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Book IINight Combat inInfantry UnitsA Guide to Collective Training for NightCombat in the Infantry Company2nd Battalion, 5th MarinesCamp Pendleton, California 9205515 June 2001www.2ndbn5thmar.com
Night Combat in Infantry Units15 June 2001Book II of the Night Warrior SeriesThe NCIU logo is the constellation Perseus, the hero, son of Zeus.Armed by the gods with winged sandals, a helmet of invisibility andreflective shield, Perseus slew Medusa and rescued Andromeda.If you have any ideas on how to improve this publication, please contact:Major B.B. McBreen5th Marine RegimentCamp Pendleton, California 92055(760) [email protected]
Table of ContentsPurpose and ScopePurpose and ScopeMETL Task and METL PyramidTerminology and ReferencesvvviviiChapter 1: Infantry Company Night Attack SOPsNight Attack SOPInfiltration SOPFootmobile Linkup SOPConsolidation SOPCASEVAC SOP1591415Chapter 2: Infantry Platoon Night Battle DrillsPlatoon Attack Battle DrillPLD Battle DrillSBF Battle Drill161921Chapter 3: Infantry Squad Night Battle DrillsBreach a Wire Obstacle Battle DrillKnock Out a Bunker Battle DrillEnter and Clear a Trench Battle DrillEnter and Clear a Room Battle Drill27313437Chapter 4: Weapons Sections Night Battle Drills40Chapter 5: Notes on Supported Night Attacks42Chapter 6: Night SOPsNight Marking SOPNight LZ Marking SOPNight Friendly Unit Marking SOPNight Friendly Position Marking SOPNight Target Marking SOP4445485053Night Combat References“Suppression is the Critical Infantry Task”55
2nd Battalion, 5th Marineswww.2ndbn5thmar.com
Purpose and ScopePurposeNight Combat in Infantry Units is designed to help train an infantry company in the collectiveskills needed to conduct a night attack.Night Combat in Infantry Units is Book II of the Night Warrior Series:Book I: Night Warrior Handbook is a training guide designed to help train infantrymen in theindividual skills needed to conduct a night attack. Book I includes individual trainingstandards (ITS), equipment training handouts, training plans, and night equipment guidelines.Book II: Night Combat in Infantry Units is a training guide designed to help train an infantrycompany in the collective skills needed to conduct a night attack. Book II includes SOPbattle drills for squads, platoons, weapons sections, and notes on integrating supporting unitsinto night operations.Night Combat in Infantry Units is essentially a company SOP for collective night tasks. It isintended as a guide for all infantry leaders.ScopeNight Combat in Infantry Units addresses only the collective tasks that support a single infantrycompany mission essential task: Conduct a Night Attack. Although some battle drills and SOPswill apply to multiple types of operations, NO specific information is included on other infantrycompany operations: NO Movement to Contact / Passage of Lines / Relief in PlaceNO Convoys / Mounted Operations / Mechanized OperationsNO Helicopter Operations / Raids / Security Operations / Assembly Areas / ORPsNO NBC / Anti-Armor / Anti-Air OperationsNO Defensive Operations / Fortifications / ObstaclesNO Patrols / React to Contact / React to Ambush / Immediate AmbushThese collective tasks are all difficult to execute at night. Quality individual training on nightskills is a starting point, but unit leaders need to analyze these tasks and develop their owntraining programs to meet their unit missions.METL Task: Conduct a Night AttackAll the collective training in this manual supports a notional company-sized night attack. Thefollowing assumptions apply:
Enemy. Objective 20 is an enemy strongpoint overlooking a two-lane provincial road. A regularenemy force of approximately 50 soldiers has occupied the position for 72 hours and has dugentrenchments and laid wire. Fighting positions, bunkers, and trenches are manned with crewserved weapons and possible anti-armor missiles. Patrols have been initiated. The enemy has alimited IR capability, organic mortars, and wire communications within the position. The enemycommander has VHF comm with his higher headquarters. A vehicle-mounted force can reinforcethe objective in approximately sixty minutes.Friendly. The rifle company mission is to attack and seize Objective 