I just rewatched band of brothers, and in the episode on the battle of the bulge the medic is asking everyone if they have any morphine left. So just curious about it.
In the case of parachute wearers, yes, but in the case of regular infantry, no. The Army Air Forces issued the parachute first aid packet (item no. 9778500) to all men issued with a parachute. When the United States activated its first airborne divisions in 1942, the packets were issued to each paratrooper as well because of the necessity of having to quickly treat oneself after a widely-scattered parachute drop, where the nearest medic could literally be miles away. The packet contained;
| Number | Item | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 9115700 | Morphine Tartrate, 1 tube | 1 |
| 9120400 | Sulfadiazine, 8 tablets | 1 |
| 9121100 | Sulfanilamide, Crystalline, 5, 5-Gm Envelopes | 1 envelope |
| 9206100 | Dressing, First Aid, Small, Field Brown | 1 |
| 9378000 | Tourniquet, Field | 1 |
Medical personnel assigned to parachute medical units had their own specific type of kit, the "Kit, Medical, Parachutist’s, Complete" (9711600)
There were three types of kits generally issued to non-airborne medical troops, two of which normally contained morphine syrettes. For reference, here is the TO&E of the medical detachment of an infantry regiment, dated 26 February 1944;
Headquarters Detachment:
| Quantity | SSN | Rank | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3500 | Major | Detachment commander |
| 2 | 3170 | Captain or First Lieutenant | Dental |
| 1a | 3100 | Captain or First Lieutenant | Medical, general duty |
| 1 | 673 | Technical Sergeant | Medical |
| 1 | 673 | Sergeant | Medical |
| 1b | 405 | Technician 5th Grade | Clerk, record |
| 1 | 345 | Technician 5th Grade | Driver, truck, light |
| 1 | 422 | Technician 4th Grade | Podiatrist |
| 2 | 855 | Technician 5th Grade | Technician, dental |
| 1 | 409 | T/4, T/5, Pvt., or Pfc. | Technician, medical |
| 1 | 196 | Pvt./Pfc. | Technician, sanitary |
| 10c | 861 | T/3, T/4, T/5, Pvt., or Pfc. | Technician, surgical |
| 11 | 521 | Pvt./Pfc. | Basic |
Headquarters Detachment Vehicles:
| Vehicle | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Trailer, 1/4-ton, 2-wheel, cargo | 1 |
| Truck, 1/4-ton, 4x4 | 1 |
| Truck, 2 1/2-ton, 6x6, cargo, with winch | 1 |
Three Battalion Sections: (per section)
| Quantity | SSN | Rank | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3100 | Captain or First Lieutenant | Medical, general duty |
| 1 | 3506 | First Lieutenant | Medical assistant (MAC) |
| 1 | 673 | Staff Sergeant | Medical |
| 1 | 673 | Corporal | Medical |
| 12 | 657 | Pvt./Pfc. | Litter bearer |
| 4(2b) | 409 | T/4, T/5, Pvt., or Pfc. | Technician, medical |
| 14d | 861 | T/3, T/4, T/5, Pvt., or Pfc. | Technician, surgical |
Battalion Section Vehicles: (per section)
| Vehicle | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Trailer, 1/4-ton, 2-wheel, cargo | 1 |
| Truck, 1/4-ton, 4x4 | 1 |
| Truck, 3/4-ton, 4x4 | 1 |
a: For replacement or augmentation in battalion section when required
b: Drives truck, 1/4-ton (this is a bit nebulous, perhaps a word-for-word copy from the original document or a typo. In the Headquarters Detachment, the light truck driver would have driven the 2 1/2-ton truck, while the record clerk drove the 1/4-ton truck with trailer. Two medical technicians in each battalion section would be tasked with driving the 1/4-ton truck with trailer and the 3/4-ton truck, respectively)
