How many REAL Vietnam vets are alive today?

[AWilson]

How many REAL Vietnam vets are alive today?

Because of faulty record keeping there is no confirmed number of Americans who served in Vietnam. The best estimate that the Department of Defense can conclude is that between 2,709,918 to 3,173,845 GI's served in-country and in-waters Vietnam between 1954 and 1975 (this does not count the handful of Americans who served in Vietnam during WW2). However, veterans groups estimate that today approximately 9 to 12 million Americans fraudulently claim they served in Vietnam.

The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that approximately one-third of those who did serve in Vietnam (approximately 850,000) are alive today. (Vietnam veterans are dying at about the same rate as their WW2 fathers.) Since 1988 The War Library has been working to verify the names of all Americans who served in Vietnam, or were authorized the Vietnam War Service Medal.

Did you serve in Vietnam? Do you have a family member who served in Vietnam? The * research project that includes the 2,709,918 Vietnam veterans officially listed by the Department of Defense [*] is available here where veterans whose Vietnam service is indicated as confirmed or unconfirmed:
http://www.amervets.com/library.htm

[*] Vietnam veterans of other nations are also listed.

A copy of this posting is published at this website:
http://members.aol.com/veterans/vietvet.htm

Contact Person for this Posting:
Roger Simpson,
Public Information Office (http://www.13105320634.com)
The American War Library (http://www.amervets.com)
16907 Brighton Avenue
Gardena CA 90247-5420
Fone/Fax: 1-310-532-0634