"Vietnam Losses" Topic

Posted this on another thread. Should be of some interest here as it is about Vietnam …

Couldn't find the FM(s) I was looking for but I do have a very good book about the Vietnam War that has some interesting stats. May be of some use …

Fatal Wounds/KIA:

Head – 39%

Chest/Torso – 19%

Waist, Hips – 18%

Legs – 7%

Arms – 1%

Multiple Sites – 10%

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Non-Fatal/WIA :

Head – 14%

Chest/Torso – 7%

Waist/Hips – 5%

Legs – 36%

Arms – 18%

Multiple Sites – 20%

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Causes :

Small Arms – 51% KIA , 16% WIA

Fragments from FA/Mortars – 36% KIA , 65% WIA

Booby Traps/Mines – 11% KIA , 15% WIA

Punji Stakes – 2% WIA

Others – 2% KIA , 2% WIA

That is interesting. I would have thought the KIA numbers for mortars would be higher. Too much Hollywood, probably.

I'm assuming this is for US forces? I can't imagine there would be something like this for the NVA. If I had to make an educated guess, casualties from artillery were probably higher, from small arms lower (somewhat).

Damon.

I would have thought the KIA numbers for mortars would be higher

Well that is Field Artillery & Mortars … but I've seen in war before Vietnam FA/Mortars actually had a smaller KIAs/WIAs. But notice 65% WIA is still fairly significant

I'm assuming this is for US forces?

Yes should have made that clear.

I can't imagine there would be something like this for the NVA. If I had to make an educated guess, casualties from artillery were probably higher, from small arms lower (somewhat).

Probably … But the USA was known for using a lot of firepower from Small Arms to Airstrikes. You throw enough rounds down range you are bound to hit something.

If this was a VC/NVA chart it would include NVA/VC looses due to CAS/airstrikes too … If in fact they kept very detailed records ?

On the other hand, I don't know of any incident where US/SEATO troops were attacked by the NVAF.

fascinating Legion 4 ..the Mortars sadly caused very high casualties both fatal and WIA..the number of times i have read about that tiny piece of shrapnel causing a fatality, sobering read

cheers
Ged
gringo40s.com
gringo40s.blogspot.com

Yes FA/Mortars are deadly … that is what they were designed for. Along with suppressive supporting fires, etc. The high KIA then WIA are significant. I used to have some chunks of schrapnel from, IIRC, an 81mm Mortar. The edges were very sharp plus that metal is hot from the explosion. Ouch !

And in some cases non-fatal wounds could cause shock and still kill you. Our SGM in ROTC told us about an incident when he was a young soldier in the Korean War.

One of his squad was hit in the calf. Generally a non-fatal injury. But he rapidly died of shock. Even when they were administering First Aid …

Also from a post here I made on another thread. May be of some interest. This FM was written after Vietnam, we were issued it in the early '80s, IIRC …

Also found my old FM 7-7 "Mech Inf Plt & Sqd".
On pg. 1-7 Chart shows "the protection a Sqd gets from a good Fighting Position if a barrage of VT-fuzed indirect fire goes off around the Sqd"…

Standing – 9 of 11 of the Sqd will be hit

Prone – 6 of 11 of the Sqd will be hit

Dug-in – 1 of 11 of the Sqd will be hit