Today, some Americans may not see the true significance of Memorial Day. It has simply become the unofficial start to summer, a three-day weekend to open the pool and do some yard work. It is also a “tent pole” for summer blockbusters, and a time to relax.
However, none of that would have ever been possible were it not for what Memorial Day is truly about.
Many people may also think it is a holiday to honor American military veterans, but it is actually a far more solemn occasion; as it is the day that is meant to honor those men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is a time to reflect and remember those American patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting and defending the country they loved.
Deadliest Wars in American History
To mark this year’s Memorial Day, we look back at the wars that sadly earned the distinction of costing the most American lives.
1. The Korean War
The “Forgotten War,” as it has become known, certainly shouldn’t be forgotten. Nearly five million people in total died as the result of the Korean War and more than half of those were civilians, accounting for ten percent of the Korean peninsula’s total population.
In addition, during the more than three-year-long war (1950-53), a total of 33,739 U.S. soldiers were killed in combat, while another 2,835 also lost their lives as a result of the conflict. Nearly seventy years later the war isn’t even technically over, as North and South Korea never signed an official peace treaty.
2. The Vietnam War
Approximately 2.7 million American men and women served in Vietnam, and until the conflict in Afghanistan, it had the dubious distinction of being America’s longest war. It was also the first time in U.S. history for the military to fail to meet its wartime objectives. That makes the loss of American lives all the more painful, and even five decades later, many still ask why we were ever involved.
A total of 58,220 soldiers died during the conflict in Vietnam between 1955 and 1975 – from the commencement of the Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) to the date of the last U.S. service member to leave Southeast Asia – with 47,434 being direct casualties in combat.
3. The First World War
The United States military’s losses in the First World War (1914-1918) were significantly fewer than those of the European belligerents. However, when considering that the U.S. military only went “over there” and took part in the final year and a half of the conflict, the loss of 116,516 men is simply staggering.
A total of 53,402 men were killed in combat, while 63,114 died from disease including Spanish Flu. An additional 320,000 suffered wounds or illnesses during the so-called “War to End All Wars.”
The First World War also saw the worst U.S. combat losses in a single engagement. From Sept. 26 to Nov. 11, 1918, during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive the American forces slowly but steadily pushed back the Germans. In the first three hours of fighting, the U.S. forces expended more ammunition than what was used by both sides during the entire American Civil War. While the Germans lost a reported 28,000 men and the French as many as 70,000, some 26,277 Americans were killed in the fighting, while more than 95,000 were wounded to ensure the final victory. The single battle accounted for more than half of total U.S. deaths in the war.
4. The Second World War
Nearly seventeen million Americans – truly “The Greatest Generation” – served in uniform during the Second World War (1939-1945), and of those 405,399 never were able to return to civilian life and instead made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Battle deaths accounted for 291,557 of the total casualties, while an additional 113,842 died from accidents, disease, and infections.
The U.S. Army (including the Army Air Forces) suffered the greatest losses, with 318,274 killed and another 565,861 wounded; while the Navy lost 62,614 and another 37,778 wounded, which only highlights how many sailors were lost at sea. The United States Marine Corps lost 24,511 while another 68,207 were wounded. The Coast Guard reported losses amounting to 1,917 during the war.
Not included in the official “military deaths” are those who served in the United States Merchant Marines, which played a vital role in moving material around the world during the conflict. A total of 5,662 were killed (including missing/presumed dead), and 37 died as POWs.
5. The American Civil War
Of all the wars fought by Americans, it was the one that saw the nation literally torn apart that had the most significant casualties. According to a 2012 study, approximately 750,000 soldiers from both sides were killed during the American Civil War (1861-1865). About half of those from combat, while the rest died as the result of starvation, disease, and accidents.
The Battle of Gettysburg, which has been seen as the true turning point of the war, also has the distinction of being the fifth most deadly American battle to date. Fought from July 1–3, 1863, some 7,863 Americans lost their lives on the fields of southeastern Pennsylvania including 3,155 Union and 4,708 Confederate troops. The fighting for “Little Round Top” on July 2 accounted for nearly 1,750 dead. Regardless of the side, they all died as Americans.
