Constance Lee Menefee: African American Casualties
Date: Mon, 22 May 2000
From: Constance Lee Menefee <Constance@Menefee.com>
To: Mike Kelley <kelleyc@ix.netcom.com>
Mike --
I have a copy of the DoD's "US Casualties in Southeast Asia" as of April 30, 1985;
Directorate for Information Operations and Reports; total percent black deaths
= 12.46% for the entire war.
From "Blacks in the Military: Essential Documents" edited by Bernard C. Nalty
and Morris J. MacGregor (1981) who used used DoD figures for their
calculations, as of 31 March 1971:
Cumulative figure for hostile deaths (black) was 12.4 %
Total black participation in the total active duty force was 9.9 %
Total black participation in Southeast Asia was 11.2 %.
Continuing with same source, same time period:
Total black officers = 2.7 % and hostile deaths = 2.0 %
Total black enlisted = 12.3 % and hostile deaths = 13.6 %
I believe that during the war, the death rate was higher -- I have seen as high
as 23%, for black troops. I have not done the calculations against time myself,
so I cannot speak to the accuracy of that.
Anyway, it is clear that if the cumulative total of black participation in Southeast
Asia was 11.2 % (by 1971) and the cumulative death rate was 12.4 % -- that
this was disproportionate by 1.2 %. And the percent serving in SEA as exceed
the percent serving in the military by 1.3 %.
These are not gigantic differences on the face of it -- but they are nonetheless
differences. Clearly, Vietnam was no church picnic -- and those with resources
and desire could avoid serving, be they black or white.
There are many authors on the Vietnam War (including Jug Burkett) who make
factual errors, or manage to overlook information that dilutes their conclusions,
or speak from a point of view so entrenched that reality makes little impact.
Don't stop with BLOODS!!
Constance Lee Menefee