20 in order to open theroad. The rifle company has no supporting weapons or engineers attached. All Marines havenight vision goggles. All Marines have a laser pointer on their personal weapon. This exceeds thecurrent Marine Corps fielding plan. Additional equipment has been procured because the squadleaders cannot direct fire and the fire team leaders cannot concentrate fire unless all individualsand all weapons have compatible night capabilities. A section of RWCAS is on-call. ACASEVAC helicopter capability is on-call.General. Weather is clear. Illumination is 28%. Terrain is rolling hills, with mixed vegetation.METL PyramidThe company METL Task: Conduct a Night Attack can be broken down into multiplecollective tasks. This manual breaks Conduct a Night Attack into four supporting companytasks, four platoon tasks, and nine squad or section tasks. These tasks, in turn, break down intodozens of individual training standards. Individual training standards and information is includedin Book I: Night Warrior Handbook. The training required for this single company-level METLtask can realistically exceed thirty-six training days over the course of three months.Company: Conduct a Night AttackCompany: Conduct an InfiltrationCompany: Conduct a LinkupCompany: ConsolidateCompany: Evacuate CasualtiesPlatoon: Recon ObjectivePlatoon: Platoon Attack Battle DrillSquad: Breach a Wire Obstacle Battle DrillAssault Section: Breach a Wire Obstacle Battle DrillSquad: Knock Out a Bunker Battle DrillAssault Section: Knock Out a Bunker Battle DrillSquad: Enter and Clear a Trench Battle DrillSquad: Enter and Clear a Room Battle DrillAssault Section: Enter and Clear a Room Battle DrillPlatoon: PLD Battle Drill
Platoon: SBF Battle DrillMachinegun Section: SBF Battle DrillMortar Section: SBF Battle DrillTerminologyThroughout the manual, the following standard training terms are used: Battle Drill: “Battle Drill is the immediate action taken by a squad or platoon to returnfire and deploy against the enemy in any situation without issuing lengthy orders.”[FM 7-10] Well-trained infantry units have a standard collection of Battle Drills toexecute basic tactical tasks. Immediate action drills are Battle Drills. Unit SOPs forcrossing danger areas or occupying the ORP and Battle Drills. Battle Drills speedexecution, reduce confusion, and reduce by a large factor the necessity for battlefieldexplanation. The key Battle Drill and cardinal rule of infantry leadership is “Follow meand do as I do.” Battle Task: “A task which must be accomplished by a subordinate organization if thenext higher headquarters is to accomplish a mission essential task.” [FM 25-101] A battletask is a collective task that represents a portion of a combat mission. Company-level Training. Training conducted by the company commander to train hisplatoons and weapons sections. Platoon-level training is the platoon commander traininghis squads. Squad-level training is the squad leader training his Marines. Mission Essential Task. “A collective task in which an organization must be proficientto accomplish its wartime mission.” [FM 25-101] Mission Essential Task List (METL). “A compilation of collective mission essentialtasks which must be performed if an organization is to accomplish its wartime mission.”[FM 25-101] Standing Operating Procedures (SOP). Regular, recurring procedures which a unitexecutes the same way every time. Well-trained infantry units have combat SOPs forequipment, communications, movement, and other procedures. The Battle Drills that aunit selects and train to become unit SOPs.ReferencesEach night battle drill in this manual includes references to both Marine Corps and Armytraining standards for collective tasks: Marine Corps Order 3501 Infantry Training and Readiness (T&R) Manual. Washington,D.C.: HQMC.
ARTEP 7-8-MTP Mission Training Plan for the Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad.Washington, D.C.: Department of the Army, 3 March 2000. ARTEP 7-8-DRILL Battle Drills for the Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad. Washington,D.C.: Department of the Army, 3 March 2000. ARTEP 7-10-MTP Mission Training Plan for the Infantry Rifle Company. Washington,D.C.: Department of the Army, 3 March 2000.
