US Army medical helicopters in the Korean War

Medical evacuation helicopters are taken for granted in today's military. However, the first use of helicopters for this purpose in the Korean War was not done intentionally but as a result of the necessity of moving patients rapidly over difficult Korean terrain and of the early ebbing of the main battle line. The objective of this essay is to increase the historical awareness of military medical evacuation helicopters in the Korean War during this 50th anniversary year. By describing the many challenges and experiences encountered in implementing the use of helicopters for evacuation, the reader will appreciate how a technology developed for another use helped in the success of evacuating nearly 22,000 patients while contributing to establishing a mortality rate of wounded of 2.4%. The preparation to write this essay included archival research of historical reports, records, and oral histories from the archives of the U.S. Army Center for Military History. Addition ally, a search of journal articles written during and after the Korean War was conducted. The result is a comprehensive description of the use of medical evacuation helicopters in the Korean War.