Note: NVA casualty data was provided by North
Vietnam in a press release to Agence France Presse (AFP) on April 3, 1995, on
the 20th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.
US casualty information was
derived from the Combat Area Casualty File of 11/93, and The Adjutant General's
Center (TAGCEN) file of 1981, available from the National Archives. Additional
information was derived from the sources listed at the end of this document.
Force
|
KIA
|
WIA
|
MIA
|
CIA |
|
US Forces |
47,378 1 |
304,704 2 |
2,338 3 |
766 4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARVN |
223,748 |
1,169,763 |
NA |
NA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
South Korea |
4,407 |
17,060 |
NA |
NA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Australia |
469 |
2,940 |
NA |
NA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thailand |
351 |
1,358 |
NA |
NA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New Zealand |
55 |
212 |
NA |
NA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NVA/VC |
1,100,000 |
600,000 |
NA |
26,000 5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note 1: there were an additional 10,824
non-hostile deaths for a total of 58,202
Note 2: of the 304,704 WIA, 153,329
required hospitalization
Note 3: this number decreases as remains
are recovered and identified
Note 4: 114 died in captivity
Note 5: Does not include 101,511 Hoi
Chanh
Legend:
KIA = Killed In Action WIA = Wounded In Action MIA = Missing In Action CIA =
Captured In Action
Force
|
KIA
|
WIA
|
MIA
|
CIA |
|
US Forces |
1,536 |
7,764 |
11 |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARVN |
2,788 |
8,299 |
587 |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NVA/VC |
45,000 |
unknown |
unknown |
6,991 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Force
|
KIA
|
WIA
|
MIA
|
CIA |
|
US Forces |
1,864 |
7,337 |
18 |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARVN |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NVA/VC |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Force
|
KIA
|
WIA
|
MIA
|
CIA |
|
US Forces |
5,008 1 |
29,992 |
61 |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARVN |
11,953 |
71,584 |
unknown |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NVA/VC |
71,473 |
unknown |
unknown |
3,247 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note 1: there
were an additional 1,045 non-hostile deaths for a total of 6,053
Force
|
KIA
|
WIA
|
MIA
|
CIA |
|
US Forces |
9,378 1 |
56,013 |
113 |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARVN |
12,716 |
76,299 |
529 |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
NVA/VC |
133,484 |
unknown |
unknown |
6,065 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note 1: there
were an additional 1,680 non-hostile deaths for a total of 11,058
Force
|
KIA
|
WIA
|
MIA
|
CIA |
|
US Forces |
14,594 1 |
87,388 |
176 |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARVN |
28,800 |
172,512 |
587 |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NVA/VC |
208,254 |
unknown |
unknown |
9,462 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note 1: there
were an additional 1,919 non-hostile deaths for a total of 16,511
Force
|
KIA
|
WIA
|
MIA
|
CIA |
|
US Forces |
9,414 1 |
55,390 |
112 |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARVN |
22,000 |
131,780 |
