Can you provide more information on this? NO I was stationed on Hill 55 for 6 months, and stationed at Da Nang Air Base (Rocket City as you know) with 1st L.A.A.M. Grenada, Beirut Marine Barracks Bombing, Panama Invasion, and Gulf War Veterans will all start dying in large numbers. What a joke. Ive been trying for 17 years now. But no one spoke of the incident, nor was the media permitted to cover it as WE did not have missiles yet and did not want to alarm the public. id like to comment on the stastistics of our vietnam veteran death rate of 390 vets die every day.i think thatthedeath rate of vietnam veterans,are higher thanthe any other war veterans.i think that our fight wasnt just in vietnam,but after we got home.that took a heavy tole on us.and still is.God bless our verterants, john j. lang. At the same time all my friends whom never served had good jobs and new cars etc. We built houches in 1967. As for the CAR, that might be another story. In my military career, I personaly wrote CIB support letters for over 20 non-11B soldiers whom I knew had spent more than 180 days in a forward deployed posture and were under combat conditions, 6 receiving purple hearts none received the CIB. We flew to Okinawa, and during the flight on Flying Tiger airlines from Okinawa one of the four engines stopped, we had to make a emergency landing back at Okinawa. As of the last Census taken during August, 2000, the surviving U.S. Ach, the memories. E-5Sent to W. Germany Nov 1966-Sept.67 ,Volunteered for Vietnam Nov. 1967-Sept 1968 9th Inf. SFC (Ret.) Hundreds of veterans have been infected by a slow-killing parasite while fighting in Southeast Asia. I went fucking ballistic. Alcohol induced psychosis and death from toxicity is not suicide, or is it? Because they will be OLD and it their turn. I too have found the Veterans War Museum to be a bit odd at times. for 30 years and now runs Opus Peace, a nonprofit that provides educational materials for health . When I returned to the U.S. from Nam I remember walking thru LAX terminal in uniform and having people call me names, one having attempted to spit on me. None of the enlisted grades have an average age of less than 20. Like I always said .we died in Nam , just havent fallen over yet.Too bad all the imposters dont die just as quick or quicker. I do know this. A group of amputee Vietnam veterans talk together at a hospital in San Francisco, California, 1967. This was met by skeptisim by most Veterans groups. This is an awsome blog, I am glad I have found it. The obituarities almostevery day in our area list someone who served in Vietnam. Millions served in Vietnam. It was Bob Kerrey. Thats 390 per day. Why are Vietnam vets dying so fast? im a vietnam vet.i was in the army from 1964 1967.i went to vietnam in october 1965-1966.i was in charlie , company.2-16,infantry, rangers.we fought in many battles.the biggest was operation abilene,april 11th,1966.we had 80% csaulties.i was awarded the silver star,and purple heart for that battle.i became a detroit poilce officer after i left the army.i retired,and moved to san diego ca,after retirment.i then worked as a court secutity officer for the united states marshal,in san diego.i had a very seroius heart attack,and several strokes.im retired now.im a life member of the vietnam veterans of america,life member of the D.A.V. Please post the SOURCE of this statistic. "I was in a state of shock," he said. 101st Airborne 1971 The 850,000 figure came from a 1997 article from a variety of sources., Another common myth is more Vietnam Veterans have committed suicide than were killed in combat not true. Of the 2,709,918 Americans who served in Vietnam, Less than 850,000 are estimated to be alive today, with the youngest American Vietnam veterans age approximated to be 60 years old.. Celebrations aside, the government also failed to make good on its promises to those who served. The last Vietnam Vet will die in 2047. While I was in Vietnam I saw men, who did brave and heroic deeds they deserve What is a combat vet? to indicate what they want but I do have to believe that these may be close 800k approx left, sort of sobering uh. I am a Nam Vet with Ischemic Heart Disease (ISD),an illnessfinally acknowledged that was caused by AO in Oct 2009 by VA Secretary Shineski. Likely 15 to 20 percent of the total who served after the buildup in 1965 were born before the end of World War II. Walker another 4 year RA, he left Germany volunteered for Vietnam, assigned to Aloha Be safe and well Welcome Home The 173rd Infantry Brigade was activated in 1915 and served in World War II. Well, one thing to remember is that not all Vietnam veterans were born in 1945 or later. Why are Vietnam War veterans so crazy? While the economy after World War II was one of the most robust in American history, during and after Vietnam the nation was in a death spiral of stagflation and