The Problem
Situation No. 4:
You, Sergeant Roberts, have arrived at this point. The two leading men of the point (Crane and Hanson) are about 25 yards ahead of you. The remaining members of the point are on the road behind you. At this moment both Crane and Hanson take cover and point in the direction of ——. You join them and observe about a squad of the enemy on foot (moving around in the woods—describe just what the enemy is doing). They apparently have just arrived and have not seen you. Several horses are being led to the rear.
Required:
What do you, Sergeant Roberts, do?
Procedure
The Director reads the situation aloud and points out the location of the enemy.
Explanation
The Director: “Now, I want each member of the class to consider himself as being Sergeant Roberts. The incidents contained in the situation have transpired just as indicated. You were marching along the road; you saw Crane and Hanson take cover and point in the direction of the enemy; you joined them here; you see the enemy (explain what the enemy is doing). It is now up to you to make a decision as to what you are going to do and proceed to do it. Before going into the solution of the problem I want to make a few remarks on the conduct of the operations of a point.
“The real work of the advance guard begins when it gets in contact with the enemy. All formation and all operations are designed to insure success when this event happens. The point is the first element that meets the enemy and success or failure may depend upon what is done by this small body. The big idea is that we must get the jump on the enemy. We must lead and make him follow. In other words, we must take the offensive for it is only by offensive action that military success is gained.
“The commander of the point of an advance guard must be on the lookout for the enemy all the time. He must continually look ahead and dope out what he is going to do if the enemy should suddenly appear in this or that place.
“Sergeant Roberts has been doing this very thing and the proper action is plain to him. Let us see if it is plain to you.”
Solution
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.”
Explanation
The Director: “The advantage of waiting until all the rifles are on the line is that, as soon as these men are fired on, they will probably try to make their get-away. They will furnish a target for only a few seconds. If our point can inflict sufficient casualties, they may fall back and abandon the attempt at further reconnaissance, especially if they can down the patrol leader. If the leading men of the point open fire, by the time the last man gets up, the enemy will be well under way and there will be no target to fire at. If the enemy returns the fire, they at once reveal themselves, and Sergeant Roberts will do well to be seeking out other detachments in the vicinity. A reconnoitering patrol does not fire on an occasion of this kind unless it is surprised and forced to do so in self-defense. It has a much better chance of accomplishing its mission of securing information by avoiding combat. If this small body of the enemy open fire, it may be reasonably assumed that they are being backed up by other troops or have accomplished their mission of finding out the strength and composition of our forces and have turned themselves into a fighting patrol and open fire to delay us and thus give information to their own troops that we are advancing in force. If they immediately try to make a get-away, it will indicate that they are a reconnoitering patrol and will probably try to work around to the flanks of the column to get information of our main body. On the other hand, they will know that we are not a reconnoitering patrol as soon as we open fire. They know that we are backed up by other troops.
“You now see the elements involved in this simple situation. You see the responsibility that devolves upon non-commissioned officers when they are placed in the position of Sergeant Roberts. To know what to do and how to do it requires training and close attention to detail. Probably any of us could blunder through a situation of this kind, but it takes a man trained in military tactics to make his decisions quickly, to act upon them promptly and take advantage of the fleeting moments to inflict damage on the enemy. These are the things that we study to become proficient in. These are the things that we must teach our non-commissioned officers if we are to have confidence in their ability to meet tactical situations that confront them, with judgment and decision. And there is no royal road to success along this line. The knowledge required can be attained only by thorough study and practice.”
Solution
The Director: “Lieutenant Baker, suppose the enemy does something which, in your judgment, requires fire to be opened before the whole point is up and in position, would you join in the firing yourself?”
Lieutenant Baker: “No, sir. I would not. I estimate that I would have plenty to do to direct the fire of the other men; to search the country to see if any other parties of the enemy were in our front, and to keep the advance party commander advised of what is going on at the front.”
The Director: “Lieutenant Barney, let us assume that you were able to get all of the men on the line before opening fire and were able to open as a surprise to the enemy. He takes cover and returns the fire. What further action would you take?”
Lieutenant Barney: “I would keep on firing. I would signal the advance party commander to send up some reinforcements.”
The Director: “Do you agree with that solution, Lieutenant Hunt?”
Lieutenant Hunt: “No, sir. I would go after him. I cannot run him out of his position by fire action alone. I would immediately start filtering my men forward while keeping up a heavy fire with the other man.”[[7]]
The Director: “Captain Hall, give us Sergeant Roberts’ solution to the situation.”
Captain Hall: “I will signal the members of the point ‘Down,’ and tell Pendleton to signal the advance party commander ‘Enemy in sight.’ I will then join Crane and Hanson. I will locate the enemy, give Crane and Hanson firing data and order them to hold their fire. I will signal the other members of the point to come up, and as they arrive on the line I will give them the range and indicate the target. When all are ready I will open fire on the enemy. Should the enemy do anything to warrant it I will open fire immediately, with all the rifles on the line. I will search the landscape for other parties of the enemy. As soon as I open fire I will take steps to advance and close with the enemy and drive him off.”[[8]]
The members of the class should not be required to make a written solution to this situation.
After all questions have been answered the class is ready to proceed to the solution of the next situation.
Advance Guard Card No. 4
Director’s Key
1. Conduct the class to the point where the situation is to be taken up for solution.
2. Hand out Situation No. 4. Read situation aloud and explain it. Explain action of point, when enemy encountered.
3. Solution: Signal Down. Information to advance party commander. Join leading men. When open fire. Firing data.
4. Explain action of reconnoitering and fighting patrols. Necessity for the training of N. C. O.’s.
5. Solution of problem.
Procedure
The Director now passes out slips, bearing Situation No. 5, to the members of the class.