Vietnam Facts

100 things to know about the Vietnam War

1. There were 58,148 American deaths in Vietnam.
2. The number of hostile deaths was 47,378 Americans.
3. The Vietnam War was the longest war in U.S. history.
4. The Vietnam war was extremely controversial.
5. In a protest at Kent State University 7 people were shot.
6. A great book about Vietnam is The Things They Carried
7. The U.S. was fighting on the side of the South Vietnamese.
8. The U.S. was fighting to stop Communist spread from North Vietnam.
9. The U.S. president for most of the war was President Nixon.
10. Approximately 12,000 helicopters saw action in Vietnam.
11. 8,744,0000 GIs were on active duty during the war.
12. Non-hostile deaths were 10,800 Americans.
13. 91% of Vietnam veterans say they are glad they served.
14. 74% of Vietnam veterans say they would serve again even knowing the outcome.
15. 11,465 of the men who served in Vietnam were younger than 20.
16. The number of North Vietnamese killed was aproximately 500,000 to 600,000.
17. The war destroyed 50% of Vietnams forest cover.
18. 20% of agricultural land was destroyed.
19. The U.S. officialy entered the war in 1964.
20. The war ended in 1975.
21. Vietnam Vets were 9.7% of their generation.
22. 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam era.
23. 2,594,000 personnel served within the borders of South Vietnam.
24. Another 50,000 men served in Vietnam between 1960-1964.
25. 7,484 women served in Vietnam.
26. 17,579 married men were killed in Vietnam.
27. 88.4% of men who served in Vietnam were Caucasian.
28. 10.6% of men who served in Vietnam were black.
29. 1% of men who served in Vietnam belonged to other races.
30. 64.4% of the dead were Protestant.
31. 28.9% of the dead were Catholic.
32. 6.7% of the dead had a different religion our none.
33. 79% of the men who served in Vietnam had a high school education or better.
34. 76% of the men sent to Vietnam had middle/working class backgrounds.
35. 97% of Vietnam-era veterans were honorably discharged.
36. 87% of the public now holds Vietnam veterans in high esteem (McCaffrey Papers).
37. 82% of veterans believe the war was lost because of lack of political will.
38. 75% of the public agrees
39. Peak troop strength in Vietnam was 543,482.
40. The peak troop strength was on April 30,1969.
41. The Vietnam war is the most misunderstood war in U.S. history.
42. Vietnam veterans are less likely to be in prison.
43. Only .5% of Vietnam Veterans have been jailed for crimes.
44. 85% of Vietnam Veterans made a successful transition to civilian life.
45. Vietnam Veterans personel income exceeds that on non-veterans by 18%.
46. The Domino series was accurate.
47. The ASEAN countries stayed free because of the U.S. commitment to Vietnam.
48. 1 out of every 10 Americans who served in vietnam was a casualty.
49. Medvac helicopters flew nearly 500,000 missions.
50. Over 900,000 patients were airlifted.
51. Less than 1% of Americans wounded who survived the first 24 hours died.
52. 304,000 Americans were wounded in Vietnam.
53. 2.59 milliion Americans served in Vietnam.
54. The average age of those killed in Vietnam was 23.11 years.
55. 50,274 Americans were enlisted for Vietnam.
56. Average age of enlisted soldiers was 23.37.
57. The average infantryman in Vietnam saw about 240 days of combat in one year.
58. After Vietnam the Phillipines, Indonesia, Malasia, Singapore, and Thailand managed to stay free of communism.
59. During the Vietnam War the national debt increased by $146 billiion.
60. 6,598 officers served.
61. The average age of officers was 28.43 years.
62. 91% of Vietnam veterans say they are glad that they served.
63. 74% of Vietnam Veterans said they would serve again knowing the outcome.
64. 1,276 warrant officers (NCOs) served.
65. The average age for warrant officers was 24.73 years.
66. 11,465 Americans serving in the war were less than 20 years old.
67. From 1957 to 1973 the National Liberation Front assassinated 36,725 South Vietnamese.
68. From 1957 to 1973 the National Liberation Front abducted 58,499 South Vietnamese.
69. National Liberation Front death squads focused on leaders that included schoolteachers and minors.
70. The number of North Vietnamese killed was approximately 500,000 to 600,000.
71. Amputations or crippling wounds were 300% higher in Vietnam than in WWII.
72. 75,000 Vietnam veterans were severely disabled.
73. The Tet '68 offensive was a major defeat for the VC and the NVA.
74. Two thirds of the men who served in VIetnam were volunteers.
75. Eight nurses died in Vietnam.
76. One nurse was killed in action.
77. Vietnam Vets were 9.7% of their generation.
78. Five men killed in action were 16 years old (the youngest killed).
79. One man killed in action was 62 years old (the oldest killed).
80. 70% of Americans killed in action were volunteers.
81. 86% of Americans killed in action were white.
82. 12% of Americans killed in action were black.
83. 2% of Americans killed in action were other races.
84. AH-1G helicopters flew 1,038,969 hours in Vietnam.
85. UH-1 helicopters flew 7,531,955 hours in Vietnam.
86. The number of Reservists killed was 5,977.
87. The number of National Guard who served was 6,140.
88. The number of National Guard who died was 101.
89. The Marine Corps drafted 42,633.
90. Amputaion and crippling wounds were 70% higher than in Korea.
91. 76% of the men sent to VIetnam were from lower middle/working class backgrounds.
92. 23% of Vietnam vets had fathers with professional, managerial, or technical occupations.
93. 90% of VIetnam vets who saw heavy combat are proud to have served their country.
94. Vietnam was reunified under communist control in 1975.
95. In 1976 Vietnam became known as teh Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
96. The average lapse time between wounding to hospitalization was less that one hour.
97. Agent orange was used in Vietnam to burn down weeds.
98. Agent orange continues to cause birth defects and other diseases.
99. The Vietman War was the turning point for Communism.
100. The last man was drafted on June 30, 1973.