Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to hostile attack. KIAs do not come from incidents such as accidental vehicle crashes and other "non-hostile" events or terrorism. KIA can be applied both to front-line combat troops and to naval, air and support troops. Someone who is killed in action during a particular event is denoted with a † (Unicode U+2020: Dagger) beside their name to signify their death in that event.
Further, KIA denotes one to have been killed in action on the battlefield whereas died of wounds (or DOW) relates to someone who survived to reach a medical treatment facility. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) also uses DWRIA, rather than DOW, for "died of wounds received in action." However, historically, militaries and historians have used the former acronym.
KIFA means 'killed in flight accident'. This term is used when personnel are killed in an aerial mishap that did not result from hostile action.
Read more about Killed In Action: Societies Honoring KIA, NATO Definition
Famous quotes containing the words killed in, killed and/or action:
“They unhook their heavy swords
From golden and silver boughs;
But all that are killed in battle
Awaken to life again.”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)
“Mrs. Grayle: You know, this’ll be the first time I’ve ever killed anyone I knew so little and liked so well. What’s your name?
Philip Marlowe: Philip for short.
Mrs. Grayle: Philip. Philip Marlowe. A name for a duke. You’re just a nice mug.”
—John Paxton (1911–1985)
“Let no one say that taking action is hard. Action is aided by courage, by the moment, by impulse, and the hardest thing in the world is making a decision.”
—Franz Grillparzer (1791–1872)