Daily Almanac for
Jul 25, 2008
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Veterans of U.S. Wars and Their Dependents

Veterans' benefits have existed since the origins of the nation. As of September 2007, over three million veterans, their dependents, and survivors of deceased veterans are receiving VA benefits and services.

The last dependent of a Revolutionary War veteran died in 1911; the War of 1812's last dependent died in 1946; and the last dependent of the Mexican War died in 1962. Some 108 children and 125 widows of Spanish-American War veterans are receiving benefits today. There is in fact 3 children of Civil War veterans who still draw VA benefits.

  Veterans Children1 Parents Surviving spouses
Civil War 3 __
Indian Wars
Spanish-American War 108 125
Mexican Border 16 63
World War I 4 3,639 6,670
World War II 406,289 15,300 186 227,412
Korean Conflict 221,923 3,348 372 60,917
Vietnam Era 1,109,576 9,647 3,426 155,258
Gulf War2 729,426 12,919 826 13,759
Total wartime 2,467,218 44,980 4,810 464,204
Nonservice-connected 324,686 19,764 181,585
Service-connected 2,735,559 28,454 6,132 315,192
1. Children connotes a minor or a dependent adult.
2. For VA benefits purposes, the Gulf War period of service remains open-ended and also includes those discharged from 1991 to date.
Source: Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense. Web: www.va.gov/pressrel/amwars01.htm .

Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Veterans Last Living Veterans of America's Wars
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