# List of battles with most United States military fatalities

This article contains a list of battles with most United States military fatalities and the associated American deaths in these battles.

## Introduction

This article lists battles and campaigns in which the number of U.S. soldiers killed exceeded 1,000. The battles and campaigns that reached that number of deaths in the field are limited to the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and one campaign during the Anbar campaign from March 20 2003 to December 7, 2011 during the Iraq War. Total number of deaths in Civil War battles and campaigns include both Union and Confederate deaths.
The battle with the most military fatalities in U.S. military history was the Battle of Gettysburg, fought over three days during the American Civil War in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, between 1 July and 3 July 1863, which killed over 50,000 combined Union and Confederate troops.
The military campaigns with the most U.S. military deaths include the Gettysburg campaign from June 3 to July 24, 1863 during the American Civil War, which killed over 59,000 total Union and Confederate troops. In the Siegfried Line campaign, fought between August 28, 1944 and March 21, 1945 during World War II, 50,410 U.S. soldiers were killed fighting against Nazi Germany.
The bloodiest single day in the history of the United States military is either June 6, 1944, with 2,500 soldiers killed during the Invasion of Normandy on D-Day, or September 12, 1918, at the start of the Battle of Saint Mihiel, with over 2,500 dead (however, this exact figure is unverifiable because of poor documentation). The third-highest single-day toll was the Battle of Antietam, with 2,108 dead.
The deadliest single-day battle in American military history, if all engaged armies are considered, is the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862, which resulted in 3,675 killed, including both Union and Confederate soldiers with total casualties of 22,717 dead, wounded, or missing Union and Confederate soldiers.
The origins of the U.S. military can be traced to the Americans' fight for independence in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783). The three bloodiest conflicts have been American Civil War (1861–1865), World War I (1917–1918), and World War II (1941–1945 for declared American involvement). Other significant conflicts involving the United States in order of casualties sustained are the Korean War (1950–1953), the Vietnam War (1964–1973), the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), and various conflicts in the Middle East.

## Scope and definitions

The definition of "battle" as a concept in military science has varied with the changes in the organization, employment, and technology of military forces. Before the 20th century, "battle" usually meant a military clash over a small area, lasting a few days at most and often just one day, such as the Battle of Waterloo, which began and ended on 18 June 1815 on a field a few kilometers across.
Especially since the 20th century, "battle" means a military campaign, which includes larger and longer military operations on the operational or even strategic level, such as the Battle of the Atlantic, fought from 1939 to 1945 over about a fifth of the Earth's surface.
Since both types of "battles" are not usefully comparable in many ways, including casualty comparisons, this article is divided into two sections, one for battles in the older, more restricted sense and one for campaigns, many of which are also called battles.
There are actions at the margins that can be reasonably assigned to either list. The Battle of Spotsylvania, for instance, lasted 14 days, but the main part of the battle was fought on a small field less than three kilometers on a side, and in this way being more in the nature of a siege, a military action typically of long duration but in covering a relatively small area. Like the similar Battle of Cold Harbor, also part of the Overland Campaign, it is included in this article on the Battles list. The Battle of Saint-Mihiel, lasting only about four days, but on a larger field (roughly 12 kilometers by 25 kilometers), is also included on the Battles list.
The term casualty in warfare does not refer to those who are killed on the battlefield; rather, it refers to those who can no longer fight, which can include those disabled by physical injuries or psychological trauma, or those captured, deserted, missing. During the Seven Days Battles during the American Civil War (June 25 to July 1, 1862), for instance, there were 5,228 killed, 23,824 wounded and 7,007 missing or taken prisoners for a total of 36,059 casualties. The word "casualty" has been used in a military context since at least 1513. In this article, the numbers killed refer to the total of those killed in action, killed by disease, and those who died from their wounds.

