SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE DIGEST

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005647983
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: June 24, 2015
• Document Release Date: May 27, 2011
• Case Number: F-2010-01312
• Publication Date: February 1, 1968

(b)(3)
J I:I.TCT
SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE DIG ~ST
APPROVED FOR
RELEASES DATE:
16-May-2011
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' `~ OSI-SU/63-2
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1 ~1 Fchniarv 1963
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\~ C~[~Y N?- 4 7
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 PJIEDICAL CARE AND ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS
OF THE VIET CONG- A STATUS REPORT
Lile ctences tvtsion
OS1/CI:~
Medical support for the Viet Cong
comb.rt units has been carried out in
they face of almost unbelieval.~le difficul-
ties, In spite of good planning and a well
organised system for combat medical
services, the: Viet Cong is plagued by a
lack of sufficiently trained physicians at
the various health stations, inadequate
transport methods for evacuation of the
v,~ounded, inadequate supply of medicines
at all stations, and fatalities resulting
from infectious diseases endemic to
Viotnarn. :\lthough the Viet Cong a're
effic;ienC in evacuating the woundr:d from
the battlefield to the first echelon of
nteclical aid, their greatest deficiency
lies in the slowness of evacuation to areas
capable of providing definitive care as
evidenced by the killed to wounded ratio
of 1:1.2 to 1:1.5 from battle casualties.
:\s an integral part of operational
planning, the .Viet Cong make prepara-
tions for placing' medical facilities in
pre-located areas in support of combat
missions. Nevertheless, only 50 percent
of the wounded can be expected to re-
ceive the necessary medical treatment
within 2~l hours after injury and estimates
suggest that between 25 and 42 percent of
the wounded have died, most of them
enroute to medical facilities.
DISCUSSION
ComYrzt i\~leclical Preparations
It is the responsibility of all Viet Cong
writ contnuuuiers and their chief medical
caclres, prior to launching a combat
ol~er,ttion, toor~ani?r.eandprepaz?efacili-
ties to insure the timely evacuation of
Che sick w 'I'Oc: E and the status of
medical support to be certain that suf-
tioienC caclru is available to support the
mission. (Sul~plics usually come from
pi;ovincr~ or district clandestine depots);
(4) the Battalion or Regimental sur-
geon conducts terrain reconnaissance,
selects evacuation routes, and places
n~c~dic~al stations in concealed areas;
(v) the su rgcon then forhards a
iVledical Resolution to Chief, hear Scrv-
iccs, that includes a medical prc;pared-
ness statement, deployment of medical
stations, and casualty estimates;
(G) all echelons of the medical serv-
ice involved in the mission are co-
ordinatc~d and the shortcomings of pre-
vious battles are reviewed;
(7) a critique of medical effective-
ness follows each operation.
The Viet Cong medical chain o1'
command has six levels ranging from
platoon (company) aid station to lone
hospital, i\-Ianagement o1' the wounded is
effected systematically. The wounded
are evacuated by any available means
to one of the concealed platoon aid sta-
tions where bleeding is controlled,
bandages are applic,l, and bones arc
splinted. Casualties are thentransportecl
by stretcher or other devices to the bat-.
talion aid station which contains a first
aid cell whose Table of Organic;ition and
I q u I p m e a t ('I'O i:~.E) calls for three
persons including at least one physician.
This station is usually located X100 to 200
meters to the rear of the combat area.
Nlinol? wounds are treated in the aid sta-
tion, and some surgery is performed. '1'hc
more seriously wounded are. thenevacu-
ated to the regimental mobile surgical
unit where light wounds and shock are
treated, and where routine surgery is
performed. Post-operative care is given
here, with a maximurrl in-patient tine of
15 days. Recuperating patients arc car-
ried over jungle trails to a series of ]Ze-
gional or I)istricti hospitals of about 10_or
more beds each. The regional hospital is
pI'ltlla2'lly a dispensary which handles not
only wounded but also the sick-both mi] i-
tary and local civilian. In this sense the
regional hospital performs a civil affairs
functions. The Regional hospitals are in
wooden huts hidden nl the forest.
The, most severely hounded often by-.
pass the regional level and are taken to
SID GS-2
I'eb G~
- 25 -
 the provincial military hospital with ap-
prozimately ~U or 60 beds which is
located usually in a remote area and well
Concealed. Liere, general medical and
Surgical Iacilities exist in underground
rooms anc.1 Flood transfusion can be made.
Apparently no ~~hole blood transfusions
are available below provincial level due
to a lack of Mower and refrigeration
facilities. L.ong~ prriods of recuperation
are handli:?c.l here, and general medical
aid is oltcn given local civilians. 1'he
larg'e~t hosl'~itals are at the~?r.one level,
Containing about ]UU. beds or more, and
are eyuihped for general medical and
surgical service as arc the provincial
hospitals. "I'he? only dil~lerence appears
to be sire. ''/.one hospitals arr also hidden
in the jungle and contain underground
facilities.
"the organisation works well as long as
Comb:.It operations go