American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

April 26, 2017 (RL32492)
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Summary

This report provides U.S. war casualty statistics. It includes data tables containing the number of casualties among American military personnel who served in principal wars and combat operations from 1775 to the present. It also includes data on those wounded in action and information such as race and ethnicity, gender, branch of service, and cause of death. The tables are compiled from various Department of Defense (DOD) sources.

Wars covered include the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam Conflict, and the Persian Gulf War. Military operations covered include the Iranian Hostage Rescue Mission; Lebanon Peacekeeping; Urgent Fury in Grenada; Just Cause in Panama; Desert Shield and Desert Storm; Restore Hope in Somalia; Uphold Democracy in Haiti; Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF); Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF); Operation New Dawn (OND); Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR); and Operation Freedom's Sentinel (OFS).

Starting with the Korean War and the more recent conflicts, this report includes additional detailed information on types of casualties and, when available, demographics. It also cites a number of resources for further information, including sources of historical statistics on active duty military deaths, published lists of military personnel killed in combat actions, data on demographic indicators among U.S. military personnel, related websites, and relevant Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports.


American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Introduction

This report provides war casualty statistics. It includes data tables containing the number of fatalities and the number of wounded among American military personnel who served in principal wars and combat actions from 1775 to the present. It also includes information such as race and ethnicity, gender, branch of service, and, in some cases, detailed information on types of casualties and causes of death.

Casualty statistics for wars that ended long ago are updated periodically, sometimes yearly. These updates almost always reflect the identification of remains of persons previously listed as missing in action and the reclassification of those persons as dead. Other reasons, much less frequent, include the discovery of errors in casualty records for individuals or categories such as race and ethnicity.

Casualty Statistics

U.S. casualty statistics are information on war fighters who have fallen in global or regional conflicts involving the United States. The data are gathered on deceased, wounded, ill, or injured active duty U.S. military personnel and Guard/Reservists. The Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) is maintained by the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC).

Casualty statistics for conflicts prior to the Persian Gulf War (Desert Shield and Desert Storm) are updated periodically by the DCAS of the DMDC. Casualty figures for Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation New Dawn (OND), Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), and Operation Freedom's Sentinel (OFS) are updated daily. Links to the sources for casualty figures appear below each table in this report.

Table 1 lists casualty statistics for battles, attacks, or operations for which the Congressional Research Service (CRS) receives numerous requests.

Table 1. Principal Wars or Conflicts in Which the United States Participated: U.S. Military Personnel Serving and Casualties

(1775-1991)

 

Casualties

War or Conflict

Branch of Service

Number
Serving

Total Deaths

Battle
Deaths

Other
Deaths

Wounds Not
Mortala

Revolutionary Warb
1775-1783

Total

4,435

4,435

6,188

 

Army

4,044

4,044

6,004

 

Navy

342

342

114

 

Marines

49

49

70

War of 1812c
1812-1815

Total

286,730

2,260

2,260

4,505

 

Army

1,950

1,950

4,000

 

Navy

265

265

439

 

Marines

45

45

66

Mexican Warc
1846-1848

Total

78,718

13,283

1,733

11,550

4,152

 

Army

13,271

1,721

11,550

4,102

 

Navy

1

1

3

 

Marines

11

11

47

Civil Warcd
(Union Forces Only)e
1861-1865

Total

2,213,363

364,511

140,414

224,097

281,881

 

Army

2,128,948

359,528

138,154

221,374

280,040

 

Navy

84,415

4,523

2,112

2,411

1,710

 

Marines

f

460

148

312

131

Spanish-American War
1898-1901

Total

306,760

2,446

385

2,061

1,662

 

Armyg

280,564

2,430

369

2,061

1,594

 

Navy

22,875

10

10

47

 

Marines

3,321

6

6

21

World War I

1917-1918

Total

4,734,991

116,516

53,402

63,114

204,002

 

Armyh

4,057,101

106,378

50,510

55,868

193,663

 

Navy

599,051

7,287

431

6,856

819

 

Marines

78,839

2,851

2,461

390

9,520

World War IIi
1941-1946j

Total

16,112,566

405,399

291,557

113,842

670,846

 

Armyk

11,260,000

318,274

234,874

83,400

565,861

 

Navyl

4,183,466

62,614

36,950

25,664

37,778

 

Marines

669,100

24,511

19,733

4,778

67,207

Korean Warm
1950-1953

Total

5,720,000

36,574

33,739

2,835

103,284

 

Army

2,834,000

29,856

27,731

2,125

77,596

 

Navy

1,177,000

657

503

154

1,576

 

Marines

424,000

4,509

4,267

242

23,744

 

Air Force

1,285,000

1,552

1,238

314

368

Vietnam Conflictn
1964-1973

Total

8,744,000

58,220

47,434

10,786

Hosp. Care Req'd: 153,303
No Hospital Care: 150,341

 

Army

4,368,000

38,224

30,963

7,261

Hosp. Care Req'd: 96,802
No Hospital Care: 104,723

 

Navy

1,842,000

2,566

1,631

935

Hosp. Care Req'd: 4,178
No Hospital Care: 5,898

 

Marines

794,000

14,844

13,095

1,749

Hosp. Care Req'd: 51,392
No Hospital Care: 37,202

 

Air Force

1,740,000

2,586

1,745

841

Hosp. Care Req'd: 931
No Hospital Care: 2,518

Persian Gulf War
1990-1991

Total

2,225,000

383

148

235

467

 

Army

782,000

224

98

126

354

 

Navy

669,000

56

6

50

12

 

Marines

213,000

68

24

44

92

 

Air Force

561,000

35

20

15

9

Source: Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS), https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_principal_wars.xhtml.

Notes: Data prior to World War I are based on incomplete records in many cases. Casualty data are confined to dead and wounded and, therefore, exclude personnel captured or missing in action who were subsequently returned to military control.

a. Marine Corps data for World War II, the Spanish-American War, and prior wars represent the number of individuals wounded, whereas all other data in this column represent the total number (incidence) of wounds.

b. Number serving not known, but estimates range from 184,000 to 250,000.

c. As reported by the Commissioner of Pensions in the annual report for FY1903.

d. The Civil War (1861-1865) produced the most American casualties, when both Union statistics and Confederate estimates are taken into account.

e. Authoritative statistics for the Confederate forces are not available. Estimates of the number who served range from 600,000 to 1,500,000. The final report of the Provost Marshal General, 1863-1866, indicated 133,821 Confederate deaths (74,524 battle and 59,297 other) based upon incomplete returns. In addition, an estimated 26,000 to 31,000 Confederate personnel died in Union prisons.

f. The Marine Corps number serving is included in the Navy total.

g. Number serving covers the period April 21, 1898, to August 13, 1898, whereas dead and wounded data are for the period May 1, 1898, to August 31, 1898. Active hostilities ceased on August 13, 1898, but ratifications of the Treaty of Peace were not exchanged between the United States and Spain until April 11, 1899.

h. Includes air service. Battle deaths and wounds not mortal include casualties suffered by American forces in northern Russia to August 25, 1919, and in Siberia to April 1, 1920. Other deaths cover the period from April 1, 1917, to December 31, 1918.

i. World War II was the first war in which there were more American battle casualties than deaths from other causes, such as accidents, disease, and infections.