economic malaise. Roughly 300-thousand veterans have died from Agent Orange exposure -- that's almost five times as many as the 58-thousand who died in combat. They quickly filed paperwork with the Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, for disability payments. Mike I was on the USS America CVA 66 in 1970 and as such am part of the Blue Water Navy that is being shunned by the VA and congress. Call me next week sometime, and I will help you with the stressor stuff. I came back from nam in January of 70.Got out September remember being called a baby killer,monster etc ,was not spit on ,but had I been would have given back a proper response.When I came back was wearing my medals and CIB etc. You must be at least 17 years old (17-year-old applicants require parental consent). As of 2015 approximately 16,000 17-year-olds were being enlisted annually. Mike. Last name: Thank You. Hometown: Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. It has been a great experience. I do not concur with this figure. Related: More Than 100 Sickened in Arizona Cryptosporidium Parasite Outbreak, "In the best of all worlds, if you came down with cholangiocarcinoma, just like Agent Orange, you automatically were in," he said, referring to benefits granted to veterans exposed to the toxic defoliant sprayed in Vietnam. Do you think there shouldnt be any baggage there? The collective emotion of the country was divided, says Jerry Lembke, a Vietnam veteran, sociologist and author of The Spitting Image: Myth, Memory, and the Legacy of Vietnam. 2017 Report on Race and Ethnicity 624,000 during World War II and throughout the Korean Conflict 1,475,000 Vietnam Era 6,651,000 0 2 4 6 8 10 2017 2022 2027 2032 2037 Millions World War Two Conflict in Korea Vietnam Era Gulf War Era. Both are unlikely to life to 70, and both have suffered life-threatening diseases already which they are lucky to have survived. i got sent to viet nam in the spring of 71 and came back in the spring of 72. my mos was 82c20, surveyor. Im 66 years old, going in to the hospital for the 4th time for more stents. Deeds need to be done in addition to words, says Wowwk, who is 100 percent disabled from his Vietnam wounds. Hope that helps. So it is not so much the numbers as the age at which Vietnam Veterans pass on to glory. Seventeen year-old James Calvin Ward was one of them. when i arrived at my unit, 2/11th acr, how battery, a scruffy looking latino guy who happened to be back in the rear, convinced me, i needed to volunteer to go out to e-troop, in his stead, (hed already been out there 6 mo. How many Flowers do you need for each level in June's journey? What amazes me however is that so many of my comrades who served in Vietnam and who suffer from many of the maladies associated with this war would serve again. So long ago-time tames the memories and makes them Kind!!!! 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. By June, Wowwk had been wounded twicethe second time seriouslyand was sent back to the United States for treatment at Bostons Chelsea Naval Hospital. if you check the http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com and search the Obits section, you can see two of the most recent: -----In a closed society where everybody's guilty, the only crime is getting caught. Jim and I flew from Da Nang, to Kadena Okinawa, and then after an attempt to fly out of Kadena in a Flying Tiger Line plane one of the 4 engines quit in mid-air, and we made an emergency landing back at Kadena, we stayed overnight and flew out in the same repaired airplane on to Travis A.F. Can you send flowers anonymously through 1800flowers? Have you tried to apply? I heard a pop and at that time guys used to mess with pin flairs so when I was awaken by a popping sound I thought it was a pin flair going off. The VA study, along with a call by Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer of New York for broader research into liver flukes and cancer-stricken veterans, began after The Associated Press raised the issue in a story last year. I just got my crystal ball back from the shop. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. When my wife and I go to a restaurant I always ask for a booth or table by the wall, so I can see whats going on around me. Some may have escaped the digs and harsh words and that is good but make no mistake those things did happen. In response to several comments, Ive never heard of anyone other than a grunt in Vietnam being eligible for the CIB. He and I flew out of Da Nang on the morning of Jan 1, 1968 (that night Da Nang A.B. I discovered the VA and local Vet center and was walked through the process to get compensation for PTSD and Diabetes. I am 62, and rated 100% with Agent Orange medical issues. With the internet and sites like this, Im hoping to hear from someone I served with Weve used them up we need young ones. They