02/11/2026
The equipment has changed. The terrain hasn't. And the mission remains the same.
On Christmas Day 1942, near Buna in Papua New Guinea, war photographer George Silk captured one of the most powerful images of the Pacific campaign.
Private George “Dick” Whittington, blinded by his wounds, is being guided towards medical care by Raphael Oimbari, a Papuan carrier.
In the unforgiving terrain of Papua New Guinea, evacuating the wounded was often a battle in itself. With no roads, limited medical resources and difficult jungle conditions, moving a single casualty to safety could require 8 to 16 men and hours, sometimes days, of extraordinary physical effort.
More than 80 years later, military medicine has advanced enormously. We have better equipment, improved treatments and more sophisticated casualty evacuation capabilities.
But some things haven't changed.
The importance of rapid treatment. The challenge of moving casualties through difficult terrain. And the courage and determination of those who risk their own lives to get the wounded to safety.
At TacMed, our mission is zero preventable deaths at the point of injury. It's a mission built on the lessons, sacrifices and experiences of generations before us.
This Kokoda Day, we remember not only those who fought, but also those who carried, treated and evacuated the wounded.
Lest We Forget.
