Medical Corps Support to a Brigade Action during an Offensive Action Including River Crossing

Abstract

This paper describes medical support to a Croatian Army brigade of 2,100 soldiers in an attack combined with river crossing during the 1991/1992 war in Croatia. Three crossings across the river, 4,000 to 5,000 m apart, were used along a front of a total width of 14 km. The anticipated depth of the attack was about 4 km. It was estimated that the enemy had about 1,000 fortified soldiers supported by a corresponding number of artillery and other weapons. The medical corps were strengthened for this particular action by manpower and boats, and the soldiers by additional medical accessories (bandages and triangular slings). During the action, 78 Croatian Army soldiers were wounded, 7 were killed, and 8 were missing. The condition of the wounded soldiers did not worsen during transport. The mean duration of the transport was 90 minutes (maximum 2 hours). Twenty-six percent of the wounded were definitively treated by the brigade medical corps. One physician was included among the seriously wounded. The enemy had more than 150 dead and about 300 wounded. Upon achievement of the planned objectives, the action was interrupted by a high command decision and the brigade returned to its initial position.