Night Combat in Infantry Units1001. Night Attack SOP1. The standard company night attack is a deliberate, supported, non-illuminated flankattack. The company is task-organized into (3) elements: an Assault Element, a SuppressionElement and a Reserve.The Assault Element is (1) platoon, reinforced by the Assault Section.The Suppression Element is (1) platoon, the Machinegun Section, the Mortar Section,and the FiST. The XO commands the Suppression Element. See “Suppression is theCritical Infantry Task.”The Reserve is (1) platoon.2. Planning and reconnaissance are the prerequisites of a deliberate night attack. A deliberate attack requires detailed information on the enemy position.The enemy position is divided into a number of objectives. Each objective is easilyidentified and capable of seizure by the unit assigned.3. Reconnaissance. The Reserve platoon conducts reconnaissance during daylight hours: Recon the enemy position. Report to the company.Build detailed terrain model of enemy position for company leaders to use to brief theirMarines.1
Night Combat in Infantry Units Report composition of the enemy: crew-served weapons positions, OPs, emplacements,vehicles, and obstacles.Determine level of security and patrolling activity.Estimate enemy night vision equipment capability.Make recommendations for the attack: concealed routes, objectives, flanks, and apenetration point where local fire superiority can be achieved.Maintain surveillance on the objective. Report any changes. The reconnaissance elementdoes NOT serve as guides nor help load the PLD.4. Preparation. Planning, orders, and rehearsal. The Assault Element conducts a 10-man leader's recon.oooooo (1) Platoon Commander, (3) Squad Leaders, and (6) PLD Guides, two from eachsquad.Select and mark routes. Routes are marked with strips of white engineer tape on theleft side of the route. Engineer tape is removed during final movement. See NightMarking SOP.Select Squad RP and PLD.One PLD guide from each squad (3 men) remains at PLD to establish PLD. PLDguides observe any changes to enemy dispositions and recon wire obstacles. Oneradio stays with PLD guides. See PLD Battle Drill.Remaining PLD guides (3 men) secure the Squad RP. Platoon Commander and threeSquad Leaders return to AA.During leader's recon, Platoon Sergeant prepares and rehearses Assault Elementplatoon in AA.Suppression Element and FiST. Plan fire support, targets, and missions. Planillumination. All non-illuminated attacks must be prepared to illuminate.The objective is divided into multiple subordinate objectives and each of these isassigned to a specific assaulting unit. To minimize confusion and aid in communications,every man should know as much about the objective as possible.Leaders plan movement, navigation, contingencies, responsibilities, and consolidation.Company prepares for combat: orders, attachments, rehearsals, preparations, camouflage,equipment checks, inspections, sleep. A good rehearsal is more important than a goodoperations order.The plan cannot be finalized until linkup is made with PLD guides at the PLD.After Reconnaissance and Preparation, the attack proceeds in three phases: Movement,Assault, and Consolidation.5. Movement Phase Company moves to Platoon RP. Movement is slow and silent, with strict noise and lightdiscipline. Plan should allow for commander to adjust H-Hour as needed.Suppression Element moves to SBF position. Mission is to isolate and fix the enemy byoverwhelming suppressive fire. At SBF, suppression element establishes SBF Position.See SBF Battle Drill. Suppression Element may be positioned early to overwatch AssaultElement's movement.2
Night Combat in Infantry Units Assault Element moves to PLD. At Squad RP, assault element loads PLD. See PLDBattle Drill.Reserve takes position in trace of Assault Element, far enough behind NOT to beinvolved in the assault.6. Assault Phase Suppression Element opens fire. See SBF Battle Drill. Primary signal is radio. Alternatesignal is pyro.Assault Element assaults. See Platoon Attack Battle Drill. Suppression Element shiftsfire.Reserve is prepared to reinforce Assault Element, pass through and exploit by fire, attackspecific pre-planned objectives, block enemy counterattack, or respond to other enemyactions.7. Consolidation Phase. See Consolidation SOP.8. Basic Decisions for Night Attacks: Hasty versus Deliberate. Trading time for information minimizes surprises.Supported versus Non-supported. For a non-supported night attack, machineguns can beattached to the assaulting platoons. Multiple PLDs are established. Machineguns can firefrom the PLD. Machinegun tracer fire can be used to align the attack with overhead fireor along both flanks. Supported attack is difficult to set up, difficult to execute, andrequires solid training. Visibility of objective, enemy, and friendly, even with NVGs