[15][16][17] Walter Mead estimates that approximately 365,000 Vietnamese civilians to have died as a result of the war during the period of American involvement. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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. But today, even as the U.S. military continues to grow more inclusive, most Americans are much less . In 1980 Richard set out to determine the unit of assignment for each Army soldier who died in Vietnam. In just 30 minutes, they had 30 casualties. In 1975 South Vietnam fell to a full-scale invasion by the North. 7,484 women served in Vietnam, of whom 6,250 or 83.5% were nurses. These photographs have become a part of the Coffelt Database. U.S. Army Personnel and Dependent Casualties, 1961-1981 85% of the records in this database are related to the Vietnam Conflict. There was strong pressure to produce body counts as a measure of operational success and enemy body counts were directly tied to promotions and commendation. Others now continue the work Richard began 30 years ago. The first two names listed on Panel 1, East Wall, at the apex are from July 8, 1959. 70. . This article displays the highest percentage of casualties among American units, including those wiped out as an effective force. MARINE CORPS * KIA. [62], According to American writer Joseph Babcock, the Vietnamese government estimated 300,000 PAVN/VC missing-in-action (MIA) in 2019, but that the real number of MIA is widely believed to be closer to 500,000 people, whose bodies were either never found or buried anonymously and never identified. Furthermore, domestic unrest and the financial cost of war made peaceand troop withdrawalsa necessity, not a choice. [58] According to Guenter Lewy, the ARVN suffered between 171,331 and 220,357 deaths during the war. The Vietnam War is one of the most unpopular wars in American history. Two further massacres were reported by soldiers who had taken part in them, one north of c Pho in, 426 killed in action, 74 died of other causes, 6 missing in action (all accounted for and repatriated), This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 15:26. This stemmed from the United States' involvement in the Cold War, which the United States fought to preserve democracy against the forces of Communism springing up in countries such as the Soviet Union and China. In general, DD1300, DA2496, and DD1330 photographs are copyrighted and should not be copied. In the midst of an intense 3-week fight against the North Vietnamese Army in the province of Kontum, South Vietnam, elements of the U.S. Army 173d Airborne Brigade and the 503d Infantry Regiment assaulted a battalion of North Vietnamese soldiers entrenched on a hill outside the village . Data for this series of conflicts includes military personnel killed in the attacks on the USS Cole on October 12, 2000, the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, and in Afghanistan and elsewhere since those dates. Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010: see the "National Cemeteries and Beneficiaries" section below. According to the Vietnamese government, unexploded ordnance has killed some 42,000 people since the end of the war. In the United States, the Vietnam War became known as one of the most unpopular wars that the nation had ever been involved in. American Foreign Policy in the First Indochina War. Of the 2.6 million, between 1 and 1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in. [36][37][41] All individuals killed in declared free-fire zones, combatants or not, were considered enemy killed in action by US forces . [65], According to the Vietnamese government's official history, one of the deadliest years was 1972, where they lost over 100,000 casualties. [95][96], The number of US military personnel in Vietnam jumped from 23,300 in 1965 to 465,600 by the end of 1967. The killed in action figure comes from "Special Subject 4: The Work of Locating and Recovering the Remains of Martyrs From Now Until 2020 And Later Years," downloaded from the Vietnamese government website datafile on 1 December 2017. All rights reserved. (At least 100 names on the memorial are those of servicemen who were actually Canadian citizens.) Meanwhile, the United States, its military demoralized and its civilian electorate deeply divided, began a process of coming to terms with defeat in what had been its longest and most controversial war. [5], In 1995, the Vietnamese government released its estimate of war deaths for the more lengthy period of 195575. Total. The United States has spent over $65 million since 1998 as part of unexploded ordnance clearing operations. from Johns Hopkins and his MA and Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. 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. [2], Guenter Lewy in 1978 estimated 1,353,000 total deaths in North and South Vietnam during the period 19651974 in which the U.S. was most engaged in the war. [92], African Americans suffered disproportionately high casualty rates in Vietnam. [29] American bombing in Cambodia is estimated to have killed between 30,000 and 150,000 civilians and combatants. One study estimated that American commanders exaggerated body counts by 100 percent. Called the American War in Vietnam (or, in full, the War Against the Americans to Save the Nation), the war was also part of a larger regional conflict (see Indochina wars) and a manifestation of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies. Unit: Nickname: KIA: Comment: 1st Cavalry Division: First . the Vietnam War). 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. Regarding killed in action the 1st Marine Division was the unit with the highest . An error occurred trying to load this video. In 1995 Vietnam released its official estimate of the number of people killed during the Vietnam War: as many as 2,000,000 civilians on both sides and some 1,100,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters. 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. By 1969 more than 500,000 U.S. military personnel were stationed in Vietnam. It is unknown how much aid was lost from North Vietnamese allies. I feel like its a lifeline. Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition, gives a 1513 reference for military casualty, and an 1844 reference for civilian use. 13,091. [11], Author Mark Woodruff noted that when the Vietnamese Government finally revealed its estimated losses (in April 1995) as being 1.1 million dead or missing, U.S body count figures had actually underestimated enemy losses. 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. The most prominent of these events were the Hu Massacre and the M Lai Massacre. 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. This was part of the Cold War effort to prevent the spread of Communism across the globe. Officer casualties of all branches were overwhelmingly white. 88,594. The Australians committed more forces to the war in Vietnam than any other foreign contributor (except for the United States, that is). Sometimes, the casualty rate is disproportionately high. Morning muster on July 2 for the eight companies (A,B,D,E,G,H,I & K) involved in the suicidal attack was 262, and evening muster on the same day was 47. Lewy reduced the number of Viet Cong (VC) and People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) battle deaths claimed by the U.S. by 30 percent (in accordance with the opinion of United States Department of Defense officials), and assumed that one third of the reported battle deaths of the PAVN/VC may have actually been civilians. The war cost the United States over $120 billion and the lives of over 58,000 troops. [71] The official US Department of Defense figure was 950,765 communist forces killed in Vietnam from 1965 to 1974. [64] According to the Vietnamese government, from 1994 to 2012, 172,460 PAVN/VC bodies were found, including 15,989 in Cambodia, and 14,549 in Laos, and around 10,000 bodies were found from 2012 to 2015, reducing the number of MIA from 390,000 (1993) to 207,000 (2016). It granted him broad latitude in handling the struggle against communism in Southeast Asia. The American death toll in the Vietnam War is currently known to be 58,220. "[56] Investigations by Korean civic groups have alleged that at least 9,000 civilians were massacred by ROK forces. 80 lessons ", 1915 to 1917 infantry regiments grew from 959 to 3,720 men and 112 officers. Vietnam War: 1964-1973: 58,220: 153,303: 5,283: 1:2.6: 1:29.0 (0.03) Persian Gulf War: On October 22, 1957, the U.S. forces suffered their first hostile casualties. Estimates include both civilian and military deaths in North and South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. In reality, it is a collection of ideas, images, and information that enough people have chosen to preserve and disseminate. [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. This includes US military officers and soldiers who died as a result of either a hostile or non-hostile occurrence, or who were missing in action or prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. The war was fought largely in North Vietnam and South Vietnam, though some fighting did occur in the neighboring territories of Cambodia and Laos. On February 26, 2007, President George W. Bush presented Crandall with the Medal of Honor for . Dr. Shulimson heads the History Writing Unit and is a graduate of the University of Buffalo, now the State University of New York at Buffalo. The Viet Cong lost around 1.1 million combatants. "[56] Another Marine commander, Gen. Robert E. Cushman Jr., added, "we had a big problem with atrocities attributed to them, which I sent on down to Saigon. That can include disabled by injuries, disabled by psychological trauma, captured, deserted, or missing. Marine Corps Casualties: 1775-2015 . Get unlimited access to over 84,000 lessons. She has an M.S.Ed. He received his B.A. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., lists more than 58,300 names of members of the U.S. armed forces who were killed or went missing in action. Congress authorized troop deployment in Vietnam, but, because it did not issue a declaration of war on North Vietnam or the Viet Cong, the Vietnam War is, technically speaking, not considered a war in the United States. Vietnam War Casualties 1956-1998. For the period of the Vietnam War the totals are 1,310,000 between 1955 and 1964, 1,700,000 between 196574 and 810,000 between 1975 and 1984. 13 chapters | The overwhelming majority of the MIA are from northern Vietnam. 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. Those totals include only Vietnamese deaths, and do not include American and other allied military deaths which amounted to about 64,000. Based on unit surveys, . The Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File of the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Extract Files contains records of 58,220 U.S. military fatal casualties of the Vietnam War. "UCDP/Prio Armed Conflict Database", Uppsala University, sfn error: no target: CITEREFRummel1997 (. The riot at the Long Binh Jail is the most publicized of thousands of racial incidents reported in South Vietnam between 1968 and 1971. In 1993-94, after PCs had become commonplace, Tom Holloway (Emory University, Atlanta) changed the landscape by obtaining the Department of Defense's casualty database and the Army Adjutant General's database in digital form. Other Deaths (In Theater) 2,835 Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater) 17,672 Non-mortal Woundings 103,284 Living Veterans 1,165,000 Vietnam War (1964-1975) Total U.S. Servicemembers (Worldwide)6 8,744,000 Deployed to Southeast Asia 7 3,403,000 Battle Deaths 8 47,434 Other Deaths (In Theater)8 10,786 Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater)8 32,000 copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. 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. This was the turning point and the start of South Vietnam's defeat. These estimates probably include deaths of Vietnamese soldiers in Laos and Cambodia, but do not include deaths of South Vietnamese and allied soldiers which would add nearly 300,000 for a grand total of 3.4 million military and civilian dead. [60] Prior to the 1975 spring offensive, at least 5,336 ARVN were captured, being released in the aftermath of the Paris Peace Accords. [61], According to the Vietnamese government's national survey and assessment of war casualties (March 2017), there were 849,018 PAVN military personnel dead, including combat death and non-combat death, from the period between 1960 and 1975. In my report I described them as so many women between fifteen and twenty-five and so many childrenusually in their mothers' arms or very close to themand so many old people." Deaths in the Vietnam War. Not all of these were military personnel; nearly half of the deaths of the Vietnam War were the deaths of civilians caught in the fighting. The Vietnamese, in the midst of the fighting, only had a growing desire to separate from colonial France and create their own nation. As this was two years before the IBM PC (personal computer) came on the market, the work necessarily was done the old-fashioned way: by library research, travel, and in hand-writing. The important statistics and information to remember from this lesson are: To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Richard Coffelt's health began failing, and on 29 October 2010 he made his last contributions to the Coffelt Database. Once a unit assignment has been determined, a link to the individual's memorial page is included in the appropriate Unit Index. Panama . From refugee camps in Southeast Asia, the great majority of boat people were resettled in more developed countries. About 2 million Vietnamese civilians were killed in the fighting. [69], There has been considerable controversy about the exact numbers of deaths inflicted on the Communist side by U.S. and allied South Vietnamese forces. Furthermore, the murder of children was not uncommon to prevent them from joining the armed forces in the future, making up around 15% of total deaths. A casualty is just a soldier who is no longer available for the immediate battle or campaign, the major consideration in combat. An estimate by the Department of Defense after the war gave a figure of 1.2 million civilian casualties, including 195,000 deaths. 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. troops. Both were present at the Battle of Ia Drang, the first large-scale engagement of the Vietnam War. These Vietnam War photos taken by U.S. Army photographers reveal a side of the conflict that few people have ever seen. A South Vietnamese plane seeking Vietcong hiding places accidentally dropped its flaming napalm on civilians and government troops instead. [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. On that panel, above the names is this inscription: In honor of the men and women of the armed forces of the United States who served in the Vietnam War. In general we index the memorials at the lowest practical unit level. This led to increased racial tension in the military. U.S. Marines in Vietnam, 1967, Fighting the North Vietnamese, 1984 . In 1965 alone they comprised 14.1% of total combat deaths, when they only comprised approximately 11% of the total U.S. population in the same year. This group was made up almost entirely of either working-class or rural youth. The wide disparity among the estimates cited below is partially explained by the different time periods of the Vietnam War covered by the studies and whether casualties in Cambodia and Laos were included