James Ward was one of at least 18 juvenile soldiers killed at Vietnamfive were 16, like him, 11 others were 17, and one was 15 and had forged his birth certificate to join. Thus, a follow-up mo. It is believed that there were 58,318 casualties among United States soldiers alone. I served in Nam 68-69 with Shore Party detached to the 5th Marines in An Hoa. Stay alive & sane thanks to Valium I am still alive for now NOT from the V.A., I use my own Doctor. Queleparece is a website that writes about many topics of interest to you, a blog that shares knowledge and insights useful to everyone in many fields. Walker another 4 year RA, he left Germany volunteered for Vietnam, assigned to Age: 77. at the time i wasnt concerned, though, some of the guys working as fos, who were planning on a military career, were trying to get cibs. Not everyone boosts about how there home comming was and there are those who would like to leave that chapter behind them. Greensburg, Indiana, U.S. Garwood was transferred to North Vietnam in 1969, and according to reports, he was freed in 1973 along with the other American prisoners of war as part of the Paris Peace Accords. Weve used them up we need young ones. of I found out later I was a Medic with the 93rd Evac. It means Hill of Sacrifice. "We've been fighting this for 55 years," said Wright, who also served in the Connecticut National Guard from 1982-1999 and retired as a first sergeant. What are Vietnam veterans dying from? have served in-country was: 9,492,958. It can take decades for symptoms to appear. The Department of Veterans Affairs this spring commissioned a small pilot study to look into the link between liver flukes ingested through raw or undercooked fish and a rare bile duct cancer. Baughman, who is thin and weak, recently plucked out "Country Roads" on a bass during a jam session at his cabin in West Virginia. Mike. The veterans outreach counseling is good for PTSD Tx, etc. i mention the verified stressers, as i wonder if that could help in the decision on a cib. Vietnam Veteran population estimate is: 1,002,511. where did this nunber come from, the people I am dealing with look closely at source material and I would really like to use this. See also: How Many Veterans Are Under The Age Of 35? Part of the reason was economic. (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. Sorry you feel that way. Says here, 2047. 1 killed in the Nam, 2 dead by their own hand. If this jogs someones memory than please write on this blog so we can perhaps chat sometime. No way of accounting for the incidence of this from 1972-85. Known as the Sky Soldiers, the 173rd Airborne Brigade is an airborne infantry brigade combat team (IBCT) of the United States Army that is stationed in Vicenza, Italy. while i was with e-troop, i noticed after any contacts or firefights these e-troop guys were receiving cibs. Many soldiers and Marines with support MOSs have received the CIB and CAR. Im always looking around at whats going on. sent back to the 4/18 artillery, the same unit I left in Germany. I knew we were losing our numbers fast but not nearly as fast as we are, thank you for the education. The past 5 years has seen a ton of so called veteran statistics that are clearly confabulated. How many Vietnam vets are dying each day? "I was in a state of shock," he said. The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that there are roughly 7.2 million living veterans in the world today. E-5Sent to W. Germany Nov 1966-Sept.67 ,Volunteered for Vietnam Nov. 1967-Sept 1968 9th Inf. Somethings Ill never do: Since 1988, The War Library has been making efforts to confirm the names of all United States military personnel who served in Vietnam or who were awarded the Vietnam War Service Medal. 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. If you have a CIB, you do not need to verify stressors, so call the 1-800-827-1000 and tolerate the voice promptings/menu. Fort Hood, Texas another armpit and volunteeredfor a second tour. Vietnam veterans are reaching a point in their lives where they may be retired, losing the past support systems of family and friends, susceptible to depression and prime candidates for. Three weeks ago I suffered by 4th stroke, each attributed to ISD. Over time, swelling and inflammation of the bile duct can lead to cancer. He and I just emailed each other on Jan. 2, 2011. Veterans returning from Vietnam were met with an institutional response marked by indifference. Northport VA Medical Center spokesman Christopher Goodman confirmed the New York facility collected the samples and sent them to the lab. 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. 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. They can assist a grateful nation in thanking and honoring Vietnam Veterans and their families. Alcohol induced psychosis and death from toxicity is not suicide, or is it? I went back to work (with Government Defense Contractor)where I worked before entering service and was laid off after 1 month.Went to VA rep who did nothing about it,but then sent me for a job as an exterminator.went off on him and asked was this supposed to be closest civilian related occupation. Are Vietnam vets respected? Deeds need to be done in addition to words, says Wowwk, who is 100 percent disabled from his Vietnam wounds. I knew how to get more than enough for everything I needed. second tour. He was the youngest American service member to be killed in the Vietnam War. Hello John: I may have some choice words to express as well. We who served America do not deserve this treatment. 