Office of Medical History - Divisional Medical Service in the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF)

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Divisional Medical Service in the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF)

The medical services of the AEF's combat divisions played the central role during combat operations in France. The medical structure of the American divisions during the war was markedly different from what went before and would come after. The large American square division of 1917-18 with two infantry brigades, each of two regiments, had numerous supporting units and reached a total of over 28,000 men. Medical personnel at the company, battalion, and regimental levels provided medical care the sick and wounded, but in time the battalion aid station under the battalion surgeon came to be the focal point of life-saving medical care close to the front lines. A sanitary train of four field hospitals and four ambulance companies provided evacuation from the battlefield and the medical service for the division under the overall command of a division surgeon.

This section presents two excerpts from Volume VIII: Field Operations of The Medical Department of the United States Army in the World War that describe the organization, doctrine, and operations of the divisional medical service in the AEF. Chapter IV, "Medical Service of the Division in Combat," details how the division's medical service was organized and functioned at the front, both in trench warfare and in open warfare. The second excerpt is drawn from the Appendix and contains the abbreviations used, brief histories of the medical services and units of each of the divisions, and a list of the army and corps surgeons.

Medical Service of the Division in Combat (Chapter IV, Vol VIII: Field Operations)

Orders Prescribing Methods in Particular Divisions
Trench Warfare: Care of Casualties in Companies, Battalions, and Regiments
Company Aid
Battalion Aid Station
The Regimental Aid Station
The Sanitary Train
Ambulance Companies
Litter-Bearer and Ambulance Service
The Ambulance Company Dressing Station
Field Hospitals
Open Warfare: Care of Casualties in Companies, Battalions, and Regiments
Company Aid
The Battalion Aid Station
The Regimental Aid Station
Medical Service of Artillery and Machine-Gun Companies
The Sanitary Train
Ambulance Company Evacuation
The Dressing Station
Field Hospitals
Triage
Medical Supply Units
Division Laboratories
Burial of the Dead
References

Appendix

Abbreviations

Brief Histories of Combat Divisions

1st Division
2d Division
3d Division
4th Division
5th Division
6th Division
7th Division
26th Division
27th Division
28th Division
29th Division
30th Division
32d Division
33d Division
35th Division
36th Division
37th Division
42d Division
77th Division
78th Division
79th Division
80th Division
81st Division
82d Division
88th Division
89th Division
90th Division
91st Division
92d Division
References

List of Depot and Replacement Divisions

Chief Surgeons of the Army

Corps Surgeons



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	ACCESS TO CARE HISTORY OF THE OFFICE OF MEDICAL HISTORY ANC HISTORY AMEDD BIOGRAPHIES AMEDD CORPS HISTORY BOOKS AND DOCUMENTS HISTORICAL ART WORK & IMAGES MEDICAL MEMOIRS AMEDD MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORIES THE SURGEONS GENERAL ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE SURGEON GENERAL RECENT MEDICAL INNOVATIONS AMEDD UNIT PATCHES AND LINEAGE		Contents

			Books and Documents Divisional Medical Service in the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) The medical services of the AEF's combat divisions played the central role during combat operations in France. The medical structure of the American divisions during the war was markedly different from what went before and would come after. The large American square division of 1917-18 with two infantry brigades, each of two regiments, had numerous supporting units and reached a total of over 28,000 men. Medical personnel at the company, battalion, and regimental levels provided medical care the sick and wounded, but in time the battalion aid station under the battalion surgeon came to be the focal point of life-saving medical care close to the front lines. A sanitary train of four field hospitals and four ambulance companies provided evacuation from the battlefield and the medical service for the division under the overall command of a division surgeon. This section presents two excerpts from Volume VIII: Field Operations of The Medical Department of the United States Army in the World War that describe the organization, doctrine, and operations of the divisional medical service in the AEF. Chapter IV, "Medical Service of the Division in Combat," details how the division's medical service was organized and functioned at the front, both in trench warfare and in open warfare. The second excerpt is drawn from the Appendix and contains the abbreviations used, brief histories of the medical services and units of each of the divisions, and a list of the army and corps surgeons. Medical Service of the Division in Combat (Chapter IV, Vol VIII: Field Operations) Orders Prescribing Methods in Particular Divisions Trench Warfare: Care of Casualties in Companies, Battalions, and Regiments Company Aid Battalion Aid Station The Regimental Aid Station The Sanitary Train Ambulance Companies Litter-Bearer and Ambulance Service The Ambulance Company Dressing Station Field Hospitals Open Warfare: Care of Casualties in Companies, Battalions, and Regiments Company Aid The Battalion Aid Station The Regimental Aid Station Medical Service of Artillery and Machine-Gun Companies The Sanitary Train Ambulance Company Evacuation The Dressing Station Field Hospitals Triage Medical Supply Units Division Laboratories Burial of the Dead References Appendix Abbreviations Brief Histories of Combat Divisions 1st Division 2d Division 3d Division 4th Division 5th Division 6th Division 7th Division 26th Division 27th Division 28th Division 29th Division 30th Division 32d Division 33d Division 35th Division 36th Division 37th Division 42d Division 77th Division 78th Division 79th Division 80th Division 81st Division 82d Division 88th Division 89th Division 90th Division 91st Division 92d Division References List of Depot and Replacement Divisions Chief Surgeons of the Army Corps Surgeons

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