KIA Percentage of US Armed Forces

[Diane Merkel]

As the wife of a history professor, I love this question that came from one of our website visitors. If you can answer her, please provide stats and sources, if possible. Thanks, Diane

I am a history major at Missouri Western, and my professor said that custer lost 10% of the nation's armed forces during the battle of Little Bighorn. I told this to my father, who completely disagrees. I'm trying to find out if my professor was completely correct (because I thought the numbers were a little crazy as well), and I thought you would be the perfect group to set us all straight.

[bigpond]

In the Autumn of 1976 after the LBH,
the total US Army numbered 28,371 officers and men of all arms,of whom scarcely 20,000 were available for combat.[Ibid p25]
After the Custer fight the 7th recieved 500 recruits from Jefferson Barracks,giving it 1,205 enlisted men

When Crook set out,he had 47 officers & 1,002 enlisted men,20 Packers,about 260 Crow and Shoshone scouts,several newspaper men,and 65 gold miners on there way to Montana.

Terry had 50 officers and 968 enlisted men,with 190 civilian employes.
10 % of Terry and Crooks men seem more realistic.

[Steve Wilk]

Your professor is clueless. More like ONE percent of the ARMY. There were 260 some KIA at LBH; ten pct of the "armed forces" would imply that, including the Navy and Marines, the entire US armed forces totalled less than 3000!

[Heather]

Thanks to both of you who replied to my question, especially bigpond. You guys both helped clear up the confusion of what my professor said. I'm thinking now that he probably meant 10% of the forces he had to use, as bigpond explained. Thanks again.