life expectancy of an infantry soldier in vietnam

PLEASE HELP!!! We can all hold our heads high and be proud of our service. 1 Gun and I now faced a new and more formidable foethe North Vietnamese Army. Nixon Presidential Papers. 11 c mos , meaning I was also cross trained for mortars . Commanders like him were few and far between many were afraid of their own shadow and were only there to get their ticket punched. Our 5th night there, the AMMO area started burning / blowing up. The Vietnamese pilot who dropped the napalm in error is currently living in the United States. I was a 2LT on Hamburger Hill and had 4 RTOs over a 7 day period (excluding the times I ended up carrying my own radio). 1: physical position (in the field / column) Thats why they called us GRUNTS ! Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old. 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've never heard about the life expectancy of 6 weeks (even with a short google search). I DISAGREETHE ENEMY WOULD SHOOT THE GUY NEXT TO THE RTO-KNOWING HE WAS THE COMMANDER. "The Rangers pulled themselves over the top," President Ronald Reagan said of the men, in 1984. both tours. a RTO got killed, it happened within 5 seconds but not that always ALL RTOs got killed. 2 Gun team, Ranallo and May, without any support. What is the life expectancy of Vietnam veterans? to the empployees was very informative. Soldier Life Expectancy in Ukraine 'Meat Grinder' Is 4 Hours: Marine located on the South End of, the Post. I prayed I would not have to fire over the heads of the 4th Platoon troops entering the draw to retrieve our dead. A documentary about our company and our 1st Sgt was made. is sharing facts, thats truly good, keep up writing. Or is it on display in a Hanoi museum so curious citizens of that city can inspect a weapon captured from American imperialists? I do remember when I got short I thought about it a lot more. Of the . Ha Ha always enjoyed being a volunteer! Everyone in the company hit the dirt. Despite initial victories by the Communists forces, the Tet Offensive resulted in a major defeat of those forces. By this census, FOUR OUT OF FIVE WHO CLAIM TO BE VIETNAM VETS ARE NOT. Walked point way to many times but never had contact. The trailer for Fury claims that the average life expectancy of an In Vietnam 70% 0f the casualties were Infantry BUT it might be 70% of ALL the Infantry that served in Vietnam. (tirotactico.net). My shit got weak and a sniper popped three rounds in my young ass. Some gave all. Forget the statistics, we all had a job to do, we went where we were told. Roger Loves you too, Im sure. Overview - Medics and Corpsmen - Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Tony told me that either he or I would greet all incoming troops and we did- and here is the speech we gave to them. 4 Answers aaja Come. See you in the next life!!!!! Done ranting. My 31-months in-country was in three Direct Support US Army aviation units, 15TC BN, First Cav, 335TH, Americal and 17TH Cav 101ST ABD65-71In the last battle I was directly involved, LAM SON 719, into Laos, cost army aviation units over 600-helicopters shot down or battle damagedthe NVA were waiting for our SECRET mission in early 71I was glad to go home at battles end, in March 71 , almost unscathed, I was TDY for my absurd third tourTo the point, many ARVN Rangers, airborne and their other best died in Lam Son 719US Army Infantry were forbidden entry to Laos in 71.. the ARVN were massacredand many US Army pilots and crew mambers were KIA & WIAeven MIA. By mid-April 1967 I was pleading with the captain to get a replacement gunner for my M60 in 4th Platoon. We did interdictions, blocks and other fun things on the river. A typical Patrol Boat River (PBR) was about 31 feet long and had twin 50s forward an M 60 midships and a 50 aft. They used the callsign MEDIVAC and were armed. More importantly, Grandstaff was very gung-ho. I worried about that kind of leadership style in the highlands. As I remember it the life expectancy was based on after the ambush was sprung or the fire fight started. 2/3 of the men who served in World War II were drafted. I was a 2nd Lt. Infantry platoon Leader. 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. I credit my longetivity to great training at Ft Benning. How many draftees died in Vietnam? - 2023 Welcome home!! He was not the type to hump a radio. We looked for cover and returned fire the best we could. One of them gazed in our direction, lowered his AK 47 assault rifle and fired six shots. We were about 700 yards east of Company A when it was ambushed by an NVA battalion. 