3,970 dead.
8,298 wounded - medical air transport required.
19,469 wounded - no medical air transport required.
Of all the wounded 12,537 were unable to return to duty within 72 hours.
Medical air transport was required for an additional 7,533 non-hostile injuries, and 21,112 diseases or other medical conditions.
Totals as listed at source pages on 25 September 2007.
In March 2003, U.S. military personnel were killed in action or died of their wounds at a rate averaging about 30 per month.
As of September 2007, this rate has increased to about 75 per month.
A total of 3,099 military personnel have been killed in action or died of wounds since March 2003.
In March 2003, U.S. military personnel were killed as a result of an accident or for "other" reasons at a rate averaging about 15 per month.
As of September 2007, this rate has decreased slightly to about 10 per month.
A total of 696 military personnel have been killed as a result of an accident or for "other" reasons since March 2003.
It is time to bring them home!
US ARMY MEDALS
RANK: SGT / E-5
MOS: 16R20 Short Range Air Defense Crewman
Vulcan Air Defense System M163A1 Towed Vulcan Air Defense System M167A2
1978-1988 (Cold War)
Countries Visited: Germany, France, Denmark, Luxemburg, Spain, Korea, Mexico, Dominic Republic, Tortola BVI.
wrote a blank check, made payable to "The
United States of America", for an amount of "up to and
including my
life."
That is honor, and there are far too many people in this country who
choose to no longer
understand it.
-- Author Unknown
The Cold War Victory medal was stripped out of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008 – and with a final bit of irony, President bush vetoed the Authorization Act for other reasons. Our best strategy at this point is to get language for a Cold War Medal included in the National Defense Authorization Act for 2009 Call, e-mail, and fax your Senators/ Representatives and tell them this is needed. No more “certificates,” no more “recommendations,” just include the Cold War Medal in the final NDAA for 2009.
S.1097, the Cold War Medal Act of 2007 is still very much alive, and all senators need to cosponsor this bill to create strong support on a BIPARTISAN basis. At present, the bill has four cosponsors in the Senate – Clinton, Collins, Schumer, and Lincoln. We have asked McCain (AZ), Obama (IL),, Martinez (FL), Webb (VA) and Warner (VA), and Cornyn (TX), among others, to cosponsor S.1097 and get the Cold War Medal in the NDAA. Fax these and other Senators and remind them of the importance of their support. Include the Cold War Medal in the final NDAA for 2009. Cornyn is running for re-election to the Senate in Texas. McCain and Obama are running for President. Will they cosponsor S.1097 to support the Cold War Medal?
BELOW: Commercially available versions of the Cold War Commemorative Medal (not approved for wear on military uniform at this time):
Foxfall Medals Medals of America
RESOLUTION NO. 22
AWARD A COLD WAR VICTORY MEDAL
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Korea Defense Veterans of America joins with other veteran service organizations and petitions The U.S. Department of Defense for award of a Cold War Victory Medal to all members of the U.S. Military that served between 2 September 1945 and 26 December 1991; and
WHEREAS, immediately after World War II we witnessed a polarization in relationship between the Soviet Union and the U.S. and its allies in that the Soviet Union, by physical force and other means, expanded its influence and control over Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Eastern Germany, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Manchuria, Outer Mongolia, North Korea, Romania, and Yugoslavia, annexed the Kurile Islands and the southern half of Sakhalin Island, and instigated problems in Cuba, Greece, Iran, Lebanon, and Turkey. The Soviet Union continued its expansionist movement and dominated Eastern Europe until 1991; and
WHEREAS, the Cold War initiated the largest arms race in history that included nuclear, chemical and biological weapons as well as fomenting low-intensity conflicts, proxy wars, assassinations and various forms of intimidation; and
WHEREAS, the Cold War Era time period was fraught with conflicts and wars stressing U.S. Armed Forces and their allies that included:
Soviets blockade of Berlin - 1948, leading to the Berlin Airlift
NATO created to deal with Soviet aggression and expansion - 1949
Atomic Bomb in Soviet hands - 1949
Korean War - 1950 to 1953 (UN intervention including U.S. Armed Services members)
Iran military coup - 1953 (U.S. backed)
Guatemala military coup - 1954 (U.S. backed)
Warsaw Pact - 1955 established as counter weight to NATO
Hungarian Revolution - 1956 (Soviet intervention 4 Nov 56)
Cuban Bay of Pigs Invasion - 1961
Cuban Missile Crisis - 1962
Taiwan Straights and Quemoy and Matsu Islands
Grenada - 1983
Angola Civil War (U.S. armed and funded surrogates)
El Salvador Civil War (U.S. armed and funded surrogates)
Nicaragua Civil War (U.S. armed and funded surrogates)
Afghanistan War; and
WHEREAS, the Cold War is officially considered ended; however, its fallout continues to surface and create tensions today in Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and the Pacific Rim as a testament to its longevity and global impact; and
BE IT RESOLVED, by the Korea Defense Veterans of America, that we petition for award of a Cold War Victory Medal.
The VFW passed the following resolutions at the 108th National Convention, 2007:
#425 European Defense Service Medal
#428 Cold War Victory Medal (as amended)
#430 Expand the dates of Eligibility for the Vietnam Service Medal to May 15th, 1975
#434 Recognition for Veterans Killed or Wounded in the Early Days of the Cold War.
