List of battles with most United States military fatalities



The following is a list of the most lethal battles fought by the military of the United States of America. This list shows battles where the number of U.S. soldiers killed was higher than 1000. The battles that reached that number of deaths in the field are so far limited to the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korean War and one battle during the Vietnam War, the Tet Offensive (January 30 to September 23, 1968). The bloodiest battle with the most U.S. soldiers killed was the Battle of Normandy / and Northern France (June 6 to September 14, 1944) where 34,137 soldiers were killed trying to gain a foothold in Axis-occupied France. The Americans' bloodiest single day in the Battle of Normandy was the first day, D-day (June 6, 1944) with 2,499 killed. The bloodiest single day in American history was during the Battle of Antietam when 3,654 Union and Confederate soldiers were killed on September 17, 1862. However for the United States military specifically, the bloodiest single day is June 6, 1944.

The origins of the United States military can be traced to the Americans' fight for independence from their former colonial power, Great Britain, in the War for independence (1775–83). The three bloodiest conflicts have been American Civil War (1861–65), World War I (1917–1918) and World War II (1941–45). Since 1945 the United States has been almost constantly at war, notably in the Korean War (1950–1953), Vietnam War (1955–1975), the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) and various conflicts in the Middle East. For most of its existence, America has been involved in one or another military conflict.

The term Casualty in warfare can often be confusing. It often does not refer to those that are killed on the battlefield; rather, it refers to those who can no longer fight. This can include disabled by injuries, disabled by psychological trauma, captured, deserted, or missing. A casualty is just a soldier who is no longer available for the immediate battle or campaign, the major consideration in combat; the number of casualties is simply the number of members of a unit who are not available for duty. For example during the Seven Days Battles in the American Civil War (June 25 to July 1, 1862) there were 5,228 killed, 23,824 wounded and 7,007 missing or taken prisoner for a total of 36,059 casualties. The word casualty has been used in a military context since at least 1513. In this article the numbers killed refer to those killed in action, killed by disease or someone who died from their wounds.