j. Data are for the period December 1, 1941, through December 31, 1946, when hostilities were officially terminated by presidential proclamation, but a few battle deaths or wounds not mortal were incurred after the Japanese acceptance of the Allied peace terms on August 14, 1945. Numbers serving from December 1, 1941, through August 31, 1945, were as follows: Total 14,903,213; Army 10,420,000; Navy 3,883,520; and Marine Corps 599,693.

k. Includes Army air forces, also known as the Army Air Corps.

l. Battle deaths and wounds not mortal include casualties incurred in October 1941 due to hostile action.

m. Worldwide military deaths during the Korean War totaled 54,246. In-theater casualty records are updated annually.

n. Number serving covers the period August 5, 1964 ("Vietnam era" begins), through January 27, 1973 (date of cease-fire). Deaths include the period November 1, 1955 (commencement date for the Military Assistance Advisory Group); through May 15, 1975 (date last American servicemembers left Southeast Asia). Casualty records are updated annually, including current deaths that are directly attributed to combat in the Vietnam Conflict. Additional detail shows the number of wounded-in-action servicemembers not requiring hospital care.

o. For this conflict, Coast Guard numbers are included with Navy. Report does not include one servicemember missing in action (Captain Michael "Scott" Speicher, whose remains were recovered in Iraq in 2009).

Table 2. Worldwide U.S. Active Duty Military Deaths in Selected Military Operations

(1980-1996)

Military Operation/Incident

Casualty
Type

Total

Army

Navy

Air Force

Marine Corps

Iranian Hostage Rescue Mission
April 25, 1980

Nonhostilea

8

0

0

5

3

Lebanon Peacekeeping
August 25, 1982-February 26, 1984

Hostileb

256

3

19

0

234

 

Nonhostile

9

5

2

0

2

 

Total

265

8

21

0

236

Urgent Fury, Grenada
1983

Hostile

18

11

4

0

3

 

Nonhostile

1

1

0

0

0

 

Total

19

12

4

0

3

Just Cause, Panama
1989

Hostile

23

18

4

0

1

Persian Gulf War
1990-1991

 

 

 

 

 

 

Desert Shield

Nonhostile

84

21

36

9

18

Desert Storm

Hostile

148

98

6

20

24

 

Nonhostile

151

105

14

6

26

 

Desert Storm Total

299

203

20

26

50

Desert Shield and Desert Storm

Total

383

224

56

35

68

Restore Hope and UNOSOMc, Somalia,
1992-1994

Hostile

29

27

0

0

2

 

Nonhostile

14

4

0

8

2

 

Total

43

31

0

8

4

Uphold Democracy, Haiti
1994-1996

Nonhostile

4

3

0

0

1

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_operations.xhtml.

a. According to the Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, as amended through August 31, 2005, a nonhostile casualty is a casualty that is not directly attributable to hostile action or terrorist activity, such as casualties due to the elements, self-inflicted wounds, or combat fatigue. The current version of the Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, as amended through July 16, 2014, uses the term nonbattle casualty for nonhostile casualty. See http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/new_pubs/jp1_02.pdf.

b. The dictionary named above defines a hostile casualty as a person who is the victim of a terrorist activity or who becomes a casualty in action. In action characterizes the casualty as having been the direct result of hostile action, sustained in combat or relating thereto, or sustained going to or returning from a combat mission provided the occurrence was directly related to hostile action. Included are persons killed or wounded mistakenly or accidentally by friendly fire directed at a hostile force or what is thought to be a hostile force. However, not to be considered as sustained in action and not to be interpreted as hostile casualties are injuries or death due to the elements, self-inflicted wounds, combat fatigue, and, except in unusual cases, wounds or death inflicted by a friendly force while the individual is in an absent-without-leave, deserter, or dropped-from-rolls status or is voluntarily absent from a place of duty.

c. United Nations Operation in Somalia (April 1992-March 1993).

Table 3. Active Duty Military Deaths: Race/Ethnicity Summary

(as of July 25, 2009)

Race/Ethnicity

Korean War

Vietnam Conflict

Persian Gulf War

Number of Deaths

F

M

F

M

F

M

American Indian or Alaska Native

0

104

0

226

0

3

Asian

0

241

0

139

0

1

Black or African American

0

3,075

0

7,243

3

63

Hispanic or Latino

0

306

0

0

0

1

Hispanic or Latino—One or More Races

0

576

0

350

0

14

More Than One Race or Unknown

0

2,853

0

204

0

3

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

0

148

0

229

0

2

White

2

29,269

8

49,826

12

280

Total

2

36,572

8

58,217

15

367

Percentagea

F

M

F

M

F

M

American Indian or Alaska Native

0

0.3

0

0.4

0

0.8

Asian

0

0.7

0

0.2

0

0.3

Black or African American

0

8.4

0

12.4

20.0

17.2

Hispanic or Latino

0

0.8

0

0

0

0.3

Hispanic or Latino—One or More Races

0

1.6

0

0.6

0

3.8

More Than One Race or Unknown

0

7.8

0

0.4

0

0.8

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

0

0.4

0

0.4

0

0.5

White

0

80.0

0

85.6

80.0

76.3

Source: Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/Documents/RACE-OMB-WC.pdf.

Notes: Prior to the Korean War, race often went untracked. In the few cases in which race was tracked or recorded, soldiers were given a choice between some variation of "white" or "black"; categories such as "Hispanic or Latino," "Asian," or "Native American" were not used. "F" indicates female, and "M" indicates male. In 2010, Census changed Hispanic as a race to an ethnicity. The definition of Hispanic of Latino origin used in the 2010 Census was as follows: "Hispanic or Ltino" refers to a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race. See Census document. See Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin: 2010 Census Brief, at http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-02.pdf.

a. Percentages of total female or male deaths, divided by ethnicity. For instance, in the Persian Gulf War, 20% of female deaths were black or African American and 80% of female deaths were white.

Table 4. U.S. Active Duty Military Deaths, 1980-2010, Part I: Total Military Personnel

(as of November 2011)

Calendar
Year

Active
Duty

Full-Time (est.)
Guard-Reserve

Selected
Reserve FTEa

Total
Military FTE

Total
Deaths

1980

2,050,758

22,000

86,872

2,159,630

2,392

1981

2,093,032

22,000

91,719

2,206,751

2,380

1982

2,112,609

41,000

97,458

2,251,067

2,319

1983

2,123,909

49,000

100,455

2,273,364

2,465

1984

2,138,339

55,000

104,583

2,297,922

1,999

1985

2,150,379

64,000

108,806

2,323,185

2,252

1986

2,177,845

69,000

113,010

2,359,855

1,984

1987

2,166,611

71,000

115,086

2,352,697

1,983

1988

2,121,659

72,000

115,836

2,309,495

1,819

1989

2,112,128

74,200

117,056

2,303,384

1,636

1990

2,046,806

74,250

137,268

2,258,324

1,507

1991

1,943,937

70,250

184,002

2,198,189

1,787

1992

1,773,996

67,850

111,491

1,953,337

1,293

1993

1,675,269

68,500

105,768

1,849,537

1,213

1994

1,581,649

65,000

99,833

1,746,482

1,075

1995

1,502,343

65,000

94,585

1,661,928

1,040

1996

1,456,266

65,000

92,409

1,613,675

974

1997

1,418,773

65,000

94,609

1,578,382

817

1998

1,381,034

65,000

92,536

1,538,570

827

1999

1,367,838

65,000

93,104

1,525,942

796

2000

1,372,352

65,000

93,078

1,530,430

832

2001

1,384,812

65,000

102,284

1,552,096

943

2002

1,411,200

66,000

149,942

1,627,142

1,051

2003

1,423,348

66,000

243,284

1,732,632

1,399

2004

1,411,287

66,000

234,629

1,711,916

1,847

2005

1,378,014

66,000

220,000

1,664,014

1,929

2006

1,371,533

72,000

168,000

1,611,533

1,882

2007

1,368,226

72,000

168,000

1,608,226

1,953

2008

1,402,227

73,000

207,917

1,683,144

1,440

2009

1,421,668

75,000

144,083

1,640,751

1,515

2010

1,430,985

76,000

178,193

1,685,178

1,485

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_by_year_manner.xhtml.

