Introduction
World War II (WWII) started in 1939 when Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The conflict involved most of the world’s countries and ended in 1945 with the liberation of German-occupied territories and the unconditional surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945. The Second World War is also considered to be the deadliest military conflict of all time, with about 70 to 85 million deaths over the world. Military deaths more specifically are estimated at 21 to 25 million.
The United States was an important actor in the conflict. Soldiers went forth from every state to fight in Europe and in the Pacific. The United States incurred a total of 407,316 military casualties throughout the duration of the war. The number of WWII soldiers who were killed in action does not represent all of those who were wounded, captured, or missing in action.
From state to state, the number of WWII casualties can range from under 100 in some states, to 30,000 casualties in others. Of the total number of servicemen in the U.S. military from 1941—1945, only 38.8% of them were volunteers, while 61.2% of them were drafted.
Learn more about the number of WWII casualties by state by exploring the data in the charts.
# | State | WWII Casualties | Korean War Casualties | Vietnam War Casualties |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | New York | 31,215 | 2,373 | 4,119 |
2 | Pennsylvania | 26,554 | 2,401 | 3,147 |
3 | Illinois | 18,601 | 1,789 | 2,936 |
4 | California | 17,022 | 2,611 | 5,575 |
5 | Ohio | 16,828 | 1,823 | 3,094 |
6 | Texas | 15,764 | 1,779 | 3,415 |
7 | Michigan | 12,885 | 1,492 | 2,657 |
8 | New Jersey | 10,372 | 836 | 1,487 |
9 | Massachusetts | 10,033 | 866 | 1,331 |
10 | Indiana | 8,131 | 921 | 1,534 |
11 | Missouri | 8,003 | 944 | 1,418 |
12 | North Carolina | 7,109 | 805 | 1,613 |
13 | Wisconsin | 7,038 | 747 | 1,161 |
14 | Kentucky | 6,802 | 886 | 1,056 |
15 | Tennessee | 6,528 | 844 | 1,295 |
16 | Minnesota | 6,462 | 725 | 1,077 |
17 | Virginia | 6,007 | 882 | 1,305 |
18 | Georgia | 5,701 | 757 | 1,581 |
19 | Iowa | 5,633 | 528 | 851 |
20 | Oklahoma | 5,474 | 625 | 987 |
21 | Alabama | 5,114 | 700 | 1,208 |
22 | West Virginia | 4,865 | 814 | 733 |
23 | Kansas | 4,526 | 429 | 627 |
24 | Maryland | 4,375 | 531 | 1,014 |
25 | Connecticut | 4,347 | 326 | 612 |
26 | Louisiana | 3,964 | 610 | 885 |
27 | Washington | 3,941 | 488 | 1,047 |
28 | Arkansas | 3,814 | 467 | 592 |
29 | Mississippi | 3,555 | 423 | 636 |
30 | Florida | 3,540 | 577 | 1,954 |
31 | South Carolina | 3,423 | 483 | 895 |
32 | District of Columbia | 3,029 | 158 | 242 |
33 | Nebraska | 2,976 | 318 | 396 |
34 | Oregon | 2,835 | 276 | 710 |
35 | Colorado | 2,697 | 305 | 623 |
36 | Maine | 2,156 | 242 | 341 |
37 | New Mexico | 2,032 | 200 | 395 |
38 | Rhode Island | 1,669 | 149 | 209 |
39 | North Dakota | 1,626 | 177 | 199 |
40 | Arizona | 1,613 | 247 | 619 |
41 | Montana | 1,553 | 137 | 267 |
42 | Utah | 1,450 | 141 | 361 |
43 | South Dakota | 1,426 | 160 | 192 |
44 | Idaho | 1,419 | 131 | 217 |
45 | New Hampshire | 1,203 | 137 | 226 |
46 | Vermont | 874 | 94 | 100 |
47 | Hawaii | 689 | 407 | 276 |
