Weight-Height Standards Based on World War II Experience on JSTOR (2023)

FAQs

What was the average height and weight of ww2 soldiers? ›

(b) The average height of the inductees of World War II was 68.1 inches and their average weight was 150.5 pounds.

Thus, even after careful review of physical standards during World War II, men less than 60 inches in height were "nonacceptable" (U.S. Congress, 1944).

About 100 thousand Army recruits in 1943 had an average height of 68.1 inches; 85 thousand recruits in 1946 averaged 68.4 inches.

U.S. soldiers trained with at least 60 pounds but carried additional rations and munitions in combat. During World War II, U.S. troops carried more than 80 pounds in the Normandy landings. U.S. soldier loads increased even more dramatically in the second half of the 20th century.

When the United States entered World War II, young American men averaged 5 feet 9 inches — almost 2 inches taller, on average, than the young Germans they were fighting.

A four-year commitment was required for the SS-VT and LSSAH. Recruits had to be between the ages of 17 and 23, at least 1.74 metres (5 ft 9 in) tall (1.78 metres (5 ft 10 in) for the LSSAH).

Average German soldier was about 5'7″–5′8″ food deprivation during wwI and through the 20's and early 30's had stunted his growth. Many German soldiers taken as POW'S commented on the size of American soldiers.

The typical frontovik during the war was an ethnic Russian aged 19–24 with an average height of 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m). Most of the men were shaven bald to prevent lice and the few who did grow their hair kept it very short. The American historian Gordon Rottman describes the uniforms as "simple and functional".

Nacken was internationally known for his height of seven feet three inches (2.21 m) and earned an engagement at the 1939 New York World's Fair. He returned to Germany at the beginning of World War II and was immediately drafted into the army, becoming their tallest soldier on record.

How tall was the average male in 1940? ›

The height of a man born in the United States in 1930 was 173.4 cm (68.3 inches); whereas in 1940 it was 176.1 cm (69.3 inches) – an increase of 2.7 cm (1 inch).

Average American was nearly 5′9″ and just under 150 lbs. Average German soldier was about 5'7″–5′8″ food deprivation during wwI and through the 20's and early 30's had stunted his growth.

Of the deceased, the average age at death was 74.6. The mortality rate for veterans is 4% less than that of civilians, but the age at death is not significantly different for the two groups.

Soldiers who landed on June 6, 1944 as a part of the D-Day invasion did not know when they would be resupplied so their backpacks weighed anywhere from 70-100 pounds! Instead of carrying a life vest that would go over his shoulders and cover his back and stomach, a D-Day soldier was given a life belt.

No less than 64 inches short and 77 inches tall when standing. Within 34-40 inches tall when sitting. Weighing within 160-231 lb.

During World War II, the average body measurements of the over six million male inductees into the U.S. Army was found to be 5 feet, 8 inches tall and 144 pounds in weight, on average an inch taller and eight pounds heavier than his Great War counterpart.

The average height of a soldier in the Civil War was five feet, eight inches; when Thomas Marshal Jones enlisted, he was seven feet, six inches tall. He was born in Tuscarawas County on September 16, 1838.

The average height was 5 feet 7 1/2 inches tall; the average weight was 141.5 pounds - about the same as a Civil War soldier, but an inch shorter and ten pounds lighter than those who served in World War II. 37% were unable to read or write.

Thruston is perhaps best known for reportedly being the tallest Confederate soldier of the Civil War at over seven and a half feet tall. Later in life, he worked for P. T. Barnum's circus, being advertised as the world's tallest man. Information is sketchy about the early life of Henry Clay Thruston.

The average German is 172.87cm (5 feet 8.06 inches) tall on average. The average German man is 179.88cm (5 feet 8.81 inches) tall.

Who was the tallest soldier? ›

Myllyrinne was born in Helsinki, Grand Duchy of Finland, and is considered the tallest soldier ever, having served in the Finnish Defence Forces. He underwent his conscript training in 1929 in the Viipuri Heavy Artillery Regiment, and was 220 cm (7 ft 3 in) tall and very strong.

"The Japanese soldier is small in stature in comparison with Americans. His average height is 5 feet 3 1/2 inches; his weight, 116 to 120 pounds. His limbs are short and thick. Despite the reputation of the Japanese for quickness and agility, the average soldier even after rigorous training is apt to be awkward.

The average height of men and women on the Chinese mainland is 171.8 cm (ninety-third in the world) and 159.7 cm (eighty-seventh in the world), with an increase in 11 cm and 10 cm, respectively, in the past 100 years [24]. The conclusion of this study is basically confirmed in our statistics.

