bigpigeon.us webpage WWII US > WWII Casualties > War Dept. Dead, © 2023 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 25 Nov 2023. 
The US Air Force was part of the US Army during WWII.

WWII US Army Casualties

WWIIUSArmyCasualties.docx, 21 Nov 2023

Source: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA438106.pdf, p. 5

Description

Battle Casualties

 

     1 - Killed in Action (KIA)

189,696

 

     2 - Wounded & Injured in Action (WIA)

592,170

 

       2a - Died of Wounds/Injuries overseas, DOW

 

26,225

       2b - Died of Wounds/Injuries in the US, DOW

 

84

       2c - Returned to duty overseas, 383,196

 

 

       2d - Resumed duty in US/discharged, 182,665

 

 

     3 - Captured or interned (POW)

124,079

 

       3a - KIA while a POW

 

3,102

       3b - DOW while a POW

 

453

       3c - Died of other causes while a POW, 9,098

 

 

       3d - Returned to US military control, 111,426

 

 

     4 - Missing in Action (MIA)

30,314

 

       4a - Declared dead

 

6,058

       4b - Died of other causes while MIA, 158

 

 

       4c - Returned to duty – 24,098

 

 

     Total WWII US Army Battle Casualties

936,259

 

 

Battle Casualty Deaths

     Initially Killed in Action – line 1

189,696

 

     WIA - DOW overseas – line 2a

26,225

 

     WIA - DOW in the US – line 2b

84

 

     POW - Killed in Action – line 3a

3,102

 

     POW – DOW – line 3b

453

 

     MIA - declared dead – line 4a

6,058

 

     POW – died of other causes – line 3c

9,098

 

     MIA – died of other causes – line 4b

158

 

     Total WWII US Army Battle Casualty Deaths

234,874

 

 

Commentary on the above table:
  • Line 3a, Killed in Action while a Prisoner of War - most of these deaths were caused by US submarine or aircraft attacks on unmarked Japanese ships -- the so-called Hell Ships -- carrying US and Allied prisoners of war.
  • Line 3c, Died of Other causes while a Prisoner of War - most of these deaths were due to grim conditions in Japanese Prisoner of War camps in the Philippine Islands.