3flSSI 1VI33ciS SHYM N9I3HO O yond even tangible benefits to the quest for respect and recognition. Starting in 1965, a “support the boys in Vietnam” movement was launched spontaneously by Posts nationwide. The VFW was instrumental in orga nizing a massive parade in New York City on May 13, 1968, that included 250,000 marchers. When the war ended, the VFW helped sponsor a 150,000-person parade down Broadway on March 31, 1973. Smaller parades were repeated countless Kansas City area Vietnam veterans times across the country. (clockwise from A direct link was forged with the front center) troops through the sending of tons of James Glavin, relief parcels to assist GIs with their refu Eddie Brooks, gee projects. Posts also sent care packages Paul Connors, Don Bayer and to various units. Frank Briones. During the course of the war, nine VFW commanders-in-chiefvisited fight ing men in the field, further cementing VFW and the the ties between the organization and Vietnam vets. Vietnam Veteran Long before the creation of the Viet nam Service Medal, Vietnam veterans or more than a quarter century, the Rights for Vietnam era vets, passed in were admitted to membership by receipt VFW has been in the vanguard of June 1966, we advocated benefits on par of the Armed Forces Expeditionary F the fight for veterans of Vietnam. with those granted to previous veterans. Medal dating back to 1958. That battle has been waged on several As the need for greater and more spe When much of the nation turned its fronts, ranging from passage oflegislation, cialized benefits became readily appar back on returning servicemen, VFW support for GIs during the war, contribu ent, the VFW was there to bear the members individually and collectively tions to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial standard. Education was foremost on the extended a welcome home. They were re and continuing efforts to resolve the fate list. An extension from eight to 10 years membered in mainstream America on of the war’s missing in action, was won, along with a 35% increase in Memorial and Veterans Day. In many monthly stipends. Advanced payments, cases, these were small-scale yet very per LEADING THE ORGANIZATtON an outreach program and campus vet sonal ceremonies. Contrary to popular In the 20 years since the last U.S. reps were other VFW-promoted ideas. belief, Vietnam veterans were not troops left Indochina, Vietnam veterans Renewed and innovative employment shunned by all sectors of society. have played a prominent role in the programs were called for, including affir organization’s development. The year mative action in government hiring and MAGAZINE’S ROLE 1984 saw the election ofthe first Vietnam special emphasis at the Labor Depart A key element in all of this, of course, veteran as Commander-in-Chief. He was ment. Creation of the Office of Veterans has been VFWMagazine. While GIs were followed by two more in 1989 and 1991. Affairs at the Small Business Administra fighting and dying in Vietnam, consistent This year another will take the helm to be tion was geared to younger veterans, too. and continuous coverage was provided to succeeded by still another in 1994. Extension of Veterans Preference was readers on the home front. A positive At the local and state levels the story is another achievement. portrait of the American fighting man the same. Of current Department com There were also problems unique to was painted at a time when GIs were of manders, at least a dozen are of the Viet Vietnam — one chemical and the other ten reviled in the general news media. nam generation. A survey of Post psychological. Use ofthe defoliant Agent Throughout the 1970s, on the positions, no doubt, would reveal a simi Orange in Vietnam resulted in a 15-year magazine’s pages, one found causes and lar picture of involvement. fight for presumptive compensation. concerns promoted that Viet vets identi Moreover, the staffs in both Kansas Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) fied with. In steady succession, com City and Washington, D.C. are 95% produced a need for Vet Centers which manders-in-chief editorialized about the Vietnam veterans. With some 25% of finally became a reality in 1979. need to rectify past injustices. members hailing from Vietnam, it is no Concern for POWs has been a VFW Crusading on behalf of Vietnam vet surprise that they have such a pivotal part preoccupation since 1970. Pressure con erans has continued ever since. In April in decision-making. tinues to be mounted for the most com 1992 a special issue was devoted to plete accounting possible of those Americans who fought there. And this FIGHT FOR BENEFiTS Americans left suspended in POW or month’s issue is a 20th anniversary com VFW can proudly proclaim many MIA status during the Vietnam War. memorative tribute to the 2.6 million GIs milestones in championing the causes who served their country in Vietnam. important to an entire generation ofwar SUPPORT ON THE HOME FRONT No doubt about it, Vietnam vets hold veterans. Beginning with the GI Bill of Still, the VFW’s focus has gone be- the VFW’s future in their hands. 