Nội Dung Chính

Vietnam War U.S. Military Fatal Casualty Statistics

Electronic Records Reference Report

Introduction

The following tables were generated from the Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File of the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Extract Files, which is current as of April 29, 2008.

The Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File of the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Extract Files contains records of 58,220 U.S. military fatal casualties of the Vietnam War. These records were transferred into the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration in 2008. The earliest casualty record contains a date of death of June 8, 1956, and the most recent casualty record contains a date of death of May 28, 2006. The Defense Casualty Analysis System Extract Files were created by the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The records correspond to the Vietnam Conflict statistics on the DMDC web site, which is accessible online at https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/main.xhtml.

The Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File of the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Extract Files is the successor database to the Combat Area Casualties Current File. The Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File of the DCAS contains 27 more records than the Combat Area Casualties Current File as of December 1998, which contains 58,193 records. Additionally, there are some changes to the fields between the two files, most notably in the respective date-of-death fields. The date-of-death reported in the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Extract Files is either the actual date-of-death or the date-of-incident, whereas the date-of-death for the Combat Area Casualties Current File is either the actual date-of-death or the date on which the casualty was declared dead.

The full casualty records of the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Extract Files are accessible online for name searches (as well as for searches using any of the other fields identified in the data layout of the files in this series) for records of specific casualties via the Access to Archival Databases (AAD) resource.

The following casualty tables were created by using AAD to query the Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File of the DCAS. These tables represent statistics for a selection of categories based on the fields of the file. The selections of fields used in creating these tables were made on the basis of usefulness and interest to prospective researchers and the general public. These tables are for informational purposes and do not answer all questions of a statistical nature regarding U. S. casualties of the Vietnam War. Note that AAD can also be used to query the Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File of the DCAS for more complex Vietnam War casualty statistics than what are provided on this page, such as the number of casualties by race for a specific home state of record.

A full series description for the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Extract Files is accessible online via the National Archives Catalog under the National Archives Identifier 2163536. The Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File is also accessible for direct download via the National Archives Catalog file-level description, National Archives Identifier 2240992.

Alternatively to the download option, we can provide reproduction copies of the Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File on a cost-recovery basis upon request. Information regarding the ordering of electronic records is provided online on our Ordering Information page.

DCAS Vietnam Conflict Extract File record counts by CASUALTY CATEGORY (as of April 29, 2008 )

This table contains record counts based on the codes recorded in the “CASUALTY CATEGORY” field of the Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File. In the case of the “PRESUMED DEAD (BODY REMAINS RECOVERED)” and “PRESUMED DEAD (BODY REMAINS NOT RECOVERED)” categories of the table, the record counts are based on the codes in both the “CASUALTY CATEGORY” and “REMAINS RECOVERED” fields.

Casualty Category
Number of Records

ACCIDENT

9,107

DECLARED DEAD

1,201

DIED OF WOUNDS

5,299

HOMICIDE

236

ILLNESS

938

KILLED IN ACTION

40,934

PRESUMED DEAD (BODY REMAINS RECOVERED)

PRESUMED DEAD (BODY REMAINS NOT RECOVERED)

SELF-INFLICTED

382

Total Records

58,220

Record counts provided for informational purposes only, not official statistics.

DCAS Vietnam Conflict Extract File record counts by CASUALTY COUNTRY/OVER WATER CODE (Country of Casualty) (as of April 29, 2008 )

Country of Casualty
Number of Records

LAOS

728

CAMBODIA

523

CHINA

NORTH VIETNAM

1,120

SOUTH VIETNAM

55,661

THAILAND

178

Total Records

58,220

Record counts provided for informational purposes only, not official statistics.

DCAS Vietnam Conflict Extract File record counts by HOME OF RECORD STATE CODE (as of April 29, 2008 )

Note that State Lists of Fatal Casualties of the Vietnam War sorted alphabetically by the last name of casualty are available online at www.archives.gov/research/military/vietnam-war/casualty-lists/.

Home State of Record
Number of Records

ALABAMA

1,208

ALASKA

AMERICAN SAMOA

ARIZONA

619

ARKANSAS

592

CALIFORNIA

5,575

CANAL ZONE

COLORADO

623

CONNECTICUT

612

DELAWARE

122

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

242

FLORIDA

1,954

FOREIGN

GEORGIA

1,581

GUAM

HAWAII

276

IDAHO

217

ILLINOIS

2,936

INDIANA

1,534

IOWA

851

KANSAS

627

KENTUCKY

1,056

LOUISIANA

885

MAINE

341

MARYLAND

1,014

MASSACHUSETTS

1,331

MICHIGAN

2,657

MINNESOTA

1,077

MISSISSIPPI

636

MISSOURI

1,418

MONTANA

267

NEBRASKA

396

NEVADA

149

NEW HAMPSHIRE

226

NEW JERSEY

1,487

NEW MEXICO

395

NEW YORK

4,119

NORTH CAROLINA

1,613

NORTH DAKOTA

199

OHIO

3,094

OKLAHOMA

987

OREGON

710

PENNSYLVANIA

3,147

PUERTO RICO

345

RHODE ISLAND

209

SOUTH CAROLINA

895

SOUTH DAKOTA

192

TENNESSEE

1,295

TEXAS

3,415

UTAH

361

VERMONT

100

VIRGIN ISLANDS

VIRGINIA

1,305

WASHINGTON

1,047

WEST VIRGINIA

733

WISCONSIN

1,161

WYOMING

119

Total Records

58,220

Record counts provided for informational purposes only, not official statistics.

