15-225 Garand Picture of the Day

[Mark in Rochester]

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[Allen Humphrey]

Somebody jumping into the pit to give assistance to the injured fellow? Blurry guy seems to have a bag in one hand and a carbine in the other.

[Bill Hollinger]

Yeah, perhaps a medic.

[CINDERS]

GI in the back poking another en-bloc in, possibly a mate assisting him as I cannot remember seeing Medics armed and fighting that's not saying they never did through self preservation.
Besides that cannot see any arm flashes/Bands/Hat markings signifying he is a Medic

[browningautorifle]

I cannot remember seeing Medics armed

They've always been armed in our army. They are so they can defend themselves and the fallen, or the surgeon while he saves a life. In the recent unpleasantness, they carried the same ammo load as infantry and returned fire with the same vigor.

[CINDERS]

Fair call Jim and understand the reason why I was thought they went unarmed so they were not fired upon but guess as far as the rules of engagement go what rules!

[browningautorifle]

Perhaps in WW1 they were unarmed but that one was different. The second war found the US medics carrying pistols at the very least and it went up from there. Even during the Somalia affair of '93, the medics returned fire because there was no choice. They don't man crew weapons or stand duties and of course their primary duty is life and limb, but they will do what's needed to stay alive long enough to do that. I had a Physician's Assistant over to the house a few weeks back for some gun work and he was talking about his roles in the gunfights in Afghanistan a couple years back. He carried as much kit as the infantry, plus his giant bag...and a cummerbund of magazines, C8 A2...