Manual Tactica Individual Fm21-75 Cap 2

FM 21-75

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CHAPTER 2 Fighting Positions

GENERAL When defending, or when temporarily halted while making an attack, you must seek cover from fire and concealment from observation. Cover and concealment are best provided by some type of fighting position. This may be an existing hole, a hastily dug prone shelter, or a well-prepared position with overhead cover. The time available forpreparation determines how well you build your position. Your fighting position must: Allow you to fire. Protect you from observation and direct and indirect fire. CONTENTS GENERAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1 COVER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 CONCEALMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5 SECTORS AND FIELDS OF FIRE . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .2-5 HOW TO BUILD FIGHTING POSITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8 2-1

FM 21-75 COVER The cover of your fighting position must be strong enough to protect you from small arms fire, indirect fire fragments, and the blast wave of nuclear explosions. The position should have frontal cover to give protection from small arms fire from the front.Natural frontal cover (trees, rocks, logs, and rubble) is best, because it is hard for the enemy to detect a position that is concealed by natural cover. If natural cover is not available, use the dirt taken from the hole you dig to build additional cover. The cover can be improved by putting the dirt in sandbags and then wetting them.

Frontal cover must be: Thick enough (at least 46 cm [18 in]of dirt) to stop small arms fire. High enough to protect your head when you fire from behind the cover. Far enough in front of the hole to allow room for elbow holes and sector stakes so that you can fire to the oblique. Long enough to give you cover and hide the muzzle blast of your rifle when you fire to the oblique. 2-2

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Your fighting position should be built so that, when youcome under direct fire from your front, you can move behind the frontal cover for protection and yet fire to the oblique.

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For all-round protection, to include protection from a nuclear attack, your position should also have overhead, flank, and rear cover. The dirt from the hole can also be used to build that cover, which protects against indirect fire that bursts overhead orto the flanks and rear of the position. Cover also guards against the effects of friendly weapons supporting from the rear, such as small arms fire or discarding sabot rounds fired from tanks. You should leave crawl spaces in the rear cover. This lets you enter and leave the position without exposing yourself to the enemy. To increase your chances of survival in a nuclear attack, you should insurethat your fighting position incorporates the following considerations: Rounded walls hold up better against a blast wave than square or rectangular walls, and rounded walls are easier to dig. Small openings help keep out radiation. Most nuclear radiation in the

bottom of the position is scattered into the position through the opening. Deeper fighting positions place a greater thickness ofshielding material or earth between you and the nuclear detonation therefore, deep positions provide greater reduction of initial radiation entering the hole. Radiation is reduced by a factor of two for each 16 inches of hole depth. Low body positions put more dirt between you and the source of radiation. Curling upon your side or, better yet, lying on your back with knees drawn up to the chest isbest. Tucked-up legs and arms tend to shield the body from radiation. Thermal radiation enters your fighting position by line of sight or by reflection off the sides. Dark and rough materials (such as wool blankets and shelter halves) can be used to cover potential reflecting surfaces.

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CONCEALMENT If your position can be detected, it can be hit by enemy fire. If it can be...