isuncertain. Despite these drawbacks, fire support is critical to success. See “Suppression isthe Critical Infantry Task.”Illuminated versus Non-illuminated. Illuminate the target if reconnaissance was poor, iftroops are not trained, or if few NVGs are available. All non-illuminated attacks mustbe prepared to illuminate. If not needed during attack, on-call illumination can be usedduring consolidation, especially to evacuate casualties. Illumination behind the objectivecan help align the attack. Illumination can be called if the enemy illuminates first.Linear Assault versus Assault in Depth. If the enemy has NVGs, is well-emplaced andalert, linear formations are decimated. A linear assault is very vulnerable when conductedunder illumination.Indirect Fire versus NO Indirect Fire. Indirect fire is difficult to adjust in the dark. Timeof flight, especially for mortars, makes shifting and ceasing fire difficult. Plan targets onroutes of egress.Active IR versus Passive IR. If enemy has NVGs, the attack plan must strictly control useof active IR devices. See Night Marking SOP.Quiet versus Noisy. (Preparation Fires). If surprise is desired, avoid prep fires. When theenemy first discovers the attack, maintain silence for as long as possible. A noisy attacksacrifices surprise and uses fire support to unnerve the enemy and deceive him as to thepoint of attack. A noisy attack suppresses enemy observers and masks the sound of theassault elements moving into position.3
Night Combat in Infantry Units9. Notes on Company Night Attack To speed communications, leaders should carry radios. Signals should be simple, clear,and redundant.Control of Ordnance on objective. To minimize fratricide and protect night vision,Assault Element uses NO grenades, NO tracers, NO smoke, NO flares, illum or 203signals.Control measures for night attacks should be linear terrain features (PLD) or intersectionsof two linear terrain features (Platoon RP, Squad RP).Some Marine leaders believe that PLD patrols are now unnecessary since every Marinehas NVDs.SOP for objective numbering. If the Company objective is 20, then sub-objectives downto individual enemy weapons positions are assigned to platoons and squads: 21, 23, 24,26, in the same twenty-series decade. Sub-objectives must be able to be identified atnight.10. References: See MCO 3501Task 02D.01.11 Plan a night attackTask 02D.01.12 Prepare for a night attackTask 02D.01.13 Conduct a night attackSee ARTEP 7-10-MTPConduct Attack (Infantry Company) 07-2-1001Assault an Enemy Position (Infantry Company) 07-2-11034
Night Combat in Infantry Units1002. Infiltration SOP1. Squad movement is standard for a company infiltration. The standard task organization for an infiltration divides the company into fifteenseparate units: Regardless of the task organization for follow-on operations, during the infiltration,weapons platoon units are spread-loaded. This insures that at least some weapons unitscomplete the linkup. Each rifle platoon in reinforced with two assault teams and onemachinegun squad. Mortar section and weapons platoon HQ moves with the Co HQ.5
Night Combat in Infantry Units2. The standard scheme of maneuver is a three-lane infiltration: one lane per platoon.Platoons are separated by distance, squads are separated by time. Lane boundaries converge on the linkup point.Phase lines and checkpoints coordinate movement.Co AA is Co RP.Control measures within each lane: Platoon RP, routes, and additional checkpoints, areplanned by platoons and submitted to the CO.6
Night Combat in Infantry Units3. Standard fire support measures include RFLs along lane boundaries and RFAs aroundAAs and linkup sites. Pre-planned targets are placed on known enemy OPs and positions.4. Standard tasks for each platoon: Plan a route within your lane. All squads follow this one route.Plan a time schedule to separate squads.Select a platoon RP within your lane and release squads on schedule.Request additional pre-planned targets within your lane.Stationary Unit Platoon. Coordinate with Company. Your units must leave earlier thanthe rest of the company to insure that the linkup site is established. Co HQ units move inyour lane. Schedule these units behind your squads.5. Standard communications plan is all fifteen moving units on Co Tac 1. See FootmobileLinkup SOP for additional comm requirements for the Stationary Unit.6. Standard Linkup. See Footmobile Linkup SOP.7. For short-range infiltration, where infiltration is followed by exfiltration: Platoons keep same lanes for exfiltration.Packs are not carried, but staged at AA, which becomes linkup point for exfiltration.Co Support Element does NOT infiltrate but remains at AA.7
Night Combat in Infantry Units8. For long-range infiltration, additional planning needs to be done: Resupply plan. Each platoon carries an HLZ kit. Water can be foraged, ammunitioncannot.Casualty Evacuation Plan.Vehicle Infiltration and Linkup Plan.9. Infiltration Order includes contingency plans for: Alternate linkup point / linkup point compromised. See Linkup SOP.Lead element in contact, tail element no started.Lead element successful, train element in contact.10. References: See MCO 3501 Task 02A.01.19 Execute an infiltration / exfiltrationSee ARTEP 7-8-MTP Conduct Infiltration / Exfiltration (Infantry Platoon) 07-3-1137See ARTEP 7-10-MTP Conduct Infiltration / Exfiltration (Infantry Company) 07-2-11378
Night Combat in Infantry Units1003. Footmobile Linkup SOP1. Standard Footmobile Linkup Scheme of Maneuver:2. Tasks Stationary Unit. 1st Platoon. Establish Linkup Point "Q." Establish company ORP.Provide observation teams to linkup with each moving unit.Symbol "Q" can be constructed with anything available: rope, comm wire, sticks, ormarks in the dirt. SOP tail of "Q" is an IR Beacon programmed to flash three dashes.Observation teams must have (2) men per linking unit. One team can only link one unitper linkup window. SOP Infiltration schedules (3) units per linkup window. This meansthe observation team should be (8), three Observation teams of (2) and a two-manObservation team NCOIC and radio operator. Platoons. Assign linkup windows to each squad.All Squads linkup at the company LUP. Platoons do NOT execute Platoon-level linkupsprior to the company linkup. Moving units should halt at least 200m from LUP "Q" andNEVER in the area between the reference CP and the LUP. Moving units avoid LUP9
Night Combat in Infantry Unitsarea when being guided to ORP. During linkup, the only Marines in the LUP area arethe observation team and the contact teams from each moving unit.3. Coordinating Instructions Linkup Point: 11S MG 118 673, From CP31A, 110m @ 28 degrees magnetic.Alternate LUP: 11S MG 117 686, From CP42B, 90m @ 263 degrees magnetic.LUP is defined as on offset from a distinctive reference point on the map. Secondaryreference is the grid. If the LUP is not itself on distinctive ground, easily found in thedark, then it should be no more than 200 meters from the reference point. The Stationaryunit, when establishing the LUP, should be equipped with GPS. The Stationary unitcannot change the published LUP for any reason. The alternate LUP is triggered by time,not event. Tentative ORP: 11S MG 119 668.The ORP is tentative until the exact location is determined by the stationary unit. TheORP should offer cover and concealment, have multiple routes of access, be off naturallines of drift, and be less than 300 meters from the LUP. Linkup Schedule:Stationary Unit Release TimeCompany Release Time1st Linkup Window2nd Linkup Window3rd Linkup Window4th Linkup WindowDrop Dead Time170019002200 - 22202300 - 23200000 - 00200100 - 01200120The stationary unit needs to move first in order to have time to establish the LUP. Linkupwindows are (20) minutes long. The stationary unit needs remainder of the hour to movelinked units into ORP. A minimum of (4) linkup windows are needed for platoons with (4)moving units. Drop dead time triggers the alternate plan for those units not yet at linkup. Contingencies:Linkup Point NOT established: Alternate stationary unit is 2nd Platoon. BPT set up LUPand ORP during 1st linkup windowContact Prior to Linkup: Break Contact. Report. Change Route.Contact During Linkup:Contact After Linkup:Enemy contact before, during, or after linkup should NOT trigger alternate plan. Someunits may be unaware of contact.10
Night Combat in Infantry Units GO / NO-GO Criteria. Minimum force needed to continue the mission: (6) squads, (2)Platoon Hq, CO or XO. Drop Dead Time. Units not linked up by Drop Dead Time move to alternate linkup site.Units not linked by Drop Dead Time 24 hours move to original AA.Alternate linkup point is triggered by time, not event. For an operation such as a nightattack, units that fail to linkup prior to the drop dead time can linkup after the operation.4. Admin and Logistics Radios. Stationary Unit: 3. Other Units: 1 per moving unit if available. IR Beacon. Stationary Unit: 1. Other Units: SOP. PLGR. Stationary Unit: 1. Other Units: SOP.The stationary unit needs (3) radios, an IR beacon for the tail of the "Q," and a PLGR.Additionally, each observation team needs the following individual equipment: NVGs,map, compass, protractor, flashlight, notebook, and pencil.5. Command and Signal All linkup units monitor Co Tac1. Report all phase lines, checkpoints, and enemy.The linkup plan must be executable with no comm. Because all moving units link up atthe company LUP, all units monitor Co Tac1. Stationary unit monitors Co Tac1. Stationary unit establishes a minimum of (2) stationson Platoon Tac: Platoon Commander at the ORP, and Observation Team at the LUP. Callsigns as per Co SOP. Brevity Codes:Linkup Point “Q” established:QUAILNumbers of Units in ORP(#) PHEASANTS11From: 101st PlatFrom: 101st PlatTo: All StationsTo: 06CO
