THE PRICE OF FREEDOM

In Recognition and Memoriam to America’s living and deceased Veterans,
America’s First Class Citizens
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By Terry Richards
Veterans Advocate & Freelance Journalist
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INFORMATION ABOUT VETERANS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW

There are about 209 million adult men and women 18 and over in America.

There are about 25 million living Veterans of America’s Armed Forces. That means only about 12% of the total adult population 18 and over in America have served their country, and 88% have not.

About 24 million or 96 % of the 25 million living Veterans of America’s Armed Forces are men.

There are about 101 million adult men 18 and over in America. That means only 23.7% of the total adult men in America have served their country, and 76.3% have not.

About One million or 4% of the 25 million living Veterans of America’s Armed Forces are women.

There are about 108 million adult women 18 and over in America. That means less than 1% of the total adult women in America have served their country, and more than 99% have not.

Of these 25 million living Veterans of America’s Armed Forces:

About 18.8 million or 75% are War Veterans.

About 2.3 million or about 9% of these Veterans are receiving Service-connected disability compensation for injuries or disease incurred or aggravated by Military Service to their country.

About 353,000 or about 1.4% of these Veterans are receiving non-Service connected disability pensions because they became disabled after active service and are unable to work, and their incomes are below the means threshold established by law.

In the American Revolution, (1775-1783), 4,435 American soldiers died.

In the War of 1812, (1812-1815), 2,260 American soldiers died.

In the Indian Wars, (1817-1898), 1,000 American soldiers died.

In the Mexican War, (1846-1848), 1,733 American soldiers died in battle. Another 11,550 died in non-theatre operations for a total of 13,283 deaths of American soldiers during this period of war.

In the Civil War, (1861-1865), 140,414 Union soldiers, and 74,524 Confederate soldiers died in battle for a total of 214,938 battlefield deaths. Another 224,097 Union soldiers, and 59,297 Confederate soldiers died in non-theatre operations for a total of 498,332 Union and Confederate soldiers deaths during this period of war.

In World War One, (1917-1918), 53,402 American soldiers died in battle. Another 63,114 died in service from non-theatre operations in other parts of the world, for a total of 116, 516 deaths of American soldiers during this period of war.

In World War Two, 1940-1945, 291,557 American soldiers died in battle. Another 113,842 died in non-theatre operations in other parts of the world, for a total of 405,399 deaths of American soldiers during this period of war.

In the Korean War, (1950-1953), 33,686 American soldiers died in battle. Another 2,830 died in other in-country theatre related deaths for a total of 36,516 American soldier deaths in the Korean War. Additionally, 17,730 American soldiers died in non-theatre operations in other parts of the world for a total of 54,246 American soldier deaths during this period of war.

In the Vietnam War, (1964-1975), 47,410 American soldiers died in battle. Another 10,788 died in other in-country theatre related deaths for a total of 58,198 American soldiers’ deaths in the Vietnam War. Additionally, 32,000 died in service from non-Vietnam theatre operations in other parts of the world, for a total of 90,198 deaths of American soldiers during this period of war.

In the Gulf War, (1990-1991), 148 American soldiers died in battle. Another 235 died in other in-country theatre related deaths for a total of 383 American soldier deaths in this Gulf War. Additionally, 914 died in service from non-theatre operations in other parts of the world for a total of 1297 deaths of American soldiers during this period of war.

Since world war one, about 142,000 of Americas Veterans were captured and interned in enemy POW camps. About 17,000 of these Veterans died while a POW.

Since the American Revolution through the 1990-1991 Gulf War there have been about 42.3 million Veterans who have served in America’s Armed Forces.

Of these 42.3 million Veterans, about 894,000 or 2.1% died in battle or other related deaths while serving their country.

*In the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars (2001-present), over 1,700 American Soldiers have died in battle, and over 8,000 have been wounded as of July 04, 2005.
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*SOURCES: Time Almanac 2001 and 2003; Pentagon and News Media
Reports as of July 04, 2005.
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