Some were constantly exposed to combat, some not so often. Commanders like him were few and far between many were afraid of their own shadow and were only there to get their ticket punched. Still shaken, I grabbed the gun and crawled to the left inside the streambed. Needless too say I depended on Sgt. May they rest in peace. They were held in special regard after the Normandy landings, when 225 Rangers scaled cliffs at Pointe Du Hoc on June 6, 1944 under intense enemy fire. A battery of big 155 mm howitzers blasted the tiny platoon perimeter, tearing trees out of the ground and hurling chunks of red-hot shell splinters through the air. This makes calculations of those alive, even in 2017, difficult to maintain. One was holding a carbine. Information presented by SFC (Ret) David Hack. Phi Pow B.Sc (econ) in Economic History & Economics (college minor), London School of Economics and Political Science Author has 212 answers and 234.6K answer views 2 y Originally Answered: What soldier had the shortest life expectancy? Not to mention that right now its safer than some cities in the us. I was drafted on Nov. 10, 1965, and assigned to the 4th Infantry Division. First Sgt. approaching a village and a firefight starts). US Wings is a veteran-owned business and an official supplier to the US Military. Our battalion operated at a base camp near Tuy Hoa in Phu Yen province along the South China Sea from October 1966 to January 1967. Two points: 1) at least in Army units, Medevacs (dust offs) flew unarmed aircraft. The average infantryman in Vietnam saw about 240 days of combat in one year thanks to the mobility of the helicopter. There were also wounded. An Hinglish word (Hindi/English). Thats why they called us GRUNTS ! Can I use this word like this: The addressal by the C.E.O. Overrun and utterly destroyed, the 30-man 4th Platoon had suffered 21 killed and one missing. How old are Vietnam vets now? Umm..maybe its because we also learn from experience. Back home he returned to hairdressing and got a job at Kenneth Salon in New York City working with top models and fashion magazine editors. Fortunately, it was recorded on Spotify and can be listened to here: Thank you for both articles: (1)Going up river to port and (2) the flight from Italy back to Nam. Grab some friends and go outside. The man listed as missing was machine gunner Joe DeLong, captured along with No. They kept coming up the hill bringing more bodies to me until all seven had been found. Es ridculo que t ______ (tener) un resfriado en verano. As a point of reference, Patterson explained that combat troops in World War II, on average, spent 36 days in a combat environment; the average infantryman in Vietnam spent 245 days in constant. Both my tours were in the Delta (IV Corps) where the only ground troops were regular ARVNs and RUFF/PUFFS. 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the official Vietnam era from August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975. 1 Gun over my shoulder, grabbed a corner of a poncho and stumbled off with three other soldiers. Hey Robert I was with the 38th Scout Dog Plt. In January 1967, the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry, was airlifted to Pleiku province in the Central Highlands. !We dont abuse prisoners Now, if he reaches for his weapon to continue the fight BLOW HIS ASS AWAY THIS AINT SUNDAY SCHOOL!!! He was with the 509th Radio Research Station. The man with the carbine immediately dropped it, and the two VC surrendered. Database. It is Honor in the Valley of Tears. Robert Sholly, standing with Platoon Sgt. to the empployees was very informative. The Marine Corps lost 14,836, or 5 percent . I told by RTO that i could carry my own radio, When he agreed he was humping ammo. There were no Americans involved in any capacity. Address: 561 E Hines Hill Road Hudson, Ohio 44236 Phone: 1-800-650-0659 / 330-655-5050 Fax: 330-653-3750 Email: [emailprotected], Retail Store Hours: Monday-Friday: 9am - 5pm EST Saturdays: 10am -3pm (Oct-Jan) Sundays: Closed. What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? They were great patriots fighting for their families and their homeland. I was in the AF a Reo in a F4-C. Who had time to worry about the life When we reached Company A, we placed our dead in the center of the two-company perimeter. Also: for years I have read those life-expectancy numbers never really understanding them, but also noting that they wildly vary. I look over to It means, IF (!) All that other stuff about seconds and minutes were story tellers, embellishing things to impress some listeners back home. If my memory is correct, only the 1st Cab flew wiith doorgunners. Prayers for all. I traveled to Fort Lewis, Washington, and trained there for 10 months before deploying to Vietnam as specialist 4. There were almost twice as many casualties in Southeast Asia (primarily Cambodia) the first two years, after the fall of Saigon in 1975, than there were during the ten years the U.S. was involved in Vietnam. Welcome home. Cluster F, SNAFU and FUBAR fer sur. I was an Infantry Scout Dog handler. David H. McNerney, who assumed command of the company when all of its officers were killed or wounded, was presented with the Medal of Honor in a White House ceremony in September 1968. HOOAH!!! I carried the proc 26 radio after I was asked by my field 1st ( E 7 ) if I would for my platoon . I picked up my M60 and walked to the center of the perimeter, where I found the company commander, Capt. My dad died of cancer at 52. Me molesta que mis padres no ______ (cuidar) su alimentacin.. 3. John Doever Calculate the pH of a solution of 0.157 M pyridine. Most of us have memories of these kind of experiences. Carrying a dead man some 300 yards through thick jungle in 100-degree heat was extraordinarily difficult. PLEASE HELP!!! For his actions, he was awarded the Congressional Medal if Honor. I was an Artillery Forward Observer with the Infantry.