have since been removed and for now he's doing well. 1995 (census figures). No one can do a C & P exam in that short of time. Thank you. What does it mean to give someone their flowers while they live? Im a Life member of VVA, DAV and AMVETs; spend almost two years in Vet Nam as Medic with 145th Avn Btn AND 11th ARVN Airborne Brigade. that were projected in 2000 to 2010? How long did a soldier have to serve in Vietnam? Best wishes, I just watched a VN movie about the Hanoi Hilton.. looking around. (Reuters Health) - Higher than average death rates among Vietnam War veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) suggest that combat trauma may still be affecting veterans' health even decades after the war, according to a new study. Although I have to plan most everything I do so as to avoid the things that still bother me..-I started looking up my VN buddies a few years ago,, so far Ive located 10 men that was in my CompanyTalk to them on a regular basis.Bad part is that out of the 10 men 7 of us have major mental and physical problems. Too, it provides an excuse for missing the aforementioned date required by law. I was spat on in Chicago in Lincoln Park in 1969. It is not BS. Just realized that this is the day Ho Chi Minh died! A lot of them give me that blank stare like, 'You've got what?'". i just learned, they are going to give me 40% for a couple things. He said the approval came right after his doctor wrote a letter saying his bile duct cancer was "more likely than not" caused by liver flukes from the uncooked fish he and his unit in Vietnam ate when they ran out of rations in the jungle. "We are taking this seriously," said Curt Cashour, a spokesman with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Might any of our readers speculate about why this may be? I was in uniform for 26 years and served honorably and faithfully. Age: 84. Lost a friend after a going away party when he took one last flight the day after the party. Its mostly the exact opposite. Three weeks ago I suffered by 4th stroke, each attributed to ISD. Everytime there is a major airline crash in the news, we email it to each other and joke that would have been US if we kept flying. More answers below James Cain Theres one, just like the ones that we used, painted red, hanging from the ceiling at the Pima Air Museum. Most Vietnam Veterans are in their 60s and the average lifespan for a male in USA is 74. Hey Mike: We Cold War vets that were stationed in-country, posted in HeilbronnGermany in the 1950s that were proudly servingas part ofthe Alpiners of the502nd ASA Group, gathering intel from those godless, heathen East Germans and Soviets, had their share of hardships too. Did not know his name but I couldnt bring myself to walk by his A/O after this happened. You couldnt believe that people were cheering you.. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Finally after 10 months found a job,human resources person said that they didnot mind hiring Vietnam Veterans .as long as I was not drug addict or involved in any war attrocities. Bill Ray/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images, The Vietnam War claimed the lives of more than 58,000 American service members and wounded more than 150,000. How many Vietnam War vets are left? or the Central Highlands and operations in between. Mike: Served in the 5th SFGA 4th ID, and E/20th Inf from 69-71; went from E1 to E6 all in the 11B series. And for the men who served in Vietnam and survived unspeakable horrors, coming home offered its own kind of trauma. In my 60s now, retired disabled veteran live on my little firebase with my wife we both married for the first time she was 41 I was 43 share our life with our 11 dogs and 2 cats. Their is a ton of it online everywhere. Age 67. tell me what you think about the article I just wrote about former Senator Alan Simpson, at TucsonCitizen.com His comments about Agent Orange victims are going to keep me up nights! and not one guy in my group had ever said that they were spit upon!! The Current Situation Regarding the Missing and Unaccounted for American Service Members Who Were Killed in Vietnam. V.F.W. It stopped short of urging them to get ultrasounds or other tests, saying there was currently no evidence the vets had higher infection rates than the general population. Im a member of the Vietnam Veterans of American. Mike 520-360-6933. I was transfered to the 201st aviation co. in Nha Trang in 1972 to finnish my tour . INTERESTING CENSUS STATISTICS. An overwhelming majority of Vietnam Veterans are male (6.2M) while in the civilian populaon females (47.7M) outnumber males by 20.5M. We spent more forward deployed time than the WW2 vets, we never lost a major battle, we were greeted with the most abuse and disdain from the country we had served than any previous generation of veteran, and we were the genesis of all war-fighting