 from Korea to Germany, from Alaska to Puerto Rico. All over the world, the United States Army is on the alert to defend our country, you, the American people, against aggression. This is the big picture, an official television report to the nation from the United States Army. Now, to show you part of the big picture, here is Sergeant James Mansfield. Today, we have an interesting and vital story to tell you on this program of the big picture. It is a story of blood, bringing life to the battlefield. In a very real sense, it is your story too. For it is you, who have given the blood, that has helped our combat infantryman in his time of greatest need. But now, to tell you more of this vital story, we take you to the office of Colonel William W. Quinn, where we will hear firsthand from Major Robert Glazier, a combat infantry commander, and then later on from Colonel Charles C. Canada, an Army surgeon. How do you do, ladies and gentlemen? Today, we plan to talk about the rifleman's great friend, the combat medical man, or the combat medic. To discuss his part in this drama of fighting, we have Major Robert Glazier, a veteran of eight campaigns in two wars, to give us his views on this person. Glad to have you on the blue badge, Major. Thank you, sir. It's a pleasure to be here. By your test green-grey uniform, I see you're in the third infantry. That's right, sir. Where are you stationed, particular? Presently, I'm stationed at Fort Myers, Virginia, sir. Well, part of the outfit is at McNair, and at Fort McNair, Virginia. That is correct, sir. That's in Washington, actually, Fort McNair, isn't it? Yes, sir. What is your job over there? I am the battalion commander, sir, of the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Infantry. Well, a command job is a good one. Yes, indeed it is. Not the best you can get. Where's your hometown? I'm from Cleveland, Ohio, sir. Is that your permanent home, or have you been moving around? Well, we've been moving around recently. I guess so. Were you in Korea? Yes, I was. What outfit were you in? I was with the 27th Wolfhound Regiment, a part of the 25th Division. Wolfhounds, I never heard of them. Well, should I? Yes, indeed, sir. Considered one of the finest outfits that was made. Well, I'll assure you I have heard of them, and I hope that you've heard of the buffaloes. Yes, indeed I have, sir. Well, there's a couple of rough animals. Well, look, Major, what is your particular feeling about this combat medical man? Well, Colonel, I can be very frank about the answer to that question. I have the highest respect for the combat medic. I feel that next to the frontline infantryman comes certainly the combat medic, because in the team that actually is engaged in the fight, the medic is the man that will take care of that soldier, should he be wounded. The combat medic, you must understand, is not armed. This individual is identified by a brazzard on his left arm, with a red cross. He has only his own conscience to guide him. In the event that a man is wounded, regardless of the situation, whether the incoming fire, small arms, mortar, artillery, is still coming in, this man must go forward to that wounded soldier. You've probably seen, in your experience, the many instances of heroism and bravery on the part of combat medics, haven't you? Indeed I have, sir. Is there any particular scene come to mind or individual in that connection? Yes, sir, there's one man that will always, me remembered by me, a man that I had in Korea that was attached to the company as a medical aid man. His name was Givens, and he was from Detroit, Michigan. I could probably go on for weeks about this individual, but in short, this man, not only in a number of occasions when he had to go forward under fire to a man who had been hit, he never hesitated, not one second. His own welfare was never thought about. All he thought about was that wounded man and that that was his job to get to him. I've seen men just like that. Another instance involving Sergeant Givens, which comes to mind, I can recall of times when we'd be pulled off the line and go into a reserve position, Givens on his own would go out and get a pot in which to heat water and then go to each man in his platoon and administer this warm water for the care of the feet of his men. Thereby, lessening the possibility of trench foot, which of course is predominant in the wintertime in Korea. Have you ever been involved yourself with a medic? That is, have you ever needed any medical assistance? Yes, I have, Colonel. When was that? Well, in 1944, World War II, on an attack towards Mets, I was wounded by mortar fire incapacitated at the time and that it broke both my legs. It seemed a very short time to me at that time. The medics were there, very reassuring, and did everything that they could to take care of me to evacuate me out of the scene. That's a good feeling to know that you're gonna have that kind of assistance. Did they administer