WWII Navy Corpsman First Aid For Battle Casualties 1943 Booklet

Scans of the Navy Corpsman pamphlet First Aid For Battle Casualties published in 1943.

WWII Navy Corpsman 14-450 Medical Pouch Unit-3 Bag Contents list for Bandages and Equipment.

The list of item medical Unit-3 contents that went in the two US Navy 14-450 Medical pouches as used by Corpsman in attached to the Marines in WWII. Going into the depth of studying these bags there is a lot of misinformation on actually went into the bags. Although the Navy did use Army bandages and medical supplies, I tend to see a lot of WWII Army, Civilian and Postwar medical items in photos of "WWII Corpsman Layout" photos. More importantly items with the proper Navy Contract numbers are seldom seen in such layouts. I still have yet to see a proper layout of WWII Navy Contract Items online for collectors, living historians and reenactors. All my research tends to be limited to Iwo Jima Navy Corpsman in the 5th Marine Division. A special Thank You goes to Jeff Warner for allowing me to scan the list from his book Sailors in Forest Green. This will be a in progress listing as I find items to add to the list.

Field Medical Unit No. 3 Hospital Corpsman's (Left Pouch)

2-030 BADGE, Arm, Red Cross 1x

2-110 BANDAGE, Gauze, Compressed, 3 Inch 12x

2-395 DRESSING, Battle, Small 10x

7-150 PENCIL, Indelible 1x

13-200 TAG, Diagnosis 20 in pkg 1 set

(Right Pouch)

1-495 MORPHINE TARTRATE, 0.032 gm, 1 1/2 cc. tube with sterile needle 5 in pkg 2x

1-885 SPIRIT OF AMMONIA, aromatic, tube and paper cup 4 in pkg 2x

1-1185 TINCTURE OF IODINE, MILD, 10cc applicator vial 3 in pkg 2x

2-030 BADGE, arm, red cross 1x

2-110 BANDAGE, gauze, compressed, 3 inch 12x

2-130 BANDAGE, triangle, compressed 3x

2-395 DRESSING, battle, small 4x

2-830 PINS, safety medium 12 per pkg, 2x

2-1305 TOURNIQUET, instant 1x

3-765 SHEARS, bandage, 7 inch (Lister) 1x

6-125 JACKKNIFE, 1x

14-285 CASE, scalpel and forceps, canvas, complete 1x

(General Contents)

14-450 POUCH, canvas, individual equipment, empty 2x

14-540 STRAP, canteen, individual equipment 2x

14-545 STRAP, cantle ring, individual equipment 2x

14-550 STRAP, litter/utility, individual equipment 2x

14-560 SUSPENDERS, Pouch, individual equipment 1x

Field Medical Unit No. 3 Hospital Corpsman's (Left Pouch)

2-030 BADGE, Arm, Red Cross 1x This style Red Cross armband I identify as a Navy style. This specific one was from a WWII Navy Corpsman grouping. I have seen quite a few of these buckle style armbands in Corpsman groupings and period WWII Photos of bag layouts.

2-110 BANDAGE, Gauze, Compressed, 3 Inch 12x The Stock Number was stamped on the larger box, although the bandage itself had the Navy Contract number. This is the style that is seen in a period WWII Corpsman bag layout.

2-395 DRESSING, Battle, Small 10x

7-150 PENCIL, Indelible 1x This indelible pencil came out of WWII Civil Defense Medical kit, although a period WWII pencil this is not a Navy issue pencil. It's my opinion that the pencils were a civilian produced type, although I haven't confirmed this.

13-200 TAG, Diagnosis 20 in pkg 1 set

(Right Pouch)

1-495 MORPHINE TARTRATE, 0.032 gm, 1 1/2 cc. tube with sterile needle 5 in pkg 2x

1-885 SPIRIT OF AMMONIA, aromatic, tube and paper cup 4 in pkg 2x. Two of these packages were included in the bag. Each package carries four glass tubes filled with ammonia, which were to be broken and could be consumed by mouth or as an inhalant. The "cups" were envelopes that were included in the package.

1-1185 TINCTURE OF IODINE, MILD, 10cc applicator vial 3 in pkg 2x (Photo courtesy of Richard King

2-030 BADGE, arm, red cross 1x See Above

2-110 BANDAGE, gauze, compressed, 3 inch 12x See Above

2-130 BANDAGE, triangle, compressed 3x. This is proper Navy packaging with the correct Navy contract for the Triangular bandage.