Notes: Official Department of Defense (DOD) end-strengths as of December 31 for military pay accounts. Excludes full-time Guard and Reserve.

a. Full-time equivalent (FTE) is based on official DOD fiscal year end selected reserve strength (10% of the figure is used to estimate days on active duty).

Table 5. U.S. Active Duty Military Deaths, 1980- 2010, Part II: Cause of Death

(as of November 2011)

Calendar
Year

Total
Deaths

Accident

Hostile
Action

Homicide

Illness

Pending

Self-
Inflicted

Terrorist
Attack

Undetermined

1980

2,392

1,556

0

174

419

0

231

1

11

1981

2,380

1,524

0

145

457

0

241

0

13

1982

2,319

1,493

0

108

446

0

254

2

16

1983

2,465

1,413

18

115

419

0

218

263

19

1984

1,999

1,293

1

84

374

0

225

6

16

1985

2,252

1,476

0

111

363

0

275

5

22

1986

1,984

1,199

2

103

384

0

269

0

27

1987

1,983

1,172

37

104

383

0

260

2

25

1988

1,819

1,080

0

90

321

0

285

17

26

1989

1,636

1,000

23

58

294

0

224

0

37

1990

1,507

880

0

74

277

0

232

1

43

1991

1,787

931

147

112

308

0

256

0

33

1992

1,293

676

0

109

252

0

238

1

17

1993

1,213

632

0

86

221

0

236

29

9

1994

1,075

544

0

83

206

0

232

0

10

1995

1,040

538

0

67

174

0

250

7

4

1996

974

527

1

52

173

0

188

19

14

1997

817

433

0

42

170

0

159

0

13

1998

827

445

0

26

174

0

165

3

14

1999

796

439

0

38

154

0

150

0

15

2000

832

429

0

37

180

0

153

17

16

2001

943

461

12

49

197

0

153

46

25

2002

1,051

565

17

54

213

0

174

0

28

2003

1,399

597

312

46

231

1

190

0

22

2004

1,847

605

735

46

256

0

197

0

8

2005

1,929

646

739

54

280

1

182

0

27

2006

1,882

561

769

47

257

8

213

0

27

2007

1,953

561

847

52

237

22

211

0

23

2008

1,440

506

352

47

244

6

259

1

25

2009

1,515

467

346

77

277

19

302

0

27

2010

1,485

424

456

39

238

22

289

0

17

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_by_year_manner.xhtml.

Table 6. Korean War: Casualty Summary

(as of April 24, 2017)

Casualty Type

Total

Army

Air Force

Marine Corps

Navy

Killed in Action

23,613

19,715

209

3,320

369

Died of Wounds

2,460

1,887

14

532

27

Missing in Action—Declared Dead

4,817

3,337

991

386

103

Captured—Declared Dead

2,849

2,792

24

29

4

Total Hostile Deaths

33,739

27,731

1,238

4,267

503

Missing—Presumed Dead

8

4

4

0

0

Other Deaths

2,827

2,121

310

242

154

Total Nonhostile Deaths

2,835

2,125

314

242

154

Total In-Theater Deathsa

36,574

29,856

1,552

4,509

657

Total Non-Theater Deaths

17,672

7,277

5,532

1,019

3,844

Total Deaths

54,246

37,133

7,084

5,528

4,501

Killed in Action (No Remains)

1,521

1,072

49

252

148

Died of Wounds (No Remains)

22

22

0

0

0

Missing in Action—Declared Dead (No Remains)

4,549

3,276

807

372

94

Captured—Declared Dead (No Remains)

1,891

1,850

13

25

3

Nonhostile Missing—Presumed Dead (No Remains)

8

4

4

0

0

Nonhostile Other Deaths (No Remains)

84

5

37

6

36

Total—No Remains

8,075

6,229

910

655

281

Wounded—Not Mortal

103,284

77,596

368

23,744

1,576

Number Serving Worldwideb

5,720,000

2,834,000

1,285,000

424,000

1,177,000

Number Serving In-Theaterb

1,789,000

1,153,000

241,000

130,000

265,000

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_korea_sum.xhtml.

a. Inclusive dates are June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953. Casualty dates after the end date represent servicemembers who were wounded during the period and subsequently died as a result of those wounds and servicemembers who were involved in an incident during the period and were later declared dead.

b. Estimated figures.

Table 7. Vietnam Conflict: Casualty Summary

(as of April 24, 2017)

Casualty Type

Total

Army

Air Force

Marine Corps

Navya

Killed in Action

40,934

27,047

1,080

11,501

1,306

Died of Wounds

5,299

3,610

51

1,486

152

Missing in Action—Declared Dead

1,085

261

589

98

137

Captured—Declared Dead

116

45

25

10

36

Total Hostile Deaths

47,434

30,963

1,745

13,095

1,631

Missing—Presumed Dead

123

118

0

3

2

Other Deaths

10,663

7,143

841

1,746

933

Total Nonhostile Deaths

10,786

7,261

841

1,749

935

Total In-Theater Deaths

58,220

38,224

2,586

14,844

2,566

Killed in Action (No Remains)

575

173

206

102

94

Missing in Action—Declared Dead (No Remains)

691

201

339

74

77

Captured—Declared Dead (No Remains)

52

32

7

3

10

Nonhostile Missing—Presumed Dead (No Remains)

91

86

0

3

2

Nonhostile Other Deaths (No Remains)

332

69

30

37

196

Total—No Remains

1,741

561

582

219

379

Wounded—Not Mortal

153,303

96,802

931

51,392

4,178

Number Serving Worldwideb

8,744,000

4,368,000

1,740,000

794,000

1,842,000

Number Serving Southeast Asia

3,403,000

2,276,000

385,000

513,000

229,000

Number Serving South Vietnam

2,594,000

1,736,000

293,000

391,000

174,000

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_vietnam_sum.xhtml.

Notes: Inclusive dates are November 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975. Casualty dates after the end date represent servicemembers who were wounded during the period and subsequently died as a result of those wounds and those servicemembers who were involved in an incident during the period and were later declared dead.

a. Includes Coast Guard.

b. Estimated figures.