blood to you or have you ever had blood administered? Yes, sir, at that time, after I was evacuated from the battle zone in the battalion aid station, I was given some whole blood. Well, I think we have about time for one more question. What is your feeling about having plenty of whole blood and plasma on hand in combat? Well, sir, from a combat infantryman standpoint, I feel that it's always a morale factor. The men in Korea today who realize that if they should be wounded and in the need of blood that it's down there in the battalion aid station, certainly that has a morale factor. I know that to be a fact. Well, Major, I wanna thank you for sincerity for coming over and telling us these war stories, if you will, but in any event, I wish you the best of luck. Thank you, sir. And now, ladies and gentlemen, the story of blood. The story of blood in Korea, blood and bullets. Every victory has its price. A price often paid in blood. This is the real thing, but there's a lot of hope for those fellows. Once those wounded men are brought to a forward surgical hospital where they can get treatment and blood, 97 out of every 100 of them are going to live. Yes, 97 out of every 100 wounded will live because of our use of the latest scientific developments and medical techniques. Those are the facts. 97 out of every 100 will live and be well again once human whole blood begins to flow back into their bodies. It doesn't matter what the weather conditions are, men of the medical service always fight to live up to their motto, find them alive and keep them alive. And they don't let the terrain stop them. Those litter bearers and aid men know that if they get these serious cases back to the surgeon and whole blood in time, almost every man they bring in will pull through. They don't think about the difficult, they just do the impossible. Maybe somebody would say, you can't do it. You can't get a badly wounded man down that long, sheer drop of rock. Those litter bearers don't have time to listen. They're racing against time, so they just do it. Now you know why bringing in a casualty is a race against the clock. Every second is measured by the loss of another drop of precious blood. The medics know that they can help perform a miracle. Just get that wounded man while he's still alive into the hands of a surgeon to some place where he can get some blood and the rest of it will take care of itself. They've got a manual that lists every known method of evacuating a casualty, but there isn't a day that goes by when one of them doesn't dream up something new. There are some that blood can't help. God rest their souls. But if there's any hope at all, once plasma starts flowing into the man, he knows he's got a good chance. To try to get the man back as quickly as possible, we use every means of transportation. We convert an observation plane into a flying ambulance, small size. Or once the man is fortified with plasma to keep his strength up for a longer journey, he can be transported by jeep to a plane normally used to carry cargo. Ambulances are satisfactory if there are good roads. Helicopters, well perhaps we should say Pella ambulances cut down those life in the balance seconds between the time a man gets hit until he can get to medical care and blood. Sure it's risky, but the pilot isn't thinking about that. He's thinking about that wounded man and how to save seconds. How to save a life. Here's why 97 out of every 100 come out of it alive and well. Ambulances are alerted and waiting at the field when the helicopter comes in. This takes planning and coordination. It also takes trained men. We've got them. And there are always willing hands that gently carry the man to the ambulance. This is one of the many mobile surgical hospitals we've been talking about. It's always on the move to where it's needed to bring its equipment and trained personnel as close as it can to the front. This man is going to make it. He's getting blood. No one minimizes the life saving qualities of modern drugs like penicillin nor do we forget the value of anesthesia and oxygen. And we're thankful for the steady hands of our surgeons. But modern drugs and skilled doctors can't do it all. They need the help of whole human blood which flows from volunteers. The blood that's performing miracles on the battlefield comes from a great mass of people who want to help an unknown soldier before it's too late. Extreme care is taken before a volunteer is accepted. No one is allowed to give blood who will be harmed by the loss. Despite every advance in research only the human body can manufacture blood. This great secret of nature is not solved. We've found no substitute for human blood. Today we are calling on every available person to donate blood. The Armed Forces blood donor program is already underway. It is now part of the overall campaign to obtain blood for immediate use overseas because our supply is depleted. The store in our stock rooms is