. . . The unsung heroes of the war
Preface
Medical Service in the Mediterranean and Minor Theaters is one of three volumes dealing with the overseas administrative history of the United States Army Medical Department in World War II. Companion studies will deal respectively with the European Theater of Operations and the war against Japan in the Pacific and China–Burma–India Theaters. These volumes differ from the more extensive clinical series, separately published by the Office of The Surgeon General, in that they are concerned primarily with the support given by the Medical Department to the actual combat operations: the collection of the wounded on the battlefield; the establishment of hospitals; the chain of evacuation from the point of contact with the enemy back to the communications zone and on to the zone of interior; and the methods and problems of medical supply in the field. Clinical matters, such as the incidence of disease, the types of wounds predominating, and problems of sanitation, are subordinated to the less technical story of the Medical Department in action. The administrative volumes thus relate both to the general combat history told elsewhere in the series UNITED STATES ARMY IN WORLD WAR II and to the medical story proper recorded in the 40-odd volumes of the clinical series appearing under the imprint of the Office of The Surgeon General. They are complemented by Clarence McKittrick Smiths Hospitalization and Evacuation, Zone of Interior; and by four functional volumes, being published by the Office of The Surgeon General, which deal respectively with Organization and Administration of the Medical Department, Personnel, Training, and Medical Supply.
The manuscript of this volume was submitted in draft form to a substantial cross section of those who participated in the actions described. Those who offered substantiation, corrections, or additions were: Abram Abeloff, M.D.; Lt. Col. James J. Adams, MSC; William H. Amspacher, M.D.; Col. Richard T. Arnest, MC, USA (Ret.); Col. Rollin L. Bauchspies, MC, USA (Ret.); Col. Charles H. Beasley, MC, USA (Ret.) ; Austin W. Bennett, M.D.; Lt. Col. Stephen D. Berardinelli, MC; Col. Daniel J. Berry, MC, USA (Ret.); Frank B. Berry, M.D.; Col. Albert A. Biederman, MC; Col. Charles O. Bruce, MC; Col. Gordon G. Bulla, MC, USAF; J. P. Cameron, M.D.; Col. Joseph Carmack, MSC, USA (Ret.); Lt. Col. Dan Crozier, MC; Brig. Gen. Henry C. Dooling, MC, USA (Ret.); Col. Daniel Franklin, MC, USA
(Ret.); Frank P. Gilligan, M.D.; Brig. Gen. L. Holmes Ginn, Jr., MC, USA Ret.); Michael Q. Hancock, M.D.; Norman L. Heminway, M.D; Col. John A. Isherwood, MC; Maurice M. Kane, M.D.; Col. Paul A. Keeney, MC, USA (Ret.); Col. Emmett L. Kehoe, MC; Maj. Gen. Albert W. Kenner, MC, USA (Ret.); Col. William F. Lawrence, MSC; Col. George E. Leone, MC; Col. John F. Lieberman, MC, USA (Ret.); Gunnar Linner, M.D.; John R. McBride, M.D.; John C. McSween, M.D.; Col. William C. Munly, MC, USA (Ret.); Robert Bruce Nye, M.D.; Col. Forrest R. Ostrander, MC, USA (Ret.); Benjamin M. Primer, M.D.; Col. Matthew C. Pugsley, MC, USA (Ret.); Maj. Gen. Clement F. St. John, MC; Brig. Gen. Crawford F. Sams, MC, USA (Ret.); Col. John W. Sherwood, MC, USA (Ret.); Charles F. Shook, M.D.; Maj. Gen. Earle Standlee, MC, USA (Ret.); Maj. Gen. Morrison C. Stayer, MC, USA (Ret.); William S. Stone, M.D.; Col. John H. Sturgeon, MC, USA (Ret.); Col. E. M. P. Sward, MC, USA (Ret.); Brig. Gen. Lynn H. Tingay, DC, USA (Ret.); Col. Hall G. Van Vlack, MC, USA (Ret.); Col. Dean M. Walker, MC, USA (Ret.); and Thomas G. Ward, M.D. To each of these the author wishes to express his thanks. Without their considerable help much authenticity would be lacking.
Sections of the volume dealing with strictly military events were checked by knowledgeable members of the Office of the Chief of Military History (OCMH) staff, including Martin Blumenson, Ernest F. Fisher, Jr., and Robert Ross Smith. If the combat narrative lacks at any point in accuracy, it is through no fault of these conscientious reviewers.
The manuscript was read in its entirety by Dr. Donald O. Wagner, former Chief Historian, The Historical Unit, U.S. Army Medical Service (USAMEDS), before his retirement early in 1960; by Col. John Boyd Coates, Jr., Director of The Historical Unit; and by Dr. Stetson Conn, Chief Historian, Office of the Chief of Military History. Each of these critics offered pertinent and valuable suggestions for improvement.
Mr. William K. Daum did much of the research for chapters 1 and 2 and prepared preliminary drafts of both.
For expert and unfailing aid in locating and procuring the thousands of documentary sources on which the work is based, the author makes special acknowledgment to Mrs. Josephine P. Kyle, former chief of the General Reference and Research Branch of The Historical Unit, and to her assistant, the late Mrs. Eleanor Alfonso, whose cheerful willingness never faltered despite the constant presence of fatal illness. Mrs. Kyles successors, Maj. Albert C. Riggs, Jr., MSC, and Mr. Roderick M. Engert, did not participate until the book had reached the stage of review and final revision, but both were unstinting of their time and expert knowledge.
The author is also indebted to the Medical Statistics Division, Office of The Surgeon General, and especially to Mr. Carroll I. Leith, Jr.,—himself a veteran of the Mediterranean campaigns—who verified figures and tabulations, and in many instances proposed better ways of presenting them.
Preliminary editorial work was done by Mrs. Cyrilla E. Hickey of The Historical Unit, USAMEDS, and the final publications editing by Miss Mary Ann Bacon of OCMH. Copy editor for the volume was Mrs. Marion P. Grimes. The book is undoubtedly the better for having passed through the capable hands of these three editors. The excellent medical situation maps that make the text so much easier to follow were prepared by Miss Elizabeth P Mason, assisted by Miss Jean A. Saffran, both of The Historical Unit, USAMEDS. The photographs were selected by the author. The index was compiled by Susan Stevens New.