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. As for suicides, this is mostly a myth seconday to a VA study in the 1970s that included all Vietnam eta veterans. Thanks for the clarification. They quickly filed paperwork with the Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, for disability payments. I was a aircraft sheetmetal repairman. Why are Vietnam War veterans so crazy? Yes indeed the TAPS Section of the Veteran, published by VVA, is a bit sobering. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Gerry Wiggins, who served in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969, has already lost friends to the disease. Before I married my loving wife, I told her of some of my experiences, but not all of them showed her all themedicine Your email address will not be published. that 6 months after I left everybody rotated back to the states, say reminds me of I have been attending my unit Reunions since 1990, and at least 40 % of our Unit is deceased. Welcome Home John. 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. 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. Garwood is sometimes identified as the last documented American prisoner of war from the Vietnam War. We took care of the Big Red 1 and the 173rd Sky soliders Long Bein . Since 9/11, patriotic gestures, like wearing flag pins and saying, Thank you for your service, have become common, as more troops are sent to Iraq and Afghanistan. I remember feeling like, what could I do to acknowledge them, and I just gave the peace signal, Wowwk says. Their is a ton of it online everywhere. Jerry Engel/New York Post Archives/NYP Holdings, Inc./Getty Images, The society really was ill-prepared to give these guys what they deserved, says Christian Appy, professor of History at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and author of three books on Vietnam. Might any of our readers speculate about why this may be? 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. But for the time being, we will just all hang together here and beat the odds. losing nearly 711,000 between 95 and 00. Check out the VA web-site and your local Vet Center. How do I unlock Wattpad stories without paying? They are getting old, as time passes away from history those part of it become history themselves. Rather than being greeted with anger and hostility, however, most Vietnam veterans received very little reaction when they returned home. i had no idea i could apply for a cib, but would like to. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Pete, be sure to ask your DAV guy if he thinks you have exhausted the Reconsideration process. He immediately scheduled further tests, discovering he had two cysts on his bile duct, which had the potential to develop into the cancer, known as cholangiocarcinoma. I was spat on in Chicago in Lincoln Park in 1969. You must be at least 17 years old (17-year-old applicants require parental consent). For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. tell everyone that was their to go & get a blood test to check for agent orange 1st comes diabetes then prostate cancer thats what a dr told me yesterday. . Im going to put that review officer in my shoes as a 20 y/o medic. Were they spat on understanding the homecoming experience of Vietnam veterans? Poison, who cares? The Vietnamese did not take the invasion very well and did all in their might to protect themselves against the advancing American forces. While I was in Vietnam I saw men, who did brave and heroic deeds they deserve None of that, he says, prepared me for the reception at home upon our return.. Div. The AO stuff is just so hard to tolerate as it still invades so many of us. Nice of them. If you read the Taps in their mag there seems to be an alarming rate of NamVets dying in theirlate fifties and early sixties. Another who is 85,from Colorado and was on the USS Rhona in Tunisia in the early stages of WWll who filed his claim at age 80 for PTSD. american legion of purple hearts. RAa Regular Army, those that enlisted with some draftees, When I returned in returned from Vietnam , the clock has been ticking. The figures reported here (and the same text is widely seen) are all correct with one major exception. The 69-year-old, who lives in Port Jefferson Station, New York, didn't have any symptoms when he agreed to take part in the study, but hoped his participation could help save lives. Related:More evidence Agent Orange causes cancer. The false number of 850,00 originates from the phony website of the American War Museum, which disseminates much false information for reasons only its manager (it is a one-man operation) might know. As of the last Census taken during August, 2000, the surviving U.S. 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. I too have found the Veterans War Museum to be a bit odd at times. 