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

The table below has information about the total number of service members, battle deaths, and nonmortal woundings in wars from 1775 to 2011; 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 fewer than 251
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 3,242,0001
Korean War (1950–1953)
Total servicemembers 5,720,000
Serving in-theater 1,789,000
Battle deaths 33,741
Other deaths in service (theater) 2,833
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 17,672
Nonmortal woundings 103,284
Living veterans 3,086,4001
Vietnam War (1964–1975)
Total servicemembers 8,744,000
Serving in-theater 3,403,000
Battle deaths 47,424
Other deaths in service (theater) 10,785
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 32,000
Nonmortal woundings 153,303
Living veterans 7,286,5001
Gulf War (1990–1991)
Total servicemembers 2,225,000
Serving in-theater 665,476
Battle deaths 147
Other deaths in service (theater) 382
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 1,565
Nonmortal woundings 467
Living veterans 1,852,0001
America's Wars Total (1775–1991)
Military service during war 41,891,368
Battle deaths 651,030
Other deaths in service (theater) 308,800
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 230,279
Nonmortal woundings 1,431,290
Living war veterans 17,456,0004
Living veterans 23,442,000
Global War on Terror 5
Total Servicemembers (Worldwide) (as of Dec 31, 2010) 1,429,367
Deployed to Iraq (Operation New Dawn) (as of Dec. 31, 2010) 85,600
Deployed to Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom)(as of Dec. 31, 2010) 103,700
Battle Deaths (as of May 12, 2011) 4,724
Other Deaths (In Theater) (as of May 12, 2011) 1,294
Non-mortal Woundings (as of May 12, 2011) 43,399
1. Veterans Administration estimate as of Nov. 2008.
2. Estimated figure. Does not include 26,000–31,000 who died in Union prisons.
3. Years of U.S. involvement in war.
4. Approximately 1,065,000 veterans had service in multiple conflicts. They are counted under each conflict, but only once in the total.
Source: Department of Defense and Veterans Administration.

See also Post-Vietnam Combat Casualties.


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