Any kind of shooting I've done without hearing protection resulted in temporary loss of hearing accuity, which I've also read translates into some measure of permanent hearing loss. I'm wondering how many combat vets suffered significant hearing loss and if this has been documented (just for my own information, not part of a research project)

My Dad's deaf as a post on the right side from having a Browning M1919 fired over his shoulder (drafted, Korea).  Now his left side has given out, but that's due more to age.  There's nothing that really can be done.  Hearing aids don't work with what he has.

I've lost some in certain frequencies due to being a helicopter pilot.  While we had hearing protection built into the helmet, as a Maintenance Test Pilot, I  still spent my share of time listening to various noises trying to figure out what was wrong.  I took steps to prevent hearing loss, but still lost a little.  It's documented, but you can only tell if you compare various hearing test results over the years.  The actual loss is nothing significant, mainly due to me actively protecting my hearing.

Oddly enough my hearing loss happens to be in the same frequency as my ex-wife's voice[;)]

Ross

The only accounts of large scale hearing loss that I know of all seam to be references to the major Russian artillery barges on the Eastern front.

Due to the intesity, caliber, and length of these attacks, ruptured ear drums were common.

Long term effects are usually not mentiond as a few pages later there is a mention of the same people being killed when the front line breaks.

All other cases that I have read only refer to temporary hearing loss, or the rare case of shell shock that would cause deafness.

Once I was directing MG fire at long range, I was standing only a few meters from it, I do not even remember the sound of it going off. Your ears adapt pretty well.

Like Ross, my hearing loss seams to be in the range of my wifes voice!

I lost some in my left ear.  I was in aircraft maintenance and spent several years supervising maintenance ops on the flight line.  Driving on the line, you park your vehicle with the driver's side toward the airplane.  Thus, my left ear got more exposure to the jet noise.

Fortunately, I tried to be conscientious about hearing protection, so it's not as bad as it could have been.

My geandfather gets seriously pissed if the guys at the hearing aid place give him a hard time. He begins shouting about how they would not be able to hear very well either if they were subjected to AA fire for a couple of years in WWII.

Had a friend who recently retired from the fire department. He was in an artillery unit in Vietnam. He could be 10 feet away from the phone and would not hear it ring. On a fire run, someone would call us on the radio, and he would look at me and ask, "what did they say?"

Back when I was on active duty half the Chiefs I knew had significant hearing loss.  the Navy started getting real serious about hearing protection about 1980 or so.