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). hbbd```b`` ,&Iw sA '#o The average time lapse between wounding to hospitalization was less than one hour. Your email address will not be published. Without the helicopter it would have taken three times as many troops to secure the 800 mile border with Cambodia and Laos (the politicians thought the Geneva Conventions of 1954 and the Geneva Accords or 1962 would secure the border). Thank God I made it. An Rtos job was essential, tough,(Carrying the extra weight of the radio transmitter along with his rucksack), and dangerous. They run into the fire to help the wounded and many get wounded or killed. The incredibly important role in the U.S. Army is responsible for defending the country through real-life combat. Very memorable comments. The income differentials in life expectancy for Veterans in 2011-14, however, are estimated to be smaller. Your Dad and I had the same job. C Co, 1st-12th 66-67. Rarely do we examine war through the unique bond between a man and his weaponin this case the . What was the life expectency of a private soldier in vietnam? Out of the 3,000,000 men and women in our armed forces and reserves, we have lost 4,500 in this 9 year war. Quickly learned to control rate of fire. Two points: 1) at least in Army units, Medevacs (dust offs) flew unarmed aircraft. Out of thousands of men that invaded that town in southern Afghanistan, we have lost 19. Each company had eight M60s. No. The average age of the 58,148 US Servicemembers killed in Vietnam was . Thats what I figured but didnt know for sure. Even the AP photographer, Nick Ut, who took the picture, was Vietnamese. The average man who fought in World War II was 26 years of age. 1ST MAW 66-68. The machine guns were numbered within each platoon. 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). It began just as, it was getting dark. What unit lost the most soldiers in Vietnam? 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. It was just part of the job. 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. Certainly got my attention. What was the average life expectancy of a soldier in Vietnam? Both were infantry in WW2. In the First Armored Division, now part of the 23rd Infantry Division, commonly known as the Americal Division, combat medics were called into action every day because the fighting was now. In the hands of a well-trained machine gunner, the M60 was a devastating weaponso feared by our opponents that they usually aimed their first shots at the machine gunners, who were often in positions exposed to enemy fire. 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. Day in the life of a Vietnam Soldier | History 118: US History Since 1877 We ambushed and got ambushed, firebase got attacked who carried what or did what had no bearing. I too never understood survivor quilt, Enjoyed your article. Nothing could be further from the truth. 1 Gun became my very best friend. Lt lost a finger, same time. I never even got a shot off. Point was the safest place to be,they knew to wait for key elements, RTO, Medica, M60 Gunners. Thats 390 per day. Before he was drafted Renza had worked as a hairdresser for women in his hometown of Peekskill, New York. The first six or seven months I walked point for our platoon and led many ambushes and green eye patrols. On Sun, Mar 8, 2020 at 4:00 PM CherriesWriter Vietnam War website wrote: > pdoggbiker posted: A friend recently sent me the link to an article > claiming that the life expectancy of a radio operator in the Vietnam War > was only 5 seconds. I picked up my M60 and walked to the center of the perimeter, where I found the company commander, Capt. Back in 1965, I was a door gunner on Medevac recovery operations. Information presented by SFC (Ret) David Hack. (Although 58,169 names are in the Nov. 93 database, only 58,148 have both event date and birth date. The casualty rate in the current war today is a fraction. Love this analysis. The fact that PDoggbiker cant find any decent calculation/explanation, tells us a lot. No creo que Susana _____ (seguir) sobre los consejos de su mdico. The Bn & Company I was assigned to, was on the last row of Bldgs. Company B arrived in-country with four rifle platoons, and each platoon was armed with two M60s. (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. I was in the AF a Reo in a F4-C. Who had time to worry about the life I am 16 years old an 150 pounds qith some good muscle. Soon I could take the gun apart and put it back together in the dark. I also earned a Combat Infantryman Badge, signifying that I had been actively engaged in combat. I lost my cherry very early. The battalion was sending us to a village with a small river running through it. I remember hearing a Lieutenant (Kennedy) say to one of his two platoon RTOs My RTO is Foxtrot Uniform. Cause-specific . Startled, I quickly pointed my M60 at them. History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. Hats off to them. Also, it would mean the killed RTOs died within seconds of the fight (it doesnt distinguish between ambush or regular fight, eg. Take out the power center, youve got the edge. 