Thousands of U.S. troops are in Iraq and Afghanistan for the holidays. Thankfully faster and more advanced treatment means an estimated 90 percent of those wounded will survive. In Vietnam, just 76 percent survived. Freelance photographer Peter van Agtmael was embedded with soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan and at a Baghdad hospital.
He provided ABC News with descriptions of the circumstances and people behind the images. The U.S. Army and soldiers pictured agreed to have their photos taken and made public.
Pvt. Baird of the 173rd Airborne was shot in his arm, which severed his brachial artery. After emergency surgery, his blood flow was restored, and he began to move his fingers.
(Peter van Agtmael)