No letter today. Just this:
* TIDBIT *
about the Organization of a Medical Detachment
Greg was a Battalion Surgeon. Despite the name, most Battalion Surgeons were primary care physicians who practiced emergency medicine, family medicine, pediatrics, or internal medicine rather than performing invasive surgical operations. The term "surgeon" was a holdover from the U.S. Military's British colonial past. The British military used the term "surgeon" to mean a physician attached to a "front line" unit.
The Battalion Surgeon was a special staff officer who advised the Battalion Commander on matters pertaining to the health of the battalion. Chief duties included the responsibilities of managing a Battalion Aid Station, medically supervising other battalion physicians, performing sick call for members of the battalion, and supervising the medical planning for deployment. Battalion Aid Stations, Forward Support Medical Battalions and Forward Surgical Teams were usually the first point of contact for the medical care of wounded soldiers.
Battalion Aid Station in Italy, 1943
The Battalion Aid Station belonged to, and was an organic component of the unit it supported. As such, it was the forward-most medically-staffed treatment location. The primary mission of the Battalion Aid Station was to collect the sick and wounded from the battalion and stabilize the patients' condition. This work was carried out by the Company Aid Men, also called "Combat Medics."
Each Company in a heavy weapons division was assigned three Combat Medics. These men lived with the company and moved with them on every move. They were exposed to enemy fire just the same as an artillery soldier. On many occasions they were exposed to a higher degree than the artillery soldier. The responsibility of the Combat Medic was to locate wounded men, quickly assess the severity of the wound and immediately start the action necessary to relieve the wounded man of pain and suffering. In many instances the Medic had to comfort those soldiers who were more mentally wounded than physical. He and the other soldiers in the company had to work very closely together in retrieving wounded men from precarious situations and subsequent evacuation.
Once a man's wounds had been treated to the extent of the Medic's capabilities, he was removed to the Battalion Aid Station. There, the Battalion Aid Station Doctors could assess the severity of the wound and make a decision as to further evacuation. If the wound was of minor nature, many times it would be cleaned, dressed and the soldier returned to duty. The Medic would normally be aware of that, and, depending upon the tactical situation at hand, follow up with any subsequent care needed.
If the wound warranted more extensive care than that which could be administered at the Battalion Aid Station, the wounded man was tagged, a record made of the time, day, date and extent of the wound and he was evacuated by ambulance to the next echelon in the evacuation process. His company was notified of the evacuation so they could quickly get a replacement for the casualty.
Each Battalion Aid Station worked very closely with the Medical Battalion of the Division, which was responsible for evacuations to the rear of the Battalion Aid Station. Each Regimental Battalion Aid Station had a liaison man from the Medical Battalion of the Division. He kept his unit informed about tactical moves of the Battalion Aid Station and also coordinated the use of ambulances, depending upon the casualty rate the infantry Battalion was experiencing.
The Medical Battalion evacuated the more seriously wounded from a Battalion Aid Station to a Collecting Station, usually safely removed from an exposed front line position. There, further evaluation was made of the wounded man. If further treatment was called for, he was taken farther back to a Clearing Station. Within the Division area of responsibility, the Clearing Station was as far as a casualty would be evacuated. Any further evacuation then became the responsibility of an Army Hospital.
Clearing Station, Utah Beach, 6-7 June 1944
Triage of Casualties
Again, this entire process was started by frontline soldiers receiving a wound by enemy fire. A process of healing and comfort was started immediately by a well trained, unarmed and possibly exposed Combat Medic wearing a Red Cross, carrying some bandages, a syringe of morphine, some sulfanilamide powder and the desire to help a fellow human being in his time of great need.
The chart below shows the movement of wounded through the various Echelons of Evacuation as described above. As can be seen, Battalion Aid Stations provided First Echelon support. Below that is a diagram of the layout of a typical Battalion Aid Station.
The Battalion Surgeon was a special staff officer who advised the Battalion Commander on matters pertaining to the health of the battalion. Chief duties included the responsibilities of managing a Battalion Aid Station, medically supervising other battalion physicians, performing sick call for members of the battalion, and supervising the medical planning for deployment. Battalion Aid Stations, Forward Support Medical Battalions and Forward Surgical Teams were usually the first point of contact for the medical care of wounded soldiers.
Battalion Aid Station in Italy, 1943
The Battalion Aid Station belonged to, and was an organic component of the unit it supported. As such, it was the forward-most medically-staffed treatment location. The primary mission of the Battalion Aid Station was to collect the sick and wounded from the battalion and stabilize the patients' condition. This work was carried out by the Company Aid Men, also called "Combat Medics."
Each Company in a heavy weapons division was assigned three Combat Medics. These men lived with the company and moved with them on every move. They were exposed to enemy fire just the same as an artillery soldier. On many occasions they were exposed to a higher degree than the artillery soldier. The responsibility of the Combat Medic was to locate wounded men, quickly assess the severity of the wound and immediately start the action necessary to relieve the wounded man of pain and suffering. In many instances the Medic had to comfort those soldiers who were more mentally wounded than physical. He and the other soldiers in the company had to work very closely together in retrieving wounded men from precarious situations and subsequent evacuation.
Once a man's wounds had been treated to the extent of the Medic's capabilities, he was removed to the Battalion Aid Station. There, the Battalion Aid Station Doctors could assess the severity of the wound and make a decision as to further evacuation. If the wound was of minor nature, many times it would be cleaned, dressed and the soldier returned to duty. The Medic would normally be aware of that, and, depending upon the tactical situation at hand, follow up with any subsequent care needed.
If the wound warranted more extensive care than that which could be administered at the Battalion Aid Station, the wounded man was tagged, a record made of the time, day, date and extent of the wound and he was evacuated by ambulance to the next echelon in the evacuation process. His company was notified of the evacuation so they could quickly get a replacement for the casualty.
Each Battalion Aid Station worked very closely with the Medical Battalion of the Division, which was responsible for evacuations to the rear of the Battalion Aid Station. Each Regimental Battalion Aid Station had a liaison man from the Medical Battalion of the Division. He kept his unit informed about tactical moves of the Battalion Aid Station and also coordinated the use of ambulances, depending upon the casualty rate the infantry Battalion was experiencing.
The Medical Battalion evacuated the more seriously wounded from a Battalion Aid Station to a Collecting Station, usually safely removed from an exposed front line position. There, further evaluation was made of the wounded man. If further treatment was called for, he was taken farther back to a Clearing Station. Within the Division area of responsibility, the Clearing Station was as far as a casualty would be evacuated. Any further evacuation then became the responsibility of an Army Hospital.
Clearing Station, Utah Beach, 6-7 June 1944
Triage of Casualties
Again, this entire process was started by frontline soldiers receiving a wound by enemy fire. A process of healing and comfort was started immediately by a well trained, unarmed and possibly exposed Combat Medic wearing a Red Cross, carrying some bandages, a syringe of morphine, some sulfanilamide powder and the desire to help a fellow human being in his time of great need.
The chart below shows the movement of wounded through the various Echelons of Evacuation as described above. As can be seen, Battalion Aid Stations provided First Echelon support. Below that is a diagram of the layout of a typical Battalion Aid Station.
CLICK ON CHARTS TO ENLARGE
Evacuation Procedure Chart
Diagram of an Aid Station
Evacuation Procedure Chart
Diagram of an Aid Station
