But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. We had 5 kias and roughly 50 wounded in our company so about one in three got hit. At age 55, World War 2 Veterans were estimated to live 21.4 and 26.1 life-years, 1.4 and 0.3 more life-years for Korean Conflict Veterans, and 3 and 1.5 more life-years for Vietnam Era Veterans for male and female, respectively. 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. In Vietnam, 1 in 400 of the wounded died of their . More than 5 million of the nations more than 7 million Vietnam-era veterans are between 60 and 70 years old, according to data from the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. Among the most important coping mechanisms are communication, maintenance of military social structure, and personality flexibility. More than 3 million people (including over 58,000 Americans) were killed in the Vietnam War, and more than half of the dead were Vietnamese civilians. LUCK pure LUCK. Background. Ambulances are not supposed to be armed (either) though in training, medics are told they and their vehicles will be a prime target. In your rucksack . Jorge Otero Barreto. Back then, men were only expected to live until 65 and women until 72. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. They were short of gunners on helicopters, because the life expectancy was somewhere between 13 and 30 days, he said. Our patrols were typically about 14 hours 24/7 We operated of old LSTs and large barges. In that time 4 us kia and 4 wounded. It was just north of Saigon. never happened,we lost two sweep team members and some To an, open area. Love this analysis. I couldnt disagree. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Prayers for all. Thanks for posting! I always was told that the life expectancy of a LT was 14 seconds in INITIAL combat versus 9 seconds for an RTO. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Wortman, another RTO never made it back to The World. As an infantry platoon Sgt of a platoon made up of all draftees my age 21 plus or minus a year We fought the largest single one day battle of the war March 21, 1967 known as the Battle of Soui Tre, fire support base Gold operation Junction City, that base was commanded by LtCol John Vessey of the 2/77 FA Vessey was a 25 year veteran of WWII fame with a DSC at Anzio, and on this day he was looking at the end of his career after that tour in Vietnam. As far as I knew that was done in the whole battalion in 1968 . To cut the Ho Chi Minh Traila week after the mission endedthe trail was booming with business from the north.. I was one of the many others I rode river boats in the Mekong Jan 68 to 69. For example, life expectancy of male and female Veterans with household incomes less than $20,000, at respectively. I was never hit by enemy fire even though they had multiple opportunities after that I was an rto for the company commander and I have to say both jobs were not fun. We were in2dBn 503d . As I carried a PRC25 radio for over seven-months in the > Nam, I was curious to find out what I did RIGHT to surv >, One MOS I figured was a sure short timer was POL{Fuel} Truck Driver. The Republic of Vietnam lost 1,018 aircraft and helicopters from January 1964 to September 1973. I was shot down on my very first mission in July 1968. The experience of capture could be humiliating. Under the Tran Dynasty (13 th-15 th century), Dai Viet forces led by one of Vietnam's national . But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Both served in A 2/18 1st Infantry Division For some reason, the written word of this article was somehow deleted and lost. In the 1st Cav medics were right behind the rto making them a very easy find also. Who is the youngest Vietnam veteran still alive? These numbers are a step up from where life expectancy rates in Vietnam were in 1990. Following American soldiers into the line of fire, hoping to prevent them from becoming yet more casualties, were their medics. Hi there! What Led To A Cease-Fire Between North Vietnam And American Troops In 1973? Dan Bullock (December 21, 1953 June 7, 1969) was a United States Marine and the youngest U.S. serviceman killed in action during the Vietnam War, dying at the age of 15. rice farmer who was still working with is ox like nothing ever If you would like to get a copy, and cant find it, let me know, and I will make sure you get one. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Really? The 1968 Battle of Khe SanhThe 1968 Battle of Khe Sanh was the longest, deadliest and most controversial of the Vietnam War, pitting the U.S. Marines and their allies against the North Vietnamese Army. And yes, please God, bless America. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 530 Vietnam veterans die every day. I was trained as a RTO in 1970 at Fort Ord then went to Fort Gordon for teletype school, my MOS was 05C20 when I finished. It was just part of the job. 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. Our Aussie Dust off choppers had door gunners, we worked on the theory if the Noggies would shot at Red Cross choppers, we would return fire, Aussie grunt, 60000 00 Aussies fought in Vietnam, Up the Old Red Rooster and more beer. How are relationships affected by technology? We went out typically in two boat patrols one lead one cover . I got my start in education as a teacher, working with students in grades K-12. My first tour was as an advisor to the VN Abn. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 2 tour Nam veteran, Les Scates, U.S. Army (Ret.) located on the South End of, the Post. 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. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Is Sault Ste Marie Ontario a safe place to live? What was the maximum age to fight in Vietnam War? Back then, men were only expected to live until 65 and women until 72. You would go into a hole and come out 10 or 15 miles away. Different type units, different locations, different opinions on dangers. I personally believe and agree with previous posts that when its your time, not much you can do. Overall, life expectancy rates in Vietnam are relatively high for both men and women; in 2017, men had a life expectancy of approximately 70 years . Because if only 1 RTO fought for say only 10 or 15 minutes before being killed, that would up the AVG for the total war! We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Chart and table of Vietnam life expectancy from 1950 to 2022. The enemy could be the rice farmer who waves at you from the rice patty as you drive by in your APC in the day but trying to scale the barbed wire of your compound that evening. It was always quick/quick, load the bodies in and get the hell out. I was lucky too but VN never left me. 4 How long does the average military retiree live? Fact: 2/3 of the men who served in Vietnam were volunteers. Average age of men killed: 23.1 years. Interesting but something is missing. both tours. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. We walked the mountains and rice patties all thru Tu Thien Province. Dap, Hope this helps. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Thank You for your courageous service as an RTO with the legendary Hawk Recon Platoon. 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. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. Army used a personnel rotation policy that at first blush defies military logic. Compared to the U. S. population, the mortality rates of Veterans are higher at older ages, and the life expectancy of Veterans are estimated to be 0.7-0.9 life-years shorter for males, and to be 1.2-1.3 life-years shorter for female at age 25, 45, and 65. Like you, I carried a PRC-25 for about 5 months and never got hit. The life expectancy of a helicopter pilot in Viet Nam was between 13 and 30 days. You of course had the radio plus xtra batteries & handsets plus your rucksack with 7 to 8 canteens , 20 mags ( I used to carry 17 rounds in the mags instead of 20 ) because the springs would force the round into the chamber causing jams . Thirty one sets of parents lost two of their sons. Before the lottery was implemented in the latter part of the Vietnam conflict, there was no system in place to determine order of call besides the fact that men between the ages of 18 and 26 were vulnerable to being drafted. Great reading. What is the average life expectancy of retired military? "A door gunner's life expectancy is 19 seconds," Chancellor said. Were talking averages, obviously so, an RTO, with an expectancy of 5 seconds (!) The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". aND, mAY GOD BLESS AMERICA!!! well I wonder how long your going to last lieutenant? He said when they were ambushed they took defensive positions, returned fire, called for assistance when needed, and retreated when necessary. Vietnam is a . I'm passionate about helping people achieve their dreams, and I believe that education is the key to unlocking everyone's potential. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Had multiple Ks and Ws. We took fire all the time and responded. The significant role played by bitcoin for businesses! 1 What was the life expectancy of a Vietnam soldier? I never thought of it that way before but have many times since. Anyway I was wondering about the RTOs in a grunt platoon, was that their MOS or were they 11B that carried a PRC ? Why is the death rate so high in Vietnam? Take out the power center, youve got the edge. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. 300-thousand veteransThe number of Vietnam veterans affected by the chemical Agent Orange is astonishing. You seen the enemy you shots him and vice versa. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Overall, life expectancy rates in Vietnam are relatively high for both men and women; in 2017, men had a life expectancy of approximately 70 years, with women typically living until around 79. You just do the best job you can and if you got hit, so be it! This needs to be brought before the American people and the Congress. I'm Cary Hardy, an education expert and consultant. I was one of the lucky ones I came home without a physical scratch. In 1975 South Vietnam fell to a full-scale invasion by the North. During the Vietnam War, the odds were tremendously stacked against radio operations and that 5-second life expectancy was, for some, a grim reality. I am 81 now and survived the encounter by terminated the sniper. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Then we all, loaded on C-147 cargo planes. Totally bogus. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". BS but ia a way you are correct. I assisted Vessey and Capt Cartwright by helping prepare the Bee Hive Rounds (first time they were ever used), firing 4 rounds at proximity 0 range into a human wave attack on or weak side after 5 hours of relentless attacks on the opposite side of the perimeter Those 4 rounds killed @ 400 enemy soldiers, of the 881 total enemy losss John Vessey later became a 4 Star general and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs appointed by Reagan 1983, and at retirement became Chair of the POW MIA Commission for 14 years, Passing away in August 2016 just 6 months before our 50th Reunion. In my tour everyone had the same chance of getting shot. Despite the prolonged fighting, improvements in battlefield medicine and the mobility of. The mean age at retirement was 46.48 6.63 years (median 45.31), and the mean age at death was 69.40 12.55 years (median 69.85). These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. I was an Artillery Forward Observer 13F20 E-5 at that time. I was a helicopter pilot And approximately 164,000 Americans who served at sea in Vietnam waters are alive today. How many US soldiers stayed in Vietnam after the war? May they rest in peace. I spent 10 1/2 months in the jungles of Vietnam. Many were killed or wounded ! On average US troops served 1-2 years in Vietnam, and the percentage of troops killed was actually fairly low for a war this size, 2.14% of all who served were killed, the life expectancy was roughly around 1 year, 5 months and 3 weeks (taking into account the 1-2 year difference in some troops's serving times) Sponsored by Primal Labs Very Good , I was a radio operator up in I corps in 68 & to me the worst thing was the walking . The two men, both U.S. Marines, were killed in a rocket attack one day before the Fall of Saigon . RTO, John Scheur. 1: physical position (in the field / column) So be it MOS or were they 11B that carried a PRC same of. 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