Are Any Korean War Veterans Still Living?
As of 2013 there were 2,275,000 Korean War veterans still living. Most Korean War veterans have now retired from work. In 2000, the states with the most Korean War veterans were California, Florida, Texas, New York and Pennsylvania.
Many of these veterans face continuing health problems from the extreme cold they encountered in Korea. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs estimates that 5,000 soldiers died in Korea from the extreme cold conditions. They also state that continued health problems for living veterans include skin cancer in frostbite areas, arthritis, fallen arches, stiff toes, cold sensitization and a higher risk for amputation.
The Korean War lasted from 1950 to 1953. There were 5.7 million men and women active in the military during the Korean War; 54,246 died during the Korean War, and 103,284 were wounded. The bodies of 8,176 soldiers were never found and were labeled as missing in action as of 2011. There were 7,140 American soldiers taken as prisoners of war, or POWs, during the conflict; of those, 4,418 returned alive, 2,701 died in captivity and 21 refused repatriation. There were 131 POWs who received the Medal of Honor. Approximately 2.4 million Korean War veterans went on to receive education and training under the Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1952.
