Made by the U.S. Army Medical Service, this training film ‘Transportation of Casualties’ will take a look at how wounded soldiers are moved from the battlefield to rear area hospitals. It will show specific maneuvers medic’s make in order to remove the wounded safely during combat as well as some of the tools they use to do so and where the wounded are transported to. It opens with a convoy riding down the road leading to a front line (:37). Footage of explosions follow along with the information that, soldiers knowing how and that they will be taken care of in the event of injury boosts company morale (1:23). The Army Medical Service is seen moving in with bands on their arms with a red cross to help a fallen soldier (1:43). The first step is to administer any emergency treatment if possible (1:49) and then it will be necessary to move the wounded to receive full medical care (1:53). Demonstrations follow of the number of ways wounded can be transported from the field including the fireman’s carry (2:21), the supporting carry for slight wounds in lower extremities (2:33), the arms carry for abdomen wounds and short distances (2:48), for long distances the saddleback carry (3:00), and the pack strap carry for when the wounded is unconscious (3:15). As during combat the medics must also remain out of fire, the neck carry (3:37) or the pistol belt drag (4:02) can be used in order to keep the wounded and the medic low to the ground. When possible, the two man carry tends to keep the injured more stable (4:52). A few other carries that use two men include the two-man saddle back carry (4:59), forehand carry (5:09), two hand carry (5:25) and the two-man arms carry (5:36). While manual carries are useful, a litter can also be utilized (6:44) and is essential for injuries like a broken back or neck. At a school in which medical service personnel are given training, a demonstration is provided of numerous types of litters (7:22). These include the stokes litter (7:29), the semi rigid canvass litter (7:41), the basket type litter which is discussed though is not shown on film, the straight steel and straight wood litters (8:06) as well as the straight aluminum litter which had the advantage of being very lightweight (8:22). Footage of medic’s carrying wounded in the field follow and their equipment depends on the type of combat or action taking place (9:08). The wounded are transported from the litter to some sort of vehicle and in difficult terrains such as snow-covered areas, sleds and other snow mobiles turn into ambulances (9:39). Litters can also be made with improvised materials if an actual one is not available (10:16). A door is shown being used as one outside of a decimated building and the use of a litter can often times make the difference between life and death (11:43). For mountainous zones, a rope bridge is seen constructed and moving a litter carefully down the mountain side (13:00). From here wounded may be transported by light liaison type aircrafts (14:09). Other methods include the helicopter (15:10) and the ambulance or even the make shift ambulance (15:27). A demonstration follows of how to turn a regular vehicle into an ambulance (15:48) including a jeep, quarter ton trailer (16:40), weapons carrier (17:16) the two-and-a-half-ton truck (17:32) and the ‘duck’ which can operate on land or on water (18:17). As a river may be the best route for transfer, a raft is seen constructed for transporting wounded (18:29). Other amphibious landing crafts such as LCM’s can also be utilized (18:34) though it is always wisest to use ambulances when possible (19:54). The standard interior of an ambulance is shown and they come equipped with necessary medical supplies as well as an easy entryway for the medical personnel to administer treatment when needed (20:34). An even more fortified transport for the wounded is a hospital train (21:11), though when necessary box cars can also be turned into a transport for wounded (21:27). When soldiers must be transported by ship, hospital ships are used and often times sit as an offshore hospital (22:18). Though the supplies are not as efficient as a hospital ship, air transport was often faster and more effective (23:53) and a large trans-oceanic plane is shown (24:21). The destination was always for an American airport (24:36) and here a Medical Department Hospital Ward Car (24:54) awaits to take some patients further on to other medical centers. The film wraps up with the reminder of the importance of the field medics as well as they many other hands that go into caring for wounded soldiers (25:17).