Jump to content

United States military casualties of war

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Silvonen (talk | contribs) at 15:42, 1 October 2020 (→Wars ranked by U.S. combat deaths: consistent use of dashes). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Overview

Note: "Total U.S. casualties" includes wounded, combat and non-combat deaths but not missing in action. "Deaths – other" includes all non-combat deaths including those from accidents, disease, suicide, and murder.

War or conflict Date Total U.S. deaths Wounded Total U.S. casualties
 Missing Sources and notes Deaths as percentage of total population
Combat Other Total
American Revolutionary War 1775–1783 8,000 17,000 25,000 25,000 50,000 1%
Northwest Indian War 1785–1796 1,056+ 1,056+ 825+ 1,881+ [1][2][3]
Quasi-War 1798–1800 20 494[4] 514 42 556 [4][5]
First Barbary War 1801–1805 35 39 74 64 138 [6][7]: 25–27 [8][9]
Other actions against pirates 1800–1900 36 158+[7]: 42  194+ 100+ 294+ [5][10][11][b]
Chesapeake–Leopard Affair 1807 3 0 3 18 21 [5]
War of 1812 1812–1815 2,260 12,740~ 15,000~ 4,505 20,000~ [12] 0.207%
Nuka Hiva Campaign 1813–1814 5 0 5 11 16 [7]: 34–38 
Creek War 1813–1814 575 575 [13]
Second Barbary War 1815 4 134[14] 10 148 [15]
First Seminole War 1817–1818 47 0 47 36 83 [16]
First Sumatran Expedition 1832 2 2 11 13 [5]
Black Hawk War 1832 47 258[17][18] 305 85 390 [19]
Second Seminole War 1835–1842 328 1,207 1,535 1,535
Mexican–American War 1846–1848 1,733 11,550 13,283 4,152 17,435 [20] 0.057%
Cayuse War 1847–1856 40 1 41 74 115 [21]
Rogue River Wars 1851–1856 190 6 196 293 489 [22]
Yakima War 1855–1856 32 2 34 92 126 [23]
Third Seminole War 1855–1858 26 26 27 53 [24]
Second Opium War 1856–1860 12 12 39 51 [7]
Coeur d'Alene War 1858 36 36 60 96 [25]
Civil War: total 1861–1865 214,938[26] 450,000~ 655,000~ [c][27] 2.1%
Civil War - U.S. Army 140,414[26] 224,097 364,511 281,881 646,392 [28]
Civil War - Confederate Army 94,000[29] + 195,000 + 290,000 194,026 483,026
Dakota War of 1862
(Little Crow's War) 		1862 70–113 70–113 150 220–263 [30][31][32]
Shimonoseki Straits 1863 4–5[5][33] 0 4–5 6[5] 10 [5][33]
Snake Indian War 1864–1868 30 30 128 158 [23]
Indian Wars 1865–1898 919 1,025 1,944 [20]
Red Cloud's War 1866–1868 126 126 100 226 [34][35][36]
Korea (Shinmiyangyo) 1871 3 3 9 12 [37]
Modoc War 1872–1873 56 56 88 144 [38][39]
Great Sioux War 1875–1877 314 314 211 525 [40][41]
Nez Perce War 1877 134 134 157 291 [42][43]
Bannock War 1878 12 0 12 22 34 [44][45]
Ute War 1879 15 0 15 52 67 [44][46]
Sheepeater Indian War 1879 1 1 10 11 [44]
Samoan crisis 1887–1889 0 62 62 62 [47]
Ghost Dance War 1890–1891 35 35 64 99 [48][49]
Sugar Point
Pillager Band of Chippewa Indians 		1898 7 0 7 16 23 0 [50]
Spanish–American War 1898 385 2,061 2,446 1,622 4,068 [20]
Philippine–American War 1898–1913 1,020 3,176 4,196 2,930 7,126 [20]
Boxer Rebellion 1900–1901 68 63 131 204 335 0 [51]
Santo Domingo Affair 1904 1 0 1 1 2 [5]
United States occupation of Nicaragua 1910, 1912–1925, 1927–1933 90 69 159 290 449 [52][53][54]
Mexican Revolution 1914–1919 120 61 181 319 500 [55]
Occupation of Haiti 1915–1934 10 138 148 26+ 184+ [5][56]
World War I 1914–1918 53,402 63,114 116,516 204,002 320,518 3,350 [20][d] 0.11%
North Russia Campaign 1918–1920 424 424 [57]
American Expeditionary Force Siberia 1918–1920 160 168 328 52+ 380+ [7]: 228 
China 1918; 1921; 1926–1927; 1930; 1937 5 78 83 [52]
World War II 1941–1945 291,557 113,842 405,399 670,846 1,076,245 30,314 [20]See Note DA below 0.39%
Greek Civil War 1944–1949 1 5 6 6 [58]
Chinese Civil War 1945–1950 14 150 164 51 215 [58]
Berlin Blockade 1948–1949 31 31 31 [59]
Korean War 1950–1953 33,686 2,830 36,516 92,134 128,650 4,759 Note: 4,759 MIA-See Note E below
U.S.S.R. Cold War 1947–1991 32 32 12 44 [52]
China Cold War 1950–1972 16 16 16 [52]
Vietnam War 1955–1975 47,424 10,785 58,209 153,303 211,454 1,587 [20][60] As of 26 July 2019 Vietnam MIA are 1,587
1958 Lebanon crisis 1958 1 5 6 1+ 7+ [61]
Bay of Pigs Invasion 1961 4 4 4 [62]
Cuban Missile Crisis 1962 1 19 20 20 [58]
Dominican Republic 1965–1966 27 20 47 283 330 [52][58][63]
USS Liberty incident 1967 34 34 171 205
Iran 1980 0 8 8 4 12 0 [64]
El Salvador Civil War 1980–1992 22 15 37 35 72 [65][66][67][68]
Beirut deployment 1982–1984 256 10 266 169 435 [69]
Persian Gulf escorts 1987–1988 39 0 39 31 100
Invasion of Grenada 1983 18 1 19 119 138 [69]
1986 Bombing of Libya 1986 2 0 2 0 2 [70]
Invasion of Panama 1989 23 40 324 364 [69]
Gulf War 1990–1991 149 145 294 849 1,143 0[71] [72]
Operation Provide Comfort 1991–1996 1 18 19 4 23 [73][74]
Somalia 1992–1993 29 14 43 153 196 [69]
Haiti 1994–1995 1 3 4 3 7 [69]
Colombia 1994–present 0 8[75][76] 8 8 [77]
Bosnia-Herzegovina 1995–2004 1 11 12 12 [78]
Kosovo War 1998–1999 4 14 18 N/A 18+ 2 [79]
War in Afghanistan 2001–present 1,833 [80] 383 [81] 2,216 20,050[82] 22,266 0 [f][83][81]
Iraq War 2003–2011 3,836* 961 4,497 32,222 36,710 2 [83]
Intervention against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria 2014 16 60 76 81 157 1 [82] [84]
Raid on Yemen 2017 1 1 3 4 [85]
Total 1775-2019 666,441+ 673,929+ 1,354,664+ 1,498,240+ 2,852,901+ 40,031+

