_The Director_: “Lieutenant Ralston, you are Sergeant B, the patrol
leader. The outguard commander has come out to meet you. Just what would
you do with respect to your patrol and what would you say to the
outguard commander?”
_Lieutenant Ralston_: “In the first place I will signal the patrol to
halt. I will then tell the outguard commander where we are going and all
about the mission of the patrol. I will arrange a recognition signal
with him. I will find out any information about the enemy that he may
have.”
_The Director_: “All right. You have told us all about what you will do.
Now let us do it. Assume that I am the outguard commander. Now just what
will you say to me?”
_Lieutenant Ralston_: “I will say:
“‘Information has been received that there is a Red force in the
vicinity of (_h_). (Indicating on the map.) We are going out as a
reconnoitering patrol, guiding on the ... road. (Indicating on the
map.) We are to determine the enemy’s strength, and composition and
what he is doing. I have four other men with me.
“‘We will probably be out until after dark and I want to arrange a
recognition signal with you. If agreeable to you it will be the call
3—4 or the same tapped on the rifle stock.
“‘Have you any information about the enemy?’
“After doing all of this I will signal the patrol FORWARD MARCH and
proceed on my way.”
_The Director_: “That is very good. I wish you would explain to the
class just how you propose to employ the recognition signal.”
_Lieutenant Ralston_: “In this case we agreed on the signal 3—4. When
any of us approach the sentinel post of the outguard after dark we will
use the recognition signal. If there is no danger of enemy patrols
lurking in the vicinity the man approaching the post calls out 3—4; the
sentinel on post answers the call by calling 3—4 and they both know that
everything is all right and it is safe for the scout to proceed. If
there is danger of enemy patrols discovering the signal should it be
called out, the man coming in would approach the sentinel post
cautiously. He would tap 3—4 on the stock of his rifle until it is
recognized by the sentinel and the signal returned by the latter tapping
3—4 on the stock of his rifle.” (The method should be illustrated.)
_The Director_: “Captain Harvey, why do we go to all this trouble?”
_Captain Harvey_: “A sentinel on post, after he has been harassed by
enemy scouts for a while, takes no chances. He generally shoots first
and then challenges. The recognition signal is simply an expedient to
lessen the chances of accident.”
_The Director_: “Now all of these details may seem to be small affairs
to you. But the man who knows them and requires them to be carried out
in service is the man who will be successful in military operations.
Almost any dub can blunder through, paying the price in the lives of his
men. It is the man that knows all of the little details of tactics that
will come through successfully with his command without the sacrifice of
a man more than is necessary to accomplish his mission. The proposition
of measuring accomplishment by the number of casualties is old stuff and
will not go with the commander that is up to his job. It is the man who
accomplishes his mission with the least number of casualties that is the
successful military leader.”
* * * * *
=Reconnoitering Patrol= =Card No. 3=
=Director’s Key=
1. Conduct class to point where outguard is supposed to be posted.
Hand out Situation No. 3.
2. Explain what is done by patrol leader. Tell outguard commander
about patrol going out. Arrange for recognition signal. Get
information of enemy.
3. Proceed to solution. Require member of class to state exact words
used by patrol commander.