Original Item: Only One Available. Combat Medics may put themselves in greater harm than many other roles on the battlefield. In the type of asymmetric warfare which typifies modern conflicts, the enemy may or may not have respect for the laws of war and may or may not in fact actively target medics for the significant value they have in keeping the unit combat-effective. Thus, in most modern forces, medics are armed and do not wear large identifying red cross insignia. A rifle or carbine is standard, often augmented with a sidearm because the medic may have to pass his rifle off to his patient or fellow war fighter in order to treat the wounded.

Noting that when not on patrol or deployment combat medics may be posted to a clinic style medical center where they treat soldiers in an outpatient primary health care style.

This M3 medics’ bag is free of any major damage but does show signs of use due to the wear and fading to the exterior. The contents inside consist of various Korean War dated bandages, which was also not uncommon to see during the Vietnam War. There are unopened battle dressings, foot powder, delousing powder, gauze, water purification tablets and more!

This is truly a wonderful example of a kit utilized by the most important person on any battlefield, Doc. Comes ready to display!

DO NOT USE CONTENTS FOR LIFESAVING OR INJURY PURPOSES. THE CONTENTS ARE PRE 1960 AND ARE LONG PAST THEIR EXPIRATION DATES

A fateful conversation inspired the creation of Johnson & Johnson’s First Aid Kit, which was released in 1888. Aboard a train heading to Colorado for vacation, company founder Robert Wood Johnson struck up a conversation with the Denver & Rio Grande Railway’s chief surgeon. The doctor explained to Johnson the dangers of railroad construction and the lack of medical supplies to treat the unique industrial injuries that were often incurred great distances from hospitals. From this exchange, Johnson saw an opportunity to both advance the field of healthcare and build his young business. And from this modern need, the commercial First Aid Kit was born.

In 1913 the U.S. Army developed a medical belt to be used on the battlefield. The belt had ten pockets which contained a tourniquet, adhesive plaster, safety pins, iodine, gauze, field dressing, bandages, ammonia, pins and diagnosis tags. A canteen hanger and ax carrier were also a part of the belt, along with various other accessories.

But during WWI, it became evident that the medical belt design was not effective. It did not withstand the trials of war. Both the packaging and the contents were considered utterly useless in the field, and the medical belt was no longer used by the U.S. military.

By World War II, medical corpsmen wore just two medical pouches at the waist, which wouldn’t interfere with mobility – a lesson learned by the failure of the medical belt. Johnson & Johnson continued evolving the first aid kit for widespread use by every individual and industry.

As technology continues to advance, the contents of the medical kit continue to advance as well. But many of the original items have stood the test of time. Although tourniquets, dressings and other items have changed throughout the years, the general concept of the medical kit remains the same – to save lives.