Combat Casualties among U.S. Marine Corps Personnel in Vietnam: 1964- 1972

Abstract : From an epidemiologic perspective, very little is known about the agent, host, and environment of combat casualties. Such information is particularly important in planning for medical treatment procedures and facilities which pertain to combat personnel in a military theater of operations. The objective of the paper is to provide a descriptive account of four distinct aspects of combat casualties among Marine Corps personnel in Vietnam between 1964 and 1972: (1) types of personnel injured in battle; (2) types of injuries; (3) wounding agents; and (4) the flow of patients into and from medical facilities in Vietnam. Because population at risk could not be determined, relatively little can be said about risk factors for combat casualties based on this study. It is also difficult to generalize about combat casualties based on the Vietnam experience. However, while only descriptive in nature, the data contained in the Marine Corps Inpatient Data File reflect the demands placed on medical facilities in a military theater of operations and present a picture as the characteristics of wounded personnel. In order to provide a complete picture of morbidity and mortality during military conflicts and the demand placed on Navy and Fleet Marine Corps medical resources, future studies should concentrate on psychiatric casualties and disease and non-battle injuries (DNBI) among Navy and Marine Corps personnel.