What were the life expectancies of soldiers during the Vietnam War Joe DeLong joined the company, and Sholly informed me that he would be the M60 gunner. I wasnt aware that they kept life expectancy statistics. The first six or seven months I walked point for our platoon and led many ambushes and green eye patrols. 79% had a high school education or better.
Overview - Medics and Corpsmen - Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund What was the average life expectancy of a soldier in battle on - Quora I was wasting ammo and didnt even have a target! The next morning, the blasting could still be, heard. (LogOut/ You can find the polarity of a compound by finding electronegativities (an atoms desire for an electron) of the atoms; Carbon has an electronegativity of 2.5, compared to Fluorines A) Enter the the Ksp expression for the solid AB2 in terms of the molar solubility x. Fact: 2/3 of the men who served in Vietnam were volunteers. Yes, I made E4 at graduation, that was considered a NCO then. See also: Population Moving west down the trail, 4th Platoon exchanged fire with a single NVA soldier, then a handful and finally a group of about 10-15 around noon. 1 Gun and I survived our first firefight. Love this analysis. The answer that we have always been given is that 1 year in the Infantry is equivalent to 3 years of hard labor. Keep in step with US Wings Join our newsletter to receive all our latest news and offers, Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails from US Wings. 99% of infantry men will currently live to die of natural causes. The incident in the photo took place on the second day of a three day battle between the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) who occupied the village of Trang Bang and the ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) who were trying to force the NVA out of the village.
Day in the life of a Vietnam Soldier | History 118: US History Since 1877 Nixon Presidential Papers. The Organization of the Viet Cong Units in the South never recovered. 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. The group found the first man killed and carried him up the hill, placing his body right next to me. 58,148 were killed and 304,000 wounded out of 2.7 million who served. Me, a vehicle mechanic with Btry E, 41st Arty Quads 1970. You just do the best job you can and if you got hit, so be it! During this Census count, the number of Americans falsely claiming to have served in-country is: 13,853,027. Dap, Hope this helps. Both halves quickly swept toward the river to clear the village. Total fantasy. (and yes, you cant ask them, so it would have to be derived from the AA-reports and survivors). Every single . My friend May, I later learned, was doing the same thing in 2nd Platoon. There must have been a real mathematician to come up with those calculations. Wortman, another RTO never made it back to The World. The dead were placed on ponchos. Were talking averages, obviously so, an RTO, with an expectancy of 5 seconds (!) Well, according to current mortality and morbidity statistics for the USright around 77.5 Years! After a quick lesson, DeLong became the new owner of 4th Platoons No.1 Gun. The machine guns were numbered within each platoon.
PDF Mortality Rates and Life Expectancy of Veterans - Veterans Affairs Some very close calls but I am alive at age 74. After every officer in our company was either killed or had serious wounds, our 1st Sgt , David McNerney took over the company and without his leadership, and knowledge of war, and unbelievable courage, our company would probably have been wiped out.
Correct. 1 gun! Everyone laughed. US Wings recently added to OTEXA's Made in U.S.A. Non-divisional aeromedical evacuation units went by the callsign DUSTOFF. One out of every 10 Americans who served in Vietnam was a casualty. I spent 10 1/2 months in the jungles of Vietnam. never happened,we lost two sweep team members and some Found NVA bunker complex. We were told in training that the life expectancy of a machine gunner was about seven seconds from the moment the first round was fired. At this time- senior Army leadership ordered us all to read the Geneva Convention to our troops because of the My Lai debachle. hbbd```b`` ,&Iw sA '#o en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_losses_of Different strokes for different folks in war fer sure. After that initial post-service period, Vietnam veterans were no more likely to die from suicide than non-Vietnam veterans. Hurrying forward with No. As I was running to the rivers edge, ready to unload on the VC hiding in the elephant grass, I ran past a grass hut and never bothered to clear it.
Vietnam War Facts, Stats and Myths - US Wings 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. Be glad you served with a soldiers soldier like LTC Herbert. 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. Tumbling end over end, the canisters exploded in a white-hot fireball.
How many soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam? - 2023 You were a Great RTO. wias. I had a 20% death rate in my Hospital Corpsman Class. Photo above is of Stanley Kober with RTO, John Scheur. The average age of the 58,148 US Servicemembers killed in Vietnam was . Or is it on display in a Hanoi museum so curious citizens of that city can inspect a weapon captured from American imperialists? 75,000 Vietnam veterans are severely disabled. How Many Vietnam War Veterans Are Still Alive? I pumped 200 rounds into that riverbank. 1 Gun, I jumped into a small dry streambed with Domke, my assistant gunner. Point, slack and compass. We flew north, then made a stop, in Cam Rahn Bay. Bob Sanzone. As with much of the Vietnam War, the news media misreported and misinterpreted the 1968 Tet Offensive. How could we lose a war we had already stopped fighting? Your email address will not be published. Nevertheless, I swung No. 4329 0 obj
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One of them gazed in our direction, lowered his AK 47 assault rifle and fired six shots. We had been carrying machine guns for over seven months. Do the math. rice farmer who was still working with is ox like nothing ever We all gotta die sometime, Red. SSgt Barnes, Platoon, its nothing to really concern yourself with, on a long enough time line everyones survival rate is 0%. I was a helicopter pilot My good friend who was a RTO was killed. However, inaccurately reported, the News Media made the Tet Offensive famous. I was an RTO for 9-1/2 months for Hawk Recon 2/327 101AB from dec, 1969 to sept 70. 1 Gun more than I did. 4 Bill May and Spc. 1 Gun was on my hip with the safety off, ready to rock and roll. Half of the company hopped off the Huey on one side of the river, and the rest exited on the other side. 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 . Interesting reading. A former expert with the M60 machine gun shares his experiences wielding the fearsome weapon in Vietnam. 4. History is who we are and why we are the way we are.. As the entire platoon hit the ground, I saw guys crawling back toward me. 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. The average man who fought in World War II was 26 years of age. What is the life expectancy of Vietnam veterans? Its not all written down. This is hard to believe, losing nearly 711,000 between 95 and 00. I couldnt disagree. Now, to calmly answer your question, air strikes have actually been an efficient technique used by us for years now. Over 600 Navy FMF Hospital Corpsmen were killed in Vietnam. If it was your day to get hit or die, it happened. Soldiers also act in the mobilization of vehicles, weaponry, troops, and more. Bruce Grandstaff and my best friend, Sgt. 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! The incredibly important role in the U.S. Army is responsible for defending the country through real-life combat. 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. Jimmy aaja, jimmy aaja. LUCK pure LUCK. 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. 74% say they would serve again, even knowing the outcome. I carried the PRC-25 Radio most of that time. Ambushed on October 4th,1967. Many were killed or wounded !
The trailer for Fury claims that the average life expectancy of an We were probably not too far away on that day. While traveling through the boonies the first few men were usually always shot first. Saw from mostly safe distance almost all the weapons systems that where there used. Vietnam War soldiers endured many hardships and faced many problems. we were getting it with machine gun and mortars. I never understood why they didnt put M60s on Medevacs (once the VC shot them down) but then, we now know they never intended to win that war in the first place. The average age of the men killed: 23.1 years. I just wanted to get off No. 1st Cav, 101st, etc. During that same Census count, the number of Americans falsely claiming to have served was: 9,492,958. 6 Answers They say Kali Ma Theyre referencing this scene from the movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: What is the life expectancy of an army infantry soldier? In the last 5 years the symptoms of PTSD and AO are starting getting worse in me.
Statistics about the Vietnam War - VHPA Data based on the latest United Nations Population Division estimates. Some unfortunately also came home with physical scars. I applaud your courage as I know an RTOs job is essential, difficult (carrying the weight of his radio transmitter, his rifle, his ammo, and his rucksack), and dangerous as the enemy surely wanted to knock out any communications for support. Then the tempo changed suddenly and violently. I am one lucky SOB. 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 El subjuntivo I didnt want any medals. 10-4. Thats my experience. Very interesting I carried theM 60 for 5 months that gun would cut down anything. They run into the fire to help the wounded and many get wounded or killed. The Vietnam War gave us trouble because we didnt know how to counteract against guerrilla warfare in a jungle (dont forget that the US Army was switching to M16s, which often jammed). Men and women die everyday. Vietnam Veterans were the best educated forces our nation had ever sent into combat. said to me. 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. MEDEVAC helicopters flew nearly 500,000 missions.
