WW2 Casualties by State

World War II, the most extensive and lethal military engagement in human history, from 1939 to 1945, left a deep and lasting impact on the world and the United States. Joining the Allies in December 1941, the U.S. saw about 16 million servicemen and servicewomen participating in overseas combat. With this engagement, many states within America bore witness to the significant human loss— the effect of which is still relevant in contemporary times. This data endeavors to map this history by exploring WWII casualty data state-wise, drawing on detailed statistics to yield a detailed perspective on the distribution of this grim metric across the U.S.

Several distinct trends and patterns have emerged from the human cost borne by different regions:

• States with larger populations during that era, like New York and Pennsylvania, registered a higher number of casualties. New York, ranking first, had 31,215 casualties, whereas Pennsylvania stood second with 26,554 casualties.
• A significant decline in casualty figures is observed after the leading states. For instance, the third-ranked Illinois reported 18,601 casualties— nearly 8,000 less than Pennsylvania.
• Role of Regional Proximity: States closer to military bases or coastal areas susceptible to enemy action might have seen higher casualty rates. This factor could be influential in the significant toll reported in states like California and Virginia.