Bataan (CVL 29) - Naval Cruise Book

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l4 May '45- The BATAAN again sustains casualties: 8 men are killed or fatally injured in action and 26 others are wounded. The Executive Officer said of this day, Never have I seen braver men. It will long be remembered not only be- cause it was one of the most 'action-filled days, but because we suffered the greatest number of casualties of any single day's engagement in the ship's history. Doctors and hospital corpsmen manned their battle stations at the sounding of General Quar- ters as usual. The early morning hours were spent in care of patients who had been brought to the forward battle dressing station from the sick bay to be looked after during the day and to prevent their being trapped below decks in the event of an emergency. At approximately 0816, almost simultan- eous with a perceptible jar of the ship, the battle announcer stated that we had been hit by shell fire on the port side -amidships. With- in a matter of seconds doctors and hospital corpsmen were racing to the scene of death and injury to administer first aid and evacuate the patients below for treatment. A Stretchers bearing the wounded and the dying were brought to the wardroom from all direc- tions in a few minutes. Here they received emergency measures and the battle to keep them living continued. . .Control of hemorrhage and pain. operations, administration of plasma, am- putations, dressings. . .The doctors and corps- men labored incessantly in the sick bay and in the operating room for the succeeding 36 hours to keep alive the wounded. Page One Hundred Thirty-two The Medical Department w-as doing its pri- mary job, maintaining the health aboard the BATAAN at the highest possible level. Their job varies from tragic emergency occasions as today to routine sick calls. Sick calls are held twice daily for men with ailments which are neither serious nor emergent. Doctors and pharmacist mates are available at all hours day and night for injuries and serious illnesses. When necessary they perform the most diflicult operations with the same skill of a Stateside hospital and the same equipment. Some of the doctors are trained in the prob- lems of aviation medicine while others are trained in the various types of surgery. The hospital corpsmen likewise -are specialists, some in aviation medicine, others are operating room technicians, laboratory workers and me 11 trained in the handling of patients in the wards. The Medical Department is also responsible for the ship's sanitation. Daily inspections are made of the ship's g-alleys and mess halls and care taken to insure cleanliness of both the personnel and equipment. The food is in- spected too in order to insure as balanced a diet as possible. ' In maintaining the health aboard ship at the highest possible level the Medical Department can look back on its record with pride. The medicos don't actually shoot shells at the Japs, but they are an integral part of the ship in battle. A

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