The Deadliest Battles in U.S. History
Updated August 5, 2020 |
Infoplease Staff
The table below lists the battles in which the U.S. suffered the most fatalities. See U.S. Casualties and Veterans for a list of casualties in all of America's Wars.
| Battle (war) | Dates | Number of fatalities |
|---|---|---|
| The Meuse-Argonne Offensive (World War I) | Sep. 26, – Nov. 11, 1918 | 26,277 |
| Battle of the Bulge (World War II) | Dec. 16, 1944 – Jan. 25, 1945 | 19,276 |
| Battle of Okinawa (World War II) | April 1, – June 21, 1945 | 12,513 |
| Battle of Hurtgen Forest (World War II) | Sep. 19, 1944 – Feb. 10, 1945 | 8,157 |
| Battle of Gettysburg (Civil War) | June 3, – July 24, 1863 | 7,863 (3,155 Union troops; and 4,708 Confederate) |
| Battle of Guadalcanal (World War II) | Aug. 7, 1942 – Feb. 9, 1943 | 7,099 |
| Battle of Iwo Jima (World War II) | Feb. 19, – March 26, 1945 | 6,821 |
| The Battle of Pusan Perimeter (Korean War) | Aug. 7, – Sep. 1950 | 4,599 |
| Battle of Spotsylvania (Civil War) | May 8–21, 1864 | 4,192 (2,725 Union troops; and 1,467 Confederate) |
| Battle of Chickamauga (Civil War) | Sep. 1–20, 1863 | 3,969 killed (1,657 Union troops; 2,312 Confederate) |
Sources Department of Defense and Veterans Administration, the National Park Service, and history.com.
See also Post-Vietnam Combat Casualties.
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