life expectancy of an infantry soldier in vietnam life expectancy of an infantry soldier in vietnam

Despite initial victories by the Communists forces, the Tet Offensive resulted in a major defeat of those forces. 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. The body felt as though it weighed considerably more than it looked. Interesting, I carried a Prick 25, for 2 months. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Address: 9241 13th Ave SW Data based on the latest United Nations Population Division estimates. A dense mass of elephant grass hung over the riverbank, and he ducked under it. 2: role (MOS?). Your email address will not be published. Umm..maybe its because we also learn from experience. 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. When Apache Snow began, I was an RTO, after Airborne, and before the CA on Dong Ap Bia, I became the AG for Roeski. We went out typically in two boat patrols one lead one cover . Thank God I made it. 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%. Naturally I was excited at the opportunity to join Sanzone, but at the same time I hated leaving 2nd Platoons No. Posterior Thigh _____ 4. Arthur Parker and Spc. My friend May, I later learned, was doing the same thing in 2nd Platoon. In total, the 7th Infantry spent four years in Vietnam. Their personal income exceeds that of our non-veteran age group by more than 18 percent. Before he was drafted Renza had worked as a hairdresser for women in his hometown of Peekskill, New York. Once we turned on the radar they could hit us with a harm missile. Videos, Film, Music, and Movies about VN War, Author interview War & Life: Discussions with a Veteran, A Chat Between Three Veterans [live video with author], Lest We Forget Meet the Authors & Book Signing April 4th: Cherries and Donut Dolly, Interview with author John Podlaski in Examiner Magazine, American Heroes Radio interviews author of Cherries A Vietnam War Novel, Cherries Author Interviewed on British Website, U.K. Blogspot posts interviews author, John Podlaski, More Book Reviews and author interviews about Cherries, Les Scates, U.S. Army (Ret.) The fact that PDoggbiker cant find any decent calculation/explanation, tells us a lot. When Roeski got hit, I took over the M-60. If you were an administrative officer or clerk in an air-conditioned trailer in Saigon, your war might be a lot like peacetime duty. I was already lugging around a 24-pound weapon, 300 rounds of ammo and a pack that weighed a good 45 pounds. He said when they were ambushed they took defensive positions, returned fire, called for assistance when needed, and retreated when necessary. Combatants on both sides faced physical challenges posed by the climate, terrain and wildlife of the country. The earliest casualty record contains a date of death of . We could not see any enemy soldiers, but we could see smoke coming from their weapons through the trees. Wow I was 31.8 Gun shot Carried model 1200 Winchester shot gun WIA May 68 Article was great. Explore the Life of a U.S. Infantryman in Vietnam. 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. 1st Cav, 101st, etc. I was in the AF a Reo in a F4-C. Who had time to worry about the life (Although 58,169 names are in the Nov. 93 database, only 58,148 have both event date and birth date. It was the silent power of the pig, I suppose. Robert Sholly, standing with Platoon Sgt. Spent my year in a Recon platoon 2/35th 4th ID. approaching a village and a firefight starts). Here is an 18 And dug Berms, in the area. We were very, lucky. Screaming Eagles! year old Marine thinking this is my last day on earth. Thats my experience. 2023 CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website, RTO, John Scheur. We flew north, then made a stop, in Cam Rahn Bay. Joe DeLong joined the company, and Sholly informed me that he would be the M60 gunner. According to the American War Library, as of February 28, 2019, it is estimated that approximately 610,000 Americans who served in land forces during the Vietnam War or in air missions over Vietnam between 1954 and 1975 are still alive to this day. 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. 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. As the entire platoon hit the ground, I saw guys crawling back toward me. And I know what youre going to say, Because the American cs! Bullcrap!!!! Eventually I found a spot where the bed leveled off and began firing on the NVA. Our Aussie Dust off choppers had door gunners, we worked on the theory if the Noggies would shot at Red Cross choppers, we would return fire, Aussie grunt, 60000 00 Aussies fought in Vietnam, Up the Old Red Rooster and more beer. Bob Sanzone. Both were infantry in WW2. U.S. Wings is a manufacturer and a supplier. endstream endobj startxref HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. Americans who deliberately killed civilians received prison sentences while Communists who did so received commendations. 