2-395 DRESSING, battle, small 4x See Above

2-830 PINS, safety medium 12 per pkg, 2x Of what I can gather from looking at original photos of Unit-3 content layouts, it appears both the Navy and Army used civilian procured Safety Pins for their medical kits. Most likely the Stock Number was stamped on the master box. This is one brand made safety pin set that is commonly seen in WWII medical layouts.

2-1305 TOURNIQUET, instant 1x

3-765 SHEARS, bandage, 7 inch (Lister) 1x According to the list the Shears, bandage should be 7inches long. The shears pictured here are 6 inches long but are of Navy issue with MD USN stamped on the handle. Will update when I locate a 7 inch pair.

6-125 JACKKNIFE, 1x There are a few manufacturing styles of jackknives that were used by Corpsman, the first one pictured has the MD USN stamped on the blade.

14-285 CASE, scalpel and forceps, canvas, complete 1x

(General Contents)

14-450 POUCH, canvas, individual equipment, empty 2x

14-540 STRAP, canteen, individual equipment 2x

14-545 STRAP, cantle ring, individual equipment 2x

14-550 STRAP, litter/utility, individual equipment 2x

14-560 SUSPENDERS, Pouch, individual equipment 1x

WWII USMC Pack Layouts

These are WWII Pack layouts by collectors and reenactors as seen at local events.

WWII USMC H&S Co. 28th Marines 5th Marine Division Jacket Coat

UPDATE 3/16: The restored 5th MarDiv jacket was publicly debuted at the 71 Annual Iwo Jima Survivors Banquet at Camp Pendleton last month. A real honor to have this coat displayed to represent the 5th MarDiv Marines who couldn't be there.

This is one of those unique circumstances finds that I have ever had over the years. I originally bought this coat online for the sole purpose of taking off the buttons for another restoration. I didn't even ask the dealer the usual questions, and the condition of the coast wasn't the best, with large mothing holes on the collar and wrinkled with age. I really didn't bother with even watching the auction and was surprised that I won the auction for not very much. When I received the coat I opened up the sleeve and there was a prominent 5th Marine Division thread outline in the inside of the coat! I opened the other sleeve and sure enough there was a name which matched to a Marine in the Headquarter & Service Company, 28th Marines and an Iwo Jima vet. When doing some research into his life, sadly I discovered that he passed away very young, at age 29 in 1952. All of this was so random, as his coat was floating around for 70 years and it fell into the hands of a collector/historian who studies the 5th MarDiv and Iwo Jima. It saddens me he died so young, so soon after the war. His records have been ordered and his coat has been dry cleaned with the 5th MarDiv SSI of his unit sewn back onto his jacket. This will be the Jacket I display next year at the Iwo Jima Banquet to honor the men who served in the unit. An incredible circumstances that was meant to be.

WWII USMC Modified Forest Green Coat.

Here is a unique modified USMC WWII Service Coat. It appears one pocket has been removed, and another is missing its flap. Interesting enough they never took off the Marine buttons. Most likely a modified coat for civilian wear.

WWII USMC Marine Themed Voice O Gram Record

Voice O Gram records were recordable records that soldiers can record a personal message and sent back home to played on a record player. These were usually provided by the Red Cross or other service organizations. This is a unique example of a Marine themed record that are currently selling on eBay at the moment. I love the great humorous Marine themed artwork used throughout.

WWII US Army First Aid Pouches with Marine Name Identification Stamps.

Here is an interesting study. If I happen across a barrel full of Army First Aid pouches I usually take the time to sit and sort through all the FAP to see if I can find any Marine identification stamped items. Here is a good example of two I have in my collection. Although when WWII started the Marines had their own first aid pouches, as the war progressed the Marines started to procure Army FAPs to fill up orders. Accordingly when the Marines received them they would mark them with their name stamps as they would with all their gear. The bottom FAP is a Boyt manufacture, a common maker for Marine items in WWII. The top two FAP are Army pouches with Marine name marking, unfortunately all three names are common and I was unable to identify the Marines who wore them. The middle pouch is unusual as it never appears it had a "US" stamped on the front, or if it did it was rubbed or worn out completely. Since Marine items were never marked "US" there is a possibility it was made without the "US" making it a very unusual Army FAP specifically made for the Marines. This is pure conjecture as I've never seen any paperwork or orders that states as such. Regardless all three FAP are interesting example of FAPs with a Marine association.