4 - The Black Vault

THE BDM CORPORATION
low-family-income soldiers were twice as likely to serve in combat as
middle- or high-family-income soldiers.73/ This relationship is shown in
Table 1-4.74/
In their study of the socin-economic indicators of casualties,
Badillo and Curry found the same relationship developed by Notre Dame.
They examined both family income level and father's occupation for each of
the 101 communities. Their data, presented in Figures 1-4 74/ and 1-5, 75/
demonstrate a similar inverse relationship between income,
Vietnam casualties as that demonstrated for educational level.
occupation and
These two traits, less education and low family income, characterized
the majority of Vietnam combat troops. These traits, according to
many observers, became morA prevalent over the course of the war.76/ In
addition, a third trait was frequently ascribed to them:
In the average rifle company, the strength was 50% composed
of Negroes, Southwestern Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Guamanians,
Nisei and so on.77/
Minorities made up a disproportiouate number of draftees. In
1965 blacks suffered 24 percent of the Vietnam casualties. Through a
concerted program designed to equalize this disproportionate casualty rate
the military decreased the black casualty percentage to nine percent by
1970 (see Figure 1-6).78/ As a result of this policy, blacks suffered 13
percent of the overall ,:asualties incurred in the Vietnam conflict, roughly
in proportion to their percentage of the American population. 79/
Baaiilo and Curry found no correlation between black casualties
and black communities (Figure 1-7).80/
They concluded that black soldiers
tended to possess low education and family-income levels and it was these
socio-economic factors that determined Vietnam participation. Since blacks
and other minorities were over-represented in the lower socio-economic
classes, they tended to be over-represented in the military.81/
Certain differences between enlistees and draftees can be
observed with sufficient regularity to be generalized.
1-31
LIII~~ .
.,