What were medics like in the Vietnam war?

Answer 1

During the Vietnam War, the US Marine Corps did not (and probably still do not) have medics. During Vietnam, ALL Marines were riflemen first, then tank crewmen, artillerymen, etc. "SECOND". Consequently, medical personnel from the US Navy were attached to fighting Marine elements, and were called "CORPSMAN." One of those men raising the US Flag atop Mt. Suribachi, on the island of IWO JIMA during WWII, in 1945, WAS NOT A MARINE! He was a US Navy "Corpsman." In Vietnam, US Army "Medics" were often nick-named "Doc" or "Band-Aid" and rode, walked, and lived with all US Army units in the field. Sometimes they carried an M-16 rifle, sometimes a .45 pistol. Sometimes, no weapon at all. Unlike WWII & Korea, US Army medics did not have red crosses painted on their helmets nor did they have red crosses on white cloth wrapped around their upper arms (arm bands), as frequently depicted in WWII movies. US Army medics were (and still are) trained at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, following boot camp. As a "general rule", medic's seemed to be more understanding and more pleasent to be around... at times; than your standard fighting GI...at times, during the Vietnam War.

Answer 2

In the US Marine Corps, medics were Navy men; called corpsman, and assigned to Marine units, since ALL marines had to be riflemen, the USN supplied the medics (corpsmen). In the US Army, each battalion (roughly 600 men) consisted of a HHC, and letter companies (A, B, C, etc.). Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) consisted of everything, while the letter companies consisted of what the battalion was all about; example(s): Infantry companies were all infantrymen; tank companies were all tanks; Artillery batteries (companies are called batteries in the artillery) were all guns, etc. HHC had everything needed to support lose letter companies (aka line companies): HHC had a scout section (reconnaissance section); mortar section; radar section; maintenance section; administrative section; mess section (food service section); and a medical section. HHC distributed medics for each letter company; normally one medic per platoon. Line companies often had 4 platoons: 3 numbered platoons (1,2, and 3rd), and a HQ platoon. Therefore, the company might get 4 medics assigned to it. More often than not, it was 1 medic per company...being short-handed in wartime, to the average GI's mind, appeared to be SOP (Standing Operating Procedures).