_The Director_: “Captain Harvey, when you saw Crane and Hanson take
cover, what is the first thing you would have done?”
_Captain Harvey_: “I would join Crane and Hanson immediately just as the
situation indicates.”
_The Director_: “Would you have done anything before going forward?”
_Captain Harvey_: “Well, sir, I would want to see for myself just what
is going on before I took any definite action.”
_The Director_: “Would you have done anything else, Captain Hodges?”
_Captain Hodges_: “Yes, sir. I would have signaled the rest of the point
‘DOWN’ so as to give them warning that the enemy is in sight. I will
tell Pendleton ‘Signal back. Enemy in sight,’ because Lieutenant W will
want to know immediately why the point has halted, and this will give
him the information. Then I would go to the front and join Crane and
Hanson.”
_The Director_: “Those are the points I wanted to bring out. You see
them, Captain Harvey, do you not?”
_Captain Harvey_: “Yes, sir.”
_The Director_: “Now, Captain Harvey, let us take up your solution
again. Let us say that you have joined Crane and Hanson. Just what are
you going to do?”
_Captain Harvey_: “I would open fire on the enemy immediately. Then get
the rest of the point up and have them join in the firing.”
_The Director_: “Do you agree with that procedure, Captain Hodges?”
_Captain Hodges_: “Not entirely, sir. I appreciate the necessity for
opening fire right away so as to get the jump on the enemy, but I think
we should get as many rifles up as possible before opening fire and
disclosing our position to the enemy. I would try to get the whole point
in position to fire before opening up, if I could. I would first make
provision for Crane and Hanson to open fire by giving them firing data:
‘Range: —— yards. Target: enemy at (_describe location of target
briefly_). Hold your fire.’ I would then signal the other members of the
point to come up and, as they arrive, indicate the location of the
target and announce the range to them.”
_Captain Jones_: “That solution seems to me to be all right if the enemy
will remain inactive until all of this is done, but suppose he does not
do so. Suppose he discovers us. Suppose he opens fire himself. Suppose
he starts to retreat. Suppose he keeps coming along towards us.”
_Captain Hodges_: “I am coming to all of that. I would keep the enemy
under observation. If he does anything that should cause us to open fire
before all of the squad is up, I would open up with every rifle that is
in position to fire. I would take no chances on the enemy getting the
jump on me. It will only take a minute or two to get the men into
position, and I think I am justified in delaying that long.”
_Captain Jones_: “I would make mighty certain that I did not wait too
long before opening fire.”
_The Director_: “I think Captain Jones is right in his contentions, but
I agree with Captain Hodges’ solution to get as many men as possible up
on the line before opening fire. Of course, if the enemy does anything
that would warrant opening fire before all the men are up, it should be
done.”