**U.S. DEPARTMENT OF**

**VETERANS AFFAIRS**

![](media/image1.png){width="4.688888888888889in" height="4.5in"}

***DATA ON VETERANS OF***

***THE KOREAN WAR***

######### Assistant Secretary for Planning and Analysis

**Office of Program and Data Analyses**

# **June 2000**

###### VETERANS OF THE KOREAN WAR 

###### 

> ***\"When darkness threatened, you kept the torch of liberty alight.
> You kept the flame burning so that others all across the world could
> share it. You showed the truth inscribed on the wall, that freedom is
> not free.\"***

President Bill Clinton, at the Dedication of the Korean War Memorial,
July 25, 1995.

###### \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

###### 

###### As we mark the 50^th^ anniversary of the start of the Korean War, we present important facts about the veterans of that war period,

###### June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955.

###### 

###### 

###### [Historical Facts]{.underline}

-   Actual hostilities occurred from June 27, 1950 to July 27, 1953.
    However, the war period was extended to January 31, 1955 by Congress
    to define a period of benefit eligibility in the wake of uneasy
    peace negotiations after July 27, 1953.

-   There were 6.8 million American men and women who served during the
    Korean War period, June 27,1950 to January 31, 1955.

-   There were 54,200 deaths to Americans in service during the period
    of hostilities, June 27,1950 to July 27, 1953. Of these, 33,700 were
    actual battle deaths.

-   There were 7,140 POW's during the Korean War. Of these, 4,418
    returned to the United States, 2,701 died, and 21 refused
    repatriation.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   There have been 131 recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor
    among Korean War veterans.

# **[Demographic Characteristics]{.underline}**

In mid-calendar year 2000:

-   There are an estimated 3.9 million Korean War veterans in the U.S.
    and Puerto Rico, down about 21 percent from the nearly 5 million
    Korean War veterans in 1990.

-   Korean War veterans make up nearly 16 percent of the 24.4 million
    total veterans.

-   An estimated 848,000 Korean War veterans also served in other war
    periods: 171,000 in both WWII and Vietnam, 404,000 only in WWII, and
    273,000 only in Vietnam.

-   An estimated 86,300 Korean War veterans are women, making up 7
    percent of the estimated number of all female veterans.

-   The median age of Korean War veterans is estimated to be 69 years,
    with an estimated 336,500 under age 65, 3.25 million aged 65 to 74,
    and an estimated 363,600 aged 75 or older.

-   The top five states with respect to the estimated number of Korean
    War veterans are: California (430,800); Florida (294,000); Texas
    (243,300); New York (220,100); and Pennsylvania (201,400),
    reflecting the geographic distribution of the veteran population in
    general. (See table for state veteran populations.)

According to the March 1999 Current Population Survey:

-   Eighty percent of male Korean War veterans were married at the time
    of the survey, a proportion similar to non-veteran males of
    comparable age (65-74).

Between July 1999 and June 2000:

-   There were an estimated 117,600 deaths among Korean War veterans.

According to the 1990 Census:

-   The racial composition of the 4.9 million Korean War veterans in the
    U.S. was: 4.5 million white (92 percent); 339,400 African American
    (7 percent); 30,400 American Indian (less than 1 percent), Eskimo or
    Aleut; 39,300 Asian or Pacific Islander (less than 1 percent); and
    35,000 of other races (less than 1 percent). There were an estimated
    133,500 Hispanics (3 percent), who may be of any race, among Korean
    War veterans.

By 2010:

-   The number of Korean War veterans is projected to be just under 2.5
    million, down 37 percent from the number estimated for 2000.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Korean War veterans are projected to make-up 12 percent of the 20.1
    million projected veterans.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   The number of female Korean War veterans is projected to be 61,600,
    making up nearly 5 percent of the projected number of all female
    veterans.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   The median age of Korean War veterans is projected to be 78.5. No
    Korean War veteran is projected to be under the age of 70. Most
    Korean War veterans, 56 percent, are projected to be between the
    ages of 75 and 79. About one-third, however, are projected to be 80
    or older.

**[Socioeconomic Characteristics]{.underline}**

According to the March 1999 Current Population Survey:

-   The median personal income of male Korean War veterans in calendar
    year 1998 was \$24,000, compared to \$17,900 for male non-veterans
    aged 65 to 74. Their respective median family incomes were \$38,000
    and \$31,100.

-   About 36 percent of male Korean War veterans had family incomes
    below \$30,000 in 1998, while 35 percent had family incomes of
    \$50,000 or more. Of non-veteran males aged 65 to 74, 48 percent had
    incomes under \$30,000 and 29 percent had incomes of \$50,000 or
    more.

-   About 18 percent of male Korean War veterans had less than a high
    school education, while nearly half had at least some college. For
    male non-veterans aged 65 to 74, the comparable percentages were 33
    percent and 37 percent, respectively.

-   Nearly 30 percent of male Korean War veterans had jobs. The vast
    majority, however, 70 percent, were no longer in the labor force.
    Among male non-veterans aged 65 to 74, 20 percent had jobs, while
    nearly 80 percent were no longer in the labor force.

#### Health Care

## 

## Data from VA's Patient Treatment File and the Outpatient Census for FY 1999 show that:

-   Of all the unique in-patients discharged from VA Medical Centers,
    58,400, or 16 percent, were Korean War veterans, the same percentage
    of Korean War veterans among all veterans.

-   Of all VA hospital in-patient discharges (a unique patient may have
    more than one discharge from a hospital during the fiscal year),
    95,000 were among Korean War veterans.

-   Of all unique patients treated in outpatient clinics, 466,700, or 15
    percent, were Korean War veterans.

-   There were about 34 million outpatient visits in VA in FY1999. Of
    these, 5.1 million, or 15 percent, were among Korean War veterans.

According to the March 1999 Current Population Survey:

-   The overwhelming proportion of male Korean War veterans report
    having some type of health insurance. Only 3 percent report having
    no health insurance at all. Nearly three-quarters of male Korean War
    veterans report having some kind of private health insurance
    coverage, while 22 percent report having Medicare, Medicaid, or
    other government-provided insurance only.

-   Nearly three-quarters of male Korean War veterans describe their
    health as "good," "very good," or "excellent," compared to 66
    percent of male non-veterans aged 65 to 74. Only 9 percent describe
    their health as "poor," compared to 11 percent of their non-veteran
    counterparts.

##### Other VA Benefits

-   Of the 2.3 million veterans receiving service-connected compensation
    at the end of March 2000, 172,600 were Korean War veterans.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Of the 370,200 veterans receiving pension at the end of March 2000,
    86,300 were Korean War veterans.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Of the nearly 605,900 dependents of veterans receiving survivors'
    benefits at the end of March 2000, 71,000 were survivors of Korean
    War veterans. More than 90 percent were surviving spouses.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   At the end of March 2000, one-half of Korean War veterans receiving
    service-connected compensation were rated 20 percent or lower; about
    8 percent were rated 100 percent disabled. These proportions are
    comparable to those for all veterans receiving compensation.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   In March 2000, the aggregate monthly value of disability
    compensation awards to Korean War veterans was nearly 100 million
    dollars, about 8 percent of the monthly value of all the awards made
    in that month. This proportion mirrors closely the proportion of all
    compensated veterans who are Korean War veterans.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   In March 2000, the aggregate monthly value of pension awards to
    Korean War veterans was nearly 38 million dollars, about 21 percent
    of the total monthly value of pension awards. This proportion is
    close to the proportion of all VA pensioners who are Korean War
    veterans.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   In FY 1999, 9,800 Korean War veterans were interred in VA national
    cemeteries, representing 18 percent of all interments of veterans
    that year.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   More than 60,000 Korean War veterans were provided headstones or
    grave markers by VA in FY 1999.

By the end of FY 1999, a cumulative total of:

-   About 2.4 million Korean War veterans have received education and
    training under the Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1952 --
    the Korean War GI Bill. Of these, 1,213,000 received training in
    institutions of higher learning; 860,000 were trained in other
    schools; 223,000 received on-the-job training; and 95,000 received
    institutional on-farm training.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   More than 1.8 million Korean War veterans have used VA\'s Loan
    Guaranty program to purchase homes, for which VA guaranteed more
    than \$32 billion.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Nearly 79,000 disabled Korean War veterans have received vocational
    rehabilitation training through VA which helped them obtain gainful
    employment because their disabilities prevented them from resuming
    their former jobs.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Over 803,000 Korean War veterans have been issued Veterans' Special
    Life Insurance (VSLI) policies for Korean War veterans with a \"face
    value\" (death benefit) of \$7.3 billion. Currently there are some
    234,000 VSLI policies in-force with a face value of \$2.7 billion.
    VA paid \$184 million to VSLI beneficiaries in 1999.