dangerously low. The taking of blood is carefully handled. Only experienced nurses and trained technicians perform the small amount of medical work required. There is no mystery in blood giving. Now here is the entire procedure. Here is exactly what happens when you give blood. First forms are filled out with your name, organization, and address. This is required if it's necessary to trace a bottle of blood back to its source. Next you receive a medical examination. Temperature is taken and blood pressure is examined. At the same time, there is a brief review of your medical history. A small specimen of blood is withdrawn for the purpose of blood typing. After you pass the medical examination and only then will you be allowed to donate blood. And the final step. Giving blood is brief, simple, and painless and only takes a few minutes. After you have given blood, there is a period of rest. This is followed by refreshments. And that's all there is to it. Once blood enters the bottle, it is never disturbed until it is used. A small amount of blood is placed in a tube for testing purposes. These test tubes allow the blood of each bottle to be thoroughly examined. Notice the even consistency of whole blood. To simplify the tests, the tubes are placed in a centrifuge for the purpose of separating serum from cellulose substances. Here's the separation. The clear substance on top is the serum. After the tubes have been thoroughly tested for blood type and RH factors, all usable blood is stored in a refrigerator while waiting shipment. Because of our developments in the methods of storage, blood banks are able to keep whole blood far longer than ever before. Whole blood is never wasted. If it is kept beyond a normal period, it can be broken down into plasma and other component parts, and can be stored almost indefinitely. Extreme care is taken during the shipment of blood. It must be properly packed in ice and maintained at the low temperature so necessary to keep it in perfect condition. The Red Cross is an agency through which the Department of Defense collects blood. All blood donated to the armed forces through the Red Cross immediately becomes the property of the armed forces. The Red Cross is well organized. It is staffed with experienced, competent nurses and has the ready facilities for fast shipment. Every person who works on the transportation line moving blood to the men at the front works with the same urgency and speed as litter bearers do in carrying the wounded soldier to an aid station. They are also racing against time. Because of our great need, all general hospitals within the armed forces are now preparing to receive blood contributions. You can go there or to civilian hospitals that are also joining the campaign. We need far more than the demands of one military operation. Blood banks must be full, ready for use whenever the call may come. Shaking prevents clotting. The colorless fluid maintains the blood for long periods of time. Whole blood is being shipped continuously throughout the world every day of the week. Transfusions were used in World War I, but at that time we didn't know as much as now about storing blood. Still, blood saved many lives. During World War II, we found a way to preserve whole blood for at least 21 days and to store plasma for years. Because of this development and filled blood banks, we saved better than 95% of our wounded. Today we can do better than that if we have the blood. Whole blood must be shipped to wherever men fight and the need for blood is not confined to any one branch of military service. Eager hands keep the blood moving toward its final destination. The wounded service man. Anyone wounded receives the life-giving qualities of this magic fluid. Or the blood may be on its way to the wounded on a hospital shift at sea. Wherever there are casualties, there must be whole blood to pull them through and the need for whole blood is continuous. Many extra pints are required during long periods of convalescence. At this very moment, whole blood is needed at the front. There is no ice now because the bottles will be empty in a few minutes. These bottles have to reach someone waiting at a small pinpoint on the map. Some unknown donor's blood taken from him thousands of miles away is now on its final flight to help bring a service man back. The medics are doing their job. In a few seconds, the litter-bearers will do their part. You must do yours. As previously announced, we have his guest today, Colonel C.C. Canada, formerly the personal physician of General MacArthur in Japan. Colonel Canada, welcome to the Blue Badge. We're happy to have you with us. Thank you, Colonel Quinn. Very glad to be here. Incidentally, speaking of your job out there in Japan, how was the general's health? His health was excellent, Colonel. I saw him professionally only once. That was just for a slight head cold. Pretty good shave, wasn't it? He certainly was. Where is your home? I'm from