Manual of Military Training Part 21

(228)

=266. Original platoon divisions to be maintained; duties of officers and sergeants upon joining firing line.= The original platoon division of the companies in the firing line should be maintained and should not be broken up by the mingling of reenforcements.

Upon joining the firing line, officers and sergeants accompanying a reenforcement take over the duties of others of like grade who have been disabled, or distribute themselves so as best to exercise their normal functions. Conditions will vary and no rules can be prescribed.

It is essential that all a.s.sist in mastering the increasing difficulties of control. (229)

The Company Acting Alone

=267. Employed according to principles of battalion acting alone.= In general, the company, when acting alone, is employed according to the principles applicable to the battalion acting alone as laid down in pars. 327-363; the captain employs platoons as the major employs companies, making due allowance for the difference in strength.

The support may be smaller in proportion or may be dispensed with.

(230)

=268. Protection against surprise.= The company must be well protected against surprise. Combat patrols on the flanks are especially important as explained in par. 410. Each leader of a flank platoon details a man to watch for the signals of the patrol or patrols on his flank. (231)

FIRE

=269. Issuing of ammunition and loading of pieces before deployment; firings in close order.= Ordinarily pieces are loaded and extra ammunition is issued before the company deploys for combat.

In close order the company executes the firings, as prescribed in pars. 179-194, at the command of the captain, who posts himself in rear of the center of the company.

Usually the firings in close order consist of saluting volleys only.

(See par. 189 for volley firing.) (232)

=270. Firing controlled by platoon leaders.= When the company is deployed, the men execute the firings at the command of their platoon leaders; the latter give such commands as are necessary to carry out the captain's directions, and, from time to time, add such further commands as are necessary to continue, correct, and control, the fire ordered. (233)

=271. Use of signals during firing.= The voice is generally inadequate for giving commands during fire and must be replaced by signals of such character that proper fire direction and control is a.s.sured. (See par. 92 for signals; pars. 285-286 for fire direction and pars.

287-290 for fire control.) To attract attention, signals must usually be preceded by the whistle signal (short blast). A fraction of the firing line about to rush should, if practicable, avoid using the long blast signal as an aid to cease firing. (See par. 91.) Officers and men behind the firing line can not ordinarily move freely along the line, but must depend on mutual watchfulness and the proper use of the prescribed signals. All should post themselves so as to see their immediate superiors and subordinates. (234)

=272. Duties of musicians.= The musicians a.s.sist the captain by observing the enemy, the target, and the fire-effect, by transmitting commands or signals, and by watching for signals. (For posts of musicians see par. 207.) (235)

=273. Blank Cartridges.= Firing with blank cartridges at an outlined or represented enemy (par. 7) at distances less than 100 yards is prohibited. (236)

=274. Effect of fire and influence of ground.= The effect of fire and the influence of the ground in relation thereto, and the individual and collective instruction in marksmanship, are treated in the Small-Arms Firing Manual. (237)

Ranges

=275. Cla.s.sification.= For convenience of reference, ranges are cla.s.sified as follows:

0 to 600 yards, close range.

600 to 1,200 yards, effective range.

1,200 to 2,000 yards, long range.

2,000 yards and over, distant range. (238)

=276. Determination of distance to target.= The distance to the target must be determined as accurately as possible and the sights set accordingly. Aside from training and morale, this is the most important single factor in securing effective fire at the longer ranges. (239)

=277. Method of determining the range; estimators.=

Except in a deliberately prepared defensive position, the most accurate and only practicable method of determining the range will generally be to take the mean of several estimates.

Five or six officers or men, selected from the most accurate estimators in the company, are designated as _range estimators_ and are specially trained in estimating distances.

Whenever necessary and practicable, the captain a.s.sembles the range estimators, points out the target to them, and adopts the mean of their estimates. The range estimators then take their customary posts.

(240)

Cla.s.ses of Firing

=278. Volley firing=, as explained in par. 189, has limited application. In defense it may be used in the early stages of the action if the enemy presents a large compact target. It may be used by troops executing =fire of position=, as set forth in par. 438. When the ground near the target is such that the strike of bullets can be seen from the firing line, =ranging volleys= may be used to correct the sight setting.

In combat, volley firing is executed habitually by platoon. (241)

=279. Fire at will=, as explained in par. 190, is the cla.s.s of fire normally employed in attack or defense. (242)

=280. Clip fire= (see par. 192.) has limited application. It is princ.i.p.ally used: 1. In the early stages of combat, to steady the men by habituating them to brief pauses in firing. 2. To produce a short burst of fire. (243)

The Target

=281. a.s.signment of target by major; change of target to be avoided; hostile firing line usual target.= Ordinarily the major will a.s.sign to the company an objective in attack or sector in defense; the company's target will lie within the limits so a.s.signed. In the choice of target, tactical considerations are paramount; the nearest hostile troops within the objective or sector will thus be the usual target.

This will ordinarily be the hostile firing line; troops in rear are ordinarily proper targets for artillery, machine guns, or, at times, infantry employing fire of position, as set forth in par. 438.

Change of target should not be made without excellent reasons therefor, such as the sudden appearance of hostile troops under conditions which make them more to be feared than the troops comprising the former target. (244)

=282. Distribution of fire; allotment of target to platoon leaders.= The distribution of fire over the entire target is of special importance.

The captain allots a part of the target to each platoon, or each platoon leader takes as his target that part which corresponds to his position in the company. Men are so instructed that each fires on that part of the target which is directly opposite him. (245)

=283. All Parts of target equally important.= All parts of the target are equally important. Care must be exercised that the men do not slight its less visible parts. A section of the target not covered by fire represents a number of the enemy permitted to fire coolly and effectively. (246)

=284. Use of aiming points in case of invisible targets.=

If the target can not be seen with the naked eye, platoon leaders select an object in front of or behind it, designate this as the _aiming target_, and direct a sight setting which will carry the cone of fire into the target. (247)

Fire Direction[3]

=285. Impracticability in combat of commanding company directly.= When the company is large enough to be divided into platoons, it is impracticable for the captain to command it directly in combat. His efficiency in managing the firing line is measured by his ability to enforce his will through the platoon leaders. Having indicated clearly what he desires them to do, he avoids interfering except to correct serious errors or omissions. (248)

=286. Captain directs the fire.= The captain =directs= the fire of the company or of designated platoons. He designates the target, and, when practicable, allots a part of the target to each platoon, as prescribed in par. 340. Before beginning the fire action he determines the range, as explained in par. 277, announces the sight setting, as prescribed in par. 188, and indicates the cla.s.s of fire to be employed (See par. 278) and the time to open fire. Thereafter, he observes the fire effect (See pars. 428-429), corrects material errors in sight setting, prevents exhaustion of the ammunition supply, as explained in par. 432-433, and causes the distribution of such extra ammunition as may be received from the rear. (249)

Fire Control

=287. Platoon the fire unit.= In combat, the platoon is the fire unit.

From 20 to 35 rifles are as many as one leader can control effectively. (250)