| AMERICAN WAR STATISTICS |
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World War I / 1917 - 1918 War started in Europe in August, 1914. Germany and the Austrian - Hungarian Empire, called the Central Powers, fought against France, Russia, England and Italy. The United States entered the war against Germany on April 6, 1917 because of German unrestricted submarine warfare against our shipping. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson stated that our goal was to "Make the world Safe for Democracy" and to "Fight the War to End All Wars." American casualties were 126,000 dead and 234,000 wounded, 4,500 were prisoners of war (POW) or missing in action (MIA) and 57 Bristol servicemen lives were sacrificed. World War II / 1939 - 1945 War started in Europe on September 1, 1939, when Nazi Germany invaded Poland. Nazi Germany had an alliance with Japan and Italy which was called the Axis. Under the Axis nations got into a war with the United States, the others would also go to war against the United States. After the Japanese bombed our naval base at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, we declared war on Japan and then the other Axis nations declared war against us. American casualties were 500,000 dead and 300,000 wounded. 194,879 were POWs and 78,000were MIAs. Of the number of deaths, 4,500 were from Connecticut and 143 were from Bristol. Korean War / 1950 - 1953 The Korean War started on June 25, 1950 when the Communist Army of North Korea, which was backed by the Soviet Union, invaded South Korea which was under the protection of the United States. President Truman ordered American Forces into Korea when they refused to stop the aggression against South Korea. The war enlarged on November 24, 1950, when Communist China sent millions of "Volunteers" to help North Korea. The war ended with a fragile cease fire on July 27, 1953. American and South Korean soldiers are still on duty patrolling the border with North Korea. American casualties were 33,686 dead and 92,134 wounded, 7,245 were POWs and 2,806 died while captured in POW camps, 8,716 remain MIA. 15 Bristol servicemen lives were sacrificed during the Korean War. Vietnam War / 1961 - 1975 The United States got involved in Vietnam trying to stop a Communist attempt by North Vietnam to take over South Vietnam. This war was the longest war in our history. Most American forces were withdrawn from South Vietnam by the end of 1972. On July 1, 1975, that war was officially declared over. 58,191 American servicemen and women lost their lives and 303,704 were wounded. 766 were POWs and 2,338 were MIA. Of those who died, 608 were from Connecticut, and 17 were from Bristol. Persian Gulf War / (Operation Desert Storm) 1990 - 1991 The war started on August 2, 1990 when Iraq's dictator, Saddam Hussein, ordered his army to invade Kuwait, a small, oil-rich nation located between Iraq's southern border and the Persian Gulf. U.S. President George Bush Sr., called upon Iraq's leader to withdraw his troops from Kuwait. When Saddam refused, American forces, and a coalition of troops from other nations, drove the Iraqi Army out of Kuwait. American casualties were 148 battle deaths, 145 non-battle deaths, 467 wounded, and one MIA. American deaths included 15 servicewomen. Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) late 2001 to Present American troops invaded Afghanistan in the fall of 2001 to overthrow the Taliban government. The Taliban were sheltering Osama Bin Laden, a terrorist who masterminded the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon Building in Washington. With the help of Afghan fighters opposed to the Taliban and other NATO nations, the Taliban were routed from power and driven into the mountains on the border of Pakistan. Our troops are still there helping the Afghan people to form a free government and to provide security until they can train their own army to protect themselves. A Terryville soldier with Bristol relatives, Sgt Maj. Phillip Albert, was killed in action when his MH-53M helicopter crashed. As of June 27th, 2010 at least 823 members of the American Military have died as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan , according to the Department of Defense. As of June 27th, 2010 at least 1,052 members of the American Military have died in Afghanistant, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. As of June 27th, 2010 at least 78 more members of the American Military have died in support of "Operation Enduring Freedom". The military lists these other locations as Guantanamo Bay Naval Base; Cuba; Djibouti; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Jordan; Kenya; Kyrgyzstan; Philippines; Seychelles; Sudan; Tajikistan; Turkey; and Yemen. Iraq War (Operation Iraqi Freedom) March 2003 to August 18, 2010 (last US combat brigade heads home) The war in Iraq began on March 20, 2003 when President George W. Bush ordered U.S. and Coalition Forces into Iraq to rid Saddam Hussein from power. Hussein was defeated and is now dead. American forces are still in Iraq today to help the Iraqi people form a freely elected government and to protect the Iraqi people from insurgents and terrorists who are opposed to any new democratic government. Two soldiers, Sgt. Felix Delgreco and Spc. Robert Hoyt, were killed in action while serving with Bristol's 1st Battalion 102d Infantry Regiment, Connecticut Army National Guard. As of August 18th, 2010 at least 4,415 U.S. Military deaths occurred since the beginning of the Iraq war, according to the Department of Defense. |