Table 8. Persian Gulf War: Casualty Summary

(Desert Shield and Desert Storm; as of April 24, 2017)

Casualty Type

Total

Army

Air Force

Marine Corps

Navya

Killed in Action

143

96

20

22

5

Died of Wounds

4

2

0

2

0

Missing in Action—Declared Dead

0

0

0

0

0

Captured—Declared Dead

0

0

0

0

0

Total Hostile Deaths

147

98

20

24

5

Missing—Presumed Dead

12

0

2

8

2

Other Deaths

223

126

13

36

48

Total Nonhostile Deaths

235

126

15

44

50

Total In-Theater Deaths

382

224

35

68

55

Total Non-Theater Deaths

1,565

608

299

171

487

Total Deaths

1,947

832

334

239

542

Killed in Action (No Remains)

2

0

0

0

2

Missing in Action (No Remains)

0

0

0

0

0

Captured—Declared Dead (No Remains)

0

0

0

0

0

Nonhostile Missing—Presumed Dead (No Remains)

12

0

2

8

2

Total—No Remains

14

0

2

8

4

Wounded—Not Mortal

467

354

9

92

12

Serving Worldwideb

2,225,000

782,000

561,000

213,000

669,000

Serving In-Theater—Active Duty

584,342

271,654

70,741

90,866

151,081

Serving In-Theater—Recalledc

110,208

78,512

11,666

12,660

7,370

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_gulf_sum.xhtml.

Notes: Inclusive dates are August 7, 1990, to January 15, 1991. Any casualty counted after the end date represents a servicemember who was wounded during the period and subsequently died as a result of those wounds or a servicemember who was in a missing status during part of the war period and later declared dead.

a. Includes Coast Guard.

b. Estimated figures.

c. In times of national emergency declared by the President, Section 12304 of Title 10 U.S.C. permits the President to authorize the involuntarily activation of members of the Selected Reserve and the Individual Ready Reserve for a period up to 365 consecutive days and Section 12302 of Title 10 U.S.C. permits the Service Secretaries to authorize the involuntary activation of members of the Ready Reserve under his or her jurisdiction for a period not to exceed 24 consecutive months.

Tables 9 through 11 provide casualty statistics for OEF, which began on October 7, 2001, and was primarily conducted in Afghanistan. U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan ended on December 31, 2014.1 Data for OEF are updated on a daily basis. Daily casualty summaries are available at DOD's website: http://www.defense.gov/news/casualty.pdf.

Tables 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, and 17 provide ethnicity statistics for OEF, OIF, and OND. A U.S. Office of Management and Budget mandate, Directive No. 15, requires all federal record keeping and data presentation to use race and ethnicity categories. For further explanation, see Review of the Racial and Ethnic Standards to the OMB Concerning Changes at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg_directive_15.

Table 9. Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF):
Casualty Summary by Casualty Category

(as of April 24, 2017)

Casualty Type

Total

Army

Navy

Marine Corps

Air Force

Killed in Action

1,369

999

77

245

48

Died of Woundsa

472

329

6

133

4

Died of Terrorist Activities

2

0

0

0

2

Total Hostile Deaths

1,843

1,328

83

378

54

Accident

304

194

24

52

34

Illness/Injury

61

39

12

5

5

Homicide

13

10

0

3

0

Self-Inflicted

114

83

7

19

5

Undetermined

10

7

1

1

1

Total Nonhostile Deaths

503

333

45

80

45

Total Deaths

2,346

1,661

128

458

99

Total Wounded In Action

20,092

14,204

422

4,946

520

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_oef_type.xhtml.

a. Includes those who died of wounds where wounding occurred in the theater and death occurred elsewhere.

Table 10. Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF): Military Deaths

(as of April 24, 2017)

 

Totals

Army

Navy

Marine Corps

Air Force

Casualty Type

 

 

 

 

 

Hostile

Hostile

1,843

1,328

83

378

54

Nonhostile

503

333

45

80

45

Total

2,346

1,661

128

458

99

Gender

 

 

 

 

 

Female

50

36

4

2

8

Male

2,296

1,625

124

456

91

Total

2,346

1,661

128

458

99

Officer/Enlisted

 

 

 

 

 

E1-E4

1,123

772

35

293

23

E5-E9

928

680

74

131

43

Officer

295

209

19

34

33

Total

2,346

1,661

128

458

99

Age

 

 

 

 

 

<22

512

336

15

156

5

22-24

538

365

18

137

18

25-30

728

535

38

123

32

31-35

262

186

33

23

20

>35

306

239

24

19

24

Total

2,346

1,661

128

458

99

Component

 

 

 

 

 

Active Duty

2,027

1,379

121

436

91

Reserve

100

67

7

22

4

National Guard

219

215

0

0

4

Total

2,346

1,661

128

458

99

Race

 

 

 

 

 

American Indian or Alaska Native

30

15

7

6

2

Asian

62

47

6

8

1

Black or African American

191

147

10

28

6

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

8

5

1

2

0

White

1,995

1,410

97

409

79

Multiple Races

30

19

6

1

4

Unknown

30

18

1

4

7

Total

2,346

1,651

128

458

99

Ethnicity

 

 

 

 

 

Asian (Other)

15

6

2

3

4

Chinese

1

0

0

1

0

Cuban

3

3

0

0

0

Filipino

17

11

3

3

0

Guamanian

9

9

0

0

0

Hispanic or Spanish

95

65

9

18

Indian

3

2

0

1

0

Indian Tribes U.S.

18

11

1

4

2

Japanese

1

0

0

0

1

Korean

9

8

1

0

0

Latin American

36

17

3

15

1

Melanesian

1

0

0

0

1

Mexican

39

24

0

13

1

None

1,916

1,343

104

388

81

Other

124

111

3

8

3

Micronesian

3

3

0

0

0

Pacific Islander (Other)

13

11

1

1

0

Polynesian

4

3

1

0

0

Puerto Rican

26

21

0

3

2

Vietnamese

1

1

0

0

0

Not Specified

12

12

0

0

0

Total

2,346

1,661

128

458

99

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_oef_deaths.xhtml.

Table 11. Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF): Military Wounded in Action

(as of April 24, 2017)

 

Totals

Army

Navy

Marine Corps

Air Force

Casualty Type

 

 

 

 

 

Hostile

20,092

14,204

422

4946

520

Total

20,092

14,204

422

4,946

520

Gender

 

 

 

 

 

Female

383

314

6

29

34

Male

19,644

13,890

375

4,894

485

Not Specified

65

0

41

23

1

Total

20,092

14,204

422

4,946

520

Officer/Enlisted

 

 

 

 

 

E1-E4

11,915

7,938

212

3,597

168

E5-E9

6,836

5,200

183

1,151

302

Officer

1,325

1,051

27

197

50

Total

20,076

14,189

422

4,945

520

Age

 

 

 

 

 

<22

4,927

3,070

59

1,767

31

22-24

5,714

3,849

112

1,641

112

25-30

5,911

4,427

122

1,156

206

31-35

1,846

1,475

46

241

84

>35

1,534

1,291

41

117

85

Unknown

160

92

42

24

2

Total

20,092

14,204

422

4,946

520

Component

 

 

 

 

 

Active Duty

17,619

12,102

402

4,675

440

Reserve

800

489

20

271

20

National Guard

1,673

1,613

0

0

60

Total

20,092

14,204

422

4,946

520

Race

 

 

 

 

 

American Indian or Alaska Native

188

116

23

45

4

Asian

390

307

18

58

7

Black or African American

1,408

1,154

30

191

33

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

79

25

8

42

4

White

16,365

12,220

247

3,448

450

Multiple Races

199

133

19

43

4

Unknown

1,463

249

77

1,119

18

Total

20,092

14,204

422

4,946

520

Ethnicity

 

 

 

 

 

Aleut

1

1

0

0

0

Asian (Other)

74

37

1

32

4

Chinese

15

9

1

5

0

Cuban

11

4

0

6

1

Eskimo

9

3

0

6

0

Filipino

60

26

11

21

2

Guamanian

7

4

1

2

0

Hispanic or Spanish

430

256

46

125

3

Indian

33

14

1

17

1

Indian Tribes U.S.

