The memorial is free and open to the public 24 hours a day, with rangers on duty to answer questions from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. What the MIT study almost certainly showed was that members of the so-called working class consisting of carpenters, electricians, plumbers, firemen, policemen, technicians, skilled factory operatives, farmers, etc., were living in middle class communities and were, therefore, part of our burgeoning middle class. THE WALL OF FACES - Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund I mean, it was bad.. It is not surprising, for instance, that West Virginia, Montana, and Oklahoma had a casualty rate almost twice that of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Inscribed dots in the margins of every other panel mark every 10 lines to aid in counting. Why are names added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall? They often reveal a typically warm American family atmosphere. In high school, he joined ROTC and kept his fathers medals pinned next to his own awards on a piece of crimson cloth. The panel number is a number/letter combination, such as 10W or 35E. readers. In a massive sampling of the database, it was established that between 5 and 6 percent of Vietnam dead had identifiable Hispanic surnames. Their service began on Independence Day, 1966. Honoring the men and women who served in the controversial Vietnam War, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial chronologically lists the names of 58,318 Americans who gave their lives in service to their country. The names are arranged in the order in which they were taken from us by date and within each date the names are alphabetized. His name is listed on the Wall with that of his son, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. The vast majority of Americans who were eligible by age but did not serve in the armed forces were exempted by reason of physical, mental, psychiatric, or moral failure; or they were given status deferments because they were college students, fathers, clergy, teachers, engineers or conscientious objectors. The Selective Service System remains in place today. About 58 thousand of the 7 million American service men and women who served in Vietnam died. Names can also be located on The Wall of Faces on VVMFs web site, www.vvmf.org/wall-of-faces, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund | 3033 Wilson Blvd, Suite 300 | Arlington VA 22201 | 202.393.0090 The Selective Service System it said, has the responsibility to deliver manpower to the armed forces in such a manner as to reduce to a minimum any adverse effect upon the national health, safety, interest and progress. The National Archives prepared these state level casualty lists by creating extracts from the Korean War Extract Data File and the Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File, both as of April 29, 2008, of the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Files, part of Record Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. It was fitting that Vandegeer finally returned home to American soil, because he spent his last weeks at war evacuating Americans as Saigon fell. Many high-ranking military men (including General William C. Westmoreland, the U.S. commander in Vietnam) opposed the program, feeling that the effectiveness of some units would be reduced and that fellow soldiers would sometimes be put in greater jeopardy by these less mentally capable personnel. Twenty-five years later, in an interview with People magazine, he described playing with his two younger brothers as the news reached their home in Imperial Beach, California. And there is an end. No single persons service or sacrifice would be any greater than anyone elses. Coast Guard Historians OfficeCommandant (CG-09224)U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters 2100 Second Street SW Washington, D.C. 20593. A relatively small number refused to register for the draft at all. The most casualty deaths for a single day was on January 31, 1968 245 deaths. ), EDUCATIONAL LEVELS OF ENLISTED CASUALTIES. The index gives birth and death dates, country of death, cause of death (air, ground, or sea), town and state of residence at time of enlistment, race, religious affiliation, marital status, service number, rank, and branch of service. More than 200 names have been added to the Wall Thus it is safe to say that Hispanic-Americans were over-represented among Vietnam casualties an estimated 5.5 percent of the dead against 4.5 percent of the 1970 population. Scholars debate about when the war really began and in many ways it has never ended. These casualties came largely from the Northeast and North Central regions of the United States, many from the traditionally patriotic, Catholic working class neighborhoods. The beginnings and endings are often hazy and the facts of the story lie at the mercy of the teller. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Forces in Southeast Asia, 1950 - 1976 NAID 745, RG, 472, Meritorious Unit Commendations, 1967 - 1971 NAID 4726287, Medal of Honor Awards Case Files, 1965 - ca. The first known casualty was Richard B. Fitzgibbon, of North Weymouth, MA; he was listed by theDepartment of Defense as having been killed on June 8, 1956. In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Selective Training and Service Act, creating the countrys first peacetime draft and officially establishing the Selective Service System. You could also keep these files on a computer at your All would be represented equally, with generals listed alongside infantrymen. is complete, or you've done a "save as", you can use any word processor This was a reflection of the role of warrant officers as helicopter pilots (of the 1,277 warrant officer casualties, 95 percent were Army helicopter pilots), and of the young lieutenants and captains as combat platoon leaders or company commanders. The event begins on November 7, 2022 at 3 p.m. EST and ends at midnight on November 10, 2022. In quieter moments, they rode horses along the Coronado Trail, stalked deer in the Apache National Forest. Once a master list was compiled, the names were checked manually for errors. effort, but is a very effective means to express the enormity of the war and All were nurses, all were single and all but one were in their 20s. We worked very hard with volunteers from the Gold Star Mothers, recalled Doubek. He admitted no particular feelings about the righteousness of the war, and allowed himself to look ahead into a future free of war and obligation. World War II had been, for the most part, a perfect war, clear of purpose, the forces of democracy and freedom lined up against the forces of fascism and tyranny. Senate. Officer casualties in Vietnam, including warrant officers, numbered 7,874, or 13.5 percent of all casualties. It is hard to believe it is 36 years since the last casualties. 26 Similar Questions 1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam. The Reading of the Names is an in-person event where every single name on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is read in order of which it appears on The Wall. Army Major Dale Buis' name is etched into the granite half an inch tall, no bigger or smaller than any of the others. Much more detailed The first group, added in 1983, included 53 Marines who were killed when their R&R (rest and relaxation) flight crashed in Hong Kong. The Army lost the greatest number of officers 4,635 or 59 percent of all officer casualties. The individual Draft Registration Card (SSS Form 1) may contain information such as: name, Selective Service registration number, age, date and place of birth, ethnicity, place of residence at time of registration and basic physical description. For more information on this index on, Records relating to American prisoners of war and missing in action from the Vietnam War, including lists and descriptions of the record groups covering the Vietnam War that are held by the National Archives are also found in the FS Library US/CAN Book. There are the tourists who make the circuit of all the various monuments and landmarks in our nations capital. The lists are based on the "home of record - state" data provided by the serviceman or woman upon last entrance into military service. These files are lists of the names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, listed in chronological order of the casualty date and then alphabetical by last name within a given date. Patricia Krause. Air Force Historical Research Agency 600 Chenault Circle Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6424Telephone: (334) 953-2395, ArmyU.S. Therefore, a complete listing of the records that were lost is not available. A(1780 names - 239023 bytes) B(5502 names - 737972 bytes) C(4363 names - 586584 bytes) D(2790 names - 374290 bytes) E(1082 names - 144866 bytes) F(1979 names - 265759 bytes) G(3036 names - 407075 bytes) H(4463 names - 598834 bytes) I(218 names - 29278 bytes) J(1845 names - 247563 bytes) K(2039 names - 273818 bytes) L(2594 names - 347007 bytes) U.S. Army Personnel and Dependent Casualties, 1961-1981 85% of the records in this database are related to the Vietnam Conflict. Those who could have qualified for college probably did not have the funds or motivation. If the demographic is expanded to 17- to 21- years, then we find there were 83 percent of Marine enlisted casualties, and 65 percent of Army enlisted casualties. He did it allsing, dance, create music and crack wise. but will allow you to download it after you specify a file name. The essence of the Wall is the names and the reaction of the visitor to seeing his or her reflection in this sea of remembrance. NAVY AND AIR FORCE OFFICER CASUALTIES BY RANK AND AGE. This is close to, but not exactly in the same order Non-perishable items are archived in a storage facility. Unfortunately, the Department of Defense and the individual service branches maintained separate casualty lists with slightly differing criteria. How to Find a Name on Vietnam Wall - YouTube Another browser may inform you that it does not know how to display the file He was a Navy enlisted man during World War II and has a degree in Political Science from Duke University. But in 1966, President Johnson and Secretary of Defense McNamara decided to institute Project 100,000 that would allow category IV men to enter the military. These files are lists of the names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, listed in chronological order of the casualty date and then alphabetical by last name within a given date. All classes were drafted or volunteered and all served and died equally, although it must be noted that most blacks died separately. In honor of the men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States who served in the Vietnam War. The Channeling Memo of July 1965, instructed all local draft boards to give status deferments to college undergraduate and post-graduate students. Vietnam Wall Memorial Names | Medals Of America They were struggling through or dropping out of high school, or if a high school graduate, had tested poorly for college entrance. The job of cross-referencing the information of individual branches with the DoD fell to Doubek. Records of U.S. Military Casualties, Missing in Action, and Prisoners of War from the Era of the Vietnam War are available through the National Archives. AGE 17 TO 21 PREFERRED ARMY AND MARINE