48 | Wyoming | 652 | 60 | 119 |
49 | Delaware | 579 | 45 | 122 |
50 | Nevada | 349 | 37 | 149 |
51 | Alaska | 91 | 10 | 57 |
WWII Casualties by State
Alabama
WWII Casualties
5,114
Ranked in the US
#21
Korean War Casualties
700
Ranked in the US
#20
Ranked in the US
#17
Alaska
WWII Casualties
91
Ranked in the US
#51
Korean War Casualties
10
Ranked in the US
#51
Ranked in the US
#51
Arizona
WWII Casualties
1,613
Ranked in the US
#40
Korean War Casualties
247
Ranked in the US
#36
Ranked in the US
#32
Arkansas
WWII Casualties
3,814
Ranked in the US
#28
Korean War Casualties
467
Ranked in the US
#28
Ranked in the US
#34
California
WWII Casualties
17,022
Ranked in the US
#4
Korean War Casualties
2,611
Ranked in the US
#1
Ranked in the US
#1
Colorado
WWII Casualties
2,697
Ranked in the US
#35
Korean War Casualties
305
Ranked in the US
#34
Ranked in the US
#31
Connecticut
WWII Casualties
4,347
Ranked in the US
#25
Korean War Casualties
326
Ranked in the US
#32
Ranked in the US
#33
Delaware
WWII Casualties
579
Ranked in the US
#49
Korean War Casualties
45
Ranked in the US
#49
Ranked in the US
#48
District of Columbia
WWII Casualties
3,029
Ranked in the US
#32
Korean War Casualties
158
Ranked in the US
#41
Ranked in the US
#41
Florida
WWII Casualties
3,540
Ranked in the US
#30
Korean War Casualties
577
Ranked in the US
#23
Ranked in the US
#8
Georgia
WWII Casualties
5,701
Ranked in the US
#18
Korean War Casualties
757
Ranked in the US
#17
Ranked in the US
#10
Hawaii
WWII Casualties
689
Ranked in the US
#47
Korean War Casualties
407
Ranked in the US
#31
Ranked in the US
#39
Idaho
WWII Casualties
1,419
Ranked in the US
#44
Korean War Casualties
131
Ranked in the US
#46
Ranked in the US
#43
Illinois
WWII Casualties
18,601
Ranked in the US
#3
Korean War Casualties
1,789
Ranked in the US
#5
Ranked in the US
#6
Indiana
WWII Casualties
8,131
Ranked in the US
#10
Korean War Casualties
921
Ranked in the US
#9
Ranked in the US
#11
Iowa
WWII Casualties
5,633
Ranked in the US
#19
Korean War Casualties
528
Ranked in the US
#25
Ranked in the US
#26
Kansas
WWII Casualties
4,526
Ranked in the US
#23
Korean War Casualties
429
Ranked in the US
#29
Ranked in the US
#30
Kentucky
WWII Casualties
6,802
Ranked in the US
#14
Korean War Casualties
886
Ranked in the US
#10
Ranked in the US
#20
Louisiana
WWII Casualties
3,964
Ranked in the US
#26
Korean War Casualties
610
Ranked in the US
#22
Ranked in the US
#25
Maine
WWII Casualties
2,156
Ranked in the US
#36
Korean War Casualties
242
Ranked in the US
#37
Ranked in the US
#38
Maryland
WWII Casualties
4,375
Ranked in the US
#24
Korean War Casualties
531
Ranked in the US
#24
Ranked in the US
#22
Massachusetts
WWII Casualties
10,033
Ranked in the US
#9
Korean War Casualties
866
Ranked in the US
#12
Ranked in the US
#14
Michigan
WWII Casualties
12,885
Ranked in the US
#7
Korean War Casualties
1,492
Ranked in the US
#7
Ranked in the US
#7
Minnesota
WWII Casualties
6,462
Ranked in the US
#16
Korean War Casualties
725
Ranked in the US
#19
Ranked in the US
#19
Mississippi
WWII Casualties
3,555
Ranked in the US
#29
Korean War Casualties
423
Ranked in the US
#30
Ranked in the US
#29
Missouri
WWII Casualties
8,003
Ranked in the US
#11
Korean War Casualties
944
Ranked in the US
#8
Ranked in the US
#13
Montana
WWII Casualties
1,553
Ranked in the US
#41
Korean War Casualties
137
Ranked in the US
#44
Ranked in the US
#40
Nebraska
WWII Casualties
2,976
Ranked in the US
#33
Korean War Casualties
318
Ranked in the US
#33
Ranked in the US
#35
Nevada
WWII Casualties
349
Ranked in the US
#50
Korean War Casualties
37
Ranked in the US
#50
Ranked in the US
#47
New Hampshire
WWII Casualties
1,203
Ranked in the US
#45
Korean War Casualties
137
Ranked in the US
#45
Ranked in the US
#42
New Jersey
WWII Casualties
10,372
Ranked in the US
#8
Korean War Casualties
836
Ranked in the US
#14
Ranked in the US
#12
New Mexico
WWII Casualties
2,032
Ranked in the US
#37
Korean War Casualties
200
Ranked in the US
#38
Ranked in the US
#36
New York
WWII Casualties
31,215
Ranked in the US
#1
Korean War Casualties
2,373
Ranked in the US
#3
Ranked in the US
#2
North Carolina
WWII Casualties
7,109
Ranked in the US
#12
Korean War Casualties
805
Ranked in the US
#16
Ranked in the US
#9
North Dakota
WWII Casualties
1,626
Ranked in the US
#39
Korean War Casualties
177
Ranked in the US
#39
Ranked in the US
#45
Ohio
WWII Casualties
16,828
Ranked in the US
#5
Korean War Casualties
1,823
Ranked in the US
#4
Ranked in the US
#5
Oklahoma
WWII Casualties
5,474
Ranked in the US
#20
Korean War Casualties
625
Ranked in the US
#21
Ranked in the US
#23
Oregon
WWII Casualties
2,835
Ranked in the US
#34
Korean War Casualties
276
Ranked in the US
#35
Ranked in the US
#28
Pennsylvania
WWII Casualties
26,554
Ranked in the US
#2
Korean War Casualties
2,401
Ranked in the US
#2
Ranked in the US
#4
Rhode Island
WWII Casualties
1,669
Ranked in the US
#38
Korean War Casualties
149
Ranked in the US
#42
Ranked in the US
#44
South Carolina
WWII Casualties
3,423
Ranked in the US
#31
Korean War Casualties
483
Ranked in the US
#27
Ranked in the US
#24
South Dakota
WWII Casualties
1,426
Ranked in the US
#43
Korean War Casualties
160
Ranked in the US
#40
Ranked in the US
#46
Tennessee
WWII Casualties
6,528
Ranked in the US
#15
Korean War Casualties
844
Ranked in the US
#13
Ranked in the US
#16
Texas
WWII Casualties
15,764
Ranked in the US
#6
Korean War Casualties
1,779
Ranked in the US
#6
Ranked in the US
#3
Utah
WWII Casualties
1,450
Ranked in the US
#42
Korean War Casualties
141
Ranked in the US
#43
Ranked in the US
#37
Vermont
WWII Casualties
874
Ranked in the US
#46
Korean War Casualties
94
Ranked in the US
#47
Ranked in the US
#50
Virginia
WWII Casualties
6,007
Ranked in the US
#17
Korean War Casualties
882
Ranked in the US
#11
Ranked in the US
#15
Washington
WWII Casualties
3,941
Ranked in the US
#27
Korean War Casualties
488
Ranked in the US
#26
Ranked in the US
#21
West Virginia
WWII Casualties
4,865
Ranked in the US
#22
Korean War Casualties
814
Ranked in the US
#15
Ranked in the US
#27
Wisconsin
WWII Casualties
7,038
Ranked in the US
#13
Korean War Casualties
747
Ranked in the US
#18
Ranked in the US
#18
Wyoming
WWII Casualties
652
Ranked in the US
#48
Korean War Casualties
60
Ranked in the US
#48
Ranked in the US
#49