53

21

7

23

2

Japanese

9

5

1

3

0

Korean

23

14

1

7

1

Latin American

138

89

8

38

3

Mexican

323

125

5

187

6

None

2,730

1,458

209

598

465

Other

13,661

11,369

8

2,260

24

Micronesian

8

7

1

0

0

Pacific Islander (Other)

37

21

1

15

0

Polynesian

6

3

0

3

0

Puerto Rican

84

58

2

21

3

Vietnamese

10

6

0

4

0

Not Specified

162

52

39

71

0

Unknown

2,208

622

79

1,502

5

Total

20,092

14,204

422

4,946

520

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_oef_wounded.xhtml.

Note: Casualty areas include in and around Afghanistan, Republic of the Philippines, Southwest Asia, and other locations.

Tables 12 through 14 provide casualty statistics for OIF, which began on March 20, 2003.2 Major combat operations ended on September 1, 2010.3 These statistics include casualties that occurred between March 19, 2003, and August 31, 2010, in the Arabian Sea, Bahrain, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Persian Gulf, Qatar, Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. Prior to March 19, 2003, casualties in these countries were considered OEF. Personnel injured in OIF who died after September 1, 2010, will be included in OIF statistics.

Table 12. Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF): Casualty Summary by Casualty Category

(as of April 24, 2017)

Casualty Type

Total

Army

Navya

Marine Corps

Air Force

Killed in Action

2,675

1,920

62

664

29

Died of Wounds

799

610

1

188

0

Died While Missing In Action

1

1

0

0

0

Died While Captured

5

5

0

0

0

Died While Detained

1

0

1

0

0

Total Hostile Deaths

3,481

2,536

64

852

29

Accident

566

413

19

121

13

Illness/Injury

94

72

10

6

6

Homicide

36

23

4

7

2

Self-Inflicted

223

180

4

37

2

Undetermined

11

9

2

0

0

Total Nonhostile Deaths

930

697

39

171

23

Total Deaths

4,411

3,233

103

1,023

52

Total Wounded in Action

31,954

22,230

648

8,626

450

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_oif_type.xhtml.

Notes: Includes those who died of wounds where wounding occurred in theater and death occurred elsewhere.

a. Navy totals include Coast Guard.

Table 13. Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF): Military Deaths

(as of April 24, 2017)

 

Totals

Army

Navya

Marine Corps

Air Force

Casualty Type

 

 

 

 

 

Hostile

3,481

2,536

64

852

29

Nonhostile

930

697

39

171

23

Total

4,411

3,233

103

1,023

52

Gender

 

 

 

 

 

Female

110

89

10

8

3

Male

4,301

3,144

93

1,015

49

Total

4,411

3,233

103

1,023

52

Officer/Enlisted

 

 

 

 

 

E1-E4

2,539

1,709

43

774

13

E5-E9

1,445

1,195

49

174

27

Officer

427

329

11

75

12

Total

4,411

3,233

103

1,023

52

Age

 

 

 

 

 

<22

1,283

789

15

473

6

22-24

1,073

790

17

257

9

25-30

1,126

875

31

204

16

31-35

426

353

16

49

8

>35

503

426

24

40

13

Total

4,411

3,233

103

1,023

52

Component

 

 

 

 

 

Active Duty

3,501

2,492

79

884

46

Reserve

413

246

24

139

4

National Guard

497

495

0

0

2

Total

4,411

3,233

103

1,023

52

Race

 

 

 

 

 

American Indian or Alaska Native

43

27

1

15

0

Asian

77

63

5

9

0

Black or African American

439

372

12

48

7

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

17

10

1

6

0

White

3,641

2,627

82

892

40

Multiple Races

62

46

0

16

0

Unknown

132

88

2

37

5

Total

4,411

3,233

103

1,023

52

Ethnicity

 

 

 

 

 

Asian (Other)

17

8

1

8

0

Chinese

6

5

0

1

0

Cuban

3

3

0

0

0

Eskimo

1

1

0

0

0

Filipino

41

29

2

8

2

Guamanian

1

1

0

0

0

Hispanic or Spanish

213

133

4

75

1

Indian

5

4

0

1

0

Indian Tribes U.S.

51

35

1

15

0

Japanese

2

2

0

0

0

Korean

14

11

0

3

0

Latin American

66

33

6

27

0

Melanesian

1

1

0

0

0

Mexican

136

88

1

45

2

None

3,459

2,565

87

767

40

Other

242

206

0

33

3

Micronesian

6

5

0

1

0

Pacific Islander (Other)

28

26

0

2

0

Polynesian

10

9

0

1

0

Puerto Rican

50

48

1

0

1

Vietnamese

6

4

0

2

0

Not Specified

53

16

0

34

3

Total

4,411

3,233

103

1,023

52

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_oif_all.xhtml.

a. Navy totals include one Coast Guard death.

Table 14. Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF): Wounded in Action

(as of April 24, 2017)

 

Totals

Army

Navy

Marine Corps

Air Force

Casualty Type

 

 

 

 

 

Hostile

31,954

22,230

648

8,626

450

Total

31,954

22,230

648

8,626

450

Gender

 

 

 

 

 

Female

627

547

6

41

33

Male

31,220

21,683

547

8,573

417

Not Specified

107

0

95

12

0

Total

31,954

22,230

648

8,626

450

Officer/Enlisted

 

 

 

 

 

E1-E4

19,686

12,510

362

6,640

174

E5-E9

10,387

8,328

247

1,575

237

Officer

1,880

1,392

38

411

39

Total

31,953

22,230

647

8,626

450

Age

 

 

 

 

 

<22

8,893

5,262

134

3,432

65

22-24

7,998

5,765

153

1,974

106

25-30

7,544

5,928

140

1,345

131

31-35

3,064

2,557

81

372

54

>35

2,865

2,444

94

234

93

Unknown

1,590

274

46

1,269

1

Total

31,954

22,230

648

8,626

450

Component

 

 

 

 

 

Active Duty

24,934

16,444

544

7,573

373

Reserve

2,839

1,663

104

1,053

19

National Guard

4,181

4,123

0

0

58

Total

31,9454

22,230

648

8,626

450

Race

 

 

 

 

 

American Indian or Alaska Native

344

220

25

95

4

Asian

528

413

20

90

5

Black or African American

2,727

2,348

44

306

29

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

57

32

2

21

2

White

25,909

18,050

489

7,000

370

Multiple Races

322

243

15

57

7

Unknown

2,067

925

53

1,057

33

Total

31,954

22,229

647

8,626

450

Ethnicity

 

 

 

 

 

Aleut

5

4

0

1

0

Asian (Other)

73

65

1

6

1

Chinese

20

18

0

2

0

Cuban

30

20

2

7

1

Eskimo

6

4

0

2

0

Filipino

126

95

9

18

4

Guamanian

14

13

1

0

0

Hispanic or Spanish

696

509

20

161

6

Indian

63

41

1

21

0

Indian Tribes U.S.

247

182

8

56

1

Japanese

15

12

2

1

0

Korean

57

52

0

3

2

Latin American

198

158

6

32

2

Melanesian

5

3

0

2

0

Mexican

819

549

15

238

17

None

7,144

6,023

191

557

373

Other

13,246

12,703

13

506

19

Micronesian

25

21

2

2

0

Pacific Islander (Other)

85

68

3

12

2

Polynesian

48

48

0

0

0

Puerto Rican

287

258

4

20

5

Vietnamese

30

26

0

4

0

Not specified

1,034

85

38

904

7

Out of range

3

0

0

3

0

Unknown

7,678

1,269

331

6,068

10

Total

31,954

22,230

648

8,626

450

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_oif_woundall.xhtml.