# 

# **Estimated Korean War (KW) and Total Veteran Population**

For Each State, DC, and Puerto Rico, Mid-Year 2000

+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| States                | Number \*    | Number \*    | KW Veterans  |
|                       |              |              |              |
|                       | KW Veterans  | Total        | As Percent   |
|                       |              | Veterans     | of           |
|                       |              |              |              |
|                       |              |              | Total        |
|                       |              |              | Veterans     |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
|                       |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Alabama               | 70,100       | 402,800      | 17.4         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Alaska                | 6,800        | 62,100       | 11.0         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Arizona               | 76,200       | 437,700      | 17.4         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Arkansas              | 40,300       | 242,400      | 16.6         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| California            | 430,800      | 2,623,500    | 16.4         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Colorado              | 57,700       | 357,600      | 16.1         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Connecticut           | 49,100       | 306,200      | 16.0         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Delaware              | 11,400       | 74,000       | 15.4         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| District of Columbia  | 8,800        | 44,500       | 19.8         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Florida               | 294,000      | 1,632,400    | 18.0         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Georgia               | 95,200       | 654,400      | 14.5         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Hawaii                | 17,700       | 110,700      | 16.0         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Idaho                 | 16,000       | 105,200      | 15.2         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Illinois              | 155,400      | 979,100      | 15.9         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Indiana               | 84,900       | 555,400      | 15.3         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Iowa                  | 45,700       | 268,400      | 17.0         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Kansas                | 39,600       | 241,300      | 16.4         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Kentucky              | 54,700       | 345,400      | 15.8         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Louisiana             | 54,900       | 341,900      | 16.1         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Maine                 | 21,900       | 146,300      | 15.0         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Maryland              | 75,100       | 497,900      | 15.1         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Massachusetts         | 89,400       | 536,100      | 16.7         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Michigan              | 128,100      | 883,200      | 14.5         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Minnesota             | 67,100       | 430,300      | 15.6         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Mississippi           | 37,500       | 217,600      | 17.2         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Missouri              | 91,400       | 547,700      | 16.7         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Montana               | 14,200       | 87,800       | 16.2         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Nebraska              | 27,800       | 154,800      | 18.0         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Nevada                | 34,200       | 183,300      | 18.7         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| New Hampshire         | 19,600       | 128,200      | 15.3         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| New Jersey            | 113,900      | 666,100      | 17.1         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| New Mexico            | 25,700       | 162,700      | 15.8         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| New York              | 220,100      | 1,390,600    | 15.8         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| North Carolina        | 107,000      | 675,700      | 15.8         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| North Dakota          | 9,400        | 53,700       | 17.5         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Ohio                  | 176,700      | 1,105,300    | 16.0         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Oklahoma              | 56,300       | 318,200      | 17.7         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Oregon                | 52,500       | 351,500      | 14.9         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Pennsylvania          | 201,400      | 1,259,200    | 16.0         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Rhode Island          | 16,600       | 99,800       | 16.6         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| South Carolina        | 56,800       | 362,800      | 15.7         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| South Dakota          | 12,800       | 69,300       | 18.5         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Tennessee             | 77,100       | 488,700      | 15.8         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Texas                 | 243,300      | 1,533,900    | 15.9         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Utah                  | 21,500       | 126,500      | 17.0         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Vermont               | 8,900        | 59,300       | 15.0         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Virginia              | 106,200      | 668,400      | 15.9         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Washington            | 92,000       | 599,500      | 15.3         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| West Virginia         | 31,900       | 184,500      | 17.3         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Wisconsin             | 72,900       | 473,300      | 15.4         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Wyoming               | 6,900        | 42,200       | 16.4         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
|                       |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| U. S. TOTAL           | 3,925,500    | 24,289,400   | 16.2         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
|                       |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Puerto Rico           | 29,500       | 122,000      | 24.2         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
|                       |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| GRAND TOTAL           | 3,955,000    | 24,411,400   | 16.2         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
|                       |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
|                       |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| \*Rounded to nearest  |              |              |              |
| 100 veterans          |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+

#  **[Period of Service Definitions]{.underline}** 

The definition of Korean War veteran differs among the data sources
cited with respect to those who served in more than one war period.
Namely:

-   [For the veteran population]{.underline}, Korean War veterans
    include all who have served in the Korean War no matter in what
    other periods they served.

-   [For the Current Population Survey]{.underline} (CPS), Korean War
    veterans are those for whom the Korean War was the last war period
    in which they served. Therefore, veterans who have served, for
    example, in the Korean War and Vietnam would be classified as
    Vietnam veterans, NOT Korean War veterans.

-   [For Loan Guaranty, National Cemetery Administration, and health
    care data]{.underline}, Korean War veterans are those for whom the
    Korean War was the last war period in which they served. (Same as
    CPS)

-   [For Compensation and Vocational Rehabilitation data]{.underline},
    Korean War veterans are those whose last compensable disability was
    incurred during the Korean War. For example, if someone served
    during both the Korean War period and the Vietnam war era, but
    incurred his or her only disability (or disabilities) during the
    Korean War period, then that person is coded as a Korean War
    veteran.

-   [For Pension data]{.underline}, Korean War veterans are those for
    whom the Korean War was the first wartime period in which they
    served.

-   [For education and veterans' life insurance data]{.underline},
    Korean War veterans are those who have participated in the specific
    programs for Korean War veterans mentioned in the text.

For all of the data sources cited above, a Korean War veteran could have
served in any venue, not just the Korean theater.

# **[Data Sources]{.underline} (Not Noted in the Text)**

-   "Historical Facts" were by provided by VA's Office of Public Affairs
    from information gathered by that office and the Department of
    Defense.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Data on "Demographic Characteristics" come from VA's official
    estimates and projections of the veteran population developed in the
    Office of Program and Data Analyses.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Data on "Other VA Benefits" come from the Veterans Benefits
    Administration (VBA) and the National Cemetery Administration (NCA).

##### 

##### 

##### Contact

Dr. Robert E. Klein, Office of the Chief Actuary

Office of Program and Data Analyses

202-273-5101

robert.klein@mail.va.gov