Airborne Medic Bag

[one50]

I want to share this with you as I just received this item today along with some other items.

My father passed away about a year ago and he was an airborne medic in the 502nd in the early/mid 1960's.

During a practice jump a fellow trooper had a streamer. Hit the ground super hard and my Dad was the medic on the scene. Being a practice jump, an ambulance came, picked up the trooper and my Dad. As they were driving past my Dad's car he asked them to stop so he could "unload his gear." He tossed in his reserve chute, this medical bag and a few other items. When he had to get new equipment, he told them his old equipment got lost in the shuffle of the accident the previous day.

He was a collector even while in the military

 

So, I have his bag to pass on to my kids. He never shared much more about his time in the military other than this little story and how he got these items off the base.

My question is this...the bag is in disarray. Where do the contents properly go? What items should be in the bag and what items might I be missing? I would love to make this bag 100%, but it may be already?

Where do I start and are there items in here I should not have in my position? Also, with the tape still on the straps...whats that doing exactly?

 

Thank you

Dan

 

[one50]

[one50]

[mpguy80/08]

The bag is the canvas M-3 Medical bag... do a search on that and you should be able to find out what needed to be in it. These were still in use in the early 90s...

 

Wayne

[craig_pickrall]

That is an M5 Medic Bag worn like a back pack. The M3 bag is about 1/3 the size and worn across the shoulder.

 

I have posted one with the contents list but can not find it. The photos are on my other computer so I won't have access until MON. I will post more then.

 

The tape on the straps is to hold them in place after it was adjusted to fit your father.

[Survival]

Thats not an M3 bag. The M3 bag is the three compartment smaller bag carried by Medics. I don't think I have an inventory for your bag. Its possible there might be an inventory sheet folded up in the outside pocket or buried in there somewhere. There would have been a minimum inventory and the individual Medic would usually add a thing or two he thought he might need. Usually those kits are stuffed full so you might be short a few items. Don't see alot of battle dressings or triage tags. Your dad may have removed some items while caring for the patient or later on he may have used the bag as a first aid kit in the car or home. The User would adjust the straps to fit him personally then tape up the extra to keep it out of the way. As far as packing the contents would be arranged in a manner so the labels could be read when the bag is opened. Probably on end as much as possible. The only thing you might be worried about would be any morphine or atropine syrettes. I don't think you really need to worry about getting arrested just someones kids getting into it and getting stuck or injected. Could be scaple blades, aspirin, or other meds in there. Just keep out of reach of children. Which is easier said then done....What are in the blue and white boxes in the lower right hand corner?

[Baron3-6]

The straps are taped up for a jump....this ensures that loose straps don't go flying all over and mess things up. Very nice bag and even better story!

[one50]

Thanks for the incite on this pack. I do have an M/3 also, just haven't taken it out of quarantine yet. Nothing comes into my house till I know its clean and bug free...even if it was at my Fathers house.

 

He has a surgical kit in the outside pocket. He also has this tag book you mentioned in an outside pocket as well. Most entries were ripped out, the one pictured was not. It would be interesting to find this fella mentioned on the tag.

 

The blue and white boxes you mention are Lidocaine Jelly. Mfd. 3/63 FSN 6505-584-3131 if that means anything to you.

 

The bottles of Collodion are dried up pretty good. Most everything else still seems in pretty good shape.

 

When jumping with this pack, did it go between the legs? or below the reserve?

 

Thanks Dan

 

[Survival]

Take a picture of the contents if you get a chance. The tag book is from WW2 and is worth alot more then the later ones from the 60s. One of the other guys will have to tell you how he jumped with it. I would guess under the reserve chute but have no idea.

[craig_pickrall]

I don't have a content list from the 60's but here is a list from the early 80's. It is probably fairly close.

 

[craig_pickrall]

Many First Aid bags issued to airborne medics will have extra amounts of splinting material to take care of sprained and fractured legs.

[SKIPH]

I can't recall anyone jumping an exposed M5 aid bag, doesn't mean it didn't occur. Contents could be spread all over the DZ on opening shock. They're not really designed for jumping. But, most medics would do one of several things. Some would place them in the aviator kit bag, with an "H" harness and lowering line, At 200ft, you can pull the 2 quick releases, and the kit bag would dangle below you. This would eliminate trying to negotiate a landing with a full aid bag, splints, scissors, etc. Others would pack it in a rucksack, or ALICE pack, and lower it, some would put them on the unit ambulance, supporting the jump, picking them up on the DZ. It just depended on what was going on, unit SOP, or specifics of jump. I have seen M16 handguards used as an expedient leg splint. SKIP