VIETNAM STUDIES
MEDICAL SUPPORT
OF THE U.S. ARMY
IN VIETNAM
1965-1970
by
Major General Spurgeon Neel
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
WASHINGTON, D.C., 1991
Contents
chapter:
I. THE MEDICAL COMMAND STRUCTURE
Medical Service During theAdvisory Years
Command and Staff RelationshipsDuring the Years of Military Commitment: 1965-67
Nondivisional Command and StaffRelationships: 1967-71
II. HEALTH OF THE COMMAND
Rates and Trends
Major Problems
III. CARE OF THE WOUNDED
Excellence of Medical Care
Nature of Wounds
Specific Advances
IV. HOSPITALIZATION AND EVACUATION
Hospitalization
Evacuation
Reduction and Reorganization
V. MEDICAL SUPPLY
Realignment of Medical SupplyActivities
The Depot System
Medical Equipment Maintenance Support
VI. DIVISION AND BRIGADE MEDICAL SUPPORT
Usages of Divisional MedicalAssets
Medial Support of Separate InfantryBrigades
Trial Reorganization
VII. AVIATION MEDICINE
Flyer Fatigue
Care of the Flyer Program
VIII. PREVENTIVEMEDICINE
Communicable Diseases
Environmental Sanitation
Professional Conferences
IX. THE MILITARY BLOOD PROGRAM
Evolution of the System
Initial Sources of Whole Blood
Agencies for Expansion of BloodSupply
Relocation of the Central Blood Bank
Group and Type-Specific Blood
Transfusion Reactions
Fresh Frozen Plasma
Wastage of Blood
Technical Research and Innovations
Significant Problems
The Donor System
X. MEDICAL RESEARCH
Initial Efforts in Southeast Asia
Studies of the Medical Research Team
Special Projects
Surgical Research
XI. LABORATORY SUPPORT
Evolution of the System
The 9th Medical Laboratory
Innovations
Problems Surmounted
XII. CORPS SERVICES
Nursing Service
Dental Service
Veterinary Service
Army Medical Specialist CorpsServices
XIII. MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TO VIETNAMESE CIVILIANS
Provincial Health AssistanceProgram
Military Provincial Health AssistanceProgram
Medical Civic Action Program
Civilian War Casualty Program
XIV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
Medical Command and Control System
Health of the Command
Combat Casualties
Hospitalization
Helicopter Evacuation
Medical Supply
Outpatients
Battalion Surgeons
Impact of Policies
Lack of Responsiveness of the ArmyAuthorization Document System
Research
Vietnamese Civilians Care
Civilian Implications
No.
1. Hospital Admissions for All Causes, U.S. Army, in Three Wars: WorldWar II, Korea, and Vietnam, by Year.
2. Approximate Number of Man-Days Lost From Duty, by Cause, Among U.S.Army Personnel in Vietnam, 1967-70.
3. Selected Causes of Admissions to Hospital and Quarters AmongActive-Duty U.S. Army Personnel in Vietnam, 1965-70.
4. Incidence Rate of Diarrheal Disease Among U.S. Army Personnel in WorldWar II and in Vietnam, by Year.
5. Incidence Rate of Psychiatric Conditions, Army-Wide, 1965-70.
6. Percent of Deaths and Wounds According to Agent, U.S. Army, in ThreeWars: World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.
7. Location of Wounds in Hospitalized Casualties, by Percent, U.S. Army,in Three Wars: world War II, Korea, and Vietnam.
8. Total Number of Patients Evacuated From Vietnam, U.S. Army, by Month,1965-69.
9. Number of Units of Blood Collected and Shipped, by Year, to the CentralBlood Bank in Vietnam by the 406th Medical Laboratory, U.S. Army, Japan.
10. Inspection of Food by the U.S. Army Veterinary Service in Vietnam, byYear, 1965-70.
1. Medical Command and Staff Structures, U.S. Army, Vietnam, 24February 1962-1 April 1965.
2. Medical Command and Staff Structure, U.S. Army, Vietnam, 1 November1965-17 February 1966.
3. Medical command and Staff Structure, U.S. Army, Vietnam, 1 May 1966-10August 1967.
4. Medical Command and Staff Structure, U.S. Army, Vietnam, 10 August1967-1 March 1970.
5. Medical Command and Staff Structure, U.S. Army, Vietnam, 1 March 1970.
6. Admissions by Year, to Hospital and Quarters for Malaria in Three Wars:World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.
7. Admissions by Year, to Hospital and Quarters for Malaria Among U.S.Army Personnel in Vietnam, 1965-69.
8. Admissions, by Year, to Hospital and Quarters for Hepatitis in ThreeWars: World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.
9. Admissions and Hospital and Quarters for Hepatitis Among U.S. ArmyPersonnel in Vietnam, 1965-69.
10. Admissions to Hospital and Quarters for Diarrheal Disease Among U.S.Army Personnel in Vietnam, 1965-69.
11. Admissions to Hospital and Quarters for Neuropsychiatric ConditionsAmong U.S. Army Personnel in Vietnam, 1965-69.
12. Units of Blood Available in South Vietnam, by Month, January1965-December 1970.
13. Military Blood Program Agency Operational Scheme for TriserviceCollecting-Processing of Whole Blood.
14. A Field Medical Laboratory System in Vietnam.
1. Nondivisional Medical Units, 31 December 1962.
2. U.S. Army Hospitals in Vietnam, 31 December 1968.
3. Air Ambulance Units in Vietnam, 31 December 1968.
4. U.S. Army Hospitals in Vietnam, 1970.
5. Whole Blood Supply in Distribution System, July 1969.
A Wounded American Soldier Receives Immediate Treatment.
Hospitals in Vietnam, 1967.
45th Surgical Hospital at Tay Ninh, 1967.
Use of Hoist in Vietnam, 1968.
Preventive Medicine Unit Team Member Using Sprayer-Duster
An Overview of the New Central Blood Bank at Cam Ranh Bay, June 1969.
A 2.5-Cubic Foot Freezer in Which Fresh Frozen Plasma Is Stored.
Veterinary Food Inspector Checking Ice for Chlorination and Potability.
U.S. Army Nurses Hold Sick Call at a Vietnamese Orphanage.
Dental Clinic of the 85th Evacuation Hospital in Vietnam.
Cranes Unload Refrigerated Vans.
A MEDCAP Mission in Vietnam.
A Vietnamese Civilian Undergoing Treatment at a U.S. Army Hospital.
Illustrations are from Department of Defensefiles.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 72-600264
First Printed 1973-CMH Pub 90-16
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents,U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D.C. 20402