Wars ranked by U.S. combat deaths

Rank War Years Deaths
1 World War II 1941–45 291,557
2 American Civil War 1861–65 214,938
3 World War I 1917–18 53,402
4 Vietnam War 1955–75 47,424
5 Korean War 1950–53 33,686
6 American Revolutionary War 1775–83 8,000
7 Iraq War 2003–2011 3,836
8 War of 1812 1812–15 2,260
9 War in Afghanistan 2001–present 1,833
10 Mexican–American War 1846–49 1,733
U.S. combat deaths by war
World War II
 
 291,557
American Civil War
 
 214,938
World War I
 
 53,402
Vietnam
 
 47,424
Korean War
 
 33,686
American Revolutionary War
 
 8,000
Iraq War
 
 3,836
War of 1812
 
 2,260
War in Afghanistan
 
 1,833
Mexican American War
 
 1,733

Notes

a. ^ Revolutionary War: All figures from the Revolutionary War are rounded estimates. Commonly cited casualty figures provided by the Department of Defense are 4,435 killed and 6,188 wounded, although the original government report that generated these numbers warned that the totals were incomplete and far too low.[86] In 1974, historian Howard Peckham and a team of researchers came up with a total of 6,824 killed in action and 8,445 wounded. Because of incomplete records, Peckham estimated that this new total number of killed in action was still about 1,000 too low.[87] Military historian John Shy subsequently estimated the total killed in action at 8,000, and argued that the number of wounded was probably far higher, about 25,000.[88] The "other" deaths are primarily from disease, including prisoners who died on British prison ships.

b. ^ Other Actions Against Pirates: Includes actions fought in the West Indies, the Greek Isles, off of Louisiana, China and Vietnam. Other deaths resulted from disease and accidents.

c. ^ Civil War: All Union casualty figures, and Confederate killed in action, from The Oxford Companion to American Military History except where noted (NPS figures).[20] estimate of total Confederate dead from James M. McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom (Oxford University Press, 1988), 854. Newer estimates place the total death toll at 650,000 to 850,000.[89] 148 of the Union dead were U.S. Marines.[90][91]
ca. ^ Civil War April 2, 2012 Doctor David Hacker after extensive research offered new casualty rates higher by 20%; his work has been accepted by the academic community and is represented here.

d. ^ World War I figures include expeditions in North Russia and Siberia. See also World War I casualties

da.^ World War II Note: as of March 31, 1946 there were an estimated 286,959 dead of whom 246,492 were identified; of 40,467 who were unidentified 18,641 were located {10,986 reposed in military cemeteries and 7,655 in isolated graves} and 21,826 were reported not located. As of April 6, 1946 there were 539 American Military Cemeteries which contained 241,500 dead. Note the American Battle Monuments Commission database for the World War II reports that in 18 ABMC Cemeteries total of 93,238 buried and 78,979 missing and that "The World War II database on this web site contains the names of those buried at our cemeteries, or listed as Missing in Action, buried or lost at sea. It does not contain the names of the 233,174 Americans returned to the United States for burial..." Similarly, the ABMC Records do not cover inter-War deaths such as the Port Chicago disaster in which 320 died. As of June 2018 total of US World War II casualties listed as MIA is 72,823[92]

e. ^ Korean War: Note:[20] gives Dead as 33,746 and Wounded as 103, 284 and MIA as 8,177. The American Battle Monuments Commission database for the Korean War reports that "The Department of Defense reports that 54,246 American service men and women lost their lives during the Korean War. This includes all losses worldwide. Since the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. honors all U.S. Military who lost their lives during the War, we have tried to obtain the names of those who died in other areas besides Korea during the period June 27, 1950 to July 27, 1954, one year after the Korean Armistice...". {For a breakdown of Worldwide casualties of 54,246 see The Korean War educator at [93] gives figures as In-theatre/non theater} After their retreat in 1950, dead Marines and soldiers were buried at a temporary gravesite near Hungnam, North Korea. During "Operation Glory" which occurred from July to November 1954 the dead of each side were exchanged; remains of 4,167 US soldiers/Marines were exchanged for 13,528 North Korean/Chinese dead.[94] After "Operation Glory" 416 Korean War "unknowns" were buried in the Punchbowl Cemetery. According to a DPMO white paper.[95] 1,394 names were also transmitted during "Operation Glory" from the Chinese and North Koreans, of whom 858 names proved to be correct; of the 4,167 returned remains were found to be 4,219 individuals of whom 2,944 were found to be Americans of whom all but 416 were identified by name. Of 239 Korean War unaccounted for: 186 not associated with Punchbowl unknowns (176 were identified and of the remaining 10 cases 4 were non-Americans of Asiatic descent; one was British; 3 were identified and 2 cases unconfirmed); Of 10 Korean War "Punchbowl Unknowns" 6 were identified. The W.A. Johnson listing of 496 POWs—including 25 civilians[96]—who died in North Korea can be found here and there[97]

