It has been very difficult to get a good picture of a typical medic, however there are few pictures here of soldiers wearing various bits of medical gear. Mostly consisting of the M5 medical bag.
In the picture above, amongst the group of soldiers is a medic with his bag turned to us. He has the earlier waterproofed canvas M3 bag secured to the back of his lightweight rucksack frame. It rests on his sleeping gear of poncho liner rolled in a poncho. Note the machette sticking out the left hand side of the pack. Other than his M3 bag you would not know otherwise his role within the platoon.
This picture is of a medic in the rear echelons of the platoon. You can clearly see his distinctive M5 medical bag bulked out with medical supplies.
In this picture, the medic is attending a wounded soldier. Not visible in this picture, he has his M3 bag open. Besides the M5 bag on his back, he carries a M1911A1 pistol in leather holster, which the medical corpsman were allowed to wear. In fact they were given the choice of either a pistol or M16, most chose to carry the M16.
This picture shows the M5 bag from the back being worn with the M1956 buttpack. Notice it interferes slightly with the wearing of a buttpack.
M3 Bag
M5 Bag
Here is listed what you should have in your collection to display a typical Medical Corpsman or ‘Medic’ in the US Army in Vietnam.
Along with the basic rifleman’s equipment load the medic would have the M3 or M5 field medical kit as well as an M1911A1 .45 automatic pistol or an M16
Additional equipment
M3 Aid bag
M5 Aid bag
4 M1956 Canteens
List of Contents:
SURGICAL SHEET WITH THE MEDICAL CADUCEUS
JACKSON SIZE 3 TRACHEOTOMY CANNULA
1 MINOR SURGERY FIELD INSTRUMENT
8 GAUZE PETROLATUM DRESSINGS
2 – 11 3/4 INCH SQUARE DYED FIRST AID FIELD DRESSINGS
1 FIELD EYE DRESSING KIT
2 ARMY TOURNIQUETS
1 BOX OF COTTON SWABS ON A WOODEN STICK
1 TIN OF REXALL SURGICAL POWDER
2 BOTTLES OF WATER PURIFICATION TABLETS
1 TIN OF SUNBURN PREVENTITIVE CREAM
4 TONGUE DEPRESSORS
1- 4 INCH COTTON ELASTIC BANDAGE
2- 3 INCH COTTON ELASTIC BANDAGES
1- 3 INCH X 10 YARDS CAMOUFLAGED GAUZE BANDAGE
3 TRIANGULAR BANDAGES
4 ROUND CONTAINERS OF 1 INCH X 6 YARDS GAUZE ROLLER
1- 24 X 72 INCH GAUZE COMPRESS
1 INDIVIDUAL FIRST AID FIELD DRESSING
1- 3 INCH X 6 YARDS CAMOUFLAGED GAUZE BANDAGE
3 BOXES OF FIELD BAND-AIDS
1 TIN OF REXALL QUIK-BANDS BAND-AIDS
2 BOXES OF 1 INCH X 6 YARDS GAUZE
1 BOX OF 3 INCH X 10 YARDS GAUZE ROLLER PLAIN
1 BOX OF 10 MERTHIOLATE SWABS
1 BOX OF 10 AMMONIA INHALANTS
1 TUBE OF TANNIC ACID JELLY BURN COMPOUND
1 FIELD DRESSING IN A BROWN WRAPPER
1 TUBE OF PETROLINE BACITRACIN OINTMENT
1 TUBE OF OPTHALMIC OINTMENT FOR EYE INFECTIONS
1 PACKAGE OF 4 – 2X2 CAMOUFLAGED COMPRESS AND BANDAGE
