Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

September 5, 2008 10:23:23 PM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Numbers Tell the Tale in Iraq

Posted Mar 21, 08 2:01 PM CDT in World,  US 

(Newser) – As US troop losses in Iraq near 4,000, USA Today profiles the dead: 98% were male, and the most common age among those killed was 21—but one in six was younger. The bloodiest day was Jan. 26, 2005, when a helicopter crash killed 31 and six died in combat; the bloodiest month was November 2004, which saw 137 deaths.

About half the casualties were the result of bombs, and 16% were killed by enemy fire. New York City is the hometown with the most deaths (62). The current total of 3,983 deaths is less than two-thirds the number of casualties during fighting at Iwo Jima in WWII, USA Today notes. And the milestone of 4,000 might not change the public’s view of the war, says an expert: “It’s not like the stock market. People are more affected by events in wars than numbers.”

Source USA Today

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Military Blocks Iraq Casualty Photos

    Jul 26, 08 5:07 AM CDT
    Military Blocks Iraq Casualty Photos Over 4,000 US troops have died in Iraq but only a handful of photographs of dead Americans have reached the media, the New York Times reports. Military regulations do not forbid taking photographs of casualties, but access to death sites is often denied. Photographers who do publish grim images often find their access to military units swiftly terminated.
    More »

  • Army Waivers Linked to Suspect Soldiers

    Jul 13, 08 7:17 PM CDT
    Army Waivers Linked to Suspect Soldiers Dozens of US criminals who were granted Army waivers to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan have been linked to in-service problems, the Sacramento Bee reports. In a year-long study, the paper connected "suspect soldiers"—accused of beating prisoners, stealing weapons, and more—to troubles back home. Of 18 with felony arrest or mental health records, eight were involved in Iraq incidents and a ninth killed himself. More »

  • US Deaths in Afghanistan Hit Record

    Jul 2, 08 7:54 AM CDT
    US Deaths in Afghanistan Hit Record More troops from the United States and coalition countries died in Afghanistan last month than at any other time since the 2001 invasion. For the second month in a row, deaths among American-led forces were higher in Afghanistan, where 46 servicemen died, than in Iraq, where 31 were killed. The greater death toll in Afghanistan comes despite a significantly increased NATO military presence there, reports the New York Times. More »

  • Long Journey Home From Iraq

    Jun 8, 08 5:13 AM CDT
    Long Journey Home From Iraq One soldier's death reveals more of America's pain more starkly than Iraqi war statistics ever could. So one reporter discovered as he followed the remains of Indiana native son Sgt. Robert Joe Montgomery from a pass near the Tigris to a funeral in Scottsburg, meeting all who suffered along the way. At the riveting center of Chris Jones' haunting journey in Esquire is "Joey" himself. More »

  • General on Funeral Duty: 'Grief Is the Crushing Load'

    May 26, 08 12:33 PM CDT
    General on Funeral Duty: 'Grief Is the Crushing Load' At every funeral for a soldier killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, an Army officer attends, to represent the service and oversee the military rituals involved. Maj. Gen. William Troy has drawn funeral duty 23 times, and for Memorial Day, he writes in the Washington Post about an always-wrenching experience: "You comfort where you can and bear witness to the loss." More »

In this undated photo released by the U.S. Army, Army Chief Warrant Officer Paul J. Flynn, 28, of Whitsett, N.C., is shown. Flynn died on Aug. 22, 2007, after a helicopter crash in Multaka, Iraq.   (AP Photo/U.S. Army)
U.S. soldiers of Apache troop, 1-33 Cavarly, 3rd Brigade combat team, 101st Airborne Division buy sandwiches at a market stall during a routine patrol south of Baghdad, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008.   (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Charlotte Bond lies on a lawn chair amongst mock headstones containing the names of U.S. soldiers who died in Iraq in Miami Beach, Fla. Wednesday, March 19, 2008.   (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
US soldiers look at a painting as workers at Baghdad's Archaeological Museum carry in recovered items that had been looted following the US-led invasion to the Iraqi capital city, April 24, 2003.   (AP Photo/Odd Andersen, Pool/file)
Pfc. Tenzin L. Samten of Prescott, Ariz. is shown in this undated photo provided by the U.S.Army in Fort Eustis. Samten, 33, died March 12, 2008, along with two other soldiers in Tallil, Iraq.   (AP Photo/US Army,Fort Eustis )
This undated photo released by the U.S. Army shows Spc. Steven R. Elrod, 20 of Hope Mills, N.C. Elrod, a paratrooper who died after his truck crashed near Baghdad, Iraq, Monday.   (AP Photo/U.S. Army)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (1 of 3)

Tags

Iraq war  • American troops  • pilot  • Iraq death toll  • Iwo Jima


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular


Other US Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »