of treatment, they were sent on leave and brought to the attention of the restleave surgeon. Should the decision be made that such men could not be further rehabilitated, recommendation as to disposition was made to the Air Force surgeon for return to the United States under the provision of WD Circular 127, 1943, for appearance before the Flying Evaluation Board or for evacuation through medical channels. The Screening Section was also available for consultation to unit flight surgeons whenever necessary, and all cases ordered to appear before the Flying Evaluation Board were given a preliminary examination at the center. Detailed reports of the results of the examinations of all personnel were sent to the Air Force surgeon and the squadron surgeon concerned. It was found that the progressive records of each individual during his entire combat tour, frequently numbering four or five examinations, provided much valuable information as to his ability to withstand the strains of combat duty, and also proved to be an excellent prognostic aid in the evaluation of his future combat usefulness. The Aviation Medical Section was responsible for investigation of problems incident to the care of flying personnel as they arose in this particular theater of operations. At the outset it was felt that the most important problem confronting the Air Force was that of jungle and sea survival. For this reason the research work conduct by this section was directed along these lines. Problems such as training aids, crash protective devices, suitable survival equipment, and other means of making the survival of personnel in damaged aircraft more probable were studied, and recommendations based on these results were submitted to all interested agencies. In addition, such problems as the cooling of air evacuation planes on the ground and the development of medical kits which could be dropped by parachute were studied."3 New equipment and devices designed by medical personnel in the field were tested by this section. prior to being forwarded to higher echelons. A photographic laboratory was developed for the use of this section. A monthly periodical entitled the AeroMedical Digest was published. This periodical, published primarily for the interest of Air Force medical officers in the theater, contained extracts of articles not available to these men, case histories and discussions, and suggestions and recommendations based upon the experience of other medical officers in the field. Original contributions from other men in the theater were solicited and printed. This periodical was enthusiastically received.11 The Screening Section, meanwhile, functioned essentially as described until its transfer to the Combat Replacement and Training Center, FEAF, on 6 November 1944. At this time the Surgeon, FEAF, contemplated the complete screening of all combat crew personnel in the Far East Air Forces by the Screening Center prior to leave. This center was to be set up at Nadzab, New Guinea, the location of the CRTC, and a main terminal for air transportation from Australia to the combat areas. However, at this time Air Force units were scattered all the way from the northern Solomons and Admiralties to the Philippines. The distances involved in the transportation of aircrew personnel to the leave areas, together with other problems, made it impracticable to continue the leave policy. Hence this screening program for aircrew personnel was never established. The section of the Central Medical Establishment formerly devoted to this procedure was utilized as a forward echelon for studying problems and obtaining material in these areas until its redesignation as the Central Medical Board in early January 1945. 115 The Central Medical Board was established in accordance with AAF Regulation 35-16, but since FEAF regulations based upon this directive were not forthcoming until April of that year, its functions were essentially limited to consultation service until then. In addition, personnel of this board, which was established at Biak, visited the three general hospitals in the area and offered their services as Air Force consultants on hospitalized Air Force personnel. The Central Medical Board itself was set up in a small prefabricated building in the 9th General Hospital, which made its laboratories and consultation services available to the board. The number of patients seen by this board at this time was relatively small owing to the fact that the two general hospitals designated for the reception of Air Force personnel were located at Hollandia and Leyte, several hundred miles distant.116 With the relocation of the 51st General Hospital at McKinley Field, Manila, this board moved to the same area in June 1945.