## Battles

| Battle or siege | Conflict | Date | Estimated number killed | Opposing force |
| Battle of Gettysburg | American Civil War | July 1 to July 3, 1863 | 50,000 killed | Confederate States of America |
| Battle of Elsenborn Ridge (part of the Battle of the Bulge) | World War II | December 16 to 26, 1944 | 5,000 killed (approximate) | Germany |
| Battle of Saint-Mihiel | World War I | September 12 to 15, 1918 | 4,500 killed (approximate) | Germany |
| Operation Lüttich (Part of the Battle of Normandy) | World War II | August 7 to August 13, 1944 | 3,000 killed (approximate) | Germany |
| Battle of Leyte Gulf | World War II | October 23 to 25, 1944 | 2,800 killed | Japan |
| Battle of Spotsylvania | American Civil War | May 8 to May 21, 1864 | 2,725 killed | Confederate States of America |
| D-Day (first day of Operation Overlord) | World War II | June 6, 1944 | 2,500 killed | Germany |
| Pearl Harbor Attack | World War II | December 7, 1941 | 2,335 killed | Japan |
| Battle of the Wilderness | American Civil War | May 5 to May 7, 1864 | 2,246 killed | Confederate States of America |
| Operation Thunderbolt (part of the Chinese Invasion of South Korea) | Korean War | January 25 to February 20, 1951 | 2,228 killed | China North Korea |
| Battle of Antietam | American Civil War | September 17, 1862 | 2,108 killed | Confederate States of America |
| Battle of Aachen (part of the Battle of Hürtgen Forest) | World War II | October 12 to October 21, 1944 | 2,000 killed | Germany |
| Battle of Cold Harbor | American Civil War | May 21 to June 12, 1864 | 1,844 killed | Confederate States of America |
| Battle of Tarawa | World War II | November 20 to November 23, 1943 | 1,759 killed | Japan |
| Battle of Shiloh | American Civil War | April 6 to April 7, 1862 | 1,754 killed | Confederate States of America |
| Second Battle of Bull Run | American Civil War | August 26 to August 30, 1862 | 1,747 killed | Confederate States of America |
| Seven Days Battles | American Civil War | June 25 to July 1, 1862 | 1,734 killed | Confederate States of America |
| UN Invasion of North Korea | Korean War | September 30 to November 25, 1950 | 1,732 killed | North Korea China |
| Naval Battle of Guadalcanal | World War II | November 12, 1942 to November 15, 1942 | 1,732 killed | Japan |
| Battle of Stones River | American Civil War | December 31, 1862 to January 2, 1863 | 1,730 killed | Confederate States of America |
| Battle of Chickamauga | American Civil War | September 19 to September 20, 1863 | 1,656 killed | Confederate States of America |
| Battle of Chancellorsville | American Civil War | April 30 to May 6, 1863 | 1,606 killed | Confederate States of America |
| UN Counteroffensive from the Pusan Perimeter (including the Inchon Landings and the Second Battle of Seoul) | Korean War | September 15 to September 30, 1950 | 1,492 killed | North Korea |
| Task Force Faith | Korean War | November 27 to December 2, 1950 | 1,450 killed (approximate) | China |
| Second Battle of Naktong Bulge (part of the Battle of Pusan Perimeter) | Korean War | September 1 to September 15, 1950 | 1,305 killed | North Korea |
| Battle of Fredericksburg | American Civil War | December 11 to December 15, 1862 | 1,284 killed | Confederate States of America |
| Battle of Taejon | Korean War | July 14 to July 21, 1950 | 1,128 killed | North Korea |
| Battle of Savo Island (part of the Guadalcanal Campaign) | World War II | August 8, 1942 to August 9, 1942 | 1,077 killed | Japan |
| Battle of Belleau Wood | World War I | June 1 to June 26, 1918 | 1,062 killed | Germany |
| Battle of Masan (part of the Battle of Pusan Perimeter) | Korean War | August 5 to September 19, 1950 | 1,057 killed | North Korea |
| Battle of Manila (part of the Battle of Luzon) | World War II | February 3 to March 3, 1945 | 1,010 killed | Japan |

