The Role of Dr. Colonel Vance H. Marchbanks in developing an oxygen delivery system: A “Forgotten First” in Aviation and Aerospace

In our series of unsung or forgotten medical heroes, we first published a manuscript on Alvin Blunt, Jr, M.D. who was the first African American MASH physician in the Korean War. Dr. Kenneth L. Wilson’s manuscript changed United States military history. Our second manuscript in our series, Medical Miracle in Indianola, Mississippi: The Untold Story of Dr. Clinton Battle and the Indianola Conjoined Siamese Twins, introduces the world to a 29-year-old physician who vaginally delivered the first set of conjoined twins to be successfully separated and both survived the operation. This great feat was done at Rev. John and Missouri Matthews’ home without anesthetics or ultrasound. Dr. Battle died dejected because he never received any credit for this magnificent accomplishment in medical history. In this manuscript, we present the compelling story of Dr. Colonel Vance Marchbanks, who monitored astronaut John Glen during his historic space flight. Dr. Marchbanks was a pioneer Flight Surgeon who developed an oxygen delivery system that enabled flight crews to fly at higher altitudes.