We can all hold our heads high and be proud of our service. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Age: 78. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. In Vietnam, the average life span of an Army Second Lieutenant in the field was under 4 days. 101st Airborne Division. Interesting, I carried a Prick 25, for 2 months. At this time- senior Army leadership ordered us all to read the Geneva Convention to our troops because of the My Lai debachle. Mech. It didnt matter who you were or where you were. This is excellent! 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! I sure feel for all you guys that went outside the wire. As a Huey door gunner, when we left the ground on a mission, I always thought that this mission would be my last! I wasnt aware that they kept life expectancy statistics. EACH OF US CARRIES OUR OWN MEMORIES AND THEY RUN THE GAMUT. If you look at all of the things the radio operators were tasked with, it becomes abundantly clear why commo guys werent expected to last long. 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. Some Brothers said why spend another year in this hellhole???? What was the life expectancy of a US soldier in Vietnam? Hi there! Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Were talking averages, obviously so, an RTO, with an expectancy of 5 seconds (!) See how this article appeared when it was originally published on NYTimes . Vietnam era veterans are those who served during the time of the Vietnam war but didnt set foot in the country of Vietnam. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. I felt the same way jumping off the chopper with my m-60, 300. rounds of ammo,grenades,sandbags and six canteens of water. What is the average age of death for a veteran? Anyway I was wondering about the RTOs in a grunt platoon, was that their MOS or were they 11B that carried a PRC ? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. The fact that PDoggbiker cant find any decent calculation/explanation, tells us a lot. 2 How old were the youngest soldiers in Vietnam? We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The key may be the word initial since we became more savvy with successive combats and had improved survivability. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Amen I was a machine gunner for 7 months 503rd infantry 173rd airborne and you hit the nail right on the head. 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. 3 How many American soldiers lost their lives in World War II? Just to show that its hard to get an accurate number, note my typo of 56,220. The Republic of Vietnam lost 1,018 aircraft and helicopters from January 1964 to September 1973. 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. Its just (bad) luck, fate, randomness theres no right or wrong, no justice or fairness, no reasoning. I always felt that Infantry units were in more danger because of ambush issues and no permanent defensive structures. State Vietnam Veterans Vietnam Veterans (per 100k) Utah 42,774 1,272 How [] The life expectancy of a tunnel rat is about two seconds. Garza described the underground tunnels as treacherous. Cruz quite a lot. 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. 2,458 4. 5 How old were Vietnam soldiers when they came back? Correct. I was an RTO for 9-1/2 months for Hawk Recon 2/327 101AB from dec, 1969 to sept 70. Is Gateway Community College Nationally Accredited? I was a cmbt engr demolition specialist carried a 45 auto and an M70 grenade launcher in addition to the C-4 and Det Cord. In my tour everyone had the same chance of getting shot. So I guess I defied the odds. 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. 2) by my research, medics suffered 93% casualties with about 33% deaths. 10 1/2 months in the bush. We then took all Trucks and equipment to the Port Of Saigon. 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. A Co, 1/5 Cav, 1 Cav Division. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". It does not store any personal data. How many Vietnam veterans are still alive in 2020? What was the life expectancy of a radio operator in Vietnam? I carried the proc 26 radio after I was asked by my field 1st ( E 7 ) if I would for my platoon . Here is an 18 The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Some interesting facts about UH-1 aircrew training during the Vietnam War. The key may be the word initial since we became more savvy with successive combats and had improved survivability. 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). 5 seconds. We did interdictions, blocks and other fun things on the river. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. What was the maximum age to fight in Vietnam War? Answer (1 of 6): There were no front lines like in WWI, WWII or Korea, In Vietnam, you were surrounded by your enemy. They were lazy, cowardly and of questionable loyalty, especially the RUFF/PUFFS, and they would steal your under ware if given half a chance. 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. Death rates from disease-related chronic conditions, including cancers and circulatory system diseases, did not differ between Vietnam veterans and their peers, despite the increasing age of the cohort (mean age, 53 years) and the longer follow-up (average, 30 years). I look over to The one number that is really important is 56,220 and we all know what that number represents. 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. Required fields are marked *. Id love to see the casualties listed by Corps ? Just published my book The Last Goodbye by John Fratangelo, available on line on Barnes and Noble and Amazon Prime Books, Getting great reviews. I was to have that experience two more times before it was over. All that other stuff about seconds and minutes were story tellers, embellishing things to impress some listeners back home. 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. In Vietnam, 1 in 400 of the wounded died of their . My bud, Price took over as RTO. 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. 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 . 11 c mos , meaning I was also cross trained for mortars . It means, IF (!) What was the life expectancy of a soldier in Vietnam? 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. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. During the Vietnam War, the odds were tremendously stacked against radio operations and that 5-second life expectancy was, for some, a grim reality. Welcome home!! Got hit inside 15 minutes, first ambush we walked up too. He said when they were ambushed they took defensive positions, returned fire, called for assistance when needed, and retreated when necessary. then youd carry an extra 200 rounds of M60 ammo for the machine gunner , plus drag grenades , one smoke grenade plus etc. Sorry,I was one of your Brothers in Arms that helped talk you out of enlisting for another year in Vietnam. Thank You General Vessey for the almost 53 years I have lived since that day. 1: physical position (in the field / column) How does violence against the family pet affect the family? Every mission, I had the same thought. 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? 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. Welcome Home Roger. 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. They used the callsign MEDIVAC and were armed. 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. 82nd 2/505th. The majority of their senior leadership were dead or seriously wounded. As I made it back to the road I remember seeing the 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. despite their oral claim of service there. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. 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. 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 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.. In your rucksack . I served in A Company 3/22 of the 3rd Brigade 4th Infantry 12/66, then Hq Co 2/12 of the 3rd Brigade 25th Inf until the night of the TET offensive end of January 1968 and returned home July 18 1968. Re: Helicopter Crews (Medevac & Dustoff): To my knowledge, only the 1st Cav Medevac had M60s for protection. If there was anything to this life expectancy of a few minutes then myself and many of my friends that are still alive today would be a long time dead. Age: 77. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. I think convoy truck drivers had one of the most dangerous job. Was a door gunner and crew chief for just shy of 18 months (I extended to get out early). 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. If you were an administrative officer or clerk in an air-conditioned trailer in Saigon, your war might be a lot like peacetime duty. Most of us have memories of these kind of experiences. 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. They run into the fire to help the wounded and many get wounded or killed. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". 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. What is the life expectancy of a veteran? 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