The Relationship between Battle Intensity and Disease Rates Among Marine Corps Infantry Units

Abstract

Disease and Non-Battle Injury (DNBI) rates were examined in conjunction with casualty rates across two Marine Corps operational scenarios, the assault on Okinawa and the Korean War. Both operations saw wide fluctuations in the daily and weekly Wounded-In-Action (WIA) and Killed-In-Action (KIA) rates. DNBI rates increased significantly with battle intensity among Marine infantry battalions involved in the Okinawa assault. The DNBI rates for low, moderate, and high intensities during the Okinawa operation were 2.15, 4.24, and 10.27 per 1000 men per day. Highly significant positive correlations (p < .001) were evidenced between DNBI rate and WIA rate, DNBI rate and KIA rate, and DNBI rate and the preceding week's WIA rate among infantry units in both Okinawa and Korea. A significant correlation was also evidenced between the severity of wounds sustained and DNBI rate. Disease and non-battle injury rates, Casualty rates, U.S Marines, Infantry battalions, Medical resource planning.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1992
Accession Number
ADA252859

Entities

People

  • Christopher G. Blood
  • Eleanor D. Gauker

Organizations

  • Naval Health Research Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Battles
  • Biomedical Research
  • Casualties
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Health Care
  • Health Services
  • Infantry
  • Intensity
  • Marine Corps
  • Military Hospitals
  • Military Operations
  • Second World War
  • Therapy
  • War
  • Warfare
  • Wounds And Injuries

Readers

  • Mathematics or Statistics
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies
  • Trauma or Military Medicine