Tables 15 through 17 provide casualty statistics for Operation New Dawn (OND). Following the end of combat operations in Iraq (OIF) on September 1, 2010, use of the term Operation New Dawn began on the same day. Casualties occurred between September 1, 2010, and December 31, 2011, in the Arabian Sea, Bahrain, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Persian Gulf, Qatar, Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. Personnel injured in OND who die after December 31, 2011, will be included in OND statistics.4

Table 15. Operation New Dawn (OND): Casualty Summary by Casualty Category

(as of April 24, 2017)

Casualty Category

Total

Army

Navya

Marine Corps

Air Force

Killed in Action

22

22

0

0

0

Died of Woundsb

16

16

0

0

0

Total Hostile Deaths

38

38

0

0

0

Accident

6

3

0

0

2

Illness/Injury

10

8

1

0

1

Homicide

3

3

0

0

0

Self-Inflicted

13

10

2

0

1

Undetermined

3

1

2

0

0

Total Nonhostile Deaths

35

25

6

0

4

Total Deaths

73

63

6

0

4

Total—Wounded in Action

295

293

0

0

2

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_ond_type.xhtml.

a. Navy totals include Coast Guard.

b. Includes those who died of wounds where wounding occurred in theater and death occurred elsewhere. Any casualty counted after the end date represents a servicemember who was wounded during the period and subsequently died as a result of those wounds or a servicemember who was in a missing status during a part of the war period and later declared dead.

Table 16. Operation New Dawn (OND): Military Deaths

(as of April 24, 2017)

 

Totals

Army

Navya

Marine Corps

Air Force

Casualty Type

 

 

 

 

 

Hostile

38

38

0

0

0

Nonhostile

35

25

6

0

4

Total

73

63

6

0

4

Gender

 

 

 

 

 

Female

1

0

1

0

0

Male

72

63

5

0

4

Total

73

63

6

0

4

Officer/Enlisted

 

 

 

 

 

E1-E4

38

33

1

0

4

E5-E9

27

23

4

0

0

Officer

8

7

1

0

0

Total

73

63

6

0

4

Age

 

 

 

 

 

<22

12

10

1

0

1

22-24

15

14

0

0

1

25-30

26

22

2

0

2

31-35

6

6

0

0

0

>35

14

11

3

0

0

Total

73

63

6

0

4

Component

 

 

 

 

 

Active Duty

59

50

5

0

4

Reserve

6

5

1

0

0

National Guard

8

8

0

0

0

Total

73

63

6

0

4

Race

 

 

 

 

 

Asian

1

1

0

0

0

Black or African American

8

6

2

0

0

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

1

1

0

0

0

White

62

54

4

0

4

Multiple Races

1

1

0

0

0

Total

73

63

6

0

4

Ethnicity

 

 

 

 

 

Hispanic or Spanish

8

8

0

0

0

None

61

52

5

0

4

Other

1

0

1

0

0

Polynesian

1

1

0

0

0

Puerto Rican

2

2

0

0

0

Total

73

63

6

0

4

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_ond_deaths.xhtml.

a. Navy totals include Coast Guard.

Table 17. Operation New Dawn: Military Wounded in Action

(as of April 24, 2017)

 

Totals

Army

Navy

Marine Corps

Air Force

Casualty Type

 

 

 

 

 

Hostile

295

293

0

0

2

Total

295

293

0

0

2

Gender

 

 

 

 

 

Female

12

11

0

0

1

Male

283

282

0

0

1

Total

295

293

0

0

2

Officer/Enlisted

 

 

 

 

 

E1-E4

177

177

0

0

0

E5-E9

99

97

0

0

2

Officer

19

19

0

0

0

Total

295

293

0

0

2

Age

 

 

 

 

 

<22

62

62

0

0

0

22-24

67

67

0

0

0

25-30

103

102

0

0

1

31-35

28

28

0

0

0

>35

34

33

0

0

1

Unknown

1

1

0

0

0

Total

295

293

0

0

2

Component

 

 

 

 

 

Active

218

217

0

0

1

Reserve

16

16

0

0

0

National Guard

61

60

0

0

1

Total

295

293

0

0

2

Race

 

 

 

 

 

Asian

7

7

0

0

0

Black or African American

39

39

0

0

0

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

1

1

0

0

0

White

241

239

0

0

2

Multiple Races

4

4

0

0

0

Unknown

3

3

0

0

0

Total

295

293

0

0

2

Ethnicity

 

 

 

 

 

Cuban

1

1

0

0

0

Hispanic or Spanish

6

6

0

0

0

Korean

2

2

0

0

0

Latin American

3

3

0

0

0

Mexican

3

3

0

0

0

None

27

25

0

0

2

Other

233

233

0

0

0

Pacific Islander (Other)

1

1

0

0

0

Puerto Rican

4

4

0

0

0

Unknown

15

15

0

0

0

Total

295

293

0

0

2

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_ond_wound.xhtml.

Table 18 lists casualties published by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Historian's Office. In response to congressional requests, CRS includes Coast Guard casualty data as provided by USCG in addition to DOD data. The USCG, although an armed service, was an agency under the jurisdiction of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). The Coast Guard remained under USDOT until February 2003, when it was placed within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Table 18. U.S. Coast Guard Service Casualties

(as of January 1, 2016)

War or Conflict

Number Served

Deaths in Action

Wounded

Total Casualties

War of 1812

100a

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Mexican War

71 officers

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Civil War

219 officers

1

Unknown

Unknown

Spanish-American War

660

1

0

1

World War I

8,835

111b

Unknown

Unknown

World War II

241,093

574c

Unknown

1,917

Korean War

8,500d

0

0

0

Vietnam War

8,000

7

60

67

Mayaguez Incident

8e

0

0

0

Grenada: Operation Urgent Fury

162

0

0

0

Panama: Operation Just Cause

9f

0

0

0

Operation Desert Shield/Storm

400

0

0

0

Kosovo

100

0

0

0

Operation Iraqi Freedom

1,250

1

1

2

Operation Enduring Freedom

27g

0

1

1

Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard. "Coast Guard History, Frequently Asked Questions," at http://www.uscg.mil/history/faqs/wars.asp.

a. Number is not exact.

b. Includes 81 Coast Guard deaths from other causes (i.e., crashes, accidents, disease, or drowning).

c. There were an additional 1,343 Coast Guard deaths from other causes, such as crashes, accidents, disease, or drowning.

d. Equals the approximate number of Coast Guardsmen who were eligible for the Korean Service Medal.

e. Crewmen on board HC-130B CG-1339 and one Coast Guard officer participating in the U.S. Coast Guard-U.S. Navy Exchange Program on board USS Harold E. Holt (FF-1074).

f. There were six personnel from Group Miami Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) stationed aboard the USS Vreeland (FF-1068), which was conducting operations when the ship was diverted for Operation Just Cause. Three other ships were assigned permanently to Panama and were also involved in the conflict. No casualties were incurred.

g. These figures are currently being updated.

