A little history most people will never know. Interesting. Veterans' Statistics off the Vietnam Memorial Wall

[Twana Blevins]

 

by Iris Joe Kelly

 

There are 58,267 names now listed on that polished black wall, including those added in 2010.

The names are arranged in the order in which they were taken from us by date and within each date the names are alphabetized. It is hard to believe it is 36 years since the last casualties.

The first known casualty was Richard B. Fitzgibbon, of North Weymouth , Mass. Listed by the U.S.

Department of Defense as having been killed on June 8, 1956. His name is listed on the Wall with that of his son, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Richard B. Fitzgibbon III, who was killed on Sept. 7, 1965.

There are three sets of fathers and sons on the Wall.

39,996 on the Wall were just 22 or younger.

8,283 were just 19 years old.

The largest age group, 33,103 were 18 years old. [57%]

12 soldiers on the Wall were 17 years old.

5 soldiers on the Wall were 16 years old.

One soldier, PFC Dan Bullock was 15 years old.

997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam ..

1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam ..
31 sets of brothers are on the Wall.

Thirty one sets of parents lost two of their sons.

54 soldiers attended Thomas Edison High School in Philadelphia . I wonder why so many from one school.

8 Women are on the Wall. Nursing the wounded.

244 soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War; 153 of them are on the Wall. [91 survived?]

Beallsville, Ohio, population, 475, lost 6 of her sons. [1.26% of population]

West Virginia had the highest casualty rate per capita in the nation.

There are 711 West Virginians on the Wall.

The Marines of Morenci - They led some of the scrappiest high school football and basketball teams that the little Arizona copper town of Morenci (pop. 5,058) had ever known and cheered. They enjoyed roaring beer busts. In quieter moments, they rode horses along the Coronado Trail, stalked deer in the Apache National Forest, and in the patriotic camaraderie typical of Morenci's mining families, the nine graduates of Morenci High enlisted as a group in the Marine Corps. Their service began on Independence Day, 1966. Only 3 returned home.

The Buddies of Midvale - LeRoy Tafoya, Jimmy Martinez, Tom Gonzales were all boyhood friends and lived on three consecutive streets in Midvale, Utah on Fifth, Sixth and Seventh avenues. They lived only a few yards apart. They played ball at the adjacent sandlot ball field. And they all went to Vietnam. In a span of 16 dark days in late 1967, all three would be killed. LeRoy was killed on Wednesday, Nov. 22, the fourth anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination. Jimmy died less than 24 hours later on Thanksgiving Day. Tom was shot dead assaulting the enemy on Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

The most casualty deaths for a single day was on January 31, 1968 ~ 245 deaths.

The most casualty deaths for a single month was May 1968 - 2,415 casualties were incurred.

Most Americans who read this will only see the numbers that the Vietnam War created. To those of us who survived the war, and to the families of those who did not, we see the faces, we feel the pain that these numbers created. We are, until we too pass away, haunted with these numbers, because they were our friends, fathers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters.

There are no noble wars, just noble warriors.

[Denise Baran]

The Vietnam War had a deep impact on me personally. I was a freshman in high school when my two older brothers joined the Air Force. One was in Vietnam for a year. Thankfully, both brothers came home safely, however, I remember well, the very first one of our local boys in our little town who died in Vietnam. I can still see his face today. Billy was a senior boy who was a joy to be around, funny, energetic, and always making us laugh. Everyone knew him and his family. Small towns are great that way. I remember how all of us freshmen felt as our brothers, boyfriends, and family went off to the military. Close friends who lost their family members. We had a strong family bond as we supported each other through the tragedies of that war. When our loved ones came home, we treated them with the respect and honor that they deserved, and we were outraged at those who did not. It was easy for those who enjoyed the safety of their home or their college dorm to protest and criticize our troops in Vietnam. We had the draft at that time, how did they escape the draft? Some went to college, some escaped to Canada. Yes I remember well. We felt that they were cowards at the time. So to all the Vietnam Veterans out there. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. YOU SERVED WITH COURAGE AND HONOR.

[2uls5xqqcdxu5]

Denise, this old retired 1st sgt sends you a big salute! thank you for your sacrifice.

I held a 17 y/o in my arms that begged me to not let him die, but all I could do

was to say you will be allright. knowing he would die.

and for me to think back on this bunch of democrats that we have today

it's all for nothing.

these idiots to include hillary clinton are traitors, and should be punished as such.

old sarge,'nam vet,'68,'70

lrrp abn

[Harry Riley]

I spoke this past Memorial Day 2012 with the family of one of my fellow officers we lost in November 1969  ...their question "why"?

[Joe G Sanchez]

It would take chapters to explain how one year can change a person forever.  Vietnam 1969-1970 199th LIB.

[gary kaalberg]

i know 34 names on the wall. i ate slept and fought side by side with them. i see their faces daily. i was 18 and now i will soon be 60 and the question still remains in my heart and mind. why was i allowed to live. i was no better than them. they were my brothers. why was their lives forfeited. now i live in a country that has forsaken its honor and has become what we fought against. so there is no peace for me and my anger grows

[Harry Riley]

Amen brother........

[Dave Connell]

Gary,   Thanks for your service but don't let you anger grow.  Get even.  Join the Oath Keepers, and Join a Tea Party group. and Join the American Legion and/or VFW. Continue your service to our country and fight politically to save our country, our Constitution, and our freedom.

Dave

[KevinThomas Strawbridge]

The fight to defend Freedom never ends .Turn anger into Resolve.

[Joe G Sanchez]

Hey Gary, Hang in there brother and just know your never alone,we may not know each other but the spirit that took us on that journey has never left us because we have not finished the work we are suppose to finish,and just maybe if we do our part as warriors we can get our country back on track and let our children and grand children have freedom as we still know it............Joe 199th LIB

[2uls5xqqcdxu5]

196th lib, chu lai,'68

old sarge ,'nam vet

[Marianne Hart]

My prayers go out to you Gary. I too have so much anger but I wasn't a soldier, I've never fought physically for my country so when I try to compare my anger to yours I just can't. So I will send up my prayers for your anger to ease. And I thank you for your service to the United States. Someday soon, hopefully sooner than later, our anger will recede when we are victorious in the most important battle of this country... the day we see the Marxist and his family and his comrads move out of the White House.

[Denise Baran]

Gary,

I know it isn't much and it won't give you peace, but I just want to say thank you for your service to this country and may God bless you and may He bring you peace.