683 |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NVA/VC |
132,051 |
unknown |
unknown |
5,905 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note 1: there
were an additional 2,113 non-hostile deaths for a total of 11,527
Force
|
KIA
|
WIA
|
MIA
|
CIA |
|
US Forces |
4,221 1 |
24,835 |
101 |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARVN |
23,000 |
137,770 |
727 |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NVA/VC |
86,591 |
unknown |
unknown |
3,934 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note 1: there
were an additional 1,844 non-hostile deaths for a total of 6,065
Force
|
KIA
|
WIA
|
MIA
|
CIA |
|
US Forces |
1,380 1 |
18,109 |
16 |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARVN |
19,901 |
123,545 |
727 |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NVA/VC |
19,320 |
unknown |
unknown |
2,304 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note 1: there
were an additional 968 non-hostile deaths for a total of 2,348
Force
|
KIA
|
WIA
|
MIA
|
CIA |
|
US Forces |
300 1 |
3,936 |
11 |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARVN |
25,787 |
139,731 |
727 |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NVA/VC |
4,261 |
unknown |
unknown |
1,349 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note 1: there were
an additional 261 non-hostile deaths for a total of 561
Legend:
KIA = Killed In Action WIA = Wounded In Action MIA = Missing In Action CIA =
Captured In Action
Force
|
Total Strength
|
Support
|
Combat Arms |
|
US Forces |
409,111 |
346,260 |
62,850 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARVN |
Not Avail |
Not Avail |
Not Avail |
|
|
|
|
|
|
NVA/VC |
420,000 |
unknown |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
Force
|
Total Strength
|
Support
|
Combat Arms |
|
US Forces |
440,029 |
372,429 |
67,600 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARVN |
Not Avail |
Not Avail |
Not Avail |
|
|
|
|
|
|
NVA/VC |
332,000 |
unknown |
unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
The figures for relative strengths assume the
following: On January 1, 1969 there were 110 battalions in Vietnam (98
Infantry, 3 tank, and 9 artillery). An Infantry battalion had 656 infantrymen
(4 companies per battalion with 164 men per company). An armor battalion had
204 tankers (3 companies per battalion with 68 tankers per company). An
artillery battalion had approximately 300 men. Therefore, the number of actual
"trigger pullers" added up to 67,600. Note that this was
"authorized strength". Most battalions were not even close to their
TO&E strength during the war, with many infantry companies operating with
80 men. This was true despite the fact that the parent divisions reported being
at, or slightly over, authorized strength. There were a large number of REMFs
in Vietnam.
Unit
|
Nickname
|
KIA
|
Comment |
|
1st Cavalry Division |
First Team |
5,464 |
- |
|
25th Infantry Division |
Tropic Lighting |
4,561 |
- |
|
101st Airborne Division |
Screaming Eagles |
4,022 |
- |
|
1st Infantry Division |
Big Red One |
3,151 |
- |
|
Various Individual Units |
- |
2,872 |
See Note 1 below |
|
9th Infantry Division |
Old Reliables |
2,629 |
- |
|
4th Infantry Division |
Ivy Division |
2,541 |
- |
|
173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate) |
Sky Soldier |
1,758 |
- |
|
1st Aviation Brigade |
