Memorial Day: When and Where 1.2M People Died Fighting for America
A by-the-numbers look at U.S. war casualties.
— -- At least 1.2 million people have died fighting for America during its wars dating back 241 years, according to Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs data.
Most died in battle, while many others never landed abroad but are no less honored on this Memorial Day.
Here’s a by-the-numbers breakdown of when and where they died, as of May 27, starting with the American Revolution:
American Revolution (1775-1783)
Battle Deaths: 4,435
War of 1812 (1812-1815)
Battle Deaths: 2,260
Indian Wars (approx. 1817-1898)
Battle Deaths (VA estimate): 1,000
Mexican War (1846-1848)
Battle Deaths: 1,733
Other Deaths (In Theater): 11,550
Civil War (1861-1865)
Battle Deaths (Union): 140,414
Other Deaths (In Theater)(Union): 224,097
Battle Deaths (Confederate): 74,524
Other Deaths (In Theater)(Confederate): 59,297
![](https://s.abcnews.com/images/US/AP_memorial_day_01_as_160530.jpg)
Spanish-American War (1898-1902)
Battle Deaths: 385
Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater): 2,061
World War I (1917-1918)
Battle Deaths: 53,402
Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater): 63,114
World War II (1941 –1945)
Battle Deaths: 291,557
Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater): 113,842
Korean War (1950-1953)
Battle Deaths: 33,739
Other Deaths (In Theater): 2,835
Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater): 17,672
Vietnam War (1964-1975)
Battle Deaths: 47,434
Other Deaths (In Theater): 10,786
Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater): 32,000
(These cover period 11/1/55 to 5/15/75)
![](https://s.abcnews.com/images/US/AP_memorial_day_02_as_160530.jpg)
Desert Shield/Desert Storm (1990-1991)
Battle Deaths: 148
Other Deaths (In Theater): 235
Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater): 1,565
Global War on Terror, including Iraq and Afghanistan (Oct 2001 - present)
Total Deaths: 6,888.
In addition to those, the State Department Office of the Historian lists the Philippine-American War, 1899 to 1902, citing the deaths of more than 4,200 U.S. combatants.