Listed as MIA: 7,683[92]

ea. ^ Cold War – Korea and Vietnam and Middle East-additional US Casualties:

  • North Korea {Cold War} 1959:1968–1969;1976;1984 killed 41; Wounded 5; 82 captured/released.[98]
  • USS Liberty incident 1967 killed 34; Wounded 173 by Israeli armed forces
  • Vietnam War prior to 1964-US Casualties were Laos-2 killed in 1954; and Vietnam 1946–1954 2 killed see;[99]

f. ^ Iraq War. See also Casualties of the Iraq War. Sources: .[100]

g. ^ Afghanistan. Casualties include those that occurred in Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guantanamo Bay (Cuba), Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Philippines, Seychelles, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Yemen.

See also

References

  1. ^ John Grenier The First Way of War: American War Making on the Frontier (Cambridge University Press) pg 195–200
  2. ^ Rajitar 33–36, 71–73
  3. ^ Konstantin 11–14, 111
  4. ^ a b Michael A Palmer Stoddert's War: Naval Operations During the Quasi-War with France 1798–1801 (Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 1987) pg 119, 208, 218, 228
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 5, 2007. Retrieved February 20, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ Joseph Wheelan Jefferson's War, (Carol and Graph Publishers, 2003) pg 208–228
  7. ^ a b c d e Boot, Max (2002). The Savage Wars of Peace: Small Wars and the Rise of American Power. Da Capo Press.
  8. ^ Gregory Fremont-Barnes Wars of the Barbary Coast: To the Shores of Tripoli (Osprey Publishing 2006)
  9. ^ John Randolph Spears David G Farragut (Cornell University Press, 2009) pg 39
  10. ^ Edgar Stanton Maclay, A History of the United States Navy from 1775 to 1894pg 120–127
  11. ^ Earle, Peter (2003). The Pirate Wars. St. Martins: Methuen Publishing. pp. 233–245. ISBN 0-413-75880-X.
  12. ^ The "other" deaths were primarily from disease. Donald R. Hickey, Don't Give Up the Ship! Myths of the War of 1812t (University of Illinois Press, 2006), 297.
  13. ^ Richard Blackmon, The Creek War, 1813–1814 (Center of Military History, 2014), 40.
  14. ^ Joseph Wheelan Jefferson's War pg 357
  15. ^ Joseph Wheelan Jefferson's War (Carol and Graf 2003), pg 354,357
  16. ^ Colonel Raymond K Bluhm US Army A Complete History (The Army Historical Foundation) pg 154
  17. ^ Bluhm 166
  18. ^ Kerry A Trask Black Hawk: The Battle for the Heart of America (Henry Holt and Co, 2006) pg 271–276
  19. ^ Patrick Jung The Black Hawk War of 1832 (University of Oklahoma Press) pg 170–172
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i John W. Chambers, II, ed. in chief, The Oxford Companion to American Military History. (Oxford University Press, 1999, ISBN 0-19-507198-0), 849.
  21. ^ Frances Fuller Victor, The Cayuse Wars (The Early Indian Wars of Oregon, Pt 1. (Taxus Baccata Books, 2006, ISBN 0-9729830-5-8), 211.
  22. ^ AG Henry, Rogue River War. (YE Galleon Press, 1996, ISBN 0-87770-573-9), 39.
  23. ^ a b CW. Cornell, Deadliest Indian War in the West: The Snake Conflict 1864–1868(Caxton Press, 2007)
  24. ^ Joe Knetscii Florida's Seminole Wars: 1817–1858 (Florida Historical Society)pg 152
  25. ^ Ray Hoard Glassley Pacific Northwest Indian Wars (Binford and Mort, 1953) 244.
  26. ^ a b https://www.va.gov/opa/publications/factsheets/fs_americas_wars.pdf
  27. ^ America's Wars, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, November 2011
  28. ^ DCAS Reports - Principal Wars, 1775 - 1991, U.S. Department of Defense, May 2015
  29. ^ "Facts". Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  30. ^ Yenne pg 95–99
  31. ^ Jerry Keenan The Great Sioux Uprising(Da Capo Press)
  32. ^ Alvin Josephy jr Civil War in the American West (Vintage Press 1993)
  33. ^ a b Long, Barbara. The Civil War Day by Day: An Almanac pg 386
  34. ^ Yenne pg 117–124
  35. ^ Rajitar
  36. ^ Konstantin
  37. ^ Dispatch from Commodore John Rodgers to the Secretary of the Navy, Corea, June 23, 1871
  38. ^ Yenne 151–156
  39. ^ Rajtar 46–48
  40. ^ Yenne pg 175–211
  41. ^ Rajtar pg 88–91
  42. ^ Kurt Nelson, Fighting for Paradise: A Military History of the Pacific Northwest (Westholme, 2008) pg 277
  43. ^ Yenne 239–244
  44. ^ a b c Phil Konstantin, This Day in North American Indian History (Da Capo, 2002)
  45. ^ Yenne 245–248
  46. ^ Yenne Pg 250
  47. ^ Ryden, George Herbert. The Foreign Policy of the United States in Relation to Samoa. New York: Octagon Books, 1975. (Reprint by special arrangement with Yale University Press. Originally published at New Haven: Yale University Press, 1928. pg.449
  48. ^ Steve Rajtar, Indian War Sites (McFarland, 1999), pg 230–232
  49. ^ Yenne 286–294
  50. ^ Bill Yenne, Indian Wars: The Campaign for the American West. (Westholme Publishing, 2008) 296.
  51. ^ Journal of the Military Service Institution of The United States Vol 38 pg 572 [1]
  52. ^ a b c d e "Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 5, 2007. Retrieved 2014-08-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  53. ^ "The Sandino Rebellion, 1927-1934". www.sandinorebellion.com.
  54. ^ Keith B Bickel Mars Learning: the Marine Corps development of small wars doctrine 1915–1940 (Westview Press) pg 119
  55. ^ Congressional Serial Set. 1920. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  56. ^ Keith B Bickel Mars Learning: the Marine Corps development of small wars doctrine 1915–1940 (Westview Press) pg 91
  57. ^ Hudson, Miles (2004). Intervention in Russia 1918–1920: A Cautionary Tale. Pen and Sword. ISBN 1-84415-033-X.
  58. ^ a b c d Richard K Kolb, Cold War Clashes: Confronting Communism, 1945–1991 (VFW Publications, Kansas City MO, 2004) pg 129
  59. ^ "The Berlin Airlift". Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  60. ^ page 7 of "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-24. Retrieved 2015-04-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  61. ^ Beirut 1958: How America's Wars in the Middle East Began, Bruce Riedel, Brookings Institution Press, Oct 29, 2019: "Sergeant James R. Nettles was shot by a sniper on August 2, 1958."
  62. ^ John Padros, Safe For Democracy:The Secret Wars of the CIA(Ivan R Lee Publishers Chicago 2006) pg 263
  63. ^ Operation Power Pack Archived September 23, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  64. ^ Peter Huchthausen, America's Splendid Little Wars pg 37
  65. ^ Bradley Graham, Medals Granted After Acknowledgement of US Role in El Salvador, Washington Post; 5/6/1996 1A
  66. ^ Miami Herald Copter Crash kills 5 near San Salvador, 2/26/1991. 4A
  67. ^ Ted Gup Star Agents: The anonymous stars in the CIA Book of Honor, Washington Post; 9/7/1997 WO6
  68. ^ Army Air Crews Line of Duty Deaths http://www.armyaircrews.com/
  69. ^ a b c d e Table 13, Worldwide U.S. Active Duty Military Deaths, Selected Military Operations, "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-01-22. Retrieved 2008-01-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link), SAID, U.S. Department of Defense
  70. ^ Peter Huchthausen, America's Splendid Little Wars: A Short History of U.S. Military Engagements 1975–2000. (Viking Press, 2003) pg 96.
