Last year, U.S. military deaths spiked along with the Pentagon’s “surge” — the arrival of more than 30,000 extra personnel trying to regain control of Baghdad and the surrounding areas. The mission was generally considered a success, but the cost was evident as soldiers pushed into Sunni insurgent strongholds and challenged Shiite militias.
Military deaths rose above 100 for three consecutive months for the first time during the war: April, 104; May, 126; and June, 101.
The death toll has seesawed since, with 2007 ending as the deadliest year for American troops at 901 deaths. That was 51 more deaths than 2004, the second-deadliest year for U.S. service members.
The milestones for each 1,000 deaths — while an arbitrary marker — serve to rivet attention on the war and have come during a range of pivotal moments.
When the 1,000th American died in September 2004, the insurgency was gaining steam. The 2,000-death mark came in October 2005 as Iraq voted on a constitution. The Pentagon announced its 3,000th loss on the last day of 2006 — a day after Saddam Hussein was hanged.
The deaths taken by U.S. soldiers in Iraq, however, are far fewer than in other modern American wars. In Vietnam, the U.S. lost on average about 4,850 soldiers a year from 1963 to 1975. In the Korean War, from 1950 to 1953, the U.S. lost about 12,300 soldiers a year.
But a hallmark of the Iraq war is the high wounded-to- killed ratio, partly because of advances in battlefield medicine, enhanced protective gear worn by soldiers and reinforced armored vehicles. There have been about 15 soldiers wounded for every fatality in Iraq, compared with 2.6 per death in Vietnam and 2.8 in Korea.
The deadliest month for American troops was November 2004, with 137 deaths. December was the lowest monthly death toll, when 23 soldiers were killed — one fewer than February 2004.
Two factors have helped bring down violence in recent months: a self-imposed cease- fire by a main Shiite militia and a grassroots Sunni revolt against extremists.