COMBAT MATERIAL. The mission of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) is to honor and preserve the legacy of service and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War. Its still fought in the bodies and minds of the men who waged it all those decades ago. This year, 14 names were etched into the wall. The Army suffered the most total casualties, 38,179 or 2.7 percent of its force. As one stands before the Wall one feels that no other judgment is acceptable to their living memory. There is some truth to this, but it is instructive to look at what the DOD database reveals in terms of race, ethnicity, national origin, religious preference and casualties by U.S. geographic areas. The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis maintains Vietnam War Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF). Vietnam Veterans Memorial (U.S. National Park Service) They were at their peak physically. The ceremony is held on Mothers Day and the additions might be as simple as rectifying a clerical error or as heartbreaking as a veteran dying, all these years later, from a wound suffered during the war. Early in the war (1965 and 1966) when blacks made up about 11 percent of our Vietnam force, black casualties soared to more than 20 percent of the total. What happens to items left at the memorial? Jimmy died less than 24 hours later on Thanksgiving Day. I can envision a small cottage someplace, with a lot of writing paper, and a dog, and a fireplace, and maybe enough money to give myself some Irish coffee now and then and entertain my two friends , I dont think it will be too terribly long until we are together again.. Count down from the top of the panel. I went through the whole list of names eight times, because I was concerned about the correct formatting, remembered Doubek. Fill out the tour request form. Vandegeer was on a mission to rescue the crew of the SS Mayaguez, a merchant ship captured three days earlier off the coast of Cambodia by the Khmer Rouge. Tom was killed while assaulting the enemy on Dec. 7, Pearl HarborDay. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial stands as a symbol of America's honor and recognition of the men and women who served and sacrificed their lives in the Vietnam War. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. Often that advice, especially for professional athletes, rock stars, sons of politicians and other celebrities, was to join the never-to-be-called-up reserves or National Guard. Thirty one sets of parents lost two of their sons. Names that become eligible for inclusion are added once each year, in May, a few weeks before Memorial Day. For weeks and weeks, a team worked through the list, verifying spellings and ensuring that the computer printout that was to be used for the stenciling was correct. The mission of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) is to honor and preserve the legacy of service and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated on November 10, 1982, with 57,939 names. Yet, a civilian heroine who served in a different capacity during that difficult time also merits particular acknowledgment. Vandegeers message also depicted a man who believed the worst was behind him. Their sacrifices were honored July 8, 2009, in Washington during a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of their deaths. I respect the process, but it can be hard to prove something thats in your heart., Thats what makes it so special when you see the name going up, she added. columns per page. Lower end category IVs consisting of those who scored below 20 on the AFQT were usually rejected for service. The Vietnam War is no different. offer to read the block of names that includes their special names. The most casualty deaths for a single month was May 1968 2,415 casualties were incurred. peruse. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. has the names listed in chronological order by date of loss. An Air Force member, with his back to the camera, holds the POW/MIA flag during a full honors funeral for Air Force Second Lieutenant Richard Vandegeer at Arlington National Cemetery on October 27, 2000. The Wall of Faces allows family and friends to share memories, post pictures and connect with each other. At the time, approximately 1,300 names were designated as servicemen who were either missing or prisoners of war. The Selective Service registration requirement was later suspended in April 1975. Be the first to learn about news, service member stories and fundraising updates from USO. The civilian and military men who formed the policy did not see it necessarily as a disadvantage. Maya Lin - Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Compounding these difficulties was the issue that many casualties, particularly from the Air Force, were not always straightforward in terms of locale. Some went to Canada or Sweden, but few of those who evaded the draft were actually prosecuted and most were eventually pardoned by President Jimmy Carter in 1977. Every day at 3:00 p.m. EST, VVMF will play a daily reading of all the individuals who died upon that day in alphabetical order. At the time, approximately 1,300 names were designated as servicemen who were either missing or prisoners of war. Records of individuals who left service more than 62 years ago are considered Archival Records and become records of the National Archives open to the general public. Congress and the Johnson administration, therefore, sought to protect our college-bound and educated young men. The directories are organized alphabetically by last name. As the Vietnam War dragged on, Kurt tried twice to enlist. Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund | 3033 Wilson Blvd, Suite 300 | Arlington VA 22201 | 202.393.0090 The Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) was given to all entering enlisted men. . On the other end of that phone call was an former Air Force officer who had served in Vietnam. As they came through the door, Viet Cong guerrillas opened fire with machine guns. Thus we can see that the channeling philosophy continued within the armed forces. The draft continued from 1948, during both peacetime and war, to 1973, when President Richard M. Nixon signed legislation officially ending the draft. National Mall and Memorial Parks , Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. Many of the 17- and 18-year olds were simply late in maturing. Along with its wave of death, it scarred many people, especially those closest to the men that died fighting the . Despite their inexperience, they were thought to accept discipline readily. As a region, the South experienced the greatest numbers of dead, nearly 34 percent of the total, or 31.0 deaths per 100,000 of population. Its been more than 20 years since Forrest Gump debuted on the silver screen and nearly a generation later, its characters still resonate with todays service members. The slabs meet at a vertex of 125 degrees, 10 feet above ground level to form the Wall. On the Vietnam Veterans Memorial site in Washington, D.C., a special plaque reads: "In Memory of the men and women who served in the Vietnam War and later died as a result of their service. During and after the Vietnam War, the Department of Defense (DoD) compiled a list of combat zone casualties according to criteria in a 1965 Presidential Executive Order. Chronological Lists of Names On The Wall - The Moving Wall Who were they? While their names are not on The Wall, they are never forgotten. If officers are added, then almost 70 percent of those who died were volunteers. Marlin on March 19, 1967 and Norman on August 18, 1968 Brothers Bennett and Dennis Herrick were both killed in Vietnam. Beallsville, Ohio with a population of 475 lost 6 of her sons. There were 667; How many Andersons?, 178; Garcias?, 102; Murphys?, 82; Jenkins?, 66; One wants to know more about these Americans. while they download, thank you. There is no question that all segments of American society were represented. Alphabetical listing of the names on the Vietnam Memorial Wall . United States Vietnam War 1964 to 1972 FamilySearch Though the memorial continues to grow and evolve, the last name on the wall still belongs to Air Force Second Lieutenant Richard Vandegeer, a pilot who died after his helicopter crashed on May 15, 1975, during the wars final combat action. Alphabetical List Of Vietnam Veterans : Top Picked from our Experts The major service academies and other military colleges provided close to 900 of the Vietnam officer casualties: the U.S. Military Academy, 278; the U.S. Air Force Academy, 205; the U.S. As Maya Ling Lin, the architect of the Wall, has said: It was as if the black-brown earth were polished and made into an interface between the sunny world and the quiet dark world beyond that we cannot enter. The Vietnam Wall at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park features the names of local fallen soldiers. Almost 50 percent were majors, lieutenant-colonels, colonels and three were generals. Many others joined the reserves or National Guard, which were not mobilized in any appreciable numbers during the war. Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010: see the "National Cemeteries and Beneficiaries" section below. United States. Kurt Buis was 8 years old the day his father died. The Reading of the Names - Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund It is more notable, perhaps, only because his was the first name engraved into The Wall. 5th Marines were killed in . It specified the geographic areas of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and surrounding coastal areas as combat zones. In addition, millions of documents had been lent to the Department of Veterans Affairs before the fire occurred. This takes about 72 hours. COL LEWIS HERBERT ABRAMS SSG SAMUEL ABRAMS Jr PFC TIMOTHY C ABRAMS Jr WO ANDREW JOHN ABRAMSON CPL MIGUEL A ABREU-BATISTA Jr SP4 ANTHONY JOSEPH ABRUZESE PFC ROBERT ALEXANDER ABRUZESE PFC MICHAEL JOHN ABRUZZESA Jr SGT WILLIAM WALLACE ABSHEAR SGT RICHARD FRANKLIN ABSHIRE PFC JAMES ESTUS ABSTON Jr SSG ROBERT JOSEPH ACALOTTO SP5 PEPITO RIVERA ACERET We searched the National Archives Catalog and located a series titled Muster Rolls and Personnel Diaries, 1941-1980 in the Records of the U.S. Marine Corps (Record Group 127). They seem honored to be putting the names on the Wall.. The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. On that panel, above the names is this inscription: In honor of the men and women of the armed forces of the United States who served in the Vietnam War. prepared by Frances A. Hortsch for the Phoenix Genealogical Society. Coast Guard casualties are included in the Navy totals. Full casualty records may be retrieved online through the National Archives' Access to Archival Databases resource. In order to have your name on the Wall, you had to have died within the war zone, explained Doubek. Most of these casualties are documented in the Military Index, a FamilySearch file. He tried to make the best call he could when adding names to the list. Few areas of the world have been as hotly contested as the India-Pakistan border. But given the draft policies, the hard-sell recruitment, the severe escalation from month to month and the refusal by President Lyndon Johnson to call up the older reserves and National Guard, it could not have been otherwise.

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