The following are Casualty Stats from the Vietnam War. Different sources don't agree on the exact numbers of casualties on both sides. However, all sources agree on the lopsided KilledIn Action (KIA) and Wounded In Action (WIA) numbers of both sides. Also, below this table are 19+ Vietnam POW Facts!
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Vietnam War Casualties!
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Military Forces KIA WIA MIA CIA
United States———–47,378———-304,704——–2,338———–766
ARVN——————-223,748———1,169,763——-unknown——unknown
South Korea————4,407————17,060———-unknown——unknown
Australia—————-469————–2,940————06————–unknown
Thailand—————-351—————1,358———–unknown——–unknown
New Zealand———–55—————-212————–unknown——–unknown
NVA / VC—————1,100,000——-1,169,763——-unknown——–26,000
Legend:
NVA = North Vietnamese Army
VC = Viet Cong
ARVN = Army of the Republic Vietnam
KIA = Killed In Action
WIA = Wounded In Action
MIA = Missing In Action
CIA = Captured In Action
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19+ Vietnam POW Facts!
01) First POW: Charles J. Duffy – captured on 13 January 1961. Status – civilian, presumed dead.
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02) First POW By Viet Cong: Viet Cong (VC) were guerrillas in South Vietnam. Their 1st captive was Army Specialist-4 George F. Fryett captured on 26 December 1961. Spec.4 Fryett was released on 24 June 1962. VC boldly abducted soldiers and civilians in battle, in city streets, and in rural environments. VC were impossible to identify for they blended in with the regular South Vietnamese population. They could be both male and female of all ages young and old, even young teenagers.
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03) Total POWs: 771
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04) Number of POWs Died In Captivity: 113
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05) Number of North Vietnam POWs Camps: 19
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06) Number of POWs Camps In And Around Hanoi: 08
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07) Last Captured POW: Emmet James Kay – captured 07 May 1973. Status – civilian, released 18 September 1974.
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08) Highest Ranking POW: Colonel John Flynn. Captured 21 August 1967. Status – released 15 March 1973.
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09) Number Of Medal of Honor Winners While A POW: 04. Marine Cpt. Donald G. Cook, Navy Cmdr. James Stockdale, Air Force Major George Day, and Air Force Lt. Lance Sijan.
Note: POWs awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor due to their self-less actions towards their fellow POWs and continual resistance towards their Viet Cong or Vietnamese captors goes far above & beyond the call of duty and far above & beyond the Code of Conduct rules. OK, let’s carry-on with more Vietnam POW facts!
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10) Number of POW Captures During 1968 Tet Offensive: More than 50 military and civilian personnel were captured and held as POWs.
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11) Most Time In Solitary Confinement: Army Cpt. Floyd Thompson may have spent the most time in solitary confinement at jungle and Hanoi area POW camps. Cpt. Thompson was captured on 26 March 1964 and released on 16 March 1973.
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12) POWs Like Father Like Son: Air Force Lt. Ralph T. Browning was captured on 08 July 1966 and released on 12 February 1973. Lt. Browning’s father was also a POW. His father spent 19 months at German’s Stalag 17 during WWII.
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13) POW Camps Worst Area: The worst area for POWs was the region south of the Mekong River which is maze of swamps, canals, thick mangrove forests. It was complimented with venomous snakes and swarms of non-stop blood-sucking, malaria tainted mosquitoes. Lt. James N. Rowe was held captive in the region and named it “mosquito junction.”
This region is humid & hot and drained the POWs energy and aided in the progression of skin sores, skin ulcers, skin infections, and lung infections. In winter months, the nights super chilly wet cold went straight through the sickly POWs. POWs in this region suffered every day and suffered more and died more often in this region than POWs held in Hanoi. 20% of POWs in this area died versus 05% at POW camps in the North. POWs were simply overcome by constant starvation, disease, and exposure to the elements of Mother nature and all She possesses. Plus, the abuse and torture by their captors.
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14) Most Famous POW Rescue: On 21 November 1970 at 2318 hours (11:18pm), Col. Arthur D. “Bull” Simons and 56 other US Army Special Forces (Green Berets) departed Udorn, Thailand for a raid on Son Tay POW camp to rescue 70 American POWs. The brave Green Berets penetrated deep into North Vietnam (23-miles northwest of Hanoi). Arriving at Son Tay, the commandos immediately neutralized all 55+- guards. Searching Son Tay, the Son Tay raiders found no American POWs. The Son Tay raiders returned with no combat casualties. However, even though that famous raid departed with no POWs, I want to give you two quotes that will take you back in time and give you a taste of what those brave Green Berets were about to do and what they were up against.
“We are going to rescue 70 American prisoners of war, maybe more, from a camp called Son Tay. This is something American prisoners have a right to expect from their fellow soldiers. The target is 23 miles west of Hanoi.”
by Col. Arthur “Bull” Simons
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“You are to let nothing, nothing interfere with the operation. Our mission is to rescue prisoners, not take prisoners. And if we walk into a trap, if it turns out that they know we’re coming, don’t dream about walking out of North Vietnam-unless you’ve got wings on your feet. We’ll be 100 miles from Laos; it’s the wrong part of the world for a big retrograde movement. If there’s been a leak, we’ll know it as soon as the second or third chopper sets down; that’s when they’ll cream us. If it happens, I want to keep this force together. We will back up the Song Con River and, by Christ, let them come across that God damn open ground. We’ll make them pay for every foot across the sonofabitch.”
by Col. Arthur “Bull” Simons
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15) Most Famous Ex-POW: Probably the most famous ex-POW and a household name is Senator John S. McCain III. On 26 October 1967, Navy Lt. Cmdr. John S. McCain III in his A-4 Skyhawk was shot down over Hanoi by a SAM (surface-to-air missile) that slammed into one of his wings. Ejecting upside down, Lt. Cmdr. McCain broke both arms, broke his right leg, and was rendered unconscious. Landing in a lake, he came to and twice kicked-up from the bottom of the lake to the surface finally activating his life-preserver. At the shore, Lt. Cmdr. McCain was mobbed and nearly beaten to death by peasants. He was beaten and bayoneted. NVA soldiers rescued him and hauled him off to prison. His wounds were poorly treated but he survived. Lt. Cmdr. refused early release. Lt. Cmdr. McCain was released 14 March 1973.
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16) First POW Under Interrogation By Fidel: Air Force Cpt. Donald G. Waltman was captured on 19 September 1966. On 26 August 1967, he was interrogated by “Fidel.” “Fidel” was a name given to an evil interrogator believed to be of Cuban origin. Two other possible Cuban interrogators were named “Chico” and “Poncho.” Their mission was to break POWs. See Item 17.
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17) Worst Tortured POW By Foreign Interrogator: Air Force Cpt. Earl G. Cobeil was captured on 05 November 1967 and arrived at the “Zoo” POW camp in January 1968 along with 02 other POWs. All 03 POWs faked insanity to resist their interrogators. But “Fidel” eventually broke all but Cpt. Cobeil. “Fidel” was so enraged, he beat Cpt. Cobeil unmercifully. Cpt. Cobeil was repeatedly beaten with fist and a rubber hose directly to his face. He was so badly beaten that even the Vietnamese captors wanted “Fidel” to stop the beatings. Cpt. Cobeil was catatonic.
Day after day throughout the beatings Cpt. Cobeil never screamed, not even let out a painful moan. This enraged “Fidel” even more and again he beat Cpt. Cobeil unmercifully. Each day after the beating, fellow POWs attempted to treat his wounds with rags and dirty water. They tried to feed Cpt. Cobeil through his clenched teeth. And again he returned for another unmerciful beating from “Fidel.”
Cpt. Cobeil was finally taken away. Cpt. Cobeil and 02 other POWs were taken to a hospital and never seen again. Fellow POWs assumed he was being taken away for electric shock treatments. Years later after the Vietnam War, the CIA, FBI, and DIA attempted to identify “Fidel” “Chico” and “Poncho”. But with no success. According to Vietnamese authorities, Cpt. Cobeil died on 05 November 1970. His remains were returned to the US.
Note: In my humble opinion, the Vietnam War is long over. But the 03 unidentified men, “Fidel” “Chico” and “Poncho” should be hunted down to the ends of the Earth and brought to the US for crimes of torture and murder.
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18) Shortest Captivity: On 20 May 1967, Marine Lt. William Grammar and Army Sgt. Orville Fritz were both separated from their units and captured near Quang Tri. ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam – South Vietnamese soldiers) troops with US Army advisors repelled the Viet Cong. That same afternoon, the advancing South Vietnamese and advisors found the bodies of both soldiers at a Church courtyard. Both were tortured, their bodies mutilated and they were executed with their throats slashed. Lt. Grammar was also shot in the head at point blank range.
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19) Longest Held Civilian POW: Earnest C. Brace, a civilian was captured 21 May 1965. On 21 May 1965, Mr. Brace was attempting to fly food supplies into Laos. Piloting his plane, landing at Boum Lao, his plane was hit with small arms fire and grenades from NVA (north Vietnamese Army) soldiers. Mr. Brace was captured along with Thai Special Forces Sgt. Chi Charn Harnavee, and 02 Royal Lao soldiers, and wife of one of the Royal Lao soldiers (01 Royal Lao soldier was killed attempting to escape after landing).
Mr. Brace would have military POWs proud. Like other POWs, for 08-years he survived impossible conditions. He attempted escape several times but was recaptured. Brace was believed to be a CIA agent which may have helped his survival for the NVA awed, feared, and hated the CIA. After more than 08-years as a POW, Mr. Brace was released on 28 March 1973.
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20) Forgotten POW: Army Cpt. Robert T. White was captured on 15 November 1969 in the Mekong Delta. During his captivity, he was literally out of sight – out of mind. His captors kept his POW status to themselves or just simply forgot about him. Only on 29 March 1973, did the Viet Cong announce the status of Cpt. White. Cpt. White was finally released on 01 April 1973. Upon his release, Cpt. White stated: “…they just plain forgot about me.”
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21) Last Released POW: On 28 September 1965, Marine Pvt. Robert R. Garwood, a driver was captured on a dead end road. During his years as a POW, Garwood accepted favorable treatment for his cooperation. After his release, Garwood was brought to trial. Eye witness accounts from former POWs pegged Garwood as a collaborator, a turncoat, a traitor.
Note: I’m (author) skeptical about the testimony against Garwood. In my humble opinion, the entire truth about American POW has been hidden since WWII or before. YOU MUST GO TO YOUR LIBRARY and get the book: “An Enormous Crime – The Definitive Account Of American POWs Abandoned In Southeast Asia.”
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