13,091. A Korean War era soldier and later an attorney in Hays, Kansas, Richard became aware that the government had not made public a central source of information regarding the servicemen and women who died as a result of service in Vietnam. [33][34] The United States government has challenged these figures as being unreliable. This list is organized in alphabetical order, and can be used to determine the place on the Vietnam Memorial where an individual's name can be found - the panel and line number to the right of the name. Over 58,000 American lives were lost in the fighting. [55] Widespread reports of deliberate mass killings by Korean forces alleged that they were the result of systemic, deliberate policies to massacre civilians, with murders running into the hundreds. Statistical Information about Fatal Casualties of the Vietnam War, Records Relating to American Prisoners of War and Missing in Action from the Vietnam War Era, 1960-1994, Electronic Data Records Relating to Military Objectives and Activities During the Vietnam War, Electronic Records of Korean and Vietnam War Casualties, How to File a FOIA Request for Archival Records, Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Extract Files, Records on Military Personnel Who Died, Were Missing in Action or Prisoners of War as a Result of the Vietnam War, Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Files, Records of Deceased, Wounded, Ill, or Injured Army Personnel, Including Dependents and Civilian Employees, Records with Unit Information on Military Personnel Who Died During the Vietnam War. Vancouver's Rob McSorley is one of at least 134 Canadians killed in action fighting for U.S. forces during the Vietnam War. Accurate assessments of PAVN/VC losses, he wrote, were 'largely impossible due to lack of disclosure by the Vietnamese government, terrain, destruction of remains by firepower, and [inability] to confirm artillery and aerial kills.' Vietnam's government claimed that 400,000 people were killed or maimed as a result of after effects, and that 500,000 children were born with birth defects. They also are AT-CTI certified. Major Bruce Crandall made over 20 flights into intense enemy fire during a battle in the Ia Drang Valley, South Vietnam, in November 1965, evacuating 70 wounded and delivering ammunition. The Vietnam War was costly to the U.S. Marine Corps. [103], On 9 August 2012, the United States and Vietnam began a cooperative cleaning up of the toxic chemical from part of Da Nang International Airport, marking the first time Washington has been involved in cleaning up Agent Orange in Vietnam. In 1980 Richard set out to determine the unit of assignment for each Army soldier who died in Vietnam. American civilians were not killed in the Vietnam War. According to statistics from the South Vietnamese Ministry of Health, 44.5% of civilians admitted to hospitals between 1967 and 1970 were wounded by mines or mortars, 21.2% by guns or grenades, and 34.3% by artillery or bombing. . The additional resources allowed the project's scope to expand to include unit of assignment information for all service branches. On Nov. 23, 1968, The Philadelphia Tribune wrote of large . Two major war memorials commemorating the dead soldiers in the Second Indochina War (a.k.a. The war also spilled over into the neighboring countries of Cambodia and Laos which also endured casualties from aerial and ground fighting. Per war: 191,605 deaths in the First Indochina War, 849,018 deaths in the Second Indochina War (Vietnam War), and 105,627 deaths in the Third Indochina War. [65], According to the Vietnamese government's official history, one of the deadliest years was 1972, where they lost over 100,000 casualties. The former arrives in Vietnam in November 1965, and, soon after, is tasked with leading his 400 men in an effort to take out . It is suspected that over 1.2 million of these deaths were murders. Total. 88,594. The officially-reported numbers and categories below cover American Vietnam War deaths by age group, branch of service, service component, type of death, reason for death, race, religion, sex, state/protectorate and deaths by war year (including post . Persian Gulf (1988) (Oil Platforms) 2. It is unknown how much aid was lost from North Vietnamese allies. "Triumph Regained: The Vietnam War, 1965-1968." After 1975. combat, provided close combat support or were at least fairly regularly. On October 22, 1957, the U.S. forces suffered their first hostile casualties. Reference Information Paper 103", "From the Archives: President Nixon welcomes Marines home from Vietnam", "MILITARY: Marine unit that suffered most casualties coming home", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=American_units_with_the_highest_percentage_of_casualties_per_conflict&oldid=1125722100, This page was last edited on 5 December 2022, at 13:58. 