In an address to the American people on September 10, 2014, President Barack Obama described a four-part strategy to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).5 Subsequently, on September 22, 2014, the President authorized U.S. Central Command to carry out military actions against the ISIL terrorists.6 Tables 19 through 21 provide casualty statistics for Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR). Casualties include those that occurred in Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the Mediterranean Sea east of 25° longitude, the Persian Gulf, and the Red Sea.

Table 19. Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR):
Casualty Summary by Casualty Category

(as of April 24, 2017)

Casualty Category

Total

Army

Navy

Marines

Air Force

Killed in Action

6

2

3

1

0

Died of Wounds

3

2

1

0

0

Total Hostile Deaths

9

4

4

1

0

Accident

9

4

1

1

3

Illness/Injury

6

1

1

0

4

Self-Inflicted

12

6

3

1

2

Pending

2

1

1

0

0

Total Non-Hostile Deaths

29

12

6

2

9

Total Deaths

38

16

10

3

8

Total Wounded in Action

33

11

5

16

1

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_oir_type.xhtml.

Table 20. Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR): Military Deaths

(as of April 24, 2017)

 

Totals

Army

Navy

Marine Corps

Air Force

Casualty Type

 

 

 

 

 

Hostile

9

4

4

1

0

Nonhostile

29

12

6

2

9

Total

38

16

10

3

9

Gender

 

 

 

 

 

Female

2

0

0

0

2

Male

36

16

10

3

7

Total

38

16

10

3

9

Officer/Enlisted

 

 

 

 

 

E1-E-4

13

6

4

2

1

E5-E9

16

6

6

1

3

Officer

9

4

0

0

5

Total

38

16

10

3

9

Age

 

 

 

 

 

<22

8

3

3

2

0

22-24

5

3

1

0

1

25-30

13

6

1

1

5

31-35

4

2

2

0

0

>35

8

2

3

0

3

Total

38

16

10

3

9

Component

 

 

 

 

 

Active Duty

35

15

10

3

7

Reserve

1

0

0

0

1

National Guard

2

1

0

0

0

Total

38

16

10

3

9

Race

 

 

 

 

 

Black or African American

5

3

1

0

1

White

32

13

8

3

8

Unknown

1

0

1

0

0

Total

38

16

10

3

9

Ethnicity

 

 

 

 

 

Hispanic or Spanish

4

2

1

0

1

Latin American

2

1

0

0

1

None

29

10

9

3

7

Other

3

3

0

0

0

Total

38

16

10

3

9

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_oir_deaths.xhtml.

Table 21. Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR): Military Wounded in Action

(as of April 24, 2017)

 

Totals

Army

Navy

Marines

Air Force

Casualty Type

 

 

 

 

 

Hostile

33

11

5

16

1

Total

33

11

5

16

1

Gender

 

 

 

 

 

Female

 

 

 

 

 

Male

31

10

5

15

1

Not Specified

2

1

0

1

0

Total

33

11

5

16

1

Officer/Enlisted

 

 

 

 

 

E1-E4

11

3

0

8

0

E5-E9

21

9

4

8

1

Officer

1

0

0

0

 

Total

33

11

5

16

1

Age

 

 

 

 

 

<22

4

1

0

3

0

22-24

6

1

0

5

0

25-30

14

6

2

5

1

31-35

6

2

2

2

0

>35

2

1

1

0

0

Unknown

1

0

0

1

0

Total

33

11

5

16

1

Component

 

 

 

 

 

Active Duty

29

7

5

16

1

Reserve

 

 

 

 

 

National Guard

4

4

0

0

0

Total

33

11

5

16

1

Race

 

 

 

 

 

American Indian/Alaska Native

1

0

1

0

0

White

30

10

4

15

1

Unknown

2

1

0

1

0

Total

33

11

5

16

1

Ethnicity

 

 

 

 

 

Hispanic or Spanish

3

3

0

0

0

Indian Tribes US

1

0

1

0

0

Mexican

2

0

0

2

0

None

10

3

4

2

1

Other

14

4

0

10

0

Puerto Rican

1

0

0

1

0

Unknown

2

1

0

1

 

Total

33

11

5

16

1

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_oir_wound.xhtml.

In a press statement released by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) on December 28, 2014, then-Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced that the United States had officially concluded Operation Enduring Freedom and added that the follow-on mission, Operation Freedom's Sentinel (OFS), would begin on January 1, 2015. As part of OFS, U.S. forces would remain in Afghanistan to participate in a coalition mission to advise, train, and assist local forces and to conduct counterterrorism operations against the remnants of Al Qaeda.

Tables 22 through 24 provide casualty statistics for OFS.

Table 22. Operation Freedom's Sentinel (OFS):
Casualty Summary by Casualty Category

(as of April 24, 2017)

Casualty Type

Total

Army

Navy

Marines

Air Force

Killed in Action

12

4

0

0

8

Died of Wounds

7

7

0

0

0

Total Hostile Deaths

20

12

0

0

8

Accident

9

1

0

0

8

Illness/Injury

2

1

0

0

1

Homicide

1

1

0

0

0

Pending

1

1

0

0

0

Total Non-Hostile Deaths

13

4

0

0

9

Total Deaths

33

16

0

0

17

Total Wounded in Action

166

144

4

2

16

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_ofs_type.xhtml.

Table 23. Operation Freedom's Sentinel (OFS): Military Deaths

(as of April 24, 2017)

 

Totals

Army

Navy

Marines

Air Force

Casualty Type

 

 

0

 

 

Hostile

120

12

0

0

8

Nonhostile

13

4

0

0

9

Total

33

16

0

0

17

Gender

 

 

 

 

 

Female

4

0

0

0

4

Male

29

16

0

0

13

Total

33

16

0

0

17

Officer/Enlisted

 

 

 

 

 

E1-E-4

7

4

0

0

3

E5-E9

19

11

0

0

8

Officer

7

1

0

0

6

Total

33

16

0

0

17

Age

 

 

 

 

 

<22

3

1

0

0

2

22-24

1

1

0

0

0

25-30

13

6

0

0

7

31-35

7

4

0

0

3

>35

9

4

0

0

5

Total

33

16

0

0

17

Component

 

 

 

 

 

Active Duty

30

15

0

0

15

Reserve

 

 

 

 

 

National Guard

3

1

0

0

2

Total

33

16

0

0

17

Race

 

 

 

 

 

Black or African American

4

1

0

0

3

White

27

15

0

0

12

Unknown

2

0

0

0

2

Total

33

16

0

0

17

Ethnicity

 

 

 

 

 

Hispanic or Spanish

2

2

0

0

0

Mexican

1

0

0

0

1

None

26

11

0

0

15

Other

4

3

0

0

1

Total

33

16

0

0

17

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_ofs_deaths.xhtml.

