How many medics were killed in action in Vietnam? 1,100 medics and 680 Navy Corpsmen were killed in action and 3,300 were wounded during the Vietnam War.

How many medics were killed in action in Vietnam?

1,100 medics and 680 Navy Corpsmen were killed in action and 3,300 were wounded during the Vietnam War.

Here is an answer I have before on Quora about a combat event I will never forget.

Near Tay Ninh in a lovely place called War Zone C on a map. Delta Co. 11th. Armored Cav. This was a big fight; so far we lost two ACAV’s and some good men.

 The battle was quieting a bit. These were NVA regulars not your VC guerillas. These guys knew how to fight and stayed and fought.

Driving a Big Boy, code name for an M48A3 tank though we called them Buick’s because they drove like one, I checked my fuel gauge, I was down below half. This thing loved to gulp diesel fuel like I did strawberry malts. I was getting nervous.

“Getting down on fuel Mav,” I said to our TC.

“Resupply will be coming,” he said over the com. That was good. The big Chinooks would be bringing hot food, ammo, spare parts, fuel bladders and hopefully mail.

Green tracers began coming toward us as some of the tanks rolled forward. We were opcon to the 4/12 Infantry (199th). 

I watched the boys walking forward with the tanks. A flurry of green tracer fire exploded out of the trees, and mortar rounds exploded though I could hear nothing in the tank. I saw one of the grunts go down through my left driver’s scope.

 The rest of the grunts took cover behind a tank and ACAV which were now shredding the jungle with vicious fire from canister, M2s, M73s and M60s. When a grunt takes cover near a tank, it’s got to be pretty bad. Grunts hated being near a tank.

I watched as a medic sprinted to the downed soldier taking a strapped bag off his shoulder and kneel down by him. Suddenly tracer fire came toward and through them.

 I saw the medic jerk twice then fall over the man he was attending. He did not move. In utter helplessness, I watched and angry tears flowed down my cheeks which I wiped away with my hands. We were waiting for orders to move. I could do nothing.

“We’re going to be drag, hold it Dutch,” Maverick our TC said over the com. When the rest of the ACAVs, troops and tanks rolled past us, it was our turn, last tank, tail end Charlie, end of the line and just as bad as being first. 

The big gun swung around to the six o’clock position. As I drove past I could see some grunts lift and lay the medic on his back. He flopped like a rag doll. He was surely dead, I could tell

That’s one of the sights that will never leave me and every time I see a medic in a movie, I think of that poor soul who was killed trying to help his fellow man.

 He had a big Red Cross painted on a white circle on his helmet, easily visible. Didn’t matter to Charlie. Didn’t matter at all.

Medics learned to take off the red crosses so they’d look just like another grunt. Instead of having a bullseye painted on their helmet, they might stand more of a chance looking like an ordinary dogface. These guys were the true heroes.

Above Medic James Callahan trying to save a soldiers life in combat north of Saigon in War Zone D. James Callahan made it home from Vietnam. He died in a motorcycle accident in 2008. 

There is no other title to give him but hero though I am sure he would not accept it. Remember his name, I will.