Vietnam War Statistics Data Sheet
I. OFFICIAL CAMPAIGNS OF THE WAR IN VIETNAM
(Time of service 15 March 1962 -28 March 1973)
- Vietnam Advisory Campaign (13 March 1962 -07 March 1965)
- Vietnam Defense Campaign (08 March 1965-24 December 1965)
- Vietnamese Counteroffensive Campaign (25 December 1965 -30 June 1966)
- Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase II (01 July 1966-31 May 1967)
- Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase III (01 June 1967 - 29 January 1968)
- Tet Counteroffensive (30 January 1968 - 01 April 1968)
- Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase IV (02 April 1968 - 30 June 1968)
- Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase V (01 July 1968 -01 November 1968)
- Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase VI (02 November 1968 - 22 February 1969)
- Tet 69/Counter-offensive (23 February 1969 - 08 June 1969)
- Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969 (09 June 1969 - 31 October 1969)
- Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970 (01 November 1969 30 April 1970)
- Sanctuary Counteroffensive (01 May 1970 -30 June 1970)
- Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase VII (01 July 1970 - 30 June 1971)
- Consolidation I (01 July 1971 - 30 November 1971
- Consolidation II (01 December 1971 - 29 March 1972)
- Vietnam Ceasefire Campaign (30 March 1972 - 28 March 1973)
II. STATISTICS IN UNIFORM AND IN COUNTRY
- Vietnam Veterans: 9.7% of their generation.
- 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam era (August 5. 1964-May 7, 1975).
- 8,744,000 GI's were on active duty during the war (August 5. 1964 - March 28, 1973)
- 3,403,100 (including 514.300 off shore) personnel served in the Southeast Asia Theater (Vietnam. Laos, Cambodia, flight crews based in Thailand, and sailors in adjacent South China Sea waters)
- 2,594.000 personnel served within the borders of South Vietnam (January 1, 1965 - March 28, 1973)
- Another 50,000 men served in Vietnam between 1960 and 1964.
- Of the 2.6 million, between 1 - 1.6 million (40 - 60%) either fought in combat, provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack.
- 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam.
- Peak troop strength in Vietnam: 543,482 (April 30, 1969).
CASUALTIES
- Hostile deaths: 47,339.
- Non-hostile deaths: 10,797
- Total: 58,202 (includes men formerly classified as MIA and Mayaguez casualties). Men who have subsequently died of wounds account for the changing total
- 8 nurses died - 1 was KIA.
- Married men killed: 17,339.
- 61% of the men killed were 21 or younger.
- Highest state death rate: West Virginia - 84.1 men per 100,000 males serving in Vietnam (national average 58.9 men for every 100.000 males serving in Vietnam. (Averaged in 1970)).
- Wounded: 303,704 (153,329 hospitalized + 150.375 injured requiring no hospital care.
- Severely disabled: 75.000—23,214 100% disabled; 5.283 lost limbs; 1,081 sustained multiple amputations. Amputation or crippling wounds to the lower extremities were 300% higher than in WWII and 70% higher than in Korea. Multiple amputations occurred at the rate of 18.4% compared to 57% in WWII.
- Missing in Action: 2,338.
- POWs: 766 (114 died in captivity).
DRAFTEES AND VOLUNTEERS
- 25% of the total forces in country were draftees 648.500 as opposed to 66% of the ones in WWII.
- Draftees accounted for 30.4% (17,125) of combat deaths in Vietnam.
- Reservists killed: 5,977.
- National Guard: 6,140 served 101 died.
- Total draftees (1965-73): 1,728,344.
- Actually served in Vietnam: 38%.
- Marine Corps draft: 42,633.
- Last man drafted: June 30, 1973
HONORABLE SERVICE
- 97% of Vietnam-era veterans were honorably discharged.
- 91% of actual Vietnam War veterans and 90% of those who saw heavy combat are proud to have served their country.
- 66% of Vietnam vets say they would serve again if called upon.
- 87% of the public now holds Vietnam veterans in high esteem
III. SOURCE
Vietnam War StatisticsGeorgia Department Veterans Service
Floyd Veterans Memorial Building E-970
Atlanta, Georgia 30034-4800