Virginia. What part? I come from a little place called Stalin down the Channel of the Valley. Oh, that's a beautiful country down there. I'm familiar with it. Where are you stationed now? At present, I'm the post surgeon at Fort Myer, Virginia. Well, Colonel, what are the jobs to do out there? What were in Japan? What other duties did you have besides being personal physician to the general? Well, I took care of members of his staff, of course, and also acted as a consultant on the children's service at the Tokyo Army Hospital. After the outbreak of the Korean conflict, we aided the Europe Surgeons in the care of head wounds. Well, it's my understanding that the more serious cases from Korea came to the Tokyo General Hospital. Many of them did, yes, sir. It was the cloud of sun for head wounds, chest wounds, and eye wounds. Of course, we got many other types of injury as well. Well, did I assume that a great number of these patients that you got in there had had blood transfusions before they got there? Many of them had, yes, sir, both in Korea, and many had received it Oh, I see. Well, I also assumed that you put out plenty of blood at the hospital. We did indeed. I can remember one patient particularly who received 70 pints. 70? That's right. 70 pints? 70 pints. What is the capacity of the human body in pints? The average normal adult has anywhere from 12 to 13 pints in his entire body. Well, you really poured it in him, all right? Yes, sir. Let me ask you this. In general, how is blood handled in the Far East Command? Blood is flown in usually landed some of the fields in and around Tokyo where it's distributed to hospitals and throughout Japan, and then, of course, with the supply of it is sent forward to Korea where it's also distributed to the various medical installations there. Colonel, in that connection, I've often wondered what the real, the basic difference I'll say is between plasma and whole blood. You hear them used back and forth again. Plasma is a liquid part of blood from which the cells have been removed by a process of spinning it down very much as you separate milk from cream and a cream separator. Plasma, of course, has the advantage that it can be dried and stored for a period up to five years. Whole blood can only be preserved for approximately 21 days. But there is no substitute for whole blood. Plasma is largely a stopgap measure until a person can be gotten to a place that he can be given the whole blood. That replaces the red blood cells which have been lost from bleeding, usually. Well, I see. Well, that explains to me why there's such a great requirement for whole blood all the time. Incidentally, suppose someone out there gives blood. How long does it take to get the blood from that donor out to Korea? I have heard that blood has actually been drawn in this country and has been received over there in as little as five days. But I would say that if a person donates some blood here, that very probably that blood will be administered to a wounded person within a week. Well, that's excellent time. In that connection I've seen an awful lot of it administered. I just occasionally wondered, does it require much technique or training in the administration of blood? No, sir, it does not. Average medical technician can be taught to do it very easily. Well, in the whole program of saving lives, do you have any particular opinion as to the difference between World War II or World War I in Korea? One of the most remarkable things that has come out of this for our conflict in Korea medically is the fact that if a man is wounded, his chance of survival are almost twice as good as he were in World War II. Well, I can tell you this, Colonel, from my own personal experience that there's a tremendous amount of morale involved in the unit where the knowledge is there that there is plasma or whole blood. And when men know that in the case or in the event that they get hit, that there's whole blood available makes all the difference in the world. Well, incidentally, I want to thank you for being with us. I'm sure that we've all benefited by your presence. Thanks for being with us. Thank you, Colonel Quinn. Well, I don't think I have to say any more about today's subject. Next week we plan to show you the third, the 34th, and the 45th divisions in their march from Naples to Casino. You'll also see the destruction of the famed Abbey Casino. So until we meet again, this is Colonel Quinn speaking for the combat infringement who asked you to look twice at the man who wears the blue badge. It's the mark of a man. Big Picture is a weekly television report to the nation on the activities of the Army at home and overseas. Produced by the Signal Corps Pictorial Center. Presented by the U.S. Army in cooperation with this station. You can be an important part of the Big Picture. You can proudly serve with the best equipped, the best trained, the best fighting team in the world today, the United States Army.