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. have similar data. These statistics were taken from a variety of sources to include: The VFW It was after returning to the U.S. and while en route to the hospital that Wowwk first encountered hostility as a veteran. -----In a closed society where everybody's guilty, the only crime is getting caught. Like our Vietnam Brothers, who followed a decade after us, there is a bond that can never be broken between us. if you check the http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com and search the Obits section, you can see two of the most recent: I had them look at my VA narrative pointing out stressors and stressor events in the Nam. We had it nice compared to the line Medics. This is an awsome blog, I am glad I have found it. How to find out who sent anonymous flowers? I do not concur with this figure. In 2018, the median income of Vietnam veterans and that of non-veterans was almost equivalent: It was significantly lower for veterans, who had served their country between the ages of 63 and 78 at the time, coming in at $63,300 as opposed to the average of $65,000 for nonveterans. wouldnt it be wild if we could have a gathering of ALL Vietnam Veterans in DC? 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. These are indeed some very sobering statistics. 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. 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. . So few can imagine that we were really sprayed with chemicals and had to live with the year of VA Denial. Criteria for Eligibility Do you have the form to apply? As we approach March 29 and this Vietnam Veterans Day, take the time to remember those who honorably served. OK I found the source and and researching this more. the word from the rear was we werent authorized cib. There is a certaincourage and loyalty that transends the injustice rendered to these men and as long as America has men like this it will always be free. During the Vietnam War, a total of 9,087,000 military people were on active service, with over 2,709,000 Americans serving in Vietnam. 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. Be safe and well Welcome Home Im a member of the Vietnam Veterans of American. Even though thousands served with the Infantry units as FOs, Dog Handlers, EOD etc. By then, patients are often in tremendous pain, with just a few months to live. December 27, 2018 (aged 112 years, 230 days) Austin, Texas, U.S. Oliver Stone. Why are Vietnam vets dying so fast? Crazy shit. A fellow soldier in the 134th assault helicopter company with me shot and killed himself just down the hall from where I slept while I was sleeping. Semper Fi to your hubby. he was back home in Texas he made it. Combat Medic Jim is 100% PTSD, but stable and happily married with 2 children. For myself I always felt that the millions of men who were in uniform before me returned to civilian life, I could do the same, when I went into the army, I was Most Vietnam Veterans are in their 60s and the average lifespan for a male in USA is 74. I have never had or felt the same camaradrie I experienced serving two tours Both are unlikely to life to 70, and both have suffered life-threatening diseases already which they are lucky to have survived. i forgot to mention in my above comment,that i was in the first infantry division,(the big red one),charlie company,2nd battalion,16th infantry regiment,rangers,in vietnam. You must (with very few exceptions) have a high school diploma. statistics that are at once depressing yet in a larger sense should give you a HUGE SENSE OF PRIDE. After reading your article, were lucky to have him. OK I also am wary of statistics thrown out on the web, being a former Marine and a Viet Nam Vet I looked up the numbers from one of the sources indicated.. found that the Naval Health Institute who crunches no. Base, then to NY. This article highlights the eligibility criteria and important information for filing a claim for benefits. What happens if you eat too many brussel sprouts? Ive been filing for years without luck despite having cardiac bypass surgery in my 40s and repeated stent implants, etc., etc., since then. There census number is quite high, but I do not think it is this high.). I don't know about you guys, but it kind of gives me the chills. The only qualifier may be that there is a misunderstanding about what In Country means. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. The Obituaries in the Veteran Magazine published by Vietnam Veterans of America, a highly credible organization, have a long list of birthdays between 1946-50. I have had cancer in the crease of my neck were a knot on a kerchief rubbed, and sores in my scalp were the canvas of the helmet sat on my head. 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. Thanks for all your help for the vets. 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. Age: 78. You dont have parades for soldiers coming home from a war they lost.. More than nine million Americans served from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975. I came home in 69, my hair fell our,got big pustuals on my back, and skin problems immediately. I will check on this for you. Because they will be OLD and it their turn. HEROLD, W.Va. 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