DCAS Vietnam Conflict Extract File record counts by HOSTILE OR NON-HOSTILE DEATH INDICATOR (as of April 29, 2008 )

Hostile or Non Hostile Death Indicator
Number of Records

HOSTILE DEATH

47,434

NON HOSTILE DEATH

10,786

Total Records

58,220

Record counts provided for informational purposes only, not official statistics.

DCAS Vietnam Conflict Extract File record counts by INCIDENT OR DEATH DATE (Year) (as of April 29, 2008 )

Year of Death
Number of Records

1956 – 1959

1960

1961

1962

1963

122

1964

216

1965

1,928

1966

6,350

1967

11,363

1968

16,899

1969

11,780

1970

6,173

1971

2,414

1972

759

1973

1974

1975

1976 – 1979

1980 – 1986

1987

1988 – 1989

1990

1991 – 1999

2000 – 2006

Total Records

58,220

Researchers may note substantial differences between the above record counts generated from the Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File of the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Extract Files and those previously posted online that were generated from the Combat Area Casualties Current File. The reason for the differences is due to the fact that the date reported for the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Extract Files is the date-of-death or the date-of-incident, whereas the date for the Combat Area Casualties Current File is the date-of-death or the date on which the casualty was declared dead. The difference in the dates reported is reflected in the names of the respective fields for the two files, which for the Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File of the DCAS is named “INCIDENT OR DEATH DATE”, whereas for the Combat Area Casualties Current File the field is named “DATE OF DEATH or DATE DECLARED DEAD”.

Record counts provided for informational purposes only, not official statistics.

DCAS Vietnam Conflict Extract File record counts by MEMBER’S GENDER (as of April 29, 2008 )

Gender
Number of Records

Male

58,212

Female

Total Records

58,220

Record counts provided for informational purposes only, not official statistics.

DCAS Vietnam Conflict Extract File record counts by MEMBER COMPONENT CODE ( Service Component) (as of April 29, 2008 )

Service Component
Number of Records

National Guard

Regular

34,508

Reserve

5,762

Selected Service

17,671

Not Reported

182

Total Records

58,220

Record counts provided for informational purposes only, not official statistics.

DCAS Vietnam Conflict Extract File record counts by MEMBER PAYGRADE (as of April 29, 2008 )

Pay Grade
Number of Records

Enlistee (Grades E1 – E9)

48,717

Officers (Grade Codes O01 – O08)*

6,604

Warrant Officers (Grade Codes W01 – W04)*

1,277

Undefined Code or Blank

1,622

Total Records

58,220

This table contains record counts based on the codes recorded in the “MEMBER PAYGRADE” field of the Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File . Note that the code list for this field does not distinguish Officers from Warrant Officers. The code list provided by the creating agency gives the meaning “OFFICER” for the codes O01, O02, O03, O04, O05, O06, O07, and O08. This code list also gives the meaning “OFFICER” for the codes W01, W02, W03, and W04. 1,274 records of the 1,277 records that contain the codes W01, W02, W03, or W04 in the “MEMBER PAYGRADE” field also contain one of the codes for Warrant Officers in the “MEMBER RANK OR RATE” field.

Record counts provided for informational purposes only, not official statistics.

DCAS Vietnam Conflict Extract File record counts by MEMBER SERVICE CODE (Branch of Service) (as of April 29, 2008 )

Service
Number of Records

Air Force

2,586

Army

38,224

Coast Guard

Marine Corps

14,844

Navy

2,559

Total Records

58,220

Record counts provided for informational purposes only, not official statistics.

DCAS Vietnam Conflict Extract File record counts by RACE OMB NAME ( Race) (as of April 29, 2008 )

Race
Number of Records

AMERICAN INDIAN/ALASKA NATIVE

226

ASIAN

139

BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN

7,243

HISPANIC ONE RACE

349

NATIVE HAWAIIAN OR OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDER

229

NON-HISPANIC MORE THAN ONE RACE

204

WHITE

49,830

Total Records

58,220

Record counts provided for informational purposes only, not official statistics.

DCAS Vietnam Conflict Extract File record counts by RELIGION CODE (as of April 29, 2008 )

Religion
Number of Records

AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCHES IN THE USA

ASSEMBLIES OF GOD

117

BAPTIST CHURCHES

9,480

BRETHREN CHURCHES

BUDDHISM

CATHOLIC CHURCHES (EXCLUDES ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH)

CHRISTIAN CHURCH

CHRISTIAN, NO DENOMINATIONAL PREFERENCE

CHURCH OF CHRIST

528

CHURCH OF GOD (ANDERSON, IN)

238

CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS (MORMON)

589

CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE

132

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES

EPISCOPAL CHURCH

825

FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST (CHRISTIAN SCIENCE)

FRIENDS (QUAKERS)

ISLAM

JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

JUDAISM (JEWISH)

270

LUTHERAN CHURCHES

2,253

METHODIST CHURCHES

4,077

NO RELIGIOUS PREFERENCE

3,106

PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES

182

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

1,303

PROTESTANT, NO DENOMINATIONAL PREFERENCE

16,647

PROTESTANT, OTHER CHURCHES

558

REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

16,817

SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST

116

SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION

121

UNCLASSIFIED RELIGIONS

487

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

Total Records

58,220

Record counts provided for informational purposes only, not official statistics.

Contact Information

For more information, please contact:
Reference Services, Electronic Records
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (301) 837-0470
Mail: 8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740-6001.

January 2018