They also had to deal with swarms of mosquitoes. None of the enlisted grades have an average age of less than 20. Of the 58,256 Americans listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the [VHPA databases], Army UH-1's totaled more than 10,693,902 flight hours in Vietnam between October 1966 and the end of For me, at least, Vietnam was partly love. What as the average height of US SOldier in Vietnam? While braving the intense hail of hostile fire, Lieutenant Flaherty displayed astute direction and leadership, leading to the enemy bunker being swiftly destroyed and allowing his platoon to advance and continue its devastating attack on the enemy, according to the citation for the Silver Star Flaherty was awarded for the action. As the overall morale of American troops in Vietnam declined, so did race relations within the U.S. military. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. 91% of Vietnam Veterans say they are glad they served [Westmoreland], 74% said they would serve again even knowing the outcome [Westmoreland], There is no difference in drug usage between Vietnam Veterans and non veterans of the same age group (from a Veterans Administration study) [Westmoreland]. A cemetery employee said the appropriate relatives have been contacted and a marker has been ordered and is expected to be set in place early next year. "The man who wore that uniform was somebody. Only two percent of officers in the U.S. armed forces were black, even though blacks made up about fourteen percent of all military personnel during the Vietnam War. Many men volunteered for the draft so even some of the draftees were actually on 29 April 1975 from UPI's offices on the top floor of the Saigon Hotel which I don't believe the averages I saw here about US Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. However, I can tell you that depending on your job, size matter In all, a very scary time for our country. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. South Vietnam Created under the Geneva Accords of 1954, the southern section of Vietnam was known as the Republic of South Vietnam. . Some American soldiers reacted to their situation by lashing out violently against the Vietnamese, while others took out their anger on U.S. military leaders. RELIGION: Confucianism; Taoism; Buddhism, Roman Catho, The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), The American Film Industry in the Early 1950s, The American Dream in the Twentieth Century, The American Dream in the Nineteenth Century, The American College: Distance Learning Programs, The Ancestral Puebloans and the Cliff Palaces at Mesa Verde, https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/american-soldier-vietnam, Coming Home: Vietnam Veterans in American Society, Vietnam Becomes an American War (196567). casualties increased, some soldiers were overcome by fear. designed as a helipad. Sometimes they would set out on foot from a U.S. base camp. Specifically, as it relates to western [Parade Magazine] August 18, 1996 page 10. One factor was the miserable conditions the soldiers faced on a daily basis, from exhausting marches to dangerous traps and ambushes. One type of plant, known as elephant grass, had razor-sharp leaves that painfully cut into their skin. Besides looking for enemy troops, they had to watch out for tiny trip wires that caused hidden hand grenades to explode, and for signs of digging that might indicate a landmine or a dangerous pit. (Westmoreland quoting Douglas Pike, a professor at the University of California, Berkley a renowned expert on the Vietnam War) [Westmoreland] This included Tet 68, which was a major military defeat for the VC and NVA. For example, U.S. soldiers resented officers who directed dangerous field combat from the safety of high-flying helicopters or distant command posts. '", In addition to these physical discomforts, the American troops also experienced constant anxiety and tension in Vietnam. Capt. After one tour in Vietnam, Capt. LOCATION: Vietnam The year was the most expensive in the Vietnam War with the American spending US$77.4 billion (US$ 603 billion in As a result, as many as 500,000 U.S. soldiers became addicted to drugs. Black fatalities amounted to 12 percent of all Americans killed in Southeast Asia - a figure proportional to the number of blacks in the U.S. population at the time and slightly lower than the proportion of blacks in the Army at the close of the war." Mortality studies show that 9,000 is a better estimate. The dogs also served as sentries at U.S. bases and helped drag wounded American soldiers to safety in medical units. 2.3K2.3K Others resorted to drugs when they could not cope with the violence they witnessed. They also became increasingly frustrated by trying to fight an enemy they could not see. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. There are 23,300 troops in Vietnam. This atmosphere of fear and distrust caused some men to behave in immoral ways they would never have demonstrated under normal circumstances. An automobile accident or other traumatic event also can cause it. Very few U.S. soldiers came from upper-class families. Baskir, Lawrence M., and William A. Strauss. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. [CACF]. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Fact: Assuming KIAs accurately represented age groups serving in Vietnam, the average age of an infantryman (MOS 11B) serving in Vietnam to be 19 years old is a myth, it is actually 22. Dan Bullock was born on December 21, 1953, in Goldsboro, North Carolina. WebAn average of around 20-25, leaning to the lower end, is a reasonable estimate assuming that casualty distributions roughly mirrored the number of men of each age sent to war. Never have the consequences of their misunderstanding been so tragic." Shortest US soldier in Vietnam War was not short in courage He also fell below the Army's weight requirement of 100 pounds. Fact: Assuming KIAs accurately represented age groups serving in Vietnam, the average age of an He was always recommending books and talking about philosophy, work and politics and eventually giving me advice. March 1, 2023, 4:22 PM. WebBelow are two tables which report the average adult human height by country or geographical region. The U.S. Embassy and its helipad were much larger. Here are some facts to clear up that poor job of reporting by the news media. Another third were drafted into the military. You secure a village, you search it, and you leave, and the village reverts [goes back] to the enemy. Create a password that only you will remember. Nguyen Van Thieu POPULATION: 70-80 million The United States defeat in Vietnam led to a In 1971, for example, 5,000 American soldiers were hospitalized for combat wounds, while 20,500 were treated for drug abuse. Many soldiers used them to escape from the boredom of their daily lives or to rebel against military authority. Ebert, James R. A Life in a Year: The American Infantryman in Vietnam,19651972. On average there were only about 35,000 combat soldiers in Vietnam, on the average. Not sure what average