Which soldier had the shortest life-expectancy? - Quora meaning what is the chance of me getting killed in combat. He pulled the company into a perimeter and dispatched 4th Platoon to recon the trail to the west, while 1st Platoon performed a similar mission to the east-southeast. I packed my own radio and got a Thank you from his Mom. I spent my year in Vietnam with the 1/22nd infantry part of the 4th division. It was an HONOR and a privilege to serve with these brave men for my 11 month tour.
How many draftees died in Vietnam? - 2023 BUT WE MUST ALSO BE COGNIZANT OF OUR REQUIREMENT TO BE COMPASSIONATE HUMAN BEINGS. Activated in 1915, as the 173rd Infantry Brigade, the unit saw service in World War II but is best known for its actions during the Vietnam War. In an instant the jungle erupted in gunfire. 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. Naturally I was excited at the opportunity to join Sanzone, but at the same time I hated leaving 2nd Platoons No. I watched in horror as four NVA soldiers ambled through the branches of a downed tree that partially concealed us. Point was the safest place to be,they knew to wait for key elements, RTO, Medica, M60 Gunners. 1 Gun kept a lot of enemy heads down. They were lazy, cowardly and of questionable loyalty, especially the RUFF/PUFFS, and they would steal your under ware if given half a chance. A documentary about our company and our 1st Sgt was made. For example, life expectancy of male and female Veterans with household incomes less than $20,000, at respectively. NFS. Five RTOs. From a military standpoint, it was almost an unprecedented performance.
Was the 7th Infantry in Vietnam? - 2023 I was an O5C-20 in Vietnam. They were also in a circular formation. Company B had seven dead, Grandstaff announced, and I was to take No. Sept 69 to Sept 70. Re: Helicopter Crews (Medevac & Dustoff): To my knowledge, only the 1st Cav Medevac had M60s for protection. The Vietnamese pilot who dropped the napalm in error is currently living in the United States. Vietnam veterans' personal income exceeds that of our non-veteran age group by more than 18 percent. 58,148 were killed and 304,000 wounded out of 2.7 million who served. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star in 1974. But I made it back in one piece. He also worked on Jacqueline Kennedys hair pieces and wigs. V. Victor Renza was sent home after he was wounded on May 18, 1967. 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.. happened. To cut the Ho Chi Minh Traila week after the mission endedthe trail was booming with business from the north.. Great information.
What was the life expectency of a private soldier in vietnam? Both were infantry in WW2. Seattle, Washington(WA), 98106. The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand stayed free of Communism because of the U.S. commitment to Vietnam. 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. Soldier,this is a wardont forget that, and anytime we are in a fight we will be toughest SOBs in the fight!!
In Service to My Men | Article | The United States Army I was an FO back in the day. I knew some of this, but certainly not all. In fact, after the 5-year post-service period, the rate of suicides is less in the Vietnam veterans group. He was not the type to hump a radio. See you in the next life!!!!! Wow I was 31.8 Gun shot Carried model 1200 Winchester shot gun WIA May 68 Article was great. 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. Welcome home!! Why is my internet redirecting to gslbeacon.ligit.com and how do I STOP THIS. Fact: The domino theory was accurate. Thank God I made it. I was told to help carry one of the bodies. Originally I went to the 543d TC. https://www.historynet.com/no-1-gun-an-m60-machine-gunner-in-vietnam-tells-his-story/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot, When 21 Sikh Soldiers Fought the Odds Against 10,000 Pashtun Warriors, Few Red Tails Remain: Tuskegee Airman Dies at 96. We soon learned that the NVA troops were very different from the local guerrillas we had fought around Tuy Hoa. Roger Loves you too, Im sure. Out of thousands of men that invaded that town in southern Afghanistan, we have lost 19. 1 Gun. I had an assistant gunner, Spc. Appx: 6 months in, all of the 543d TC joined forces with the 572d TC. We had run patrols for about a month when I first saw action. Lt lost a finger, same time. Learned a lot from him. The average life expectancy of a Soviet soldier during the height of the battle was just 24 hours. Sure, its softer than it was before, but the training they go through is intense, something a loser who spends his time on the computer all day attacking people he doesnt know anything about and all the facts CANNOT do. That was a hell of a responsibility to take on. Helicopters, F4 fighters. Love you Wortman!!!! The helicopter provided unprecedented mobility. Terrified, I dropped down as fast as I could, pulling the gun and two ammo belts of 100 rounds apiece on top of me as I fell back into the dry streambed. Posterior Thigh _____ 4. waving then I realized they Werent shooting at him only at the