Analysis of 210 US Army Deaths in Vietnam from July to September 1967.
Abstract
US Army casualty deaths in the Republic of Vietnam were analyzed to provide information on wound ballistics that may be used by interested branches of the services on the subjects of casualty reduction, wounding mechanisms, and evaluation of hostile weapons. The first 210 consecutive cases that included the report of an autopsy performed between July and September 1967 were analyzed. It was concluded that trauma to the thorax accounted for the largest group of fatalities, with head trauma ranking second. Bullet wounds of the thorax and abdomen appear to be more lethal than fragment wounds of the same regions. Bullets are more lethal than fragments when fatalities and survivor statistics are compared. Fatal fragment wounds of the extremities are more numerous than fatal bullet wounds, because of a particular vulnerability of this area to boobytraps and mines. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1970
- Accession Number
- AD0866213
Entities
People
- Harold T. Smith Jr.
- Hernan A. Campana
- Ian Sunshine