0 Warriors A STATISTICAL PROFILE Men of Co. B, 1St Bn., 27th Inf., 25th Inf. Div., on pafrol near Nui Ba Den, Aug. 21, 1970. f Confusion reigns when it comes — 84.1 (national average 58.9 for ev teered for the combat arms. to numbers and the Vietnam War. ery 100,000 males in 1970). • Overall, blacks suffered 12.5% of the Listed below are some figures that • Wounded: 303,704 * 153,329 hospi deaths in Vietnam at a time when the may help sort outfactfrom fiction talized + 150,375 injured who required percentage ofblacks ofmilitary age was in many media reports. no hospital care. 13.5% of the total population. • Severely disabled: 75,000 — 23,214 IN UNIFORM AND IN COUNTRY 100% disabled; 5,283 lost limbs; 1,081 SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS • Vietnam Vets: 9.7% oftheir generation. sustained multiple amputations. • 76% of the men sent to Vietnam were 9,087,000 military personnel served on • Amputation or crippling wounds to from lower middle/working class active duty during the Vietnam era the lower extremities were 3000/o backgrounds. (Aug. 5, 1964 — May 7, 1975). higher than in WWII and 70% higher Three-fourths had family incomes • 8,744,000 personnel were on active than in Korea. Multiple amputations above the poverty level; 50% were from duty during the war (Aug. 5, 1964 — occurred at the rate of 18.4% com middle income backgrounds. March 2, 1973). pared to 5.7% in WWII. • Some 23% ofVietnam vets had fathers • 3,403,100 (including 514,300 offshore) • Missing in Action: 2,338 with professional, managerial or tech personnel served in the Southeast Asia • Prisoners of War: 766 (114 died in nical occupations. Theater (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, captivity). • 79% of the men who served in Viet flight crews based in Thailand, and sail nam had a high school education or ors in adjacent South China Sea waters). DRAFTEES VS. VOLUNTEERS better when they entered the military • 2,594,000 personnel served within the • 25% (648,500) of total forces in coun service. (63% of Korean War vets and borders of South Vietnam (Jan. 1, 1965 try were draftees. (66% of U.S. armed only 45% ofWWII vets had completed — March 28, 1973). forces members were drafted during high school upon separation.) • Another 50,000 men served in Viet WWII.) nam between 1960 and 1964. • Draftees accounted for 30.4% (17,725) WINNING & LOSING • Of the 2.6 million, between 1 and 1.6 of combat deaths in Vietnam. • 82% of veterans who saw heavy com million (40-60%) either fought in • Reservists killed: 5,977 bat strongly believe the war was lost combat, provided close combat sup • National Guard: 6,140 served; 101 died. because of lack of political will. port or were at least fairly regularly • Nearly 75% of the general public exposed to enemy attack. RACE AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND agrees that it was a failure of political • 7,484 women (6,250 or 83,5% were • 88.4% of the men who actually served will, not of arms, nurses) served in Vietnam. in Vietnam were Caucasian; 10.6% • Peak troop strength in Vietnam: (275,000) were black; 1% belonged to AGE & HONORABLE SERVICE 543,482 (April 30, 1969). other races. • Average age of the Vietnam War GI: 19 • 86.3% ofthe men who died in Vietnam (26 for ‘vV\VII). CASUALTIES were Caucasian (includes Hispanics); • 97% of Vietnam-era veterans were • Hostile deaths: 47,378 12.5% (7,241) were black; 1.2% be honorably discharged. - Non-hostile deaths: 10,800 longed to other races. • Total: 58,202 classified as MIA and • 170,000 Hispanics served in Vietnam; PR1DE IN SERVICE Mayaguez casualties. Men who have 3,070 (5.2% of total) died there. • 91% of actual Vietnam War veterans subsequently died account for the • 86.8% of the men who were killed as a and 90% ofthose who saw heavy com changing total. result ofhostile action were Caucasian; bat are proud to have served their — • 8 nurses died 1 was KIA. 12.1% (5,711) were black; 1.1% be country. • Married men killed: 17,539 longed to other races. • 66% of Vietnam vets say they would • 61% of the men killed were 21 years • 14.6% (1,530) of non-combat deaths serve again if called upon. old or younger. were among blacks. • 87% of the public now holds Vietnam • Highest state death rate: West Virginia 34% of blacks who enlisted volun veterans in high esteem.