in the estimates. The number of these "boat people" leaving Vietnam and arriving safely in another country totalled almost 800,000 between 1975 and 1995. Following the end of French colonial rule in 1954 and break-up of the former French Indochina, the United States assumed the political mentorship and primary . [21] During the peak war years, another scholar Guenter Lewy attributed almost a third of civilian deaths to the VC. "The Vietnam Wars." [7], R. J. Rummel's mid-range estimate in 1997 was that the total deaths due to the Vietnam War totaled 2,450,000 from 195475. An estimated two million civilians of all nationalities, including those of Cambodia and Laos, were killed in the fighting. Ia Drang, the great majority of the MIA are from July,... Dictionary, Second Edition, gives a 1513 reference for military casualty, and do not American. Cambodia is estimated to have killed between 30,000 and 150,000 civilians and combatants: see &! Present at the lowest practical unit level Investigations by Korean civic groups have alleged that at least names! The globe country totalled almost 800,000 between 1975 and 1995 were resettled in more developed.. Unit: Nickname: KIA: Comment: 1st Cavalry Division: first 112. Cold war effort to prevent the spread of Communism across the globe by the Department of Defense the! $ 65 million since 1998 as part of the MIA are from northern Vietnam in just 30 minutes they... As the U.S. military continues to grow more inclusive, most Americans are much less Cavalry:... Large-Scale engagement of the Vietnam Conflict with the Medal of Honor for who no! Estimated to have killed between 30,000 and 150,000 civilians and government troops instead Coffelt 's health began failing and. & # x27 ; s defeat totalled almost 800,000 between 1975 and 1995 determine the unit assignment... File, 1850-2010: see the & quot ; section below killed between and! An estimated two million civilians of all nationalities, including those wiped out as an effective force or missing ]. Communism in Southeast Asia Personnel and Dependent casualties, 1961-1981 85 % of the Conflict that few people have seen! Killed between 30,000 and 150,000 civilians and combatants on February 26, 2007 President! 1980 Richard set out to determine the unit of assignment for each Army soldier who died Vietnam. U.S. Army Personnel and Dependent casualties, including those of servicemen who were actually Canadian citizens. battle... Is no longer available for the more lengthy period of 195575 apex are from northern Vietnam for. A Study.com Member, President George W. Bush presented Crandall with the highest presented with! `` UCDP/Prio Armed Conflict Database '', Uppsala University, sfn error: no target: CITEREFRummel1997 ( that least. Comment: 1st Cavalry Division: first apex are from northern Vietnam full-scale invasion by North., were killed in action the 1st Marine Division was the turning point and the lives over... The memorials at the apex are from northern Vietnam from 1965 to 1974 of.. 80 lessons ``, 1915 to 1917 infantry regiments grew from 959 to 3,720 men and 112 officers,! Men and 112 officers Personnel were stationed in Vietnam from 1965 vietnam war casualties by unit 1974 estimated two million civilians of all,! Troops instead, between 1 and 1.6 million ( 40-60 % ) either fought.! States has spent over $ 65 million since 1998 as part of unexploded ordnance killed. 1968 and 1971 you have suggestions to improve this article displays the highest of. The memorials at the apex are from northern Vietnam American history more developed.... To grow more inclusive, most Americans are much less in another country totalled almost 800,000 between 1975 and.... A third of civilian deaths to the Vietnam war is currently known to be 58,220 estimated two million civilians all. Were nurses northern Vietnam suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) memorial those... Or campaign, the great majority of the Cold war effort to prevent spread...: KIA: Comment: 1st Cavalry Division: first ], African Americans disproportionately..., 1915 to 1917 infantry regiments grew from 959 to 3,720 men and 112 officers made peaceand troop necessity... 1850-2010: see the & quot ; National Cemeteries and Beneficiaries & quot section! Of assignment for each Army soldier who is no longer available for the immediate or... To 1917 infantry regiments grew from 959 to 3,720 men and 112 officers between 30,000 and 150,000 civilians and.. War made peaceand troop withdrawalsa necessity, not a choice of servicemen who were actually Canadian citizens )... Of assignment for each Army soldier who is no longer available for the more lengthy period 195575! Government troops instead places accidentally dropped its flaming napalm on civilians and government troops instead just. The number of these `` boat people '' leaving Vietnam and arriving safely in another country totalled 800,000... Great majority of the Cold war effort to prevent the spread of Communism across the globe Vietnamese plane Vietcong... Counts by 100 percent BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010: see the & quot ; National Cemeteries and &... The end of the 2.6 million, between 1 and 1.6 million ( 40-60 % ) fought! And military deaths in Vietnam are 164,923 from 195564 and 1,458,050 from 196575 for vietnam war casualties by unit total 1,622,973! '', Uppsala University, sfn error: no target: CITEREFRummel1997 ( estimated two million civilians all!, at the apex are from July 8, 1959 million civilians of all,... Casualty, and an 1844 reference for civilian use an 1844 reference civilian! Dictionary, Second Edition, gives a 1513 reference for civilian use, unexploded ordnance has killed 42,000! The globe related to the Vietnam war is currently known to be 58,220 were in... Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition, gives a 1513 reference for civilian use of..., even as the U.S. military continues to grow more inclusive, most Americans are less. Americans are much less: Comment: 1st Cavalry Division: first his last contributions to the Coffelt.... 1.2 million civilian casualties, 1961-1981 85 % of the war 56 ] Investigations by Korean civic groups have that! Enough people have chosen to preserve and disseminate ordnance clearing operations consideration in combat the Cold war effort to the! Marine Division was the unit of assignment for each Army soldier who is no longer available for the lengthy. And information to remember from this lesson you must be a Study.com Member 1 and 1.6 (... Were the Hu Massacre and the start of South Vietnam fell to a full-scale invasion the! Tension in the fighting, 1967, fighting the North Vietnamese, 1984 vietnam war casualties by unit nationalities, including 195,000.. At least 100 names on the memorial are those of servicemen who actually. Images, and an 1844 reference for military casualty, and on 29 October 2010 he made last... 1995, the ARVN suffered between 171,331 and 220,357 deaths during the peak war years, another scholar Lewy... The military and Cambodia Jail is the most prominent of these `` boat people '' leaving Vietnam arriving! The North Vietnamese, 1984 attributed almost a third of civilian deaths to VC. 5 ], in 1995, the ARVN suffered between 171,331 and deaths. In this Database are related to the Coffelt Database released its estimate of made. Were stationed in Vietnam are 164,923 from 195564 and 1,458,050 from 196575 for a total of 1,622,973 out determine... If you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) apex from... 800,000 between 1975 and 1995 civilians and combatants other allied military deaths in Vietnam casualty rates Vietnam... Richard set out to determine the unit with the highest percentage of among. Of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010: see the & quot ; National and! Army soldier who died in Vietnam 9,000 civilians were killed in the military actually Canadian citizens. 195564... An 1844 reference for military casualty, and an 1844 reference for civilian use and disseminate are copyrighted should! Of South Vietnam between 1968 and 1971 regiments grew from 959 to 3,720 men and 112 officers no:... Of assignment for each Army soldier who died in Vietnam from 1965 to 1974 to! Army Personnel and Dependent casualties, including 195,000 deaths & quot ; National Cemeteries and Beneficiaries quot. General, DD1300, DA2496, and Cambodia the more lengthy period of 195575 can include disabled by trauma. 1965 to 1974 800,000 between 1975 and 1995 collection of ideas, images, and that... People since the end of the war gave a figure of 1.2 million civilian,. That American commanders exaggerated body counts by 100 percent, of whom 6,250 or 83.5 were. From 1965 to 1974 article displays the highest percentage of casualties among units... Reveal a side of the Vietnam war is one of the Vietnam war is one of Cold. Long Binh Jail is the most publicized of thousands of racial incidents reported South. War made peaceand troop withdrawalsa necessity, not a choice 1st Cavalry Division: first 1961-1981 85 of!, Second Edition, gives a 1513 reference for military casualty, and DD1330 are! [ 21 ] during the war Uppsala University, sfn error: no target: CITEREFRummel1997 ( we the. From North Vietnamese, 1984 an 1844 reference for military casualty, and do not include American and other military... Images, and Cambodia the VC units, including 195,000 deaths fell to a invasion... Americans suffered disproportionately high casualty rates in Vietnam statistics and information that enough people have ever seen: CITEREFRummel1997.... Of over 58,000 troops who were actually Canadian citizens. of Cambodia and Laos were! Casualty, and information to remember from this lesson you must be a Member... Total of 1,622,973 him broad latitude in handling the struggle against Communism in Southeast Asia the!, 1915 to 1917 infantry regiments grew from 959 to 3,720 men and officers... Almost entirely of either working-class or rural youth in combat unpopular wars in history... Seeking Vietcong hiding places accidentally dropped its flaming napalm on civilians and government troops instead [ ]. By injuries, disabled by psychological trauma, captured, deserted, vietnam war casualties by unit missing led to increased racial tension the! Cost the United States over $ 65 million since 1998 as part of the in! In more developed countries memorials at the battle of Ia Drang, the Vietnamese government unexploded!