for hedgerow fighting due to the tripod standing too high and being extremely hard to set up in
hedgerows when the weapon was emplaced. When the weapon was used for marching fire, the
barrel became hot and the ammo belt was cumbersome to feed. A "spike mount" was designed by
1st Lt. Daniel L. Donnelly of I Company 358th Infantry which gave the gunner both a hand hold
and ammunition box and carrier when the weapon was used for marching fire and a very compact
mount for the weapon to sit on when it was emplaced in hedgerows. After the design was
perfected, the 790th Ordinance Company produced approximately 200 spike mounts and all light
machine guns in the Division were equipped with this new mount.
III - EVACUATION:
a. The work of the medical department in the care and evacuation of casualties has been
gratifying. The personnel, both officer and enlisted, who were inexperienced in combat,
distinguished themselves by their display of courage and devotion to duty. [Page 3]
b. The administration of blood plasma in Battalion Aid Stations has produced spectacular
results in many instances and the benefits derived from its use cannot be emphasized too much.
Jeeps equipped to carry litters proved invaluable in evacuating wounded from the front lines.
Evacuation was very rapid during this period as the cover afforded by hedgerows permitted the
litter carrying jeeps to operate very close to the front lines.
c. The report of casualties evacuated for the period 8 June to 30 June '44 inclusive is as
follows:
Wounded
Disease
Injury
Exhaustion
Total
Division Total
2072
426
26
283
2807
Evacuated
2069
386
24
258
2737
Returned to duty
3
40
2
25
70
Allies total
182
55
21
6
264
Evacuated
181
55
18
4
258
Returned to duty
1
0
3
2
6
Civilian total
58
4
1
9
72
Evacuated
53
3
0
9
65
Discharged
5
1
1
0
7
Prisoners total
70
0
1
0
71
Evacuated
70
0
1
0
71
Returned to duty
0
0
0
0
0
Grand total
2382
485
49
298
3214
IV - BURIAL: