Forty and eight cars form first U.S. hospital train in France.

Forty and eight cars form first U.S. hospital train in France. American "walking wounded" lean out of the windows and doors of the first U.S. hospital train operating in France, converted from the famous "40 men and eight horse" cars used in the last war. The cars were pressed into temporary service by the U.S. Army Medical Corps during the rapid advance of American forces in Normandy. Major L.M. Erenburg of Chicago, Illinois, commander of a medical detachment, conceived the conversion idea when U.S. troops advanced faster than specially equipped hospital trains could be transported over to the Continent from England. The wounded are brought from medical aid stations in the combat zones to general hospitals on to Channel port for removal to England.