American War and Military Operations 

Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Nese F. DeBruyne

Senior Research Librarian

April 26, 2017

Congressional Research Service

7-5700

www.crs.gov

RL32492
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service

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

Congressional Research Service

Contents

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1

Casualty Statistics............................................................................................................................ 1

Resources....................................................................................................................................... 31

Sources of Statistics................................................................................................................ 31

Sources of Published Lists of Names of War Dead or Other Demographic Indicators........... 32

World War I....................................................................................................................... 32

World War II ..................................................................................................................... 32

Korean War ....................................................................................................................... 32

Vietnam War ..................................................................................................................... 33

Persian Gulf War (Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield) ...................................... 33

Global War on Terror ........................................................................................................ 33

Related Sources................................................................................................................. 33

Wars Prior to World War I................................................................................................. 33

Additional Websites.......................................................................................................... 34

CRS Reports............................................................................................................................ 34

Tables

Table 1. Principal Wars or Conflicts in Which the United States Participated: 

U.S. Military Personnel Serving and Casualties .......................................................................... 1

Table 2. Worldwide U.S. Active Duty Military Deaths in Selected Military Operations................ 4

Table 3. Active Duty Military Deaths: Race/Ethnicity Summary ................................................... 5

Table 4. U.S. Active Duty Military Deaths, 1980-2010, Part I: Total Military Personnel............... 6

Table 5. U.S. Active Duty Military Deaths, 1980- 2010, Part II: Cause of Death........................... 7

Table 6. Korean War: Casualty Summary ....................................................................................... 8

Table 7. Vietnam Conflict: Casualty Summary ............................................................................... 9

Table 8. Persian Gulf War: Casualty Summary ............................................................................. 10

Table 9. Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF): Casualty Summary by Casualty Category............11

Table 10. Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF): Military Deaths.................................................. 12

Table 11. Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF): Military Wounded in Action .............................. 14

Table 12. Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF): Casualty Summary by Casualty Category ................. 16

Table 13. Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF): Military Deaths.......................................................... 17

Table 14. Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF): Wounded in Action..................................................... 19

Table 15. Operation New Dawn (OND): Casualty Summary by Casualty Category.................... 21

Table 16. Operation New Dawn (OND): Military Deaths............................................................. 22

Table 17. Operation New Dawn: Military Wounded in Action ..................................................... 23

Table 18. U.S. Coast Guard Service Casualties............................................................................. 24

Table 19. Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR): Casualty Summary by Casualty Category ............ 25

Table 20. Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR): Military Deaths ..................................................... 26

Table 21. Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR): Military Wounded in Action.................................. 27

Table 22. Operation Freedom’s Sentinel (OFS): Casualty Summary by Casualty Category ........ 28

Table 23. Operation Freedom’s Sentinel (OFS): Military Deaths................................................. 29
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service

Table 24. Operation Freedom’s Sentinel (OFS): Military Wounded in Action ............................. 30

Contacts

Author Contact Information .......................................................................................................... 34
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 1

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
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 2

Casualties

War or Conflict

Branch of 

Service

Number

Serving

Total 

Deaths

Battle

Deaths

Other 

Deaths

Wounds Not 

Mortala

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 
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 3

Casualties

War or Conflict

Branch of 

Service

Number

Serving

Total 

Deaths

Battle

Deaths

Other 

Deaths

Wounds Not 

Mortala

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 Waro

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 
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 4

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 
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 5

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/RACEOMB-WC.pdf.

Note: 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 
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 6

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.

Note: 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).
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 7

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

SelfInflictedTerrorist 

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.
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 8

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 1,285,00

0

424,000 1,177,00

0

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.
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 9

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. 
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 10

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.

 

1 Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) database, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/casualties_oef.xhtml.
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 11

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.
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 12

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
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 13

Totals Army Navy Marine Corps Air Force

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 3

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. 
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 14

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
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 15

Totals Army Navy

Marine

Corps Air Force

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.

 

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

3 DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/casualties_ond.xhtml.
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 16

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.
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 17

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
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 18

Totals Army Navya

Marine

Corps

Air 

Force

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. 
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 19

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
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 20

Totals Army Navy

Marine

Corps

Air 

Force

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 
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 21

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.

 

4 DCAS, https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/casualties_ond.xhtml.
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 22

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. 
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 23

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
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 24

Totals Army Navy

Marine

Corps Air Force

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. 
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 25

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 GuardU.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 NonHostile Deaths29 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.

 

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-ultimatelydestroy-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. 
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 26

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
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 27

Totals Army Navy Marine Corps Air Force

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
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 28

Totals Army Navy Marines Air Force

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 NonHostile Deaths13 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.
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 29

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

Nonhostil

e

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/Enlist

ed

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
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 30

Totals Army Navy Marines Air Force

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
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 31

Totals Army Navy Marines Air Force

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
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 32

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
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 33

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.
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Congressional Research Service 34

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 Susan G. 

Chesser. 

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 Hannah Fischer.

CRS Report R42738, Instances of Use of United States Armed Forces Abroad, 1798-2016, by 

Barbara Salazar Torreon

CRS Report RS21405, U.S. Periods of War and Dates of Recent Conflicts, by Barbara Salazar 

Torreon.

Author Contact Information

Nese F. DeBruyne

Senior Research Librarian

ndebruyne@crs.loc.gov, 7-8096

.