PASSIVE REACTIONS TO AIR ATTACKS

Seeing the enemy first has long been established as an element of survival in any combat situation. The advantages of seeing enemy aircraft first is largely self-evident, and the importance cannot be overemphasized. All convoy personnel must be thoroughly briefed as to their responsibilities in the employment of effective scanning techniques. When aircraft are spotted or early warning is received, the convoy commander has three options:

Continue to march. Have the convoy immediately stop in place. Disperse quickly to concealed positions.

Continue to March 

The mission and/ or terrain may dictate that the march continue. If this is the case, the convoy speed should be increased. Continuing the march offers the advantage of preventing a moving target and making it more difficult for the enemy to hit. Disadvantages exist in that detection is easier and volume and density of small-arms fire are reduced.

Stop the Convoy 

If the convoy commander chooses to halt the convoy, the vehicles simply pull to the shoulders of the road. This technique has several advantages:

1. Harder for the pilot to see the convoy. 2. Easy to continue the march. 3. Volume and density of organic weapons will be greater than if the convoy disperses.

However, a disadvantage exists in that a convoy stopped on the open road makes a good target for enemy troops. The enemy has a better chance of causing serious damage.

Disperse the Convoy 

A simple technique that a convoy commander can use in dispersing vehicles is to establish a method in Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). SOPs will emphasize that in case of an air attack odd-numbered vehicles go to the left, and even-numbered vehicles go to the right. The key to dispersion is not to make two straight lines out of what was one long line; the vehicles must be staggered. This should not be a problem if the drivers have been trained to go to trees, bushes, and folds in the ground that will give concealment (fig. 5-6).

Once the convoy is dispersed, all personnel, except vehicular mounted weapons gunners, dismount and take up firing positions. Advantages of this system are that it is more difficult for the enemy pilot

Figure 5-6.- Vehicles dispersed and in concealed positions.to detect the vehicles and get multiple hits. However, this method has several disadvantages:

1. Easier for the enemy pilot to spot the convoy as it begins to disperse.

2. Volume and density of small-arms fire are reduced.

3. Takes longer to reorganize the convoy after the attack.

ARTILLERY OR INDIRECT FIRE

Enemy artillery units or indirect fire weapons may be used to destroy logistic convoys or to harass and interdict the forward movement of supplies and personnel. Artillery fires are either preplanned fire or fires called in and adjusted on a target of opportunity by a forward observer. Of the two, the adjusted fires present the more complex problem as the artillery barrages can be adjusted to follow the actions of the convoy.

Active Defense 

Active defensive measures against limited but must not be overlooked. It artillery are is important that several personnel are highly capable of calling in a fire mission. Active measures would include the following:

1. Directing counterbattery fire if the direction and approximate distance to the enemy artillery can be estimated.

2. Directing small-arms fire or artillery fires against the enemy forward observer if they can be located.

3. Coordinating air strikes against the enemy artillery.

Passive Defense

The convoy commander has three passive defense options when confronted with incoming artillery rounds. The options are as follows:

l Halt in place. l Continue to march. l Disperse quickly to concealed positions.

Regardless of the option selected, the actions to be taken and the signal directing the action should be covered in the unit SOP.

The convoy should only be halted when the artillery concentration is ahead of the convoy. The convoy commander should look for an alternate route around the impact area and the convoy should remain prepared to move out rapidly.

The missions and/ or terrain may require the convoy to continue. If this is the case, increase speed and spread out to the maximum extent the terrain will allow. Casualties can be reduced by the following:

Avoiding the impact area Increasing speed Increasing dispersion Wearing individual protective equipment Using the vehicle for protection

IMMEDIATE ACTION DRILLS 

The guerrilla normally seeks contact with organized units only under favorable tactical circumstances; for example, ambushes. When contact is made under less favorable circumstances, the guerrilla attempts a rapid withdrawal. In either case, small-unit encounters with guerrillas are likely to be sudden, violent, and of short duration. Slow reactions to an ambush can result in excessive losses or the loss of an opportunity to punish the guerrilla unit. Contact is often made at close range, particularly when operating in jungle, temperate zone forests, woods, or heavy brush. Immediate action drills aid small units in reacting quickly and properly.

Immediate action drills are predrilled, prerehearsed reactions to contact or anticipated contact with the enemy. Immediate action drills are most frequently used by rifle platoons and squads. They are used during the conduct of foot patrols and dismounted movements in close terrain against guerrillas.

The variety of drills is limited only by the imagination and initiative of the unit leader and the state of training of the unit. It is impractical to develop drills covering every contingency; however, it is important to develop a drill for each of the most frequently occurring situations. The response to a given situation must not be stereotyped, as the enemy may ultimately capitalize upon rigid adherence to the same tactics.

Immediate action drills stress simplicity, aggressiveness, and rapid execution. They demand alertness and a high state of individual training. Drills are of little value to a unit in which the individual Seabee lacks proficiency in the fundamental combat skills.