## Campaigns

| Campaign | Conflict | Date | Estimated number killed | Opposing force | References |
| Gettysburg campaign | American Civil War | June 3 to July 24, 1863 | 59,000 killed | Confederate States Army | |
| Siegfried Line campaign | World War II | August 28 1944 to March 21, 1945 | 50,410 killed | Germany | |
| Battle of Normandy | World War II | June 6 to August 25, 1944 | 29,204 killed | Germany | |
| Meuse–Argonne Offensive | World War I | September 26 to November 11, 1918 | 26,277 killed | Germany | |
| Battle of the Bulge | World War II | December 16, 1944 to January 28, 1945 | 19,276 killed | Germany | |
| Central Europe Campaign | World War II | March 22 to May 8, 1945 | 15,009 killed | Germany | |
| 38th Parallel Static Warfare Campaign | Korean War | July 11, 1951 to July 27, 1953 | ~13,800 killed | China | |
| Philippines Campaign | World War II | December 8, 1941 to May 6, 1942 | ~13,000 killed | Japan | |
| Battle of Okinawa | World War II | April 1 to June 22, 1945 | ~12,500 | Japan | |
| Battle of Hürtgen Forest | World War II | September 19, 1944 to February 17, 1945 | ~12,000 killed | Germany | |
| North Apennines Campaign | World War II | September 10, 1944 to April 4, 1945 | 8,486 killed | Germany | |
| Battle of Luzon | World War II | January 9 to August 15, 1945 | 10,310 killed | Japan | |
| Chinese Invasion of South Korea | Korean War | December 31, 1950 to July 10, 1951 | ~8,000 killed | China | |
| Operation Dragoon | World War II | August 15 to September 14, 1944 | 7,301 killed | Germany | |
| Guadalcanal Campaign | World War II | August 7, 1942, to February 9, 1943 | 7,100 killed | Japan | |
| Alsace Campaign | World War II | November 13, 1944 to February 19, 1945 | 7,000 killed | Germany | |
| Battle of Iwo Jima | World War II | February 19 to March 26, 1945 | 6,821 killed | Japan | |
| Lorraine Campaign | World War II | September 1 to December 18, 1944 | 6,657 killed | Germany | |
| Naples–Foggia Campaign | World War II | September 9, 1943 to January 21, 1944 | 6,266 killed | Germany | |
| Battle of Anzio | World War II | January 22 to June 5, 1944 | 5,538 killed | Germany | |
| New Guinea campaign | World War II | January 23 1942 to 15 August, 1945 | 4,684 killed | Japan | |
| Battle of Pusan Perimeter | Korean War | August 4 to September 18, 1950 | 4,599 killed | North Korea | |
| Chinese Second Phase Offensive in North Korea | Korean War | November 25 to December 15, 1950 | 4,538 killed | China | |
| Chinese Spring Offensive and UN Counteroffensive (part of the Chinese Invasion of South Korea) | Korean War | April 22 to July 1, 1951 | ~3,600 killed | China North Korea | |
| Battle of Leyte | World War II | October 17 to December 26, 1944 | 3,593 killed | Japan | |
| Saar-Palatinate Offensive | World War II | March 8 to March 24, 1945 | 3,540 killed | Germany | |
| Battle of Saipan | World War II | June 15 to July 9, 1944 | 3,426 killed | Japan | |
| Tet Offensive | Vietnam War | January 30 to September 23, 1968 | 3,178 Killed | North Vietnam Viet Cong | |
| North Korean Invasion of South Korea | Korean War | June 25 to August 3, 1950 | 3,108 killed | North Korea | |
| Battle of Chosin Reservoir | Korean War | November 27 to December 13, 1950 | ~2,840 killed | China | |
| Tunisian Campaign | World War II | November 12, 1942 to May 13, 1943 | 2,838 killed | Germany Italy | |
| Battle of Sicily | World War II | July 9 to August 17, 1943 | 2,811 killed | Italy Germany | |
| May Offensive | Vietnam War | April 29 to May 30, 1968 | 2,169 killed | North Vietnam Viet Cong | |
| Dutch East Indies Campaign | World War II | December 8, 1941 to March 9, 1942 | ~2,000 killed | Japan | |
| Second Battle of the Marne | World War I | July 15 to August 6, 1918 | 1,926 killed | Germany | |
| Po Valley Offensive | World War II | April 5 to May 8, 1945 | 1,914 killed | Germany | |
| Operation Toan Thang II | Vietnam War | June 1 1968 to February 16 1969 | 1,798 killed | North Vietnam Viet Cong | $^{:31}$ |
| Battle of Guam | World War II | July 21 to August 10, 1944 | 1,783 killed | Japan | $^{:163}$ |
| Operation Lumberjack | World War II | March 1 to 25, 1945 | 1,700 killed | Germany | |
| Operation Toan Thang III | Vietnam War | February 17 to October 31, 1969 | 1,533 killed | North Vietnam Viet Cong | $^{:A-17}$ |
| Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River | Korean War | November 25 to December 2, 1950 | 1,489 killed | China | |
| Battle of Peleliu | World War II | September 15 to November 25, 1944 | 1,460 killed | Japan | $^{:327}$ |
| Anbar campaign | Iraq War | March 20 2003 to 7, December 2011 | 1,335 killed | Iraq (until 9 April 2003) Iraqi insurgency (2003-2011) | |
| Operation Grenade | World War II | February 23 to March 10, 1945 | 1,330 killed | Germany | |
| Operation Grapeshot | World War II | April 6 to May 2, 1945 | 1,288 killed | Germany Italian Social Republic | |
| New Georgia campaign | World War II | June 30 to October 7, 1943 | 1,195 killed | Japan | |
| Battle of Mindanao | World War II | March 10 to August 15, 1945 | 1,041 killed | Japan | |