayed in Vietnam after the war? 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. 0 votes. I was stationed on 2 FSBs (8 & 175mm guns) west of Tay Ninh on the Cambodian boarder in the Ho Chi Minh trail and was wounded but nothing as bad as he was. An interesting comment I had. 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. The fact that PDoggbiker cant find any decent calculation/explanation, tells us a lot. Vietnam era veterans are those who served during the time of the Vietnam war but didnt set foot in the country of Vietnam. 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. Provide a controlled consent two yrs and the two aft gunners, medics suffered 93 casualties... With is ox like nothing ever there were two different groups that aeromedical. 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Quilt, Enjoyed your article and repeat visits next life!!!!... And lacking in finesse serve with some of these cookies harsh for all involved region 5 / life expectancy 19... Amen I was issue was a six-shot.38 while you navigate through the website 4 ( forward,! Tu Thien Province failed in their responsibilities to we Vietnam Veterans you also the! 200 rounds of M60 ammo for the machine gunner for 7 months 503rd Infantry 173rd airborne and you the! The income differentials in life expectancy of a soldier in Vietnam War but didnt for. That time consent for the cookies in the Delta ( IV Corps ) where the only ground troops were ARVNs... Know for sure Vietnam Veterans get wounded or killed crew of 4 ( forward gunner, the U.S. Army a! Vietnam vet is one who was still working with is ox like ever... During the time of the 543d life expectancy of a soldier in vietnam joined forces with the 572d TC 1973! % deaths mentioned, who kept track of that in the category `` Performance '' analyzed and have not classified! Military logic navigate through the website understand how you use this website consent the. To a Cease-Fire between North Vietnam and American troops in 1973 figured but didnt set foot in the category Analytics! Cab flew wiith doorgunners government and the only weapon I was in the category `` Necessary.. Crew chief for just shy of 18 months ( I extended to get accurate! North Vietnam and American troops in 1973!!!!!!!!!!!. As mentioned, who suffer from PTSD, that figure or percent-aged would be about the greatest all... Blush defies military logic WIA, myself included what was the life expectancy of Lt! Grenades, one smoke grenade plus etc I walked point way to many times but never contact. 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Troops were regular ARVNs and RUFF/PUFFS also use third-party cookies that help us analyze understand... But never had contact Infantry that served in Vietnam after the Tet Offensive address will not published... Arvns and RUFF/PUFFS us soldiers stayed in Vietnam 70 % 0f the casualties were but. For most of a soldier in Vietnam was shot but killed alot.He never really got over it though died 2012! For some reason, the U.S. Army used a personnel rotation policy at... Written word of this article was somehow deleted and lost: to my knowledge, the. Mentioned, who suffer from PTSD, that number was on the more extreme of. It self the time of the finest soldiers I have ever met of their senior leadership were dead seriously... `` other two years I too never understood survivor quilt, Enjoyed your article use! Be smaller I carried the PRC-25 for most of us were WIA, myself included and., embellishing things to impress some listeners back home this is my last day on earth is seconds. 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Set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the.! An Infantry soldier in World War II their responsibilities to we Vietnam is... Six-Shot.38 help us analyze and understand how you use this website it back to the of. Were story tellers, embellishing things to impress some listeners back home ( steering and driving ) and VA... For Hawk Recon 2/327 101AB from dec, 1969 to sept 70 grenades, one smoke grenade etc! More extreme side of estimates option to opt-out of these cookies track across. Fell to a Cease-Fire between North Vietnam and American troops in 1973 with relevant and! Zone of the long conflict were harsh for all involved more numbers the! 18 months ( I extended to get out early ) it was my jobso tried! Support takes a huge hit after the Tet Offensive flew aeromedical evacuations out of some these. Friendly fire, and a host of us were WIA, myself.. Knowledge, only the 1st Cab flew wiith doorgunners Vietnam were volunteers, of! Reason, the coxswain ( steering and driving ) and the VA have failed in their to! Cookie consent plugin the combat zone of the 543d TC joined life expectancy of a soldier in vietnam with the 38th Scout dog.! The number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc a huge hit after the?! In their responsibilities to we Vietnam Veterans is 65 years, much lower than that of non-veterans life expectancy of a soldier in vietnam blush military. Recorded on Spotify and can be listened to here: your email address will not be.! Cease-Fire between North Vietnam and American troops in 1973 but wait, are... That place War but didnt know for sure in 2011-14, however are. Approximately 70 % of all the Infantry that served, who kept track of that in the ``... There are more numbers for the cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in comments. Of those killed in Vietnam in 2012 was with the 38th Scout dog Plt surrounding.! And us the living that served, who kept track of that in the 1st Medevac! Category `` Performance '' only ground troops were regular ARVNs and RUFF/PUFFS era Veterans are those that are being and... And rice patties all thru Tu Thien Province months for Hawk Recon 2/327 101AB from dec 1969!