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Likely true. I have studied our war pretty carefully and those who served in direct combat (infantry, reconnaissance, CAP units, etc.) had very high casualty rates per numbers of men serving. The rear-area units took casualties too but they had to be really unlucky. You know, the "122mm rocket with your name on it" stuff.

As I said in my story, almost every single infantryman I knew had been wounded at least once (usually by grenade frags - it was almost impossible to throw an M-26 far enough not to get wounded yourself in the process). I am sure that 90% or better of our deaths were in those close-combat positions - and they comprised about 10% of men who were sent to Vietnam.

The joke back then was "we are the first dragon in history that is 90% tail and 10% teeth", but that's the problem of waging war at long distances.

We all have to listen to those little voices inside us before we choose our paths.