  71. ^ Initials may offer clue to missing Gulf War pilot Note: ID and found August 2009
  72. ^ Cauchon, Dennis (2003-04-21). "Why U.S. casualties were low". USA Today. Retrieved 2010-05-26.
  73. ^ http://www.marines.mil/news/publications/Documents/Humanitarian%20Operations%20in%20Nothern%20Iraq,%20Operation%20Provide%20Comfort%20PCN%2019000316500_2.PDF
  74. ^ "ARMY AIR CREWS: Black Hawk Crewmembers Line of Duty Deaths". Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  75. ^ "Navy Chopper Crashes Near Colombia". CBS News. December 13, 2005.
  76. ^ Congressional Record, V. 146, Pt. 6, May 10, 2000 to May 23, 2000. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  77. ^ Reveron, Derek S. (2 July 2004). America's Viceroys. ISBN 9781403964137. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  78. ^ "United States Army".
  79. ^ "Two die in Apache crash". BBC News. 1999-05-05. Retrieved 2010-05-26.
  80. ^ "Casualty – OEF – Afghanistan Only" (PDF). defense.gov. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  81. ^ a b "iCasualties – OEF – Afghanistan – Fatalities By Month". icasualties.org. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  82. ^ a b Casualty, Retrieved on May 5, 2018
  83. ^ a b "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-01-16. Retrieved 2013-01-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  84. ^ https://dod.defense.gov/News/Casualty-Status/
  85. ^ "US Navy SEAL killed, 3 injured in raid on Al Qaeda in Yemen". Fox News. 29 January 2017.
  86. ^ Howard H. Peckham, ed., The Toll of Independence: Engagements & Battle Casualties of the American Revolution (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1974), xii.
  87. ^ Peckham, Toll of Independence, 131.
  88. ^ John Shy, A People Numerous and Armed: Reflections on the Military Struggle for American Independence (revised edition, University of Michigan Press, 1990, ISBN 0-472-06431-2), 249–50.
  89. ^ Gugliotta, Guy (April 2, 2012). "New Estimate Raises Civil War Death Toll". New York Times. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  90. ^ Reference Branch (2016). "Marine Corps Casualties: 1775-2015". Frequently Requested. USMC History Division. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  91. ^ Corrado, John (July 31, 2001). "What did the US Marines do during the Civil War?". The Straight Dope. Straight Dope Science Advisory Board. Archived from the original on July 7, 2003. Retrieved July 7, 2003.
  92. ^ a b "Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency > Our Missing > Past Conflicts". www.dpaa.mil.
  93. ^ "Korean War Educator: Korean War Casualty Information". Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  94. ^ "Korean War Exchange of Dead – Operation GLORY". www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil.
  95. ^ "404w DTIC Maintenanc" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 27, 2011. Retrieved 18 February 2015. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  96. ^ "Johnnie Johnson's List – Civilian Internee's". www.koreanwar.org.
  97. ^ "Johnnie Johnson – Tiger List". www.koreanwarpowmia.net.
  98. ^ List of border incidents involving North Korea
  99. ^ Vietnam War casualties
  100. ^ "U.S. and Coalition Casualties: Iraq". CNN. Archived from the original on June 11, 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-26.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_States_military_casualties_of_war&oldid=981315972"