- |
1,706 |
- |
|
196th Light Infantry Brigade |
- |
1,188 |
- |
|
11th Light Infantry Brigade |
- |
1,109 |
- |
|
Military Assistance Command Vietnam |
MACV |
1,017 |
Advisors to ARVN |
|
198th Light Infantry Brigade |
- |
987 |
- |
|
United States Army Vietnam |
USARV |
847 |
Headquarters - includes advisors |
|
5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) |
Green Berets |
834 |
- |
|
23rd Infantry Division |
Americal |
809 |
non-brigade units |
|
199th Light Infantry Brigade |
Redcatchers |
757 |
- |
|
11th Armored Cavalry Regiment |
Blackhorse |
729 |
- |
|
1st Logistical Command |
- |
598 |
- |
|
5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) |
Red Diamond |
530 |
1st Brigade only |
|
I Field Force Vietnam |
IFFV |
353 |
- |
|
82d Airborne Division |
All American |
228 |
3rd Brigade only |
|
1st Signal Brigade |
- |
193 |
- |
|
II Field Force Vietnam |
IIFFV |
80 |
- |
|
Engineer Command |
- |
64 |
- |
|
Unit unknown |
- |
6 |
- |
Note 1: This group is comprised of the following
individual units with no further breakdown
17th Field Hospital (An Khe)
22nd Surgical Hospital (Phu Bai)
71st Evacuation Hospital (Pleiku)
91st Evacuation Hospital (Tuy Hoa)
95th Field Hospital (Qui Nhon)
3rd Field Hospital (III Corps)
7th Surgical Hospital (III Corps)
45th Surgical Hospital (III Corps)
93rd Evacuation Hospital (III Corps)
80th Engineer Group
121st Assault Helicopter Company
18th Military Police Brigade
89th Military Police Brigade
8th Transportation Group
48th Transportation Group
11th Aviation Group
12th Aviation Group
23rd Artillery Group
108th Artillery Group
35th Engineer Group
45th Engineer Group
34th General Support Group
506th Field Depot
Source:
Combat Area Casualty File of 11/93, National Archives
All
US Forces KIA in Vietnam = 58,169
US
Army Soldiers KIA in Vietnam = 38,190
US
Army Infantrymen (MOS 11B, 11C, etc.) KIA in Vietnam = 20,460
US
Army Helicopter Crewmen KIA in Vietnam = 3,007
US
Army Scouts KIA in Vietnam = 1,127
US
Army Tankers KIA in Vietnam = 725 (equals 27% of all tankers ever assigned
to Vietnam)
US
Marines Killed In Action in Vietnam = 14,836
More
US Army Infantrymen died than Marines of all MOSes
The
highest loss-rate for any MOS was 11E (Armor Crewman) 27% KIA
Source:
Combat Area Casualty File of 11/93, National Archives
Code
|
Province
|
KIA
|
Comment |
|
99 |
Province unknown |
6,276 |
Military Region unknown |
|
02 |
Thua Thien |
2,893 |
I Corps - Hue, etc. |
|
23 |
Binh Duong |
2,742 |
III Corps |
|
22 |
Tay Ninh |
2,648 |
III Corps |
|
05 |
Quang Ngai |
2,342 |
I Corps - Border w/II Corps |
|
07 |
Binh Dinh |
2,211 |
II Corps - Bong Son, An Loa Valley,
etc. |
|
04 |
Quang Tin |
2,068 |
I Corps - Tam Ky, etc. |
|
01 |
Quang Tri |
1,683 |
I Corps - south of DMZ |
|
06 |
Kontum |
1,641 |
II Corps - Dak To, Ben Het, etc. |
|
42 |
Hua Nghia |
1,424 |
III Corps - Khiem Cuong, etc. |
|
25 |
Bien Hoa |
1,147 |
III Corps |
|
24 |
Gia Dinh |
1,064 |
Capital Special Zone - Saigon |
|
08 |
Pleiku |
1,015 |
II Corps - Hwy 14, Ia Drang, etc. |
|
27 |
Long An |
1,002 |
III Corps |
|
03 |
Quang Nam |
971 |
I Corps - Da Nang, etc. |
|
21 |
Binh Long |
909 |
III Corps |
|
30 |
Dinh Tuong |
794 |
IV Corps - My Tho, etc. |
|
14 |
Phuoc Long |
679 |
III Corps - Phuoc Binh, etc. |
|
19 |
Long Khanh |
558 |
III Corps - Xuan Loc, etc. |
|
** |
Unknown Code |
467 |
NARA error |