c: Includes 8 company aid men:
3 for Antitank Company
3 for Cannon Company
1 for Headquarters and Headquarters Company
1 for Service Company
d: Includes 12 company aid men:
1 per rifle platoon
1 per heavy weapons platoon
Now, the three kits;
For Privates, Privates First Class, and Technicians:
9712000 Kit, Medical, Private's, Complete: (1 per Litter Bearer, Medical Technician, Sanitary Technician, Surgical Technician, Record Clerk, Light Truck Driver)
| Number | Item | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 9706500 | Kit Component, Cantle Ring Strap | 1 |
| 9708500 | Kit Component, Pouch | 2 |
| 9709500 | Kit Component, Suspender | 1 |
| Number | Item | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2034000 | Plaster, Adhesive, Surgical, 1-Inch by 5 Yards | 1 |
| 3468000 | Scissors, Bandage | 1 |
| 7878000 | Pin, Safety, Medium | 2 |
| 9103800 | Burn Injury Set, Boric Acid Ointment | 1 (introduced early 1944) |
| 9109500 | Eye Dressing Set | 1 (introduced early 1944, replaced by M2 set in Feb. 1945) |
| 9112000 | Iodine Swab, 1 1/2-cc, 6 | 1 (reduced from 12 to 6 swabs late 1943) |
| 9200000 | Bandage, Gauze, Adhesive, White, 1-Inch by 3-Inch, 16 | 1 (introduced mid 1944; replaced in Feb. 1945 by 9200100, which were brown) |
| 9201000 | Bandage, Gauze, Compressed, White, 3-Inch by 6 Yards, 72 | 16 (replaced in Feb. 1945 by 9201100, which were brown) |
| 9204000 | Bandage, Triangular, Compressed, White | 3 (replaced in Feb. 1945 by 9204100, which were brown) |
| 9378000 | Tourniquet, Field | 1 (replaced by Tourniquet, Elastic, Field (9377900) in 1945) |
| 9707000 | Kit Component, Insert, Type I | 1 (deleted in 1944) |
| 9767500 | Container, Metal, No. 1 (For 9112000) | 1 (often replaced by 91120 Box, Swab, Iodine) |
| Unknown | Case, Instrument, Enlisted Men’s, Complete (1 Forceps, Hemostatic (32295) and 1 Scissors, Double-Blunt (93690) | 1 (deleted in 1944) |
| Number | Item | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 7624000 | Pencil, Lead | 1 |
| 9206000 | Dressing, First-Aid, Small, White | 8 (replaced in Feb. 1945 by 9206100, which were brown) |
| 9708000 | Kit Component, Litter Strap | 2 |
| Form 52b | Emergency Medical Tag | 20 |
For Noncommissioned Officers: (could also be issued to Technicians when needed)
9711000 Kit, Medical Noncommissioned Officer’s, Complete: (1 per 1 per T/Sgt., S/Sgt., Sgt., Cpl.)
| Number | Item | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 9706500 | Kit Component, Cantle Ring Strap | 1 |
| 9708500 | Kit Component, Pouch | 2 |
| 9709500 | Kit Component, Suspender | 1 |
| Number | Item | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 9961500 | Vial, 1/2-oz | 3 (reduced from 6 pre-1944) |
| 1010000 | Acid, Acetylsalicylic, 1000 Tablets | 16 |
| 1150500 | Compound Cathartic, 1000 Pills or Tablets | 36 |
| 2034000 | Plaster, Adhesive, Surgical, 1-Inch by 5 Yards | 2 |
| 3468000 | Scissors, Bandage | 1 (introduced late 1944) |
| 7624000 | Pencil, Lead | 1 |
| 7877000 | Pin, Safety, Large | 1 |
| 7878000 | Pin, Safety, Medium | 1 |
| 7932000 | Thermometer, Clinical | 1 |
| 9103800 | Burn Injury Set, Boric Acid Ointment | 1 (introduced early 1944) |
| 9109500 | Eye Dressing Set | 1 (introduced early 1944, replaced by M2 set (9109510) in February 1945) |
| 9112000 | Iodine Swab, 1 1/2-cc, 6 | 1 (reduced from 12 to 6 swabs late 1943) |
