What was the average age of a soldier in Vietnam?

As a result of conscription and circulation of tours, personnel in Vietnam changed regularly. The average age of a soldier was 19 and they usually only served one year in Vietnam. 43 per cent died in the first three months of their tour of duty.

How old was the youngest soldier in Vietnam?

When he was just 14 years old, Bullock walked into a U.S. Marine Corps recruitment station. He falsified the date on his birth certificate to read December 21, 1949 so he could pass as 18 years old. Bullock enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on September 18, 1968.

How old was too old to be drafted in Vietnam?

Local boards called men classified 1-A, 18-1/2 through 25 years old, oldest first. This lack of a system resulted in uncertainty for the potential draftees during the entire time they were within the draft-eligible age group. All throughout a young man's early 20's he did not know if he would be drafted.

How old would someone be if they served in the Vietnam War?

The last official U.S. military units left South Vietnam in 1973, so if you were 18 years old in 1973 and served in South Vietnam, you would be at least 66 years old today, and if you were 18 years old in 1975 and serving on embassy duty in South Vietnam, you would be at least 64 years old today.

How many days of combat did the average soldier see in Vietnam?

The average infantryman in Vietnam saw about 240 days of combat in one year thanks to the mobility of the helicopter. [Parade Magazine] August 18, 1996 page 10.

The MOST INTENSE Battle Of The Vietnam War (GRAPHIC FOOTAGE)

What was the life expectancy of an infantry soldier in Vietnam?

What was the life expectancy of an infantry soldier in combat in Vietnam? Well, since about 98% completed their 12 to 13 month tour and returned to the States alive, even though possibly wounded or otherwise injured, the average “lifespan of a soldier in Vietnam” would have been about 11.75 to 12.75 months.

What percentage of blacks were killed in Vietnam?

In 1965, nearly a quarter of troop casualties were African American. By 1967, it had fallen to 12.7%. In total, 7,243 African Americans died during the Vietnam War, representing 12.4% of total casualties.

How many Viet Cong died in the Vietnam War?

Not until 1995 did Vietnam release its official estimate of war dead: as many as 2 million civilians on both sides and some 1.1 million North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters. The U.S. military has estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers died in the war.

How long was a tour of duty in Vietnam?

A tour of duty in Vietnam for most ground forces lasted one year. Becoming “short” by having less than 100 days left in a tour of duty was a cause for celebration.

How many draftees died in Vietnam?

Each date drawn was given a sequential number, and the closer to No. 1 your birthday was, the more likely it was that you would be drafted. The 17,671 draftees killed in the Vietnam War comprised a little over 30% of all of the 58,220 military members killed in that conflict.

Could you be drafted in Vietnam if you had a child?

Kennedy signed an executive order that automatically qualified men with children for a “hardship deferment” (III-A) from the draft. This motivated millions of “Kennedy fathers,” as they were known, to opt for fatherhood even before troops were being sent to Vietnam.

Did Bob Dylan serve in the Vietnam War?

Mary Anna no he wasn't. When the draft started in 64, Dylan was 23. The lottery for the VIetNam War was started in 1969. Dylan avoided the draft by joining the US Army Reserves.

What happens if you refuse to go to Vietnam War?

Learn about the experiences of two men who refused to fight during the Vietnam War. One registered as a noncombatant conscientious objector and the other refused to register for the draft and eventually turned himself in to authorities and served time in prison, in Lesson Four of Vietnam War Oral History Lesson Plans.

How many 18 year old boys died in Vietnam?

The average age of the military men who died in Vietnam was 22.8 years old. Of the one hundred and one (101) 18 year old draftees who died in Vietnam; seven of them were black. Blacks accounted for 10.5 percent the combat deaths in Vietnam.

Did American soldiers have kids in Vietnam?

During and after the Vietnam War, up to 500,000 “children of war” were born to foreign soldiers and local women in Vietnam. Amerasians — children of war fathered by U.S. soldiers — and adoptees raised abroad are now reclaiming their narratives and healing journeys.

How many Vietnam veterans are still alive?

As of 2020, there were approximately 6.3 million veterans of the United States military still alive who served during the period of the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1975. Around 8.75 million service personnel served during the war, with 40% of those stationed in Vietnam and the surrounding Southeast Asian countries.

How many soldiers never returned from Vietnam?

Of the nearly 1,600 Americans still unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War, hundreds are believed to be in a “non-recoverable” category, meaning after rigorous investigation DPAA has determined that the individual perished but does not believe it is possible to recover the remains.

What US soldier did the most tours in Vietnam?

Robert Lewis Howard was a legend for his service in the Special Forces during the Vietnam War. Having deployed there five times, he's the most decorated soldier to have served in the conflict and is the only soldier to have been nominated three times for the Medal of Honor. Army 1st Lt.

How long was basic training in Vietnam?

No new battalions were added, but training was cut from 11 weeks to 8 weeks and the size of the recruit platoons was increased. In 1964 a standardized Marine Corps recruit training syllabus was adopted by both recruit depots. The rifle range used two military rifles for qualification in the 1960s.

What killed most soldiers in Vietnam?

As the most common cause of death outside the first 24 hours in Vietnam was secondary to sepsis, understanding the bacteriology of war wounds was of vital importance.

How many US soldiers were bitten by snakes in Vietnam?

The United States Archives and other sources suggest that between 25 and 50 American soldiers a year were bitten by snakes during the war in Vietnam. Some 10,786 American soldiers died of non-combat causes, including 9,107 by accidents and 938 due to illness. Snake bites were not specified.

Who were the most feared soldiers in Vietnam?

Tough, battle-hardened South Korean troops were justly feared by Vietcong and North Vietnamese regulars alike during the Vietnam War.

Is the Ho Chi Minh Trail still there?

Sections of the Ho Chi Minh Trail still exist today, and parts of it have been incorporated into the Ho Chi Minh Highway, a paved road that connects the north and south regions of Vietnam.

What war killed the most Americans?

American Civil War (1861-1865) — 698,000 deaths

The Civil War, fought from 1861 to 1865, was the deadliest conflict in American history.

What were the chances of being drafted in Vietnam?

Myth: Common belief is that most Vietnam veterans were drafted. Fact: 2/3 of the men who served in Vietnam were volunteers. 2/3 of the men who served in World War II were drafted. Approximately 70% of those killed in Vietnam were volunteers.