America's Wars: U.S. Casualties and Veterans

Updated May 3, 2021 | Infoplease Staff
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The table below has information about the total number of service members, battle deaths, and non-mortal woundings in wars from 1775 to 2017; such as the American Revolution, the Civil War, World War I and II, Vietnam, and more.

American Revolution (1775-1783)
Total servicemembers 217,000
Battle deaths 4,435
Nonmortal woundings 6,188
War of 1812 (1812-1815)
Total servicemembers 286,730
Battle deaths 2,260
Nonmortal woundings 4,505
Indian Wars (approx. 1817-1898)
Total servicemembers 106,0001
Battle deaths 1,0001
Mexican War (1846-1848)  
Total servicemembers 78,718
Battle deaths 1,733
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 11,550
Nonmortal woundings 4,152
Civil War (1861-1865)  
Total servicemembers (Union) 2,213,363
Battle deaths (Union) 140,414
Other deaths in service (nontheater) (Union) 224,097
Nonmortal woundings (Union) 281,881
Total servicemembers (Conf.) 1,050,000
Battle deaths (Conf.) 74,524
Other deaths in service (nontheater) (Conf.) 59,2972
Nonmortal woundings (Conf.) unknown
Spanish-American War (1898-1902)  
Total servicemembers 306,760
Battle deaths 385
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 2,061
Nonmortal woundings 1,662
World War I (1917-1918)3
Total servicemembers 4,734,991
Battle deaths 53,402
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 63,114
Nonmortal woundings 204,002
Living veterans 0
World War II (1940-1945)3
Total servicemembers 16,112,566
Battle deaths 291,557
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 113,842
Nonmortal woundings 671,846
Living veterans 1,711,0001
Korean War (1950-1953)
Total servicemembers 5,720,000
Serving in-theater 1,789,000
Battle deaths 33,739
Other deaths in service (theater) 2,835
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 17,672
Nonmortal woundings 103,284
Living veterans 2,275,000
Vietnam War (1964-1975)
Total servicemembers 8,744,000
Serving in-theater 3,403,000
Battle deaths 47,434
Other deaths in service (theater) 10,786
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 32,000
Nonmortal woundings 153,303
Living veterans 7,391,0001,6
Gulf War (1990-1991)
Total servicemembers 2,322,000
Serving in-theater 694,550
Battle deaths 148
Other deaths in service (theater) 235
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 1,565
Nonmortal woundings 467
Living veterans 2,244,5831,6
America's Wars Total (1775–1991)
Military service during war 41,892,128
Battle deaths 651,031
Other deaths in service (theater) 308,800
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 230,254
Nonmortal woundings 1,430,290
Living war veterans 16,962,0004
Living veterans 23,234,000
Global War on Terror 5
Total Servicemembers (Worldwide) (as of Sept. 2011) 1,315,609
Deployed to Iraq (Operation New Dawn) (as of Dec. 31, 2011) 0
Deployed to Iraq and Syria (Operation Inherent Resolve) (as of 2017) 4,000-6,0007
Deployed to Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) (as of Dec. 2014) 0
Deployed to Afghanistan (Operation Freedom's Sentinel) (as of Aug. 2017) ~11,0007
Battle Deaths 6,930
Other Deaths (In Theater) 1,378
Non-mortal Woundings 52,566
1. Estimate based upon new population projection methodology.
2. Estimated figure. Does not include 26,000-31,000 who died in Union prisons.
3. Years of U.S. involvement in war.
4. Total will be more than sum of conflicts due to no "end date" established for Persian Gulf War.
5. October 7, 2001 through May 29, 2012 (unless otherwise indicated). Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation New Dawn.
6. Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) estimate, as of 4/09, does not include those still on active duty and may include veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
7. The Pentagon no longer discloses the exact numbers of troops deployed to fight the Global War on Terror.
Source: Department of Defense and Veterans Administration.
Photo Source: 123RF/Maria Dryfhout

See also Post-Vietnam Combat Casualties.

 

Fighting Words: An Iraq War Glossary American Wars Casualties in World War I
American Wars
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