| 9115500 | Morphine Tartrate, 5 Tubes | 2 |
| 9120400 | Sulfadiazine, 8 Tablets | 3 |
| 9200000 | Bandage, Gauze, Adhesive, White, 1-Inch by 3-Inch, 16 | 1 (introduced mid 1944; replaced in Feb. 1945 by 9200100, which were brown) |
| 9378000 | Tourniquet, Field | 1 (replaced by 9377900 Tourniquet, Elastic, Field in 1945) |
| 9707500 | Kit Component, Insert Type II | 1 |
| 9708000 | Kit Component, Litter Strap | 2 |
| 9767500 | Container, Metal, No. 1 (For 9112000) | 1 (often replaced by 91120 Box, Swab, Iodine) |
| Form 52b | Emergency Medical Tag | 20 |
| Number | Item | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2013000 | Cotton, Absorbent, Compressed, 1 oz | 4 |
| 2024000 | Gauze, Plain, Sterilized, 36-Inch, 1 Yard | 4 |
| 9201000 | Bandage, Gauze, Compressed, White, 3-Inch by 6 Yards, 72 | 8 (replaced in Feb. 1945 by 9201100, which were brown) |
| 9204000 | Bandage, Triangular, Compressed, White | 4 (replaced in Feb. 1945 by 9204100, which were brown) |
For Officers:
9711500 Kit, Medical Officer’s, Complete: (1 per Medical Officer)
| Number | Item | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 9706500 | Kit Component, Cantle Ring Strap | 1 |
| 9708500 | Kit Component, Pouch | 1 |
| 9961500 | Vial, 1/2-oz | 3 (reduced from 6 vials pre-1944) |
| 1010000 | Acid, Acetylsalicylic, 1000 Tablets | 16 |
| 1150500 | Compound Cathartic, 1000 Pills or Tablets | 36 |
| 2034000 | Plaster, Adhesive, Surgical, 1-Inch by 5 Yards | 1 |
| 7624000 | Pencil, Lead | 1 |
| 7878000 | Pin, Safety, Medium | 1 |
| 7932000 | Thermometer, Clinical | 1 |
| 9103800 | Burn Injury Set, Boric Acid Ointment | 1 |
| 9109500 | Eye Dressing Set | 1 (introduced early 1944, replaced by M2 set (9109510) in Feb. 1945) |
| 9112000 | Iodine Swab, 1 1/2-cc, 6 | 1 (reduced from 12 to 6 swabs late 1943) |
| 9115500 | Morphine Tartrate, 5 Tubes | 3 |
| 9120400 | Sulfadiazine, 8 Tablets | 3 |
| 9121100 | Sulfanilamide, Crystalline, 5, 5-Gm Envelopes | 1 |
| 9201000 | Bandage, Gauze, Compressed, White, 3-Inch by 6 Yards, 72 | 8 (replaced in Feb. 1945 by 9201100, which were brown) |
| 9378000 | Tourniquet, Field | 1 (replaced by 9377900 Tourniquet, Elastic, Field in 1945) |
| 9705000 | Case, Instrument, Medical Officer’s, Complete [see below] | 1 |
| 9707500 | Kit Component, Insert Type II | 1 |
| 9708000 | Kit Component, Litter Strap | 1 |
| 9767500 | Container, Metal, No. 1 (For 9112000) | 1 (often replaced by 91120 Box, Swab, Iodine) |
| Form 52b | Emergency Medical Tag | 20 |
9705000 Case, Instrument, Medical Officer's, Complete:
| Number | Item | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 9705100 | Case, Instrument, Medical Officer’s, Empty | 1 |
| 9705200 | Case, Instrument, Medical Officer’s, Metal Container for 2 Knives | 1 |
| 3008500 | Bistoury, Sharp-Pointed, Straight | 1 |
| 3228800 | Forceps, Hemostatic, 4 3/4-Inch, Straight, Abbey | 1 |
| 3229500 | Forceps, Hemostatic, 5-Inch, Straight, Jones | 1 |
| 3269500 | Forceps, Tissue, Spring, 4 1/2-Inch, Straight | 1 |
| 3335600 | Knife, Operating, 1 1/4-Inch Blade | 1 |
| 3393500 | Needle, Surgeon’s Regular, Size 6, 3/8-Circle, 6 | 1 |
| 3394500 | Needle, Surgeon’s Regular, Size 10, 3/8-Circle, 6 | 1 |
| 3401100 | Needle, Uterine, Size 5, Half-Circle, 6 | 1 |
| 3474500 | Scissors, Operating, 4 1/2-Inch, Straight, 1 Point Sharp | 1 |
| 9377000 | Suture, Silk, Braided, Non-Capillary, 3 Sizes | 1 |
Source: