VIETNAM?
The U.S. government has been accused of using "deceptive bookkeeping" to keep secret "indirect" casualties of the Vietnam war which must number in the thousands.
Congressman Bob Wilson (Republican from California) speaking in the House of Representatives August 7 pointed to the listing by the Defense Department of "Casualties not the result of actions by hostile forces" which numbered 2,291 dead as of July 27.
Wilson declared that in addition to this misleading category, "The administration conveniently neglects to list the casualties involving men injured in the line of duty in accidents involving military vehicles, shot by mistake, accidentally wounded by our own or allied forces, victims of disease incurred during swamp and jungle operations, and so forth."
The numbers involved are a closely guarded secret, but Wilson charges that "The total must be in the thousands."
The total U.S. deaths in action in Vietnam are listed in the July 27 report as 12,155. Wounded are totaled at 73,925. "Noncombat" deaths are put at 2,291. If the proportions between dead and wounded are r about the same in both areas, secret casualties may run to 14,000.