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. Soldier,this is a wardont forget that, and anytime we are in a fight we will be toughest SOBs in the fight!! Which soldier had the shortest life-expectancy? - Quora The helicopter provided unprecedented mobility. wmy:LsN{/^yzJ] 6.7>n-:FqOa#CW>ia?wt?Xa@ghCd bF)`Schl4*f. Well he didnt make it. We killed a lot of the enemy but we took few serious casualties. From a military standpoint, it was almost an unprecedented performance. The CDC Vietnam Experience Study Mortality Assessment showed that during the first 5 years after discharge, deaths from suicide were 1.7 times more likely among Vietnam veterans than non-Vietnam veterans. The first man to die in Vietnam was James Davis, in 1961. Sholly injured an ankle, and 1st Lt. Cary Allen took command of Company B. It was a daily challenge to know who your real enemy was. 1 Gun over my shoulder, grabbed a corner of a poncho and stumbled off with three other soldiers. I was wasting ammo and didnt even have a target! At age 55, World War 2 Veterans Bruce Grandstaff and my best friend, Sgt. Completa las oraciones con la forma correcta del presente de subjuntivo de los verbos entre parntesis.? I was on a radar crew and we were told that, during war time, we would most likely be killed within minutes. In the 1st Cav medics were right behind the rto making them a very easy find also. Vietnam War soldiers endured many hardships and faced many problems. Fact: Mortality studies show that 9,000 is a better estimate. Hey Robert I was with the 38th Scout Dog Plt. 4 Paul Domke, who carried extra belts of ammo and fed them into the gun. To keep busy on the boat ride to Vietnam, my unitCompany B, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regimentheld competitions where we took the gun apart and put it back together while blindfolded to see who could do it fastest. I handled Top Secret Commo on a daily basis. 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. 2 Gun to Ranallo. I have a fried Who is killed in Vietnam six months before I got there cause of death was other how would I find out since his parents are long gone, Do a search for his name n Coffeltdatabase.org, Sir, would you mind me translating this into Spanish and getting it posted in our blog? And dug Berms, in the area. African Americans played a prominent role in the Vietnam War. During that same Census count, the number of Americans falsely claiming to have served was: 9,492,958. Then we learned, appx: 1 mile to our North was, an American AMMO storage area. A Co, 1/5 Cav, 1 Cav Division. Some were constantly exposed to combat, some not so often. I was also told that the Radio did put a target on my back. The average age of the men killed: 23.1 years. 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.) Calculate the pH of a solution of 0.157 M pyridine. But I made it back in one piece. The Vietnam War was the turning point for Communism. What was the average life expectancy for soldiers during Vietnam As far as I knew that was done in the whole battalion in 1968 . 2 Gun.. What Was It Like To Hump The Boonies in Vietnam? approaching a village and a firefight starts). Two rounds smashed into a log inches above my head. Shermans had fairly thin armor (76mm at the thickest compared to a Tiger with 180mm at the thickest with most around 100mm). Few areas of the world have been as hotly contested as the India-Pakistan border. During this Census count, the number of Americans falsely claiming to have served in-country is: 13,853,027. HOOAH!!! Also, it has been incorrectly reported that two of Kim Phucs brothers were killed in this incident. 58,148 were killed and 304,000 wounded out of 2.7 million who served. The U.S. Infantryman Vietnam Pocket Manual contains gems such as infantry "patrol tips," maneuver techniques, and fighting methods for various environments. I was an Artillery Forward Observer 13F20 E-5 at that time. However, Shermans were very outmatched by the German tanks on the field of battle. I saw aircraft loaded with troops explode in mid-air. _____ 1. US Wings is a veteran-owned business and an official supplier to the US Military. Background [ edit] Sergeant Galiano's experience does not deny Brands depiction of the battle in Vietnam, but offers a typically overlooked perspective of a drafted soldier fighting in the central highlands of Vietnam. I quit trying to make sense of all the numbers that have been generated about Vietnam. Joe DeLong joined the company, and Sholly informed me that he would be the M60 gunner. E)V_5lu[vC3+"vg2L& Men and women die everyday. I for one commend you for your courage and thank you for your service to your country. Welcome home. (LogOut/ None of the enlisted grades have an average age of less than 20. 4314 0 obj <> endobj I always found life expectancy numbers interesting in that I could never find any supporting information that could be validated. Staying alive was kinda of important. I think the number of Army and Hospital Corpsmen serving with the Marine Corp was very high, with the ratio of the number of them over there. Our patrols were typically about 14 hours 24/7 We operated of old LSTs and large barges. What is the life expectancy of an army infantry soldier? It was more or less next man up . I, in turn, would take an M16 rifle, which felt like a feather in comparison. Screaming Eagles! Got hit inside 15 minutes, first ambush we walked up too. If the NVA shot at the group retrieving the bodies, I was to fire over the heads of the grunts and engage the enemy. I was constantly untangling the barrel and bipod of the gun from grasping vines and branches. Was I lucky ? 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. No trees or anything on the ground. A former expert with the M60 machine gun shares his experiences wielding the fearsome weapon in Vietnam. You seen the enemy you shots him and vice versa. 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. I know the scouts in my company had a slightly longer rate but not much. 240 men were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War. An interesting essay, even more interesting are the comments. Still, militarily, the Tet Offensive was a total defeat of the Communist forces on all fronts. My friend May, I later learned, was doing the same thing in 2nd Platoon. Half of the company hopped off the Huey on one side of the river, and the rest exited on the other side. Their personal income exceeds that of our non-veteran age group by more than 18 percent. happened. Was a door gunner and crew chief for just shy of 18 months (I extended to get out early). I didnt make a move without that gun beside me. I met a Marine a few years ago who was stationed North of Da Nang. I carried the PRC-25 for most of a year. You were a Great RTO. Interesting, I carried a Prick 25, for 2 months. Nervous, I set up my gun on the hill and loaded a new hundred-round belt. Vietnam War soldiers To cut the Ho Chi Minh Traila week after the mission endedthe trail was booming with business from the north.. They have a lower unemployment rate than the same non-vet age groups. Expenditures for a body in a combat zone? I had scary thoughts about myself humping the bush as a RTO, I was a real puny guy back then. Over the next two months, we exchanged fire with groups of the NVA. If youre a foreigner, I respect what you think, but make sure you read ALL your facts, and dont come to rash conclusion until you know everything from BOTH sides. In that time 4 us kia and 4 wounded. Now we know. 17 photos showing the life of an elite US Army Ranger (LogOut/ Knowing I had a 100-round belt in my M60, I opened up on that hillside, my gun getting so hot that the barrel smoked. It is Honor in the Valley of Tears. The Department of Defense Vietnam War Service Index officially provided by The War Library originally reported with errors that 2,709,918 U.S. military personnel as having served in-country. Overrun and utterly destroyed, the 30-man 4th Platoon had suffered 21 killed and one missing. Rules may have changed, I was in the Delta region. As some said, averages are meaningless. The two platoons were to advance no more than 200 yards from the main body of the company. Robert Sholly, standing with Platoon Sgt. Was Billeted near an Army medevac Unit and was offered a chance to lay on my stomach with an M16 and door gun for them I decided not a good Idea. For his actions, he was awarded the Congressional Medal if Honor. When I popped back up to put out some automatic fire, a bullet whizzed by my earno more than an inch from my headand slammed into the tree next to me, shattering the bark. Database. . . Interesting but something is missing. 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. 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? Lucky you. Vietnam Veterans represented 9.7% of their generation. So I guess I defied the odds. Express your answer in terms of x. I personally believe and agree with previous posts that when its your time, not much you can do. While traveling through the boonies the first few men were usually always shot first. The average life expectancy of a Soviet soldier during the height of the battle was just 24 hours. It had a crew of 4 (forward gunner, the coxswain (steering and driving) and the two aft gunners. 1 Gun was firing. The last American troops departed in their entirety 29 March 1973. 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 other group of aeromedical evacuation were divisional, i.e. It doesnt make any sense statistically/mathematically it is impossible. aND, mAY GOD BLESS AMERICA!!! 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. 1 Gun had registered its first kill. As with much of the Vietnam War, the news media misreported and misinterpreted the 1968 Tet Offensive. Welcome home brothers and sisters. 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. 4. 1 Gun used to kill Americans? How Many Vietnam Veterans Are Still Alive In 2022? - CLJ Much smaller income differentials in life expectancy, 0.2 to 3.6 life-years smaller for Veterans in 2010-17 are estimated. The Statistics in the Combat Area Casualty File (CACF 11/93) show an average age of death much higher than that of news reports. In the last 5 years the symptoms of PTSD and AO are starting getting worse in me. 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. 'No. 1 Gun': An M60 Machine Gunner in Vietnam Tells His Story - HistoryNet Interesting reading. Thats my experience. 1 Gun was on my hip with the safety off, ready to rock and roll. 1,713,823 of those who served in Vietnam were still alive as of August, 1995 (census figures). This is not Vietnam where a machine gunner's life expectancy was short because you had an entire army shooting at them. Thank You for your courageous service as an RTO with the legendary Hawk Recon Platoon. They were great patriots fighting for their families and their homeland. It means, IF (!) 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. Sept 69 to Sept 70. 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! (many of the Soviet casualties were POWs, though). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Address: 9241 13th Ave SW The dead were placed on ponchos. We gathered the casualties and set out for Company A. Surrounded by an enemy battalion, our hopelessly outnumbered platoon waged a desperate battle for survival. The 4th Platoons single machine gun crewthe platoon had entered the fight short a gunhad been killed in the fighting, and I was to be moved there. Love you Wortman!!!! Welcome Home Roger. What was the average life expectancy of a soldier in Vietnam? The Republic of Vietnam lost 1,018 aircraft and helicopters from January 1964 to September 1973. Some of my men didnt. We had been carrying machine guns for over seven months. In Vietnam he cut the hair of everyone in his company for free. There were two different groups that flew aeromedical evacuations. I was a point man, M60 Gunner and squad leader. Carrying a dead man some 300 yards through thick jungle in 100-degree heat was extraordinarily difficult. Me molesta que mis padres no ______ (cuidar) su alimentacin.. 3. My first tour was as an advisor to the VN Abn. Dap, Hope this helps. Most war stories are about soldiers and battles. I was an Artillery Forward Observer with the Infantry. It was on the Job Training ! The man with the carbine immediately dropped it, and the two VC surrendered. I am 81 now and survived the encounter by terminated the sniper. 2023 CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website, RTO, John Scheur. 1 Gun, as always, thumped out a throaty roar as I fought desperately to push the enemy back. Opinion | What a Combat Medic Still Carries - The New York Times I packed my own radio and got a Thank you from his Mom. https://open.spotify.com/show/5Th7BCpIKDE1hVTqNL3u0Q. 4 Bill May and Spc. Your article was quite interesting. Were talking averages, obviously so, an RTO, with an expectancy of 5 seconds (!) Some Brothers said why spend another year in this hellhole???? 15 May he was killed by friendly fire, and a host of us were WIA, myself included. I carried the proc 26 radio after I was asked by my field 1st ( E 7 ) if I would for my platoon . The planes doing the bombing near the village were VNAF (Vietnam Air Force) and were being flown by Vietnamese pilots in support of South Vietnamese troops on the ground. 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. 1st Platoon, C Company, 2nd Battalion 327th Infantry. Ed, I was in a Grunt Platoon in Vietnam 70-71. 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. I was still pondering the move to 4th Platoon when U.S. Air Force jets screamed over the treetops with canisters of napalm. I will always think/say, we had absolutely no reason for being in that place.