During that same Census count, the number of Americans falsely claiming to have served was: 9,492,958. One of them gazed in our direction, lowered his AK 47 assault rifle and fired six shots. Once we turned on the radar they could hit us with a harm missile. Rarely do we examine war through the unique bond between a man and his weaponin this case the M60 machine gun. I told by RTO that i could carry my own radio, When he agreed he was humping ammo. wmy:LsN{/^yzJ] 6.7>n-:FqOa#CW>ia?wt?Xa@ghCd bF)`Schl4*f. Both served in A 2/18 1st Infantry Division. Units would send a thorough report of their KIA and WIA, battle action coordinates, estimated enemy troop strength, enemy unit KIA/captured and any known direction heading. I never saw any correlation as to what MOS a soldier was and their survival rate. Express your answer in terms of x. A dense mass of elephant grass hung over the riverbank, and he ducked under it. An infantry platoon commander in combat had an average of 6 weeks life expectancy. When the Company B units that landed on the opposite side of the river got to the bank, some troops reached in and pulled the enemy from the water. (You can unsubscribe anytime), The US Wings website is ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) compliant and adheres to their standards for accessibility of the internet so people with disabilities can surf the web more easily & efficiently. 76% of the men sent to Vietnam were from lower middle/working class backgrounds. Comments were more interesting than the article it self. Sociologists Charles C. Moskos and John Sibley Butler, in their recently published book All That We Can Be, said they analyzed the claim that blacks were used like cannon fodder during Vietnam and can report definitely that this charge is untrue. Cluster F, SNAFU and FUBAR fer sur. Really? Ever since that fateful day in 1967, I have often wondered what became of my beloved M60. US Wings provides aviation apparel to the U.S. Government and commercial customers along with the general public. Wortman, another RTO never made it back to The World. "The Cotton Balers, damn fine Soldiers." The Battalion returned to Fort Benning on October 11, 1970 and was inactivated. By mid-April 1967 I was pleading with the captain to get a replacement gunner for my M60 in 4th Platoon. From 1957 to 1973, the National Liberation Front assassinated 36,725 Vietnamese and abducted another 58,499. No combat assignments for another year of service in Vietnam or get out in about a month. Ron. I won a few times, and even when I did not I benefited from handling the gun under stress. happened. Anxiously extending the bipod legs on the M60, I added a 100-round belt to the one I already had in the gun. RIP KOOKIE forever young, Thank god you are still alive, I am age 77. These records were transferred into the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration in 2008. I've never heard about the life expectancy of 6 weeks (even with a short google search). I was in 2nd Platoon and carried the platoons No. According to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) there are now officially 58, 318 names on the wall. 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. Company B arrived in-country with four rifle platoons, and each platoon was armed with two M60s. 1 Gun, I jumped into a small dry streambed with Domke, my assistant gunner. If the enemy was near, we never saw any. 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. Both served in A 2/18 1st Infantry Division For some reason, the written word of this article was somehow deleted and lost. We all die, so its not even worth worrying about when in my opinion, id rather do something that i knew was worth it and risk dieing instead of living in fear of death. Some very close calls but I am alive at age 74. 1st Platoon, C Company, 2nd Battalion 327th Infantry. Out of thousands of men that invaded that town in southern Afghanistan, we have lost 19. After that initial post-service period, Vietnam veterans were no more likely to die from suicide than non-Vietnam veterans. They were Kims cousins not her brothers. Shea's gallantry in action at the cost of his life were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon . What were the life expectancies of soldiers during the VietnamWar? 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. Calculate the pH of a solution of 0.157 M pyridine.? Work Plz. We were all in our Bunkers, and at the ready with our weapons. The NVA had wedged a blocking force between our company and Company A, preventing us from advancing any farther. 23,24 This study found that the death rate for Vietnam veterans was 1.3 times that for non-Vietnam veterans; however, the excess deaths were limited to Engineer Corps members (RR, 2.5). My heart was pounding out of my chest. I was told my life expectancy was about 45 secs during a fire fight because of the weapons and demo I carried. An interesting essay, even more interesting are the comments. Thats why I never understand people talking about survivors guilt it should have been me, why him? etc. Fact: The domino theory was accurate. I was wasting ammo and didnt even have a target! Statistics about the Vietnam War - VHPA Dap, Hope this helps. It resulted in the death of some 45,000 NVA troops and the complete, if not total destruction of the Viet Cong elements in South Vietnam. From Cam Rahn, we kept flying north to, a Landing Zone near QUANG TRI. The average time lapse between wounding to hospitalization was less than one hour. Sometimes on Family Guy when there about to take someones heart out they say, calimar or maybe its spelled different. Thats my experience. They were glad to see me as it had been a while for replacements with the unit. %%EOF Interesting, I carried a Prick 25, for 2 months. I had scary thoughts about myself humping the bush as a RTO, I was a real puny guy back then. Both served in A 2/18 1st Infantry Division. If it had been up to me, I would have awarded my gun the CIB too. How Many Vietnam Veterans Are Still Alive In 2022? - CLJ .. General Vo Nguyen Giap, the designer of the Tet Offensive, is considered by some as ranking with Wellington, Grant, Lee and MacArthur as a great commander. The Vietnam War was the turning point for Communism. Shortly before 11 a.m. on May 18, the point squad in Company Bs 2nd Platoon spotted three NVA soldiers walking on a trail near the Cambodian border and attempted to capture them, but the NVA dashed off into the jungle. PDF Mortality Rates and Life Expectancy of Veterans - Veterans Affairs to the empployees was very informative. I know the scouts in my company had a slightly longer rate but not much. While I was in training, my motivation was to get these wings and I wear them today proudly, the airman recalled in 2015. The TOTAL number of CIB and CMB awarded would give you the answer !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2: role (MOS?). The rolling fire burned everything to the ground and undoubtedly killed scores of NVA. Soon after, Pfc. by Zita Ballinger Fletcher 1/18/2022. Many were killed or wounded ! 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). We were like sitting Ducks. When Apache Snow began, I was an RTO, after Airborne, and before the CA on Dong Ap Bia, I became the AG for Roeski. In total, the 7th Infantry spent four years in Vietnam. (LogOut/ This makes our site more accessible to the blind, visually impaired, motor disabled, people with cognitive disabilities and more. https://open.spotify.com/show/5Th7BCpIKDE1hVTqNL3u0Q. They have a lower unemployment rate than the same non-vet age groups. The dead were placed on ponchos. After a couple of hours, the Viet Cong stopped shooting and melted back into the jungle. 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. Welcome Home Brothers ! Overview - Medics and Corpsmen - Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Carrying a dead man some 300 yards through thick jungle in 100-degree heat was extraordinarily difficult. This has been going on for about a week Every time I try to watch a video on Youtube from my laptop I get instantly redirected to "gslbeacon.ligit.com." I had yet to fire a shot with No. In January 1967, the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry, was airlifted to Pleiku province in the Central Highlands. Or is it on display in a Hanoi museum so curious citizens of that city can inspect a weapon captured from American imperialists? I would carry when on ambush. The rule of thumb was , any new guys would get the radio and keep it until another new guy came in. waving then I realized they Werent shooting at him only at the However, it was the discretion of the individual crewmen if they wanted to carry personal weapons or not. Prayers for all. 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 . It was the silent power of the pig, I suppose. 1 Gun became my very best friend. He said fighting was especially deadly in the war-torn city of Bakhmut, dubbed "the meat . The article was interesting. Of those killed, 61% were younger than 21 years old. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_losses_of Arthur Parker and Spc. I was a medic on one for two yrs and the only weapon I was issue was a six-shot .38. Four platoons in a rifle company. Change). Correct. As it was, less than 40 did not need evacuation. I was an Infantry Scout Dog handler. I didnt make a move without that gun beside me. I was an FO back in the day. 1 Gun before my luck ran out. I quit trying to make sense of all the numbers that have been generated about Vietnam. Over 900,000 patients were airlifted (nearly half were American). 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). Required fields are marked *. From the Landing Zone, we were carried not too far. It was just north of Saigon. When Roeski got hit, I took over the M-60. What Is The Average Life Expectancy Of A Vietnam Veteran? Then I dropped back down in the streambed to organize our ammo. Ed, I was in a Grunt Platoon in Vietnam 70-71. Contents1 [] He was not the type to hump a radio. I was in the AF a Reo in a F4-C. Who had time to worry about the life Great information. 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. Yes, I made E4 at graduation, that was considered a NCO then. Assigned to HHC 1/77 Armor, 1st, BDE 5th Inf. Fact: 2/3 of the men who served in Vietnam were volunteers. The first thing my platoon sgt. Michael Doolittle..I was with 1/8 inf, 1st Brigade, and that day, March 22nd was also our darkest day. We killed a lot of the enemy but we took few serious casualties. Like most inexperienced gunners, he underestimated the power of the pig and failed to keep the barrel down when firing. Three-fourths had family incomes above the poverty level; 50% were from middle income backgrounds. He was killed in an ambush along with three others. Fact: The average infantryman in the South Pacific during World War II saw about 40 days of combat in four years. C Co, 1st-12th 66-67. An interesting comment I had. Then we learned, appx: 1 mile to our North was, an American AMMO storage area. 240 men were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War. Lowering my gun, I turned around and noticed two VC sitting in the doorway of the hut, staring at me. Why is my internet redirecting to gslbeacon.ligit.com and how do I STOP THIS. Id had a premonition, and asked the LT to let me trade off to become the AG. 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. July 68 to July 69. I know this is a standard cliche, but it is so true, All gave some. estimated education differentials in life expectancy for Veterans in 2011-14 are close to those of U. S. population in 1979-89. 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. I too never understood survivor quilt, Enjoyed your article. Fact: Mortality studies show that 9,000 is a better estimate. Spent my year in a Recon platoon 2/35th 4th ID. I knew some of this, but certainly not all. Different jobs have different life expectancy. Sure but so was everyone else who went 12 months without getting killed or wounded. The Vietnamese pilot who dropped the napalm in error is currently living in the United States. 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. Background [ edit] HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. Thats why they called us GRUNTS ! I was an O5C-20 in Vietnam. US Wings is a verified SAM Contractor and DLA Supplier and is officially listed as a manufacturer/retailer in the US Department of Commerce's Office of Textile and Apparel (OTEXA) Made in the USA database. 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!! What is the life expectancy of an army infantry soldier? It was more or less next man up . In all that time, the Tet 1968 fighting in Saigon was the only time the unit fought a pitched urban battlevery unusual during the war. I remember hearing a Lieutenant (Kennedy) say to one of his two platoon RTOs My RTO is Foxtrot Uniform. Date: March 8, 2020 Author: pdoggbiker 97 Comments Photo above is of Stanley Kober with RTO, John Scheur. See my calculation below in the comments bogus indeed. 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. The American military did not lose a battle of any consequence. Few areas of the world have been as hotly contested as the India-Pakistan border. 1: physical position (in the field / column) 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. 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. That same day, I along with 3/4 others was transported to Long Bhin Post. 1 Gun had registered its first kill. Lived too tell about it. 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. His best friend is 86 and still alive. I had to rely on my gun more than before. Name the major nerves that serve the following body areas? Thanks. To my right, Piambino had poked his head out of the trench to fire his M16 rifle. It was reported as an overwhelming success for the Communist forces and a decided defeat for the U.S. forces. Were talking averages, obviously so, an RTO, with an expectancy of 5 seconds (!) Soldiers also act in the mobilization of vehicles, weaponry, troops, and more. Me molesta que mis padres no ______ (cuidar) su alimentacin.. 3. We flew north, then made a stop, in Cam Rahn Bay. Does this mean addressing to a crowd? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Address: 9241 13th Ave SW Your email address will not be published. Soldier,this is a wardont forget that, and anytime we are in a fight we will be toughest SOBs in the fight!! Surrounded by an enemy battalion, our hopelessly outnumbered platoon waged a desperate battle for survival. I was shot down on my very first mission in July 1968. 1 Gun kept a lot of enemy heads down. I always found life expectancy numbers interesting in that I could never find any supporting information that could be validated. The average life expectancy of a Soviet soldier during the height of the battle was just 24 hours. 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 As an infantry platoon Sgt of a platoon made up of all draftees my age 21 plus or minus a year We fought the largest single one day battle of the war March 21, 1967 known as the Battle of Soui Tre, fire support base Gold operation Junction City, that base was commanded by LtCol John Vessey of the 2/77 FA Vessey was a 25 year veteran of WWII fame with a DSC at Anzio, and on this day he was looking at the end of his career after that tour in Vietnam. LUCK pure LUCK. The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. You seen the enemy you shots him and vice versa. I may not have hit anyone that day, but I am certain that No. Flipping the safety off, I scanned the jungle in front of me. Each company had eight M60s. Its just (bad) luck, fate, randomness theres no right or wrong, no justice or fairness, no reasoning. Love you Wortman!!!! I always was told that the life expectancy of a LT was 14 seconds in INITIAL combat versus 9 seconds for an RTO. Well, according to current mortality and morbidity statistics for the USright around 77.5 Years! 101st Airborne Division. B)Enter the the Ksp expression forC2D3 in terms of the molar solubility x. Jimmy aaja -M.I.A. I did worry about the strength of my flax vest. Very memorable comments. His comparison to a FB was that if we were fired on we returned fire and requested assistance when needed. There must have been a real mathematician to come up with those calculations. 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. 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. For example: 7*x^2. The helicopter provided unprecedented mobility. Hack received the Purple Heart for major combat injuries, and spent the rest of his military career as a recruiter for the US Army in Akron, Ohio. 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. sweep team,then I heard the choppers and they were blowing the hell out in the tree line then it just got so quiet like nothing EACH OF US CARRIES OUR OWN MEMORIES AND THEY RUN THE GAMUT.