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Wartime Data

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McHenry County Wartime Data from 1846 - 2003

McHenry County Wartime Data

Military Deaths Nationally McHenry County
Mexican War, 1846:
13,283
probably 0
Civil War, 1861 – 1865:
359,528
345
Spanish-American War, 1898-1899:
2,446
maybe 1
WWI, 1917-1918:
116,516
57
WWII, 1941-1945:
405,399
167
Korean War, 1950-1953:
36,576
13
Vietnam War, 1961-1973:
58,200
35
Persian Gulf War, 1991:
382
0
Iraq War, 2003- ? :
4712 (as of 04-29-2010)
  
Afghanistan War, 2001 - ? :
1738 (as of 04-29-2010)
  
Population
    
Mexican War, 1846:
1840 – 2,578
1850 – 14,978
Civil War, 1861 – 1865:
1860 – 22,089
1865 – 23,077
Spanish-American War, 1898-1899:
1900 – 29,759
  
WWI, 1917-1918:
1920 – 33,164
  
WWII, 1941-1945:
1940 – 37,311

1950 – 50,656
Korean War, 1950-1953:
1950 – 50,656
  
Vietnam War, 1961-1973:
1960 – 84,210

1970 – 111,555
Persian Gulf War, 1991:    
Iraq War, 2003- ? :    
Interest Rates
    
Mexican War, 1846:
10%
  
Civil War, 1861 – 1865:
3%
  
Spanish-American War, 1898-1899:
3.31 - 4.19%
  
WWI, 1917-1918:
4.62 - 5.91%
  
WWII, 1941-1945:
1.25% all years
  
Korean War, 1950-1953:
1,59, 2.15, 2.42, & 2.85%
  
Vietnam War, 1961-1973:
1962 - 4.5%
1973 - 8.2%
Persian Gulf War, 1991:
1991 - 8.46%
  
Iraq War, 2003- ? :
6.25%
  
Land Values (land & building)
    
Mexican War, 1846: $4 - $5.00/A. 1850 - $7.70/A.
Civil War, 1861 – 1865: 1860 - $22.40 A.  
Spanish-American War, 1898-1899: 1900 - $61.84/A.  
WWI, 1917-1918: 1920 - $173.52/A.  
WWII, 1941-1945: 1945 - $139.95/A.  
Korean War, 1950-1953: 1950 - $200.31/A.  
Vietnam War, 1961-1973: 1969 - $859.00/A.  
Persian Gulf War, 1991: 1992 - $2756.00/A.  
Iraq War, 2003- ? : 2002 - $4212.00/A.  
Issues and Changes
    
Mexican War, 1846: Volunteers called for.
Trade routes shifted from north-south to east-west because of canals, railroads, steamboats.
1845 big influenza outbreak.
Greek Revival architecture.
Government land gone by end of 1840's.
Establishment of familiar institutions -- churches, school, and governments.
Pre-township era.
Civil War, 1861 – 1865:

Military quotas set.
Lincoln's death - McHenry County's first public mourning day.
Inflation.
Improvements in agricultural technology.
Role of farm women changes.
Taken off gold standard.
"Greenbacks."
Freight rates charged farmers caused first signs of radical agrarian movements.
Religion prospered.
National debt rose.
36 people per square mile.
90% of electorate voted.
40 villages and settlements.
Tornado of 1862 and blizzard of 1864.
145 school houses.
No high schools until after 1870.
Spanish-American War, 1898-1899:

Volunteers: National Guard 34d Regiment of Ill. Infantry.
79 men served from here.
A "splendid little war" that enhanced national morale and world standing.
U.S. is largest industrial power.
Bicycle craze ends, love affair with auto begins.
Farming still the largest occupation.
No voting for women.
Four leading causes of death were heart disease, influenza, pneumonia, and tuberculosis.
McHenry County specialized in dairy farming.
1900 rural free mail delivery.
Economic growth and optimism.
WWI, 1917-1918:

First selective service.
American Legion forms in May 1919.
Food & Fuel Conservation.
Liberty bonds.
Spanish flu.
American Red Cross organized in McHenry County in 1917.
Women franchised.
Wet/dry issues.
Inflation.
Local businesses vs. catalogue houses.
Immigration issues.
Huge outpouring of support for returning soldiers.
Shell shock.
First use of dog tags.
WWII, 1941-1945:

Draft.
Office of Price Administration to control pricing.
Blackouts.
5 mph speed limit.
Blood banks.
Food stamps.
Rationing.
Daylight savings time.
War bond drives.
No housing starts.
No new cars, 1943.
Junk drives.
Only medal of Honor recipient for McHenry County.
Prison farm labor.
Large welcome home in Crystal Lake in for returning vets.
Fox River Grove forms first VFW in county in 1945.
Combat fatigue.
Kilroy was here.
Paperback books.
Korean War, 1950-1953:

Cold War era.
U.N. offensive but U.S. sponsored.
Inflation: no price controls.
George Darfler of Marengo only American POW repatriated from Korea in 1953.
Cast as world policemen.
No big welcome home for soldiers.
3 D movies.
Credit cards.
TV.
Vietnam War, 1961-1973:

Draft.
First television war.
Last letter writing war.
PFC Lester Edwin Becker of Harvard is first McHenry County soldier to die on November 30, 1965.
Draft protest in Woodstock.
Inflation.
Little public recognition for soldiers who served until the 1980's.
Delayed Stress Syndrome.
61% of men killed were 21 or younger.
Average household size decreases from 4.7 to 3.7 persons.
"Silent Spring," 1962, examines environmental destruction.
Persian Gulf War, 1991:

Yellow ribbons introduced.
Prayer breakfasts.
Local war coverage in newspapers.
No draft.
Newspapers print American flags to put in windows.
Dressed for combat costs $1,452.10.
Computer contact with those serving.
Soldiers openly welcomed home.
Decrease in Veterans organizations.
Iraq War, 2003- ? :

Reservists 50+ called to active duty.
National Guard call ups.
Weapons of mass destruction.
Immigration issues.
Homeland security.
Realization that terrorism is global and the U.S. is not exempt.
Increase in Relief Agencies.
Largest number of women serving in Active Duty.
General outpouring of support for soldiers but decreasing support for staying in Iraq.
Reporters "entrenched" with troops.
Huge coverage of war in local media.
911 fallout.
Membership in Veterans organizations continues to decrease.