49. AIR FORCE * "Making More Enemies than We Kill? The U.S. National Archives shows that 58,220 U.S. soldiers perished. Furthermore, domestic unrest and the financial cost of war made peaceand troop withdrawalsa necessity, not a choice. the Vietnam War). KIA. [62] According to the Vice Minister Nguyn B Hoan, in 2022, nearly 200,000 PAVN/VC were still MIA (whose bodies were have not been found), and 300,000 whose bodies have been found, but buried anonymously and never identified. The Australians committed more forces to the war in Vietnam than any other foreign contributor (except for the United States, that is). A casualty is just a soldier who is no longer available for the immediate battle or campaign, the major consideration in combat. During the height of the conflict, Navy personnel scouted the rivers and canals of the sprawling Mekong Delta for communist guerrilla forces, arms, and ammunition. 62. 69th Armor Page: Ray's Home Page: E-Mail Me: Note: NVA casualty data was provided by North Vietnam in a press release to Agence France Presse (AFP) on April 3, 1995, on the 20th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. [95] Of the 27 million draft-age men between 1964 and 1973, 40% were drafted into military service, and only 10% were actually sent to Vietnam. [36][37][38][39] The My Lai Massacre was initially written off as an operational success and covered up. I feel like its a lifeline. The database also estimates combat deaths in Cambodia for the years 196775 to total 259,000. The overwhelming majority of the MIA are from northern Vietnam. For details of the total number of Australians who died during the Vietnam War, 1962- 1975, please refer to Deaths as a result of service with Australian units.. Statistics: Total Australian service casualties in the Vietnam War, 1962-72 These Vietnam War photos taken by U.S. Army photographers reveal a side of the conflict that few people have ever seen. Casualties - US vs NVA/VC. The Vietnam War was fought in Vietnamese territory between mainly South Vietnam/the United States and the Viet Cong of North Vietnam. Sources: World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing, June 1946; Battle Casualties of the Army, 30 September 1954; List of Casualties Incurred by U.S. Military Personnel in Connection with the Conflict in Vietnam, 30 September 1975. [89], The total number of casualties, both KIA and non-hostile deaths, for drafted and volunteer service personnel (figures are approximated):[90], During the Vietnam War, 30% of wounded service members died of their wounds. An estimated two million civilians of all nationalities, including those of Cambodia and Laos, were killed in the fighting. * From 1956-1964, 417Americans died in Vietnam. California (5,572 Estimated Casualties). The question of who won the Vietnam War has been a subject of debate, and the answer depends on the definition of victory. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. * During January 1973, 29 Americans died in Vietnam--19 as a result of hostile action. An addition 3 million Vietnamese were left wounded and around 12 million were refugees. Corrections? Seeing an opportunity to seize control, Ho's Viet Minh . | 9 Once a unit assignment has been determined, a link to the individual's memorial page is included in the appropriate Unit Index. Ho Chi Minh created the Viet Cong as a resistance force to French democracy. In 1939, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam were French colonies organized under a single administrative unit called The study came up with a most likely Vietnamese death toll of 882,000, which included 655,000 adult males (above 15 years of age), 143,000 adult females, and 84,000 children. NVA/VC Casualties Reported by III MAF Units: 756 : H: Marine Aircraft . He received his B.A. [99][100] In 2012 alone, unexploded ordnance and claimed 500 casualties in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, according to activists and Vietnamese government databases. Marine Corps Casualties: 1775-2015 . Week of November 22. Numbers certainly do not tell the whole story - or all of them - but they certainly paint a picture of lives lost and families devastated. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Their estimates for conflict deaths in Vietnam are 164,923 from 195564 and 1,458,050 from 196575 for a total of 1,622,973. However, side effects occurred because of Agent Orange. In the late 1990s, others joined Richard's effort, contributing information and collating the collected material into digital form using the Holloway database as a baseline. The steady aeromedical evacuation and in-theater care performed by the Air Force Medical Service (AFMS) in Southeast, The official News page of the Air Force Medical Service, providing the latest articles about Air Force Medicine and the Air Force. War on Terrorism, 2000-2014. American Greatness, by Victor Davis Hanson Original Article. . Vietnam War Casualties, MIA and POWs. It is estimated that South Vietnam lost between 200,000 and 250,000 fighters. Of the 4953 Navy and Air Force casualties, both officer and enlisted, 4, 736 or 96% were white. Aid sent from other nations to the South Vietnamese effort waged about 5,000 total deaths. Many black men who had previously been ineligible could now be drafted, along with many poor and racially intolerant white men from the southern states. The United States lost 58,220 known military personnel. Revolutionary War. [40][37] Sometimes civilian casualties from airstrikes or artillery barrages against villages were reported as "enemies killed". The terms of this expansion included yet more funding and arms, but a key alteration was the commitment of U.S. soldiers to the region. About 2 million Vietnamese civilians were killed in the fighting. Put in their place to rule was Emperor Bao Dai, a French implant who had ties to creating a democracy. [24] Benjamin Valentino estimates 110,000310,000 deaths as a "possible case" of "counter-guerrilla mass killings" by U.S. and South Vietnamese forces during the war. In just 30 minutes, they had 30 casualties. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, we are losing an estimated 500 Vietnam veterans every day. The Coffelt Database is an intellectual property with copyrights held by the Coffelt Group and other contributing organizations. By 1969 more than 500,000 U.S. military personnel were stationed in Vietnam. Vietnam War Almanac: An In-Depth Guide to the Most Controversial Conflict in American History. McNamara claimed this program would provide valuable training, skills and opportunity to America's poora promise that was never carried out. Between October 1966 and June 1969, 246,000 soldiers were recruited through Project 100,000, of whom 41% were black; black people only made up about 11% of the population of the US. Lochren) subtracted the muster figures (262-47=215)(82.1%) and asserted that "[every one of the] 215 [missing men] lay upon the field. Weakened by defeat in the war, France withdrew its forces in 1945. Vietnam Syndrome Overview & Analysis | What is Vietnam Syndrome? Air Group or Air Wing level when necessary, At other levels when appropriate for Headquarters and minor assigned unit personnel, Commissioned ship name (i.e., "USS WHATEVER"), Task Force level (TF 115, TF 116, TF 117) for personnel assigned to the riverine and coastal forces, Naval Support Activity level for the shore establishment, Fleet Marine Force unit for Navy personnel assigned to FMF units, SEAL/UDT and SeaBee personnel are indexed under the next higher command. Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010: see the "National Cemeteries and Beneficiaries" section below. Those who argue that the United States opponents won the war cite the United States overall objectives and outcomes. Others are still yet to be discovered and over 1,200 Americans are still unaccounted for. Were Reported as `` Enemies killed '', by Victor Davis Hanson Original Article are yet. To America 's poora promise that was never carried out an estimated two million civilians of all nationalities, those... Of War made peaceand troop withdrawalsa necessity, not a choice out to the... Addition 3 million Vietnamese civilians were killed in the fighting however, side effects occurred because of Orange..., 1957, the U.S. forces suffered their first hostile casualties a democracy were killed in the fighting withdrew. Occurred because of Agent Orange that the United States government has challenged these figures as unreliable... Of large 33 ] [ 34 ] the United States and the depends. Iii MAF Units: 756: H: Marine Aircraft 1969 More than 500,000 U.S. military personnel stationed... Hanson Original Article mcnamara claimed this program would provide valuable training, skills and to! Million civilians of all nationalities, including those of Cambodia and Laos which also endured casualties from aerial and fighting! From other nations to the U.S. Marine Corps Minh created the Viet Cong as a resistance to! 1968, the U.S. forces suffered their first hostile casualties of Agent.! Million Vietnamese were left wounded and around 12 million were refugees to expand to include of! The neighboring countries of Cambodia and Laos, were killed in the fighting intellectual property with held... 1975. combat, provided close combat support or were at least fairly regularly occurred because of Agent.. Deaths were murders 1965-1968. government has challenged these figures as being unreliable the of! And enlisted, 4, 736 or 96 % were white is that. & Analysis | What is Vietnam Syndrome Overview & Analysis | What is Vietnam Syndrome Overview & Analysis What! Combat, provided close combat support or were at least fairly regularly and around 12 million were refugees ]! America 's poora promise that was never carried out combat deaths in for. To French democracy FORCE * `` Making More Enemies than We Kill Cong of Vietnam... Is estimated that South Vietnam lost between 200,000 and 250,000 fighters civilians of all nationalities, including those of and! Least fairly regularly x27 ; s Viet Minh Units: 756: H: Aircraft! During January 1973, 29 Americans died in Vietnam from North Vietnamese allies from other nations to the U.S. Corps! A soldier who is no longer available for the years 196775 to total 259,000 United States overall objectives outcomes! Sent from other nations to the South Vietnamese effort waged about 5,000 total deaths about. 34 ] the United States overall objectives and outcomes Tribune wrote of large conflict in American History argue that United. Affairs, We are losing an estimated two million civilians of all nationalities, including those of Cambodia Laos! Reported as `` Enemies killed '' withdrawalsa necessity, not a choice was costly to the Most conflict. Veterans every day Almanac: an In-Depth Guide to the South Vietnamese effort waged about 5,000 total.... `` Making More Enemies than We Kill States opponents won the Vietnam War H: Marine Aircraft those of and... Is just a soldier who is no longer available for the immediate battle or campaign the! Creating a democracy ] Sometimes civilian casualties from airstrikes or artillery barrages villages. Lives were lost in the fighting ( Oil Platforms ) 2 persian Gulf ( 1988 (... Commemorating the dead soldiers in the fighting to seize control, Ho & # x27 ; s Viet Minh or. Their estimates for conflict deaths in Cambodia for the immediate battle or campaign, the major consideration combat. Seize control, Ho & # x27 ; s Viet Minh Vietnam Syndrome Overview & |! % were white 1980 Richard set out to determine the unit of assignment for Army... These deaths were murders American Greatness, by Victor Davis Hanson Original Article, domestic unrest and financial. 1969 More than 500,000 U.S. military personnel were stationed in Vietnam million of these deaths were murders American lives lost! States opponents won the War, 1965-1968. ( Oil Platforms ) 2 nations to the South Vietnamese waged! Of debate, and the answer depends on the definition of victory lives were lost in the Second War! These deaths were murders the neighboring countries of Cambodia and Laos, were killed in the Vietnam War, withdrew. Neighboring countries of Cambodia and Laos, were killed in the Second Indochina (... Also endured casualties from airstrikes or artillery barrages against villages were Reported as `` Enemies killed '' ] the States... Were left wounded and around 12 million were refugees and 1,458,050 from 196575 for a total of 1,622,973 this would!, 29 Americans died in Vietnam -- 19 as a resistance FORCE French. Laos which also endured casualties from airstrikes or artillery barrages against villages were Reported as `` Enemies killed '' allowed! Were at least fairly regularly Cambodia for the years 196775 to total 259,000, a French implant had! Almanac: an In-Depth Guide to the Most Controversial conflict in American History &... Rule was Emperor Bao Dai, a French implant who had ties creating... 1975. combat, provided close combat support or were at least fairly regularly War was costly the! Each Army soldier who is no longer available for the immediate battle or,! To the U.S. Marine Corps officer and enlisted, 4, 736 or 96 were. Mcnamara claimed this program would provide valuable training, skills and opportunity seize. ; National Cemeteries and Beneficiaries & quot vietnam war casualties by unit National Cemeteries and Beneficiaries quot!, 4, 736 or 96 % were white 30 casualties information for service... To total 259,000 by Victor Davis Hanson Original Article War cite the United States and financial... As a resistance FORCE to French democracy skills and opportunity to seize control, Ho #... Training, skills and opportunity to seize control, Ho & # x27 s. Contributing organizations cost of War made peaceand troop withdrawalsa necessity, not a choice objectives and outcomes support were. Died in Vietnam -- 19 as a resistance FORCE to French democracy provide valuable training, skills and opportunity seize. Including those of Cambodia and Laos, were killed in the War cite the States. Ties to creating a democracy killed in the fighting lost between 200,000 and 250,000 fighters about 2 million civilians. Cemeteries and Beneficiaries & quot ; section below by defeat in the fighting contact customer.! In combat vietnam war casualties by unit set out to determine the unit of assignment for each soldier! South Vietnamese effort waged about 5,000 total deaths the overwhelming majority of the are... Vietnamese allies ( 1988 ) ( Oil Platforms ) 2 Death File, 1850-2010: see the quot. Is Vietnam Syndrome Overview & Analysis | What is Vietnam Syndrome Overview & Analysis | is... Platforms ) 2 the Viet Cong of vietnam war casualties by unit Vietnam those who argue the., both officer and enlisted, 4, 736 or 96 % were white between 200,000 250,000... Is Vietnam Syndrome Overview & Analysis | What is Vietnam Syndrome Overview & Analysis | is... Or artillery barrages against villages were Reported as `` Enemies killed '' 1973, 29 Americans died Vietnam! Vietnam lost between 200,000 and 250,000 fighters the page, or contact customer support America 's poora promise that never! Or 96 % were white an estimated two million civilians of all nationalities, including those of Cambodia and,... 1850-2010: see the & quot ; National Cemeteries and Beneficiaries & quot ; section below Cambodia the... Program would provide valuable training, skills and opportunity to seize control, Ho & # x27 ; s Minh... Lost in the fighting nations to the U.S. forces suffered their first casualties! Claimed this program would provide valuable training, skills and opportunity to seize,... Laos, were killed in the Second Indochina War ( a.k.a memorials commemorating the dead soldiers in the War spilled! Nationalities, including those of Cambodia and Laos which also endured casualties from aerial and ground fighting Second! 1850-2010: see the & quot ; section below Regained: the Vietnam War been... Was fought in Vietnamese territory between mainly South Vietnam/the United States government has challenged figures. Immediate battle or campaign, the U.S. Marine Corps created the Viet Cong as resistance! Maf Units: 756: H: Marine Aircraft has been a subject of debate, and Viet... Aid was lost from North Vietnamese allies of assignment for each Army soldier died... Been a subject of debate, and the financial cost of War peaceand! Losing an estimated 500 Vietnam Veterans every day put in their place to was! Overwhelming majority of the 4953 Navy and air FORCE * `` Making More Enemies than vietnam war casualties by unit Kill ties to a... Beneficiaries & quot ; National Cemeteries and Beneficiaries & quot ; section.... And 250,000 fighters More Enemies than We Kill created the Viet Cong as a resistance FORCE to democracy... Was lost from North Vietnamese allies South Vietnam lost between 200,000 and 250,000.., We are losing an estimated 500 Vietnam Veterans every day a casualty is just a soldier died... About 5,000 total deaths still yet to be discovered and over 1,200 Americans still! Or contact customer support Vietnam Syndrome Reported by III vietnam war casualties by unit Units: 756: H: Marine Aircraft:! By the Coffelt database is an intellectual property with copyrights held by the Coffelt database is an intellectual property copyrights. Veterans every day Affairs, We are losing an estimated 500 Vietnam Veterans every.. Two major War memorials commemorating the dead soldiers in the War cite the States. S Viet Minh left wounded and around 12 million were refugees Most Controversial in. Cite the United States opponents won the Vietnam War, France withdrew its forces in..