This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Not much different than his unit. I was a 2nd Lt. Infantry platoon Leader. Did you have to serve in Vietnam to be a Vietnam veteran? Also, it would mean the killed RTOs died within seconds of the fight (it doesnt distinguish between ambush or regular fight, eg. 1 What was the life expectancy of a Vietnam soldier? Ed, I was in a Grunt Platoon in Vietnam 70-71. Yes, I made E4 at graduation, that was considered a NCO then. The government and the VA have failed in their responsibilities to we Vietnam Veterans. Some were constantly exposed to combat, some not so often. EACH OF US CARRIES OUR OWN MEMORIES AND THEY RUN THE GAMUT. What was the life expectancy of a Huey pilot in Vietnam? Background. 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. 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. The overall age at death was 75 13 yr. I've since worked with schools and districts all over the country, helping them improve their curriculums and instruction methods. He was wounded and suffered permanent disability shortly before his tour was up. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". How many Vietnam veterans are still alive in 2020? Great story!!! I was over there twice serving as a Hospital Corpsman with a marine unit. I was in the AF a Reo in a F4-C. Who had time to worry about the life Both my tours were in the Delta (IV Corps) where the only ground troops were regular ARVNs and RUFF/PUFFS. waving then I realized they Werent shooting at him only at the But, once the enemy lays down his weapon, I want YOU TO REMEMBER THREE THINGS: 1, HE IS A SOLDIER, JUST LIKE YOU.2, HE IS AWAY FROM HOME And family, just like you. 15 May he was killed by friendly fire, and a host of us were WIA, myself included. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. I carried the proc 26 radio after I was asked by my field 1st ( E 7 ) if I would for my platoon . History[ edit] Vietnam War[ edit] You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Whats the average life span of a veteran? And approximately 164,000 Americans who served at sea in Vietnam waters are alive today. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Company A of this unit landed first, and after 15 minutes of combat, the casualty rate was estimated to be as high as about ~66%. What was the life expectancy of a soldier in Vietnam? 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. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Required fields are marked *. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. They also had a 12 gauge, and a M 79 grenade launcher and M 16. Then we learned, appx: 1 mile to our North was, an American AMMO storage area. I quit trying to make sense of all the numbers that have been generated about Vietnam. 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. 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? 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. There were also wounded. The oldest man killed was 62 years old. We took fire all the time and responded. 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. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. What is the life expectancy of an Lt in combat? 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. located on the South End of, the Post. I have a fried Who is killed in Vietnam six months before I got there cause of death was other how would I find out since his parents are long gone, Do a search for his name n Coffeltdatabase.org, Sir, would you mind me translating this into Spanish and getting it posted in our blog? What is the average age of death in Vietnam? The Vietnam vet is one who was assigned within the combat zone of the country and its surrounding waters. 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. If you would like to get a copy, and cant find it, let me know, and I will make sure you get one. Then I learned that second lieutenants in the artillery routinely served as forward observers with a life expectancy of about 20 minutes. 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. 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Todd Heisler/The New York Times. Dap, Hope this helps. It was an HONOR and a privilege to serve with these brave men for my 11 month tour. Every mission, I had the same thought. both tours. Some very close calls but I am alive at age 74. I spent my year in Vietnam with the 1/22nd infantry part of the 4th division. What is the average age of a Vietnam vet? I always felt that Infantry units were in more danger because of ambush issues and no permanent defensive structures. Certainly got my attention. Though I flew only about 1/2 dozen missions as a Huey door gunner, I was initially told to sit on my flak jacket I always did so (personal protection first). What was the average life expectancy of a soldier in Vietnam War? (and yes, you cant ask them, so it would have to be derived from the AA-reports and survivors). Ambulances are not supposed to be armed (either) though in training, medics are told they and their vehicles will be a prime target. As far as I knew that was done in the whole battalion in 1968 . The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Thanks. LUCK pure LUCK. The one that should be there is the combat medic. The Republic of Vietnam lost 1,018 aircraft and helicopters from January 1964 to September 1973. State Vietnam Veterans Vietnam Veterans (per 100k) Utah 42,774 1,272 How [] Bob Kerrey. Jan 09, 2010 #5. What is the average age of death for a veteran? Saw from mostly safe distance almost all the weapons systems that where there used. How old were the youngest soldiers in Vietnam? I had a 20% death rate in my Hospital Corpsman Class. Vietnam era veterans are those who served during the time of the Vietnam war but didnt set foot in the country of Vietnam. What was the life expectancy of a Vietnam soldier? These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. After several years of teaching, I transitioned into the world of educational consulting. A typical Patrol Boat River (PBR) was about 31 feet long and had twin 50s forward an M 60 midships and a 50 aft. Age: 75. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 530 Vietnam veterans die every day. How are probability distributions determined? approaching a village and a firefight starts). I carried the PRC-25 for most of a year. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Nobody attacked, where we were. I was an O5C-20 in Vietnam. 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 1: physical position (in the field / column) RESULTS. Different strokes for different folks in war fer sure. 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. never happened,we lost two sweep team members and some No combat assignments for another year of service in Vietnam or get out in about a month. I also was 2/327 B company. The rule of thumb was , any new guys would get the radio and keep it until another new guy came in. What is the life expectancy of Vietnam veterans? Average age of men killed: 23.1 years. Over 600 Navy FMF Hospital Corpsmen were killed 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). It means, IF (!) 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. RESULTS. 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. Is Sault Ste Marie Ontario a safe place to live? It was a conflict where territory changed hands frequently, people moved freely and their political loyalties were often unclear. I was to have that experience two more times before it was over. How Much Are Parking Passes At Kent State? We used to provide cover for these guys. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Two of my classmates were killed within 2 weeks incountry and three wounded I know of. I was a REMF but Ive heard of 05Cs that were stuck out in the boonies on a firebase. The Americal Division (23rd Infantry Division) was formed from elements of Task Force Oregon in Chu Lai, Southern First Corps, Republic of South Vietnam on 26 September 1967. 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. Artillery, and ground forces. In Vietnam, the average life span of an Army Second Lieutenant in the field was under 4 days. Dont know why, but generally, their aircraft were not armed (door gunners, etc.). I remember hearing a Lieutenant (Kennedy) say to one of his two platoon RTOs My RTO is Foxtrot Uniform. Rafael Matos was a combat medic in Vietnam in 1967. As I remember it the life expectancy was based on after the ambush was sprung or the fire fight started. Under the Tran Dynasty (13 th-15 th century), Dai Viet forces led by one of Vietnam's national . Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old. It does not store any personal data. All of the next day, we could see SMOKE from the fire caused by the explosions of the AMMO at, the AMMO DUMP. Killed by friendly fire, and a host of US were WIA, included... Americans who served during the time of the 4th division Lieutenant ( Kennedy ) say to of..., bounce rate, traffic source, etc. ) assigned within the combat zone of the country and surrounding... 42,774 1,272 how [ ] Bob Kerrey Vietnam soldier cookies will be stored in your only., and a host of US were WIA, myself included yes, you cant ask,... 05Cs that were stuck out in the artillery routinely served as forward observers with a marine.... Zone of the country, helping them improve their curriculums and instruction methods have! Know why, but generally, their aircraft were not armed ( door gunners,.... 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