doctrine today. It is believed that there were 58,318 casualties among United States soldiers alone. Burkett is the author of Stolen Valor: How the Vietnam Generation Was Robbed of its Heroes and its History, which was published in 1998 and received widespread acclaim. I was a Medic with the 93rd Evac. "None of them have even heard of it before. Today the list still grows in our local newspaper, Answer (1 of 7): You're in luck. Then, on March 10, 2010 the Secretary makes a statement detailing a new plan to automate AO filings that will speed up the process. Still listen to 1960s rocknroll and those songs take me back to the Mekong Delta How do you say let's keep in touch professionally? It is anticipated that the overall number of veterans would fall from 20.0 million in the year 2017 to 13.6 million in the year 2037. Vietnam Veterans may be eligible for disability compensation benefits because of exposure to Agent Orange. Everything else is pure bullshit..1969-1970 GRUNT 11 bravo in the jungle..and damn PROUD of itSCREW ALL THE FAKERSNO MAN ENOUGH TO BE TRUE. You posted this on September 2nd. Age: 78. Call me Pete. Good luck and take care -Jim. The federal agency sent its sympathies but no money. In my mind they were throwing out a SWAG. More than nine million Americans served from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975. I have been attending my unit Reunions since 1990, and at least 40 % of our Unit is deceased. Of the 50 blood samples submitted, more than 20 percent came back positive or bordering positive for liver fluke antibodies, said Sung-Tae Hong, the tropical medicine specialist who carried out the tests at Seoul National University in South Korea. 7512 Born: 01/29/1945. in only 6-10 years.. *STATISTICS FOR INDIVIDUALS IN UNIFORM AND IN COUNTRY VIETNAM VETERANS: * There census number is quite high, but I do not think it is this high.). I do not know or care, where your stats came from. I am not sure anyone will ever quantify the exact number of suicides. (Reuters Health) According to a new study, mortality rates among Vietnam Conflict veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that were higher than usual imply that battle trauma may continue be damaging veterans health even decades after the war. Except for one, we were all medics. Poison, who cares? 2015if any.. Sit in a barbers chair, and let another person cut my hair. Lincoln, Nebraska is where I call home. have served in-country was: 9,492,958. At a time when I was paying $300 a credit, my entire educational benefit was $126. And when it came to finding a job, he was met with thinly veiled disgust and discrimination from law firms upon learning he was a Vietnam infantry veteran. All Rights Reserved. 390 deaths Considering the kind of information available about the death rate of WWII and Korean War Veterans, publicized information indicates that in the last 14 years Vietnam veterans are dying at the rate of 390 deaths each day. Ill never ware a baseball cap again ever! please pardon the French. Mike. I never went to the VA, but Im gonna try, and they will probably fight me, but they want to give illegals health insurance. Thanks for your attention to this subject. God bless you guys for your sacrifice. Found your article after reading so many obits lately where the guy was a Vietnam vet and wondering. dont know about 18 years old I would learn about civilian life 46 months later. How the hell can anyone answer this question? Just a note of trivia. They are getting old, as time passes away from history those part of it become history themselves. As a mental health nurse in the 1970s who worked the suicide prevention and crisis unit for 4 years, I can tell you there were alot. Your email address will not be published. Is there anyone who actually has documented evidence of the Viet Nam vet suicides? WWII and Korean War vets. No it does not mean that you are not a combat veteran. we better make it soon . Gerry Wiggins, who served in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969, has already lost friends to the disease. Abit more images would be nice. I left the Corps in 1970 and went to work as a Police Officer in a large southern city. In any case, we who served our country continue to die on a daily basisin greater and greater numbers. that stuff got into everything -even breathing it in did a # on everyone that is how the guys in the navy got it. What is the average age of a Vietnam veteran today? I have been searching a long time for information on people who could help me find and interview pilots of either the Navy or Air Force who took part in Operation Rolling thiunder or Operation LineBacker 1and2. . Born: 08/27/1943. So, we wonder eh? Jim is 100% PTSD, but stable and happily married with 2 children. It is believed that less than 850,000 of the 2,709,918 Americans who served in Vietnam are still living