Soldier Boy (Russian: Солдатик, romanized: Soldatik) is a 2019 Russian-language film. It is based on the real-life story of the youngest soldier in World War II, Sergei Aleshkov, who was only 6 years old.

How tall was an average Viking? ›

"The examination of skeletons from different localities in Scandinavia reveals that the average height of the Vikings was a little less than that of today: men were about 5 ft 7-3/4 in. tall and women 5 ft 2-1/2 in.

Were the Romans tall or short? The average height was between 5' and 5.5 ft tall based on skeletal remains and written history. Eastern Rome (Constantine's Post Italian Rome) was 5'4"-5'7" The original Roman had a wheat bread based diet, lack of protein kept heights low.

According to the report, the Netherlands is still the world's tallest nation with the average height in the country for men 183.78 cm, or 6 foot, and 170.36 cm, or 5 foot 7 inches for women.

Equestrian Indian tribes on the American Plains in the late 1800s were the tallest people in the world, suggesting that they were surprisingly well-nourished given disease and their lifestyle, a new study found.

Remember the average life for a man in the Ancient Rome's times was about 40… Even the average height was shorter than today's Romans: around 5'5”!

Young Chinese often get down on themselves for being too short, but the average height of 19-year-old males in China in 2019 was 175.7 centimeters, edging out South Korea for the coveted “tallest post-2000s cohort in East Asia” crown.

According to Ken Burns, the average soldier in the Civil War was 5'8 and 140 pounds, which seems exceptionally small and light for a population selected to fight; would this have been consistent with European armies of the same time period?

Only 24% survived the war unscathed.

However, while it was the superior machine of the skies, the Spitfires would have been nothing without the brave members the Royal Air Force that piloted them. The average life expectancy of a Spitfire pilot during the Battle of Britain was just four weeks.

Compared to the U. S. population, the mortality rates of Veterans are higher at older ages, and the life expectancy of Veterans are estimated to be 0.9-1.2 life-years shorter before adjusted for older ages using SSA mortality rates6 and 0.6-1.0 life-years shorter after the adjustment for males, and to be 1.7-1.9 life- ...

What was the average age of a soldier on D-Day? ›

∎ The average age of an American soldier on D-Day was 26. As the war continued and more manpower was needed, nearly half of all American troops fighting in Europe would be teenagers.

Omaha Beach.

The 1st Infantry assault experienced the worst ordeal of D- Day operations. The Americans suffered 2,400 casualties, but 34,000 Allied troops landed by nightfall. Divided into Charlie, Dog, Easy and Fox zones.

A soldier's basic combat load will be seven of those 20-round magazines, a total of 140 rounds, weighing 9.8 pounds altogether. The M4's combat load, also seven magazines for a total of 210 rounds, is 7.4 pounds.

AVERAGE STATISTICS

Height: 5 ft. 10 in.

What is the height and weight requirement for Navy SEALs? To be an applicant for the Navy, you must be between 57-80 inches tall. The weight standards are about your height and gender. For example, if you're 60 inches tall and a male, you must be 141lb maximum.

What is the average weight of a Navy SEAL? The average height and weight of a US Navy SEAL (pg 13) is just under 70 inches (5′10) and 175 pounds. The height and weight of an average sailor (pg 16) is 176cm (69 inches or 5′9) and 81 kilos (178 pounds).

The average age of the United States soldier in World War II is estimated at 26 with the draft including all able-bodied men from 18 years of age to 45 years.

The typical frontovik during the war was an ethnic Russian aged 19–24 with an average height of 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m). Most of the men were shaven bald to prevent lice and the few who did grow their hair kept it very short. The American historian Gordon Rottman describes the uniforms as "simple and functional".

Myllyrinne was born in Helsinki, Grand Duchy of Finland, and is considered the tallest soldier ever, having served in the Finnish Defence Forces.

What was the oldest age drafted in WWII? ›

The Draft and WWII

On September 16, 1940, the United States instituted the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, which required all men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the draft.

So if you were fighting the war in the Army or the militia, your chances of dying from fighting were around 0.8%. Dying from disease was much more likely, an 0.34% chance.

The passing of the WWII generation

Yielding to the inalterable process of aging, the men and women who fought and won the great conflict are now in their 90s or older.

His goal was to depict the reality of what it was like to be in the armored divisions fighting in World War II — the life expectancy of a tank crew was six weeks. Ayer wanted to show not only what it was really like to be a part of a tank crew, but how ferocious, and awful, the war was right up until the very end.