As they marched through the rice paddies and jungles, U.S. combat units never knew when enemy forces would suddenly appear. Myth: The media have reported that suicides among Vietnam veterans range from 50,000 to 100,000 - 6 to 11 times the non-Vietnam veteran population. When a man's name was drawn, he was required to report to his local draft board for evaluation. Vietnam seldom flew above 1,500 feet which is traffic pattern altitude for It was called "shell shock" and other names in previous wars. Some soldiers began to resent their constant demands for food As a result, the morale of American troops was fairly highat first. In fact, mines and booby traps accounted for between twenty and twenty-five percent of U.S. casualties (killed and wounded soldiers) during the Vietnam War. WebThe average age of American troops in Vietnam was nineteen, compared to an average age of twenty-six for U.S. soldiers in World War II (193945). During most of the Vietnam War, nineteen-year-olds were not even allowed to vote. Some of these displaced villagers survived by collecting and using the garbage left behind by American forces. Viet Cong Vietnamese Communist guerilla fighters who worked with the North Vietnamese Army to conquer South Vietnam. "If the war was so important, why didn't our leaders put everyone's son in there, why only us?". WebDuring the Vietnam War era, between 1964 and 1973, the U.S. military drafted 2.2 million American men out of an eligible pool of 27 million. The domino theory was accurate. It called for release of all U.S. prisoners, withdrawal of U.S. forces, limitation of both sides' forces inside South Vietnam and a commitment to peaceful reunification. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1971. Since the draft officially ended in 1973, many people have studied the role it played in determining the racial, ethnic, and social class makeup of the American troops in Vietnam. [1996 Information Please Almanac], The 140,000 evacuees in April 1975 during the fall of Saigon consisted almost entirely of civilians and Vietnamese military, NOT American military running for their lives. The Discarded Army. While there are still officially more than 2,200 cases, there now are only 55 incidents of American servicemen who were last seen alive but aren't accounted for. Three of the five newest democracies are former Soviet republics: Belarus (where elections were first held in November 1995), Armenia (July 1995) and Kyrgyzstan (February 1995). Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. It was less common in combat units operating in the field, where a lack of attention could cost soldiers their lives. This soldier of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam is equipped with US weapon, uniform, webbing, and radio pack. He also weighed less than 100 pounds, further disqualifying him from serving in the Army. Some historians blame the American antiwar movement for the decline in the motivation and performance of [McCaffrey], 87% of the American people hold Vietnam Vets in high esteem. [Westmoreland], 97% were discharged under honorable conditions; the same percentage of honorable discharges as ten years prior to Vietnam [Westmoreland], 85% of Vietnam Veterans made a successful transition to civilian life. In some cases, men who entered the service by enlisting rather than being drafted received better duty assignments. You have permission to edit this article. But since it was often difficult to tell friends from enemies, the emphasis on body counts led to many civilian deaths. "I didn't know the language. of fuel, ammunition and other supplies because of a lack of support from Karnow, Stanley. They are the average height for the men and women in that country. No mythical proportions here lol, the military personnel are derived from the pu WebFind many great new & used options and get the best deals for JXK1/6 North American Gray Wolf Model LXF2209 12" Soldier Accessory Decor Gift at the best online prices at eBay! They believed it was important to stop the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. War is brutal and not fair. At first, many U.S. soldiers felt sympathy for the South Vietnamese people. The 1990 unsuccessful movie "Air America" helped to establish the myth of a connection between Air America, the CIA, and the Laotian drug trade. THE UNITED STATES DID NOT LOSE THE WAR IN VIETNAM, THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE vvmf.org Social Makeup of Forces in Vietnam The US soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War were different in many ways from those who had fought in earlier wars. Most Agent Orange contained .0002 of 1 percent of dioxin. Click here to stay informed and subscribe to the Mountain States Trusted News Source. Richard Flaherty is laid to rest in an unmarked grave in Milton near Lisa Anness, a woman he described as the love of his life. North Vietnam The Geneva Accords of 1954, which ended the First Indochina War (194654), divided the nation of Vietnam into two sections. In addition, wealthy young men could obtain deferments for physical problems more easily than poor or working-class men. By that time, Flaherty had been promoted to captain and awarded two Bronze Stars for bravery and two Purple Hearts for combat wounds, in addition to the Silver Star. But such attitudes began to change as black soldiers faced discrimination in Vietnam. As of 1967, eighty percent of the American troops had a high school education or less, and only six percent had completed four years of college. In fact, some South Vietnamese civilians (people not involved in the military, including women and children) actively helped the Viet Cong guerillas (small groups of fighters who launch surprise attacks) that the Americans were fighting against. leader; premier of South Vietnam, 196567 Meanwhile, Flahertys burial spot, just behind Lisa Davis Annesss grave, remains unmarked as another Veterans Day approaches. In the early years of the war, many African American men viewed military service as a positive thing. WebThe most iconic helicopter of the Vietnam War, the Bell UH-1 Iroquois was originally designated the HU-1, giving rise to its popular nickname Huey.. Id known him for 15 years, and this was the first time he ever mentioned the military. Encyclopedia.com. As the number of American More than 2.5 million American men served in Vietnam during the war. An old story, I guess. In the last decade, 69 nations have held multi-party elections for the first time in their histories. Christian Appy writes in his book Working-Class War. Item Width: Average for the last 12 Without that commitment, Communism would have swept all the way to the Malacca Straits that is south of Singapore and of great strategic importance to the free world. Some of them considered the military a good place to receive training. What as the average height of US SOldier in Vietnam? The average height of more than i million United States soldiers in 1917- 1918 was 67.5 inches. I didnt believe him at first, Yuzuk recalled. 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