It is the image that defines heroism. You’ve seen it in grainy black-and-white photos from the trenches of the Somme or in high-definition digital shots from the Korengal Valley. A soldier carrying another soldier is the ultimate visual shorthand for "no man left behind." It’s visceral. It’s heavy.
But honestly? Most of those cinematic "fireman’s carries" you see in movies like Hacksaw Ridge are actually a nightmare in a real firefight.
If you ask a combat medic or a seasoned infantryman about moving a casualty, they won’t talk about glory. They’ll talk about the sheer, soul-crushing physics of dragging 220 pounds of dead weight—plus another 60 to 80 pounds of body armor, ammo, and water—while people are actively trying to kill you. It’s not just a gesture of loyalty; it’s a high-stakes engineering problem that determines who lives and who dies in the first ten minutes of an engagement.
Why the Fireman’s Carry Is Often a Bad Idea
We need to talk about why the most famous way of a soldier carrying another soldier is often the most dangerous. In basic training, everyone learns the fireman’s carry. You throw the person over your shoulders, grab their wrist, and run. It looks great on a recruitment poster.
In reality, it raises your center of gravity so high that you become a massive, slow-moving target. It also puts the casualty’s most vulnerable parts—their head and torso—up high where the bullets are flying.
Take the case of Desmond Doss, the conscientious objector who saved 75 men at Hacksaw Ridge. While the movie shows a lot of traditional carrying, Doss often used a "bowline" knot and a rope system to lower men down a cliff because physically carrying them on his back would have been impossible given the terrain and the sheer volume of Japanese fire.
The modern military has shifted. Now, the goal is "Care Under Fire." If you’re in the "kill zone," you don’t stand up to lift someone. You grab their tactical vest by the shoulder straps and you drag. Hard. You stay low. You use the dirt.
The Physics of the "Drag"
Dragging is ugly. It’s ungraceful. But it keeps both people closer to the ground. Tactical vests now come with "drag handles" specifically for this. They are reinforced loops of nylon webbing on the back of the plate carrier.
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A soldier carrying another soldier today is likely using a "Ranger Roll" or a "Hawes Carry." These aren't household names, but they save lives. The Hawes Carry involves using a long strap—often a simple piece of tubular nylon—to create a harness. This distributes the weight across the rescuer’s hips rather than just their lower back.
The Mental Toll of the Carry
There is a psychological weight that matches the physical one. When you see a soldier carrying another soldier, you’re looking at a person who has made a split-second decision that their friend’s life is worth more than their own mobility.
Former Army Ranger and author Dave Grossman has written extensively about the "burden of the survivor." Sometimes, the decision to carry someone isn't the right one tactically. If a squad stops to carry one person, they lose 25% to 50% of their firepower. This is the brutal math of the battlefield.
Case Study: Operation Red Wings
Think back to the 2005 mission in Afghanistan, popularized by the book and film Lone Survivor. During the chaotic retreat down a mountain, the SEALs were desperately trying to move their wounded while under fire from three sides.
Marcus Luttrell and his teammates weren't doing textbook carries. They were tumbling, sliding, and propping each other up. The "carry" in that context wasn't a hero pose; it was a desperate, fumbling struggle against gravity and blood loss. It highlights a hard truth: you can't carry someone for miles at a dead sprint. Not with 100 pounds of gear. You move in bursts. You hide. You move again.
Tools That Changed the Game
Technology has tried to solve the "soldier carrying another soldier" problem. We have foldable litters like the Talon II, which can be deployed in seconds. These are carbon-fiber poles with mesh that allow two or four people to share the load.
But litters require hands. If four people are carrying a litter, that’s four rifles out of the fight.
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That’s why we see things like:
- The Skedco: A plastic sheet that rolls up but becomes a rigid sled when a body is strapped into it. It’s great for snow or smooth dirt.
- The "Buddy Strap": A simple piece of gear that connects the casualty's vest to the rescuer's vest, allowing for hands-free dragging.
- Exoskeletons: (Still mostly in testing) DARPA has been obsessed with creating powered suits specifically so one soldier can carry another soldier for miles without blowing out their knees.
The Medevac Reality
We also have to acknowledge the "Golden Hour." This is the window of time where a wounded soldier has the best chance of survival if they reach surgery.
The act of carrying is just the bridge to the MEDEVAC (Medical Evacuation). Whether it’s a Black Hawk helicopter or a Stryker vehicle, the carry usually only lasts a few hundred yards. But those few hundred yards are the longest distance in the world.
If you look at the Medal of Honor citations from Vietnam, like that of Pfc. Milton Olive III or Spc. 4th Class Joseph LaPointe Jr., you see a recurring theme. They weren't just "carrying" people; they were shielding them. Sometimes the carry is a way to use your own body as armor. It’s a level of self-sacrifice that is hard to wrap your head around if you haven’t been there.
Myths vs. Reality: What Most People Get Wrong
People think it’s about strength. It’s actually about leverage and adrenaline.
I’ve talked to guys who are 150 pounds soaking wet who have carried 200-pound teammates. How? Adrenaline is a hell of a drug, but it also burns out fast. You can carry someone for 50 meters on pure "fight or flight." After that, your muscles literally begin to fail. Lactic acid builds up. Your vision narrows.
Another misconception? That the person being carried is always unconscious. Sometimes, the most helpful thing a wounded soldier can do is use their one good leg to help push. It’s a coordinated dance of pain.
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The Evolution of the Carry in Urban Warfare
In places like Fallujah or more recently in Eastern Ukraine, the "soldier carrying another soldier" dynamic has changed again. Urban environments mean stairs.
Carrying someone up or down a flight of stairs in a crumbling apartment building is a nightmare. You can’t drag them—the stairs will tear them apart. You have to lift. This has led to a resurgence in "manual carries" like the two-man seat or the "crutch carry."
In the modern era, drones are now being used to scout the best "carry routes." If you know there’s a machine gun nest around the corner, you don’t carry your buddy that way. You take the long way through the basement.
How to Actually Move Someone in an Emergency
While most of us won't be in a war zone, the principles of a soldier carrying another soldier apply to hikers, first responders, or anyone in a car accident.
First, check for neck or spinal injuries. If they aren't in immediate danger of a fire or a collapsing building, don't move them. If you must move them, the "Armpit Drag" is your best friend.
- Reach under their armpits from behind.
- Grab your own opposite wrist or their forearms.
- Lean back and walk backward.
It protects their head with your chest and keeps your back straight. It’s not "heroic" looking. It’s just smart.
Practical Steps for High-Stress Situations
If you ever find yourself needing to move someone larger than you:
- Use your legs, not your back. This is a cliché for a reason. If you try to lift with your spine, you’ll just end up with two casualties instead of one.
- Check the "Drag Path." A three-second look at where you're going can prevent you from tripping over a rock and dropping the person.
- Communicate. If the person is conscious, tell them exactly what you’re doing. "I’m going to grab your vest and pull you to that wall on three." It reduces their panic, which makes them less likely to struggle and throw off your balance.
- Secure loose gear. If they have a backpack or straps dangling, they will snag on everything. Tuck them in or rip them off.
The image of a soldier carrying another soldier will always be a symbol of human connection. It’s the visual proof that even in the middle of the most chaotic, violent experiences humans can create, we still give a damn about each other. But behind that image is a world of training, specialized gear, and the brutal reality of physics.
Next time you see a statue or a photo of a carry, look at the rescuer's face. It’s not just bravery you’re seeing; it’s the physical strain of defying the odds one step at a time. It's the most human thing we do.