87% of Americans hold Vietnam Veterans in high esteem. Ron. So I guess i lasted longer than I was supposed to. well i have been army infantry for 12 years with 2 deployments, and still going strong. If it was your day to get hit or die, it happened. 4 Bill May and Spc. The oldest man killed was 62 years old. 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! History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. My assistant gunner and my ammo bearer also carried 300 rounds each. 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. The fall of Saigon happened 30 April 1975, two years AFTER the American military left Vietnam. His comparison to a FB was that if we were fired on we returned fire and requested assistance when needed. I was an RTO for 9-1/2 months for Hawk Recon 2/327 101AB from dec, 1969 to sept 70. I flew Dustoff and our unit did not have M60s for protection, nor did any other Dustoff unit that Im aware of. Not much different than his unit. This article appeared in the October 2021 issue of Vietnam magazine. 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. of what was usually 5 or 6 going in and many times the leads would find traps, punji pits or the VC waiting. I didnt want any medals. 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. Calculate the pH of a solution of 0.157 M pyridine.? The dead were placed on ponchos. Were talking averages, obviously so, an RTO, with an expectancy of 5 seconds (!) Five RTOs. He was wounded and suffered permanent disability shortly before his tour was up. What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? The first man to die in Vietnam was James Davis, in 1961. We do have infantry (why do you think we have that MOS? I know this is a standard cliche, but it is so true, All gave some. I know the scouts in my company had a slightly longer rate but not much. meaning what is the chance of me getting killed in combat. Event date is used instead of declared dead date for some of those who were listed as missing in action). Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. Assigned to HHC 1/77 Armor, 1st, BDE 5th Inf. That was supposed to be 58, 220. but wait, there are more numbers for the same story. Mi hermana se sorprende N-F C-F Cl-F F-F 2 Answers C-F is the most polar. I had scary thoughts about myself humping the bush as a RTO, I was a real puny guy back then. As soon as he did, a round hit him in the forehead, blowing out the back of his skull. My dad died of cancer at 52. The man with the carbine immediately dropped it, and the two VC surrendered. Fact: The American military was not defeated in Vietnam. The key may be the word initial since we became more savvy with successive combats and had improved survivability. Hi, the whole thing is going nicely here and ofcourse every one BS but ia a way you are correct. Anyway I was wondering about the RTOs in a grunt platoon, was that their MOS or were they 11B that carried a PRC ? My bud, Price took over as RTO. Your article was quite interesting. However, Shermans were very outmatched by the German tanks on the field of battle. Sgt. I was lucky too but VN never left me. 1 Gun had registered its first kill. Ambulances are not supposed to be armed (either) though in training, medics are told they and their vehicles will be a prime target. (many of the Soviet casualties were POWs, though). Stop staring at your computer already, get up. we were getting it with machine gun and mortars. In the last 5 years the symptoms of PTSD and AO are starting getting worse in me. If youre American (which you probably are), I could give a f***. Interesting reading. (tirotactico.net). The smell of those charred bodies, blackened and smoking from the napalm strike, is something I can never forget. Then one hot, sunny day, while walking across rice paddies, we suddenly received small-arms fire from Viet Cong in some distant hills. How Many Vietnam War Veterans Are Still Alive? The fact is that most machine gunners, RTOs, junior officers and other extremely dangerous jobs survived the war. To my right, Piambino had poked his head out of the trench to fire his M16 rifle. _____ 1. Many were killed or wounded ! I saw killed and wounded everywhere in our combat operations. It was an HONOR and a privilege to serve with these brave men for my 11 month tour. Thats why I never understand people talking about survivors guilt it should have been me, why him? etc. 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? We had run patrols for about a month when I first saw action. Our home base was Quang Tri fire Base, But I spent about 6 months out at Mai Loc with the rig. An NVA soldier had evidently spotted the gun and waited patiently for me to stick my head up. For example, life expectancy of Veterans at age 25 population, thus 3.6 and 0.5 life-years smaller income differentials for male and female Veterans, respectively, shown in Tables 17 and 18. The answer that we have always been given is that 1 year in the Infantry is equivalent to 3 years of hard labor. 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. Cluster F, SNAFU and FUBAR fer sur. What the hell did you hit him with? one of our men shouted. 99% of infantry men will currently live to die of natural causes. I think those numbers are percentages of US KIA, not mortality times. I was over there twice serving as a Hospital Corpsman with a marine unit. Very interesting I carried theM 60 for 5 months that gun would cut down anything. Foot soldiers went by the grace of God, but had a better chance than the infantry platoon commander in combat. To my surprise, I qualified as an expert with the M60 machine gun, nicknamed the pig because of the size, weight and sound of the weapon. Oh, and even the Air Force has ground units. I just wanted to get off No. 5 seconds. The average age of the 58,148 killed in Vietnam was 23.11 years (Although 58,169 names are in the Nov. 93 database, only 58,148 have both event date and birth date. Still shaken, I grabbed the gun and crawled to the left inside the streambed. (LogOut/ You were a Great RTO. 1 Gun onto a small hill and provide security while others retrieved them. Both served in A 2/18 1st Infantry Division. I was a grunt with c co. 4/31 196th it inf bade. The casualty rate in the current war today is a fraction. But I made it back in one piece. The Australian Vietnam veteran study assessed the postservice mortality of 19 205 Vietnam veterans and 25 677 non-Vietnam veterans through 1981. The average man who fought in World War II was 26 years of age. Thank You Roger!!! If my memory is correct, only the 1st Cab flew wiith doorgunners. the life expectancy of a LT in Vietnam in major combat was 16 minutes. Much smaller income differentials in life expectancy, 0.2 to 3.6 life-years smaller for Veterans in 2010-17 are estimated. Soon I could take the gun apart and put it back together in the dark. 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 put the M60s bipod legs down, lifted the weapon and positioned it on the ground outside the streambed facing the NVA. The incredibly important role in the U.S. Army is responsible for defending the country through real-life combat. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 1 Gun, I jumped into a small dry streambed with Domke, my assistant gunner. The first thing my platoon sgt. Thanks for the perceived loss and the countless assassinations and torture visited upon Vietnamese, Laotians, and Cambodians goes mainly to the American media and their undying support-by-misrepresentation of the anti-War movement in the United States. 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. Papitto Opportunity Connections Mission: The Papitto Opportunity Connection (POC) is a private foundation dedicated to listening and working together with Rhode Islands BIPOC communities to empower and create individual success stories by investing in education, job skills training, and entrepreneurial ventures. What is the life expectancy of Vietnam veterans? I was constantly untangling the barrel and bipod of the gun from grasping vines and branches. I am proud to have fought alongside of them. I kept the radio because I understood the power of having the first communication with the support mechanisms of the military. THANKS! Expenditures for a body in a combat zone? The enemy fire ceased, and we made arrangements to collect our dead before continuing on to Company A. I told by RTO that i could carry my own radio, When he agreed he was humping ammo. Do the math. Every mission, I had the same thought. I lost my cherry very early. There were also wounded. Nixon Presidential Papers. From Cam Rahn, we kept flying north to, a Landing Zone near QUANG TRI. Army Infantrymen (11B) are the main land combat force, and known as "Eleven Bravo.". They also had a 12 gauge, and a M 79 grenade launcher and M 16. They were all up there scanning the terrain and looking for signs. I was an Artillery Forward Observer 13F20 E-5 at that time. I was a helicopter pilot In the 1st Cav medics were right behind the rto making them a very easy find also. Great information. 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.