World War II began in Europe in 1939 when German under Hitler invaded Poland. The U.S. entered the war in December 1941 after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. During the war, American solders fought in Europe, Asia, and Africa and in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Many of these service men carried out their duty under severe winter conditions, in the harshest heat of deserts, and in the hottest, most humid tropical climates. Those who joined up or were drafted knew they were in the military until obtaining Victory.
The war in Europe ended on May 8, 1945, when the Germans surrendered at Reims in France. The war continued in the Pacific for three more months. Japan surrendered on August 14, 1945 after the dropping of two atomic bombs. The first atomic (U-235) bomb on Hiroshima on August 6 and a larger (plutonium) bomb on Nagasaki two days later. The Japanese signed the surrender papers aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo harbor on September 2, 1945.
As of 2008, the WWII veterans today are all over 80 years old and subject to all the usual diseases of aging. However, in the early 1940's, these men were among the nation's fittest. Their participation in modern warfare coincided with major advances in modern medicine and medical procedures. The result was an extraordinary 4% died-of-wounds rate for American troops. Before ww2, more soldiers died of their wounds than recovered. In ww2, more soldiers recovered than died. Some factors are the first aid posts being closer to the action, soldiers were better trained on first aid. They carried pressure bandages, sulfa powder drugs which could be applied directly to the wound. Ambulances and trucks were organized to transport the wounded, also medics were part of the combat team structure. Penicillin and Sulfur drugs were available to combat infection.
The advent of antibiotics began with the use of sulfonamides in the mid-1930's. The troops had the benefits of sulfa and penicillin to treat both disease and wound infections.
Service personnel received a wide range of preventive measures including immunizations against yellow fever, cholera, plague, influenza, typhus, typhoid, and tetanus. However not all disease had immunizations. The solders were not protected against Tuberculosis, rheumatic fever, hepatitis, and tropical diseases. These diseases were the prime reason for disability and time lost from duty. Anti-tuberculosis agents appear after WW2 in 1949.
The world war II service men also benefited from the availability of blood transfusions, aero medical evacuation, better burn management, and synthetic antimalarials such as Atabrine.
In 1943 the US Army used the chemical DDT in Naples Italy to stop a typhus epidemic. The use of the chemical was very successful and stopped the epidemic from spreading. Typhus is a very dangerous disease that killed 2.5 million Russians in WW2. It was discovered that DDT could also kill the mosquitoes which spread malaria. DDT was used during the war for the control of malaria and typhus benefiting both soldiers and civilians greatly.
World War II veterans also were the first to serve in the nuclear age exposing the US servicemen to new medical risks. American POWs were employed in the clean up of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, thus becoming the first "Atomic Vets." "Atomic vets" are servicemen exposed to ionized radiation from nuclear bombs.
The WW2 servicemen particular those in the Navy had a high risk of being exposed to Asbestos which as we know today can cause cancers. Asbestos related diseases, particularly malignant mesothelioma, have very long latency periods. In the case of mesothelioma, 30 to 50 years typically elapses between exposure and the onset of symptoms.
Asbestos was used extensively on ships, to prevent heat and electrical conduction, and reduce fire risks. Asbestos insulation covered wiring, furnaces, boilers, pipes, and used as friction-reducing lining for moving parts. Because it was so widely used onboard ships, many sailors were at risk of asbestos exposure..
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