|
33 |
Kien Hoa |
416 |
IV Corps - Truc Giang, etc. |
|
17 |
Binh Thuan |
300 |
II Corps - Phan Thiet, etc. |
|
09 |
Phu Yen |
282 |
II Corps - Tuy Hoa, etc. |
|
11 |
Khanh Hoa |
275 |
II Corps - Nha Trang, etc. |
|
26 |
Phuoc Tuy |
204 |
III Corps - Vung Tau, Phuoc Le, etc. |
|
18 |
Binh Thuy |
176 |
III Corps - Ham Tan, etc. |
|
13 |
Quang Duc |
171 |
II Corps - Gia Nghia, etc. |
|
10 |
Darlac |
163 |
II Corps - Ban Me Thout, etc. |
|
35 |
Phong Dinh |
146 |
IV Corps - Can Tho, etc. |
|
15 |
Lam Dong |
143 |
II Corps - Bao Loc, etc. |
|
32 |
Vinh Long |
142 |
IV Corps |
|
28 |
Kien Tuong |
140 |
IV Corps - Moc Hoa, etc. |
|
16 |
Ninh Thuan |
97 |
II Corps - Phan Rang, etc. |
|
36 |
Kien Giang |
77 |
IV Corps - Rach Gia, etc. |
|
12 |
Tuyen Duc |
76 |
II Corps - Da Lat, etc. |
|
29 |
Kien Phong |
65 |
IV Corps - Cao Lanh, etc. |
|
47 |
Unknown code |
60 |
Possibly Saigon Area |
|
38 |
Ba Xuyen |
56 |
IV Corps - Khanh Hung, etc. |
|
34 |
Vinh Binh |
49 |
IV Corps - Phu Vinh, etc. |
|
43 |
Go Cong |
40 |
IV Corps - Go Cong, etc. |
|
93 |
Province unknown |
34 |
Military region 3 - III Corps |
|
39 |
An Xuyen |
33 |
IV Corps - Quon Long, etc. |
|
37 |
Chuong Thien |
30 |
IV Corps - Vi Thanh, etc. |
|
92 |
Province unknown |
25 |
Military region 2 - II Corps |
|
46 |
Sa Dec |
25 |
IV Corps - Sa Dec, etc. |
|
41 |
Phu Bon |
24 |
II Corps - Hau Bon, Song Ba River, etc. |
|
99 |
Province unknown |
22 |
Military region 1 - I Corps |
|
31 |
An Giang |
17 |
IV Corps - Long Xuyen, etc. |
|
81 |
Offshore |
19 |
Military Region 1 - I Corps |
|
89 |
Offshore unknown |
19 |
Province & Military Region unknown |
|
44 |
Bac Lieu |
14 |
IV Corps - Bac Lieu, etc. |
|
82 |
Offshore |
11 |
Military Region 2 - II Corps |
|
NZ |
Unknown Code |
10 |
NARA error |
|
94 |
Province unknown |
9 |
Military region 4 - IV Corps |
|
83 |
Offshore |
2 |
Military Region 3 -III Corps |
|
84 |
Offshore |
2 |
Military Region 4 - IV Corps |
|
20 |
No code provided |
1 |
NARA error, possibly Cam Ranh Bay |
|
40 |
Con Son Island |
1 |
IV Corps |
|
45 |
Chua Doc |
1 |
IV Corps - Shau Phu, etc. |
|
48 |
Unknown code |
1 |
NARA error |
|
49 |
Phu Quoc Island |
1 |
IV Corps |
|
50 |
DMZ |
0 |
Demilitarized Zone |
Location
|
Percentage1
|
Numbers1
|
Percentage2
|
Numbers2
|
|
Arm Wounds |
14% |
28,071 |
1% |
427 |
|
Chest Wounds |
10% |
19,709 |
19% |
8,976 |
|
Groin & Stomach Wounds |
8% |
16,170 |
18% |
8,504 |
|
Head Wounds |
20% |
39,891 |
39% |
18,425 |
|
Leg Wounds |
29% |
58,505 |
7% |
3,307 |
|
Multiple-Site Wounds |
19% |
37,225 |
16% |
7,559 |
Note 1: Percentage of hits by
bullets, shrapnel etc. to different parts of the body
Note
2: Percentage of all Americans killed by
wounds to different parts of the body
Total:
47,244N
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After Tet, Ronald H. Spector, New
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George J., New York: The Free Press, 1998
Inside The VC And The NVA,
Lanning, Michael, New York: Random House, 1992
The Rise And Fall Of An American
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The Vietnam War, Nalty, Bernard
C., New York: Smithmark Publishers, 1996
Vietnam: A History, Karnow, Stanley,
New York: Viking, 1983
Vietnam At War: The History
1946-1975, Davidson, Phillip, New York: Oxford Univ Press, 1988
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