Table 24. Operation Freedom's Sentinel (OFS): Military Wounded in Action

(as of April 24, 2017)

 

Totals

Army

Navy

Marines

Air Force

Casualty Type

 

 

 

 

 

Hostile

166

144

4

2

16

Total

166

144

4

2

16

Gender

 

 

 

 

 

Female

11

8

0

0

3

Male

155

136

4

2

12

Total

166

144

4

2

16

Officer/Enlisted

 

 

 

 

 

E1-E4

51

47

0

0

4

E5-E9

86

75

0

1

10

Officer

29

22

4

1

2

Total

166

144

4

2

16

Age

 

 

 

 

 

<22

11

11

0

0

0

22-24

36

33

0

0

3

25-30

48

42

0

0

6

31-35

38

33

0

1

5

>35

33

26

4

1

2

Total

166

144

4

2

16

Component

 

 

 

 

 

Active Duty

151

130

3

2

16

Reserve

7

6

1

0

0

National Guard

8

8

0

0

0

Total

166

144

4

2

16

Race

 

 

 

 

 

Asian

8

6

0

0

2

Black or African American

18

16

1

0

1

White

130

114

2

2

12

Multiple Races

4

4

0

0

0

Unknown

6

4

1

0

1

Total

166

144

4

2

16

Ethnicity

 

 

 

 

 

Asian (other)

4

2

0

0

1

Cuban

1

1

0

0

0

Hispanic or Spanish

9

9

0

0

0

Japanese

1

1

0

0

0

Korean

1

1

0

0

0

Mexican

4

4

0

0

0

None

48

31

2

2

13

Other

86

84

1

0

1

Puerto Rican

4

2

1

0

1

Not Specified

3

3

0

0

0

Unknown

5

5

0

0

0

Total

166

144

4

2

16

Source: DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_ofs_wound.xhtml.

Resources

Sources of Statistics

The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) provides detailed historical tables as well as annual statistics on active duty military deaths. DMDC also lists names of the fallen for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Inherent Resolve, and Operation Freedom's Sentinel.
https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/casualties.xhtml

The Office of the Historian, U.S. Coast Guard, provides a historical table listing the number of U.S. Coast Guardsmen who served and the number of casualties incurred in conflicts from the War of 1812 to Operation Iraqi Freedom.
http://www.uscg.mil/history/faqs/wars.asp

Sources of Published Lists of Names of War Dead or Other Demographic Indicators

The Congressional Research Service receives many requests for lists of war dead. Names of the fallen are often engraved on memorials, mentioned in tributes, or used for other ceremonial purposes. The names of U.S. military personnel killed in major wars and other combat actions are published in the following sources:

World War I

Soldiers of the Great War, from the collection of the Harvard University Library. Available through the Internet Archive in various formats, including a digitized PDF by Google that may be accessed at https://archive.org/details/soldiersgreatwa02doylgoog.

The American Battle Monuments Commission
The American Battle Monuments Commission's (ABMC's) "Burials and Memorializations" webpage lists the names of servicemembers buried or memorialized in ABMC cemeteries overseas. The database allows searching by name, conflict (beginning with World War I), branch of service, unit number, state of entry, cemetery or memorial, and date of death.
http://www.abmc.gov/database-search

World War II

Military Personnel Casualty Lists
The National Archives' Online Public Access catalog allows the public to search the archives' military personnel casualty lists. The site may be accessed at https://research.archives.gov/search?q=miitary%20personnel%20casualty%20lists&f.oldScope=archives.gov&tabType=web.

The American Battle Monuments Commission
ABMC's "Burials and Memorializations" webpage lists the names of servicemembers buried or memorialized in ABMC cemeteries overseas. The database allows searching by name, conflict (beginning with World War I), branch of service, unit number, state of entry, cemetery or memorial, and date of death.
http://www.abmc.gov/database-search

Korean War

Korea State-Level Casualty Lists
The National Archives publishes casualty lists that may be searched by home state of record.
http://www.archives.gov/research/military/korean-war/casualty-lists/state-level-alpha.html

The American Battle Monuments Commission
ABMC's "Burials and Memorializations" webpage lists the names of servicemembers buried or memorialized in ABMC cemeteries overseas. The database allows searching by name, conflict (beginning with World War I), branch of service, unit number, state of entry, cemetery or memorial, and date of death.
http://www.abmc.gov/database-search

Vietnam War

Vietnam State-Level Casualty Lists
The National Archives publishes casualty lists that may be searched by home state of record.
http://www.archives.gov/research/military/vietnam-war/casualty-lists/state-level-alpha.html

The American Battle Monuments Commission
ABMC's "Burials and Memorializations" webpage lists the names of servicemembers buried or memorialized in ABMC cemeteries overseas. The database allows searching by name, conflict (beginning with World War I), branch of service, unit number, state of entry, cemetery or memorial, and date of death.
http://www.abmc.gov/database-search

Persian Gulf War (Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield)

Persian Gulf War State-Level Casualty Lists
The National Archives publishes casualty lists that may be searched by home state of record.
http://aad.archives.gov/aad/display-partial-records.jsp?f=4773&mtch=385&q=persian+gulf+war&cat=GP21&dt=2514&tf=F&bc=sl

Global War on Terror

Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) Casualties
The National Archives publishes casualty lists that may be searched by home state of record.
http://aad.archives.gov/aad/display-partial-records.jsp?s=4772&dt=2514&tf=F&bc=%2Csl%2Cfd&q=Operation+Enduring+Freedom&btnSearch=Search&as_alq=&as_anq=&as_epq=&as_woq=

Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Casualties
The National Archives publishes casualty lists that may be searched by home state of record.
http://aad.archives.gov/aad/display-partial-records.jsp?s=4772&dt=2514&tf=F&bc=%2Csl%2Cfd&q=Operation+Iraqi+Freedom&btnSearch=Search&as_alq=&as_anq=&as_epq=&as_woq=

Related Sources

Defense Prisoner of War and Missing in Action (POW/MIA) Accounting Agency (DPAA))
DPAA's mission is to "Provide the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel to their families and the nation" by locating the remains, repatriating, or determining the whereabouts of missing Americans. Currently, 82,708 Americans are missing from World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, Vietnam, and the Iraq and other conflicts. Names of those who have been accounted for can be found on the DPAA's "Recently Accounted For" webpage at
http://www.dpaa.mil/OurMissing/RecentlyAccountedFor.aspx

Wars Prior to World War I

Lists of casualties that are not available from a central source may in some cases be available at the state level from each state's or commonwealth's adjutant general's office or from military history detachments, military museums, state libraries, or archives. The National Guard Association, at http://www.ngaus.org/state-national-guard-information, provides links to contacts for National Guard information in all 50 states as well as District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Additional Websites

U.S. Casualty Status is a daily update of casualties published by DOD for OEF, OIF, OND, OIR, and OFS.
http://www.defense.gov/casualty.pdf

DOD News Releases contain daily news, including military personnel fatalities by name. The archive located on the right sidebar dates to October 1994.
http://www.defense.gov/releases/

CRS Reports

CRS Report R41084, Afghanistan Casualties: Military Forces and Civilians, by [author name scrubbed].

CRS Report RS22452, A Guide to U.S. Military Casualty Statistics: Operation Freedom's Sentinel, Operation Inherent Resolve, Operation New Dawn, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom, by [author name scrubbed].

CRS Report R42738, Instances of Use of United States Armed Forces Abroad, 1798-2016, by [author name scrubbed]

CRS Report RS21405, U.S. Periods of War and Dates of Recent Conflicts, by [author name scrubbed].

Author Contact Information

[author name scrubbed], Senior Research Librarian ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])

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Footnotes

1.

Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) database, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/casualties_oef.xhtml.

2.

DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/casualties_oif.xhtml.

3.

DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/casualties_ond.xhtml.

4.

DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/casualties_ond.xhtml.

5.

David Hudson, "President Obama: 'We Will Degrade and Ultimately Destroy ISIL,'" The White House Blog, September 10, 2014, at http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/09/10/president-obama-we-will-degrade-and-ultimately-destroy-isil.

6.

The White House, Office of the Press Secretary, "Statement by the President on Airstrikes in Syria," September 23, 2014, at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/09/23/statement-president-airstrikes-syria.