* 117 The major portion of the Central Medical Establishment was established in a large prefabricated building at Nadzab. It worked in close cooperation with the CRTC until reassignment to FEAF in July 1945. While at Nadzab, the indoctrination section authorized in the Table of Organizations was established. This section formed an integral part of the indoctrination given to aircrew personnel on arrival in the theater, and it later moved with the CRTC to Clark Field, Luzon, P. I. An extensive course was first contemplated covering all pertinent subjects with approximately 25 hours of instruction.118 However, because the time allotted was less than that originally intended, a new program was instituted. A lecture on psychological adaptation to combat was given to all new aircrew personnel. This was found necessary inasmuch as most of these men had completed their training in the United States very recently and many were still somewhat unsure and anxious concerning their ability to cope with combat problems. A sentimental approach to the problem was avoided as it could have resulted only in harm and would have been certain to produce a vigorous protest by tactical commanders. In this lecture the psychology and physiology of fear were explained and an attempt made to universalize the individual's fears and anxieties regarding combat and merge them into those of the group, thus tending to dilute and dissipate them.119 Instructions in first aid, tropical hygiene, and medical aspects of jungle and sea survival were given. The latter was given in conjunction with a jungle and sea survival unit operated by the Australians. In addition, one member of each bombardment crew was selected as a first-aid coordinator and given more detailed instruction and practical work along first-aid lines. This included qualification in the administration of plasma.120 The other members of the aircrew were encouraged to take this training, which resulted in the saving of several lives during combat in this theater. Charts and instructions for the administration of plasma were made available to each crew for posting in a conspicuous place in the plane. Personal equipment instruction was given in the proper use of all types of such equipment issued to aircrew personnel. As noted elsewhere, anti-G suits were not used in this theater; therefore, no training in the use of this equipment was given. All types of instruction were used in the forwarding of this program. Group lectures in large groups, practical instruction to small groups, and individual instruction in certain instances were found necessary to adequately ground these men in the fundamentals outlined above. Mock-ups and demonstrations were also prepared for use in these classes.121 In addition to these programs, an indoctrination course was contemplated for all Air Force medical officers newly assigned to the theaters. This course would include discussions on the diagnosis and treatment of operational fatigue, tropical diseases, and other conditions commonly encountered in the theater. Instruction in the proper handling of field sanitation in this area was to be given with emphasis upon lessons learned and types of installations found to be most effective. Instruction in jungle and sea survival, medical administration, disposition of Air Force personnel, nutrition, as well as Air Force tactics and requirements as applied to this theater were also to be given.' 122 On assignment to the Far East Air Forces the Central Medical Establishment was instructed to confine its endeavor to those projects which were particularly applicable to medicine. Therefore, many of the projects already under way were discontinued and a new program outlined.123 The Aero Medical Digest was continued. Analyses of survival reports were made for the purpose of making recommendation on medical and life-saving equipment to proper agencies. An exhaustive psychiatric and psychological study of aircrew personnel was instituted in an attempt to discover the underlying reasons for the success or failure of these men. Three studies were made: the Morotai Study tested sixty-three "better than average" combat pilots under extreme combat conditions; 124 the Nadzab Study compared sixty-five combat experienced aircrew officers with sixty-five noncombat-experienced flying officers; 125 and the Manila Study was concerned with eighteen officers who were evaluated by the Central Medical Examining Board. It was the aim of these studies to determine the possibility of using tests, inventories, and devices to screen out all undesirables before they reached the stresses of combat, or on the other hand, to predict the possible success of a flyer to withstand the usual stresses which would confront him. Studies were also to be made on specific subjects requested through proper channels. One such study included a survey of available literature on cardiorespiratory physiology in battle casualties as related to atmospheric pressure and altitude. The study of experimental equipment forwarded from Wright Field was also carried out. This section served as a reference source for unit flight surgeons by maintaining an up-to-date library for the use of all interested personnel. Convalescence and Rehabilitation In 1943 the Surgeon, Thirteenth Air Force, had recognized the need for a "rehabilitation center" under the control of the Air Forces to recondition and rehabilitate Air Force patients, particularly minor neuropsychiatric cases such as fatigue and anxiety states. In the spring of 1944 detailed plans were drawn up and a site approved for this center. However, it could not be established at that time because of the rapid movement of Air Force units during this period of the war. The project was suspended until the middle of 1944, when the Surgeon, FEAF, in recognition of an increasing need for such an installation as a result of the inadequate convalescence of Air Force patients prior to their discharge to duty, obtained permission to put an experimental program into operation at the 51st General Hospital in Hollandia, New Guinea. The value of this program readily became apparent and it was rapidly expanded,126 receiving the enthusiastic support of both the commanding officer and staff members of the 51st General Hospital. Though operated by the Air Force, this program was open to all services, and only 60 percent of the patients |