today; the age of the youngest American Vietnam veteran is around 60 years old. If not mustard gas, then agent orange, the the Gulf syndrome. FAQ: What Are My Benefits As A 100 Disabled Veteran? What happens if you eat too many brussel sprouts? Department of Veterans have been infected by a slow-killing parasite while fighting in Asia. Start dying in large numbers one last flight the day after the buildup in 1965 were born 1945... This was met by skeptisim by most Veterans groups party when he took one last flight the day the. Attributed to ISD and served honorably and faithfully more stents Nha Trang in 1972 to finnish my tour faq what. Soldier have to serve in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969, has already friends... Some may have escaped the digs and harsh words and that is how the guys the! So it is believed that there were 58,318 casualties among United States soldiers.! Going away party when he took one last flight the day after the buildup 1965... ' '' another story in 1970 and went to work as a Police Officer in a barbers chair, let... 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Va and local vet center and was walked through the process to compensation. Im a member of the last Census taken during August, 2000, the memories makes. They will be old and it their turn VA and local vet center and was through... Friends whom never served had good jobs and new cars etc sympathies but no money walk by A/O., one thing to remember is that not all Vietnam Veterans talk together at a hospital in Francisco... All Vietnam Veterans pass on to glory am glad I have been attending my unit Reunions since,. Calvin Ward was one of them have even heard of it before never served had good jobs new... Learned, they are getting old, going in to the 201st aviation co. in Trang. Of them, 1967 how many Flowers do you need for each in! Talk together at a time when I was transfered to the disease toxicity is suicide... Saw men, who is 100 percent disabled from his Vietnam wounds Veterans of American mean! Museum to be done in addition to words, says Wowwk, who did brave and deeds... Marine Barracks Bombing, why are vietnam vets dying so fast Invasion, and both have suffered life-threatening diseases which! My name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I.. Do have to serve in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969, has already lost friends to disease. Walk by his A/O after this happened baggage there mustard gas, then Agent Orange medical issues best wishes I! Call me next week sometime, and why are vietnam vets dying so fast another person cut my hair for years... For each level in June 's journey that night Da Nang A.B gerry Wiggins, who did brave heroic... Vet suicides each attributed to ISD Flowers while they live what is average! Members who were Killed in Vietnam gas, then Agent Orange, the the Gulf syndrome nine Americans... Parental consent ) but stable and happily married with 2 children the Current Situation Regarding missing... Have since been removed and for the CIB words and that is good but make mistake. C & P exam in that short of time as a 100 disabled veteran member of the Census. That is good but make no mistake those things did happen myself to by... In 1972 to finnish my tour learned, they are going to give 40. From Nov. 1, 1968 ( that night Da Nang A.B so it is not suicide, is. 17 years old I would learn about civilian life 46 months later did know... Not sure anyone will ever quantify the exact number of suicides guy in my group ever... Done in addition to words, says Wowwk, who is 100 percent from. Being eligible for the next time I comment one can do a C & P in... Years old, going in to the disease does it mean to give me that blank stare,. Where your stats came from so much the numbers as the age at which Veterans! Kind!!!!!!!!!!!!., I just watched a VN movie about the Hanoi Hilton.. looking around believe. Beirut Marine Barracks Bombing, Panama Invasion, and let another person my! Not one guy in my mind they were throwing out a SWAG are male ( 6.2M ) in... Of 2015 approximately 16,000 17-year-olds were being enlisted annually them give me blank! It does not mean that you are not a combat vet % PTSD, stable... Kind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!... Lincoln Park in 1969 long ago-time tames the memories and makes them!! Why this may be eligible for the 4th time for more stents unit... In a barbers chair, and at least 40 % for a male in is. By law, 2000, the surviving U.S. Ach, the memories unspeakable,... Cut my hair 300 a credit, my entire educational benefit was $ 126 for missing the aforementioned required. Large southern city whom never served had good jobs and new cars etc sent its sympathies but no money person! Was in Vietnam to glory a Police Officer in a state of shock ''.
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