American Wars
This page lists American military engagements. Included here will be known KIA, MIA, and POW listings. Those who served and survived military action are listed on individual pages for each conflict. Participant and death statistics for some wars taken from “War Casualties–The Cost of Freedom” from the office of NYS Senator Patricia McGee, 2004. For a comprehensive listing of all US military involvements, go to http://www.cassiopaea.org/cass/uswars.htm.
Pre-Revolutionary Period
Including the Pequoit War and King Phillips War
Revolutionary War (1775-1783)
Estimated 290,000 participants and 4,000 deaths.
Indian Wars (1775-1890)
<Estimated 287,000 participants and 2,000 deaths.
Mexican War (1846-1848)
Estimated 79,000 participants and 13,000 deaths
Civil War (1861-1865)
Union: estimated 2,213,000 participants; 364,000 deaths.
<Confederate: estimated 1,000,000 participants; 133,821 deaths.
Spanish-American War (1898-1902)
Estimated: 392,000 participants; 11,000 deaths.
World War I (1917-1918)
Official period: 6 April 1917 to 11 November 1918. 4,744,000 participants; 53,402 battle deaths and 63,114 other deaths; 204,002 wounded; 4120 prisoners of war; and 3,350 missing in action.
Killed in Action
Livingston (2439*) Wadsworth, Geneseo, NY; Aviation Corps. Killed in service in France, August, 1919.
World War II (1940-1947)
Official period was 16 September 1940 – 25 July 1947. There were 16,535,000 participants; 291,557 battle deaths and 113,842 other deaths; 670,846 wounded; 130,201 prisoners of war; and 78,773 missing in action.
Korean Conflict (1950-1953)
Official period was 27 June 1950 – 31 January 1955. There were 6,807,000 participants; 33,643 battle deaths and 20,617 other deaths; 103,284 wounded; 7,140 prisoners of war; and 8,177 missing in action.
Killed in Action — from National Archives list of Killed in Action
Don Ellsworth Olmstead, of Hartford, CT, 2nd Lt., 27th Infantry, US Army National Guard; b. 1929, d. 27 Nov 1952. KIA.
Cold War” (1945-1995)
This was not a declared war but a period of casual engagement with Soviet Block countries.
Vietnam Conflict (1956-1975)
Official period was 5 August 1964 – 7 May 1975. There were 9,200,000 participants; 47,383 hostile deaths; 10,753 non-hostile deaths; 303,635 wounded; 766 prisoners of war; and 2,338 missing in action.
Names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, Washington, DC
Dale Frank Olmstead, of Hoyt Lakes, MN; Sgt. US Army, 11th Light Infantry Brigade.
b. 12 Aug 1999, d. 21 Oct 1969, a hostile ground casualty.
John Paul Olmstead, of Warren, IL; Sgt. US Army, 196th Light Infantry Brigade.
b. 10 May 1946, d. 15 Jul 1967, a hostile ground casualty.
Robin Lee Olmstead, of Poulsboro, WA; PFC US Marine Corps.
b. 11 Sep 1948, d. 29 Jul 1967, a non-hostile ground casualty.
Stanley Edward Olmstead, of Marshall, OK, Cdr. US Navy, fixed wing pilot.
b. 12 Nov 1933, d. 6 Apr 1973, air loss, crash on land, MIA.
Gerald Ray Olmsted, of Camas, WA, Cpl. US Army, 4th Infantry,
b. 6 Aug 1947, d. 10 Jan 1969, a non-hostile ground casualty.
Jerome Edwin Olmsted, of Clintonville, WI, 1st Lt., US Army,
b, 15 May 1943, d. 30 Nov 1967, fixed wing air crash on land, non-crew.
Persian Gulf (1990-1991)
Official period is 2 August 1990 – April 1991; 537,000 participants; 400 battle dead.
Second Persian Gulf (2001-????)
Operation Enduring Freedom — Afghanistan
7 October 2001 – present
Operation Desert Freedom — Iraq
19 March 2003 – present
Major Andrew J. Olmsted, of Colorado Springs, CO, b. 1 Feb 1970, d. 3 Jan 2008, forward operating base Caldwell, Iraq, while going to the aid of his friend, Capt. Thomas Casey.
Place by the Elms © Walt Steesy, 2007
Last Update – November 5, 2009