a sucking chest wound is nature's way of telling you you've been ambushed.

I keep coming across these images of lighters from soldiers in Vietnam. So I thought I would look into them a bit more. Here is a sizable collection of them. Apparently they sold at auction recently and gained a bit of attention. Rightfully so.

Soldiers Engraved Lighters from Vietnam «TwistedSifter

 

Well, as a nurse....if I saw a 'sucking chest wound', my first action would be to cover the hole with Vaseline gauze - to seal the hole in his lung until he could get treatment. That's what you do if a chest tube is accidentally pulled out. Otherwise the lung collapses.
If you were quick-thinking, trained, remained calm and sealed his lung so it could inflate and breathe - then you would possibly save a life.

WE OWE OUR FREEDOM TO MILITARY MEN! When you see one out in uniform somewhere, go up and thank him for the sacrifices he & his family have made for our nation, and for us. Watch their faces when you do.....they aren't accustomed to being thanked or appreciated.

My husband was in first Gulf War. He took a bullet 1/4" from spine, taking out a sniper to save his men.
He threw his medal in the Ohio river, because 3 of his men died. He said he didn't deserve a medal (after almost dying himself) because he didn't bring everybody back alive. He wept and couldn't see those he saved, only those he didn't save in time. As he lay wounded he had to be held back because he was trying to crawl to his gun. Said all he could think about was reaching his rifle, ignored the bullet in his neck - the one he was buried with because it couldn't be removed without risk of paralysis or death.