35314 US INFANTRY AND MEDIC SET (2 FIGS)

Already after the first experiences of fighting in North Africa at the turn of 1942-1943, the US Army changed the position of the American infantry division. From 1943 onwards, each infantry division had three full-time infantry regiments, in turn composed of three infantry battalions. In addition, the infantry regiment also included other units, for example: an anti-tank company, an artillery company or a staff company. In total, the US Army's infantry regiment numbered approximately 3,100 soldiers. It should also be remembered that the division also included a strong artillery component consisting of four artillery battalions - 3 light and 1 medium, most often armed with 105 and 155 mm howitzers. There was also, among others, an engineering battalion, a repair company, a reconnaissance unit and a Military Police platoon. In total, the US Infantry Division numbered approximately 14,200 people from 1943. It quite clearly dominated the artillery over the German division and had much better and - above all - fully motorized means of transport, which made it a highly mobile tactical formation. It also had much richer "individual" anti-tank weapons in the form of a large number of bazooka launchers, of which there were over 500 in the entire division.During the Second World War, the American armed forces put a relatively large emphasis on the development of broadly understood medical services. In general, they were subordinate to the US Sanitary Corps, which was established in the summer of 1917, so it had its roots in the previous World War. At relatively low organizational levels (e.g. company), paramedics (called "medic" for short) were responsible for helping the wounded, who underwent specialist training and had considerable knowledge in the field of first aid and treating all types of wounds. In extreme cases, they were even able to - in the field! - perform a tracheotomy on a wounded soldier. Their hallmark was, of course, the red cross on a white background worn on helmets and sleeves. It is worth adding that there were about 30 paramedics in the infantry battalion of about 400-500 men. After initial treatment, the wounded soldier was most often taken to a field hospital or the so-called Evacuation Hospital, where he underwent more complicated surgeries and medical procedures. It is generally assumed that the American medical services during World War II were very efficient, and the time it took to get the wounded from the battlefield to the hospital was relatively short. All this made it possible to restore many wounded American soldiers to physical fitness.