AMERICAN PRISONERS OF WAR

IN

WWI, WWII, KOREA, VIETNAM, PERSIAN GULF, AND SOMALIA

STATISTICAL DATA CONCERNING NUMBERS

CAPTURED, REPATRIATED AND STILL ALIVE

AS OF JANUARY 1,1999

PREPARED FOR THE

DVA ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON FORMER PRISONERS OF WAR

MENTAL HEALTH STRATEGIC HEALTH GROUP, VHA, DVA

AMERICAN EX-PRISONERS OF WAR ASSOCIATION

BY CHARLES A STENGER, PH.D.

AMERICAN PRISONERS OF WAR
IN
WORLD WAR I, WORLD WAR II, KOREA, VIETNAM, PERSIAN GULF,
AND SOMALIA
JANUARY 1,1999

This annual report, which began in 1976 was developed in cooperation with the Department of Defense, National Research Council, National Archives and other sources. As such it reflects consensual agreement as to the accuracy of the information presented. Inquiries or comments should be directed to Dr. Charles A. Stenger, American Ex-Prisoners of War Association, 7425 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, Maryland 20817, (301) 365-5452

1. Vietnam MIA data is on page 4 and except for 28 escapees and 632 released POWs, is not included in this table.

2. January 1, 1982 is used as baseline since it most closely reflects the total POW populations at the time the landmark POW law (P.L. 97-37) became effective on October 1, 1981. As of January 1,1999,40,254 (43%) of those alive on that date are now deceased.

3. Not included in this table is the fact that 92,313 were lost in either combat or MIA status and remains were never recovered, The breakdown by wartime period is as follows: WWI - 3,350; WWII-78,773; Korea-8,100; Vietnam-2,078; Persian Gulf-12; Somalia-0; Bosnia-0.

4. Also not included in WWII data is Merchant Marine casualties of 4,780 missing 882 dead (including 37 POWs) and 572 released from captivity and one civilian POW accounted for. Approximately 250 are alive as of January 1,1999. (Summary of Merchant Marine casualties, WWII, from U.S. Coast Guard report dated July 1,1950.)

5. Also, not included in WWII casualty data are 1,146 construction workers on. Wake Islands and 69 American Airline employees on Guam. Both, by class, were deemed to be veterans for VA purposes in accordance with DoD Directive 1000.210 (P.L. 95-202). Approximately 600 were captured, with approximately 160 of that number alive on January 1,1999.

6. During the Civil War 220,000 were captured by the North, with 26,436 dying during confinement and 126,950 were captured by the South, with 22,576 dying during confinement. (The Civil War. Garden Press, New York, New York.) During the American Revolution, unofficial reports indicate up to 11,000 died during captivity, most while confined in prison ships in New York harbor.

(a) Includes 23,554 captured during the Battle of Bulge (Ardennes, December 16, 1944 -January 25, 1945).

(b)Also known as the Bataan-Corregidor combat zone. Statistics in this column are incorporated in the Pacific totals.

(c)U.S. Forces captured included approximately 17,000 American nationals and 12,000 Filipino Scouts. During the first year of captivity, a reported 30% of the American and 80% of the Filipino died. Data is unclear as to the proportion of each group surviving to repatriation, but a very rough estimate would be 11,000 Americans and 4,000 Filipino Scouts. This information is based on military records developed during the war and no accurate breakdown was made after repatriation. In addition, some 7,300 American civilian men, women, and children were involuntarily incarcerated by the Japanese in 1941-1942. Approximately 2,450 are alive as of January 1,1999. An additional 13,000 Amerasians holding American citizenship hid out during this period were never interned, and 1,900 are estimated to be alive as of January 1, 1999.

(a)Navy casualty data related to naval vessels, not to theater of operation.

(b)Marine Corps personnel captured in Philippine Island December 1941 - May 1942 totaled 1,388. Data on numbers dying during captivity, repatriated, and still living are not available for this theater of operations.

1. These data indicate status through November 4, 1954. As of that date, 24 were still missing. By September 15, 1955, fifteen of these men had been released and the other nine were declared dead.

2. Does not include eighty-one Navy personnel who were involved in the Pueblo incident.

Approximately 744 were captured and 84 of them were designated by DoD as dying in captivity. The total escaping or surviving to repatriation is 660. Latest data on MIAs from the National League of Families of American Prisoners of War and MIAs in Southeast Asia through Nov 10, 1998 is summarized as follows:

The total number of American servicemen captured by Iraq was 23 and all were immediately repatriated when hostilities ceased. Originally, an additional 29 were listed as MIAs, but bodies of 17 were recovered. The remaining 12’s status remains unknown, but is presumed to have been lost over water. (Source DoD).

One serviceman was captured and held prisoner for 10 days in 1993 by forces hostile to due United Nations/United States personnel in that country. Regardless of the length of time one is held captive, being under the complete control of hostilities who kill, maim, or injure you at any moment causes psychological trauma that is not only extreme, but also enduring.

*Median age with no prior service.

Note: Data provided by VA Analysis and Statistical Service (008C1)

1. Army Battle Casualties and Non-Baffle Deaths in WWII: Final Report, 7 December 1941 -31 December 1946, Published 1 June 1953.

2. Combat Connected Naval Casualties: WWII by States - 1946 UNS - MC - GC, 2 Vol. Published by Casualty Section, Navy Department.

3. History of Medical Department of Navy in WWII: Statistics of Diseases and Injuries, US Govt. Printing Office (Nay. Med. P. 1318, Vol. 3).

4. History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in WWII: Volume V. Appendix A, Published 1968 by Historical Branch, G-3 Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps.

1. DoD Public Information Release No. 1088 - 54, November 5,1954.

2. DoD Tentative Final Report of U.S. Baffle Casualties in the Korean War, Office of Secretary of Defense, November 4,1954.

. Original data developed by National Archives Machine Readable Division from records provided by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and verified by the POW/MIA Office in the Pentagon.

2. Current data on VN POWs provided by Mike Grath, NAM-POW Association.

3. Updates on VN MIAs provided by National League of Families.

1. Bases for estimates of number of WWI, WWII, and Korean Conflict returnees alive on January 1 of each year are provided by William Page, Medical Follow-up Agency, National Research Council as follows:

a. For WWI, the proportion assumed to be still alive on January 1,1999 is based on U.S. Life Tables for White Males, 1969 - 1971, assuming they were living on January 1,1919, at the rate predicted by the NAS Study of WWI veterans in 1960.

b. For WWIL and Korean Conflict proportion alive on January 1,1999, is based in part, upon the NAS study of mortality of POWs to January 1,1976, (American Journal of Epidemiology, February 1980), and the application of 1978 U.S. death rates for updating to January 1,1996. That NAS study is currently being updated, with completion in 1999. In the interim, death rates applicable to all WWII and Korean Conflict Veterans are utilized in this report.

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