Night Combat in Infantry Units Linkup Signals :Linkup Point (Far)Phoenix Beacon on "Q"“—— —”Linkup Point(Near)Symbol "Q"Linkup UnitFar RecognitionPVS-7 IR Flash“. .Stationary UnitFar ResponsePVS-7 IR Flash“. .”YESAlternateResponsesPVS-7 IR Flash“.”NOPVS-7 IR Flash“. . .”DANGERRight hand on headLeft hand pointsweapon to groundNear Recognition. .”YES? YES?PasswordChallenge Challenge and Password should be the same as the larger operation. Do NOT publish a'Linkup Challenge and Password." QUAIL and PHEASANT are linkup SOP—I brevity codes. Both are sent from 1stPlatoon commander, the stationary unit commander (10) . The tail of the "Q" is an IR beacon, elevated above the ground cover. If a programmablePhoenix Beacon is used, the SOP pattern is three dashes. PVS-7 (and PVS-14) NVGswith IR flashers are used to exchange linkup signals. Red lens flashlight signals are thebackup. If "Q" is not found, contact team should still attempt to signal 270 degreesmagnetic.6. Notes on vehicle linkups with stationary footmobile forces When vehicles are linkup up with stationary footmobile forces, vehicles do not drivestraight to the LUP. Vehicles stop at a covered staging area, just off the approach road,and NOT visible from the LUP. The driver and a-driver are the contact team and execute the footmobile linkup procedure.The observation team then returns with the drivers to the vehicle and guides the vehiclealong an ore-planned route to a covered ORP vehicle park. During motorized or mechanized operations, when vehicles link up with other vehicles, adifferent linkup procedure is needed.12
Night Combat in Infantry Units7. References: See MCO 3501Task 02A.01.08 Conduct a link-upTask 02L.01.09 Plan a link-up operationTask 02L.01.10 Prepare for a link-upTask 02L.01.11 Conduct a link-upSee ARTEP 7-8-MTPConduct Link-up (Infantry / Mech Infantry Platoon) 71-2-0318.07-3128See ARTEP 7-10-MTP Conduct Linkup (Infantry Company) 07-2-112813
Night Combat in Infantry Units1004. Consolidation SOP1. On the objective, on voice command, squads consolidate, platoons consolidate: Attack IR markings on Marines are OFF. SBF IR markings are OFF. All white lightsare OFF. See Night Marking SOP.Unit leaders minimize use of weapons laser pointers, hand-held laser pointers, IRflashlights, and IR beacons on NVGs during search of objective.Cleared bunker, building, and trench IR markings remain ON.Consolidation IR markings are ON: Single chemlite marks CCP, Co Hq, and EPWcollection point. See Night Marking SOP.Squad leaders provide ammunition, casualty, and equipment reports to platoon sergeants.Platoons sergeants provide reports to CoGySgt on Co Tac1.On radio signal on Co Tac1, platoon commanders meet with company commander.2. Company establishes security. Enemy counterattack is the immediate threat. Company commander uses hand-held laser pointer to designate platoon sectors.Marines occupy hasty defensive positions.Each platoon posts an OP with IR scope: PVS-4 or PVS-17, or thermal scope: PAS-13.Key weapons are emplaced.Leaders use laser pointers to designate sectors of fire.Company FiST creates quick fire support plan to repel enemy counterattack.3. On radio signal on Co Tac1, SBF element moves forward to objective. Security, reserve,and any other separate units move to consolidate on the objective.4. Company commander reorganizes company: Crew-served weapons are manned first. Chain of command is re-established.Platoon sergeants redistribute ammunition and night-fighting equipment.1stSgt supervises CCP. Corpsmen treat casualties. Company commander may authorizewhite light for casualty treatment. 1stSgt marks LZ with IR chemlites and evacuateswounded. See CASEVAC SOP.Platoons search, silence, segregate, safeguard, and speed EPWs to company collectionpoint and EPW team. XO collects and reports enemy information.White light mortar or artillery illumination may be fired over the objective to speedconsolidation and reorganization.5. CoGySgt posts guides to lead logistics vehicles into company position. CoGySgt andPlatoon Sergeants resupply in the dark.6. References: See MCO 3501Task 02A.07.07 Consolidate and reorganizeTask 02L.01.27 Consolidate and reorganize14
Night Combat in Infantry Units1005. CASEVAC SOP1.Standard Company CASEVAC Plan: 2.SOP for Company Casualty Collection Point (CCP). 3.Each Platoon assigns a CASEVAC team. Platoon CASEVAC team includes corpsman.CASEVAC team carries collapsible stretcher. Platoons may establish Platoon CasualtyCollection Points.1stSgt supervises Company Casualty Collection Point (CCP). Company CASEVAC teamincludes Company Corpsman. Company CASEVAC team carries LZ Marking Kit, extraIR chemlites, and VHF radio, set to LZ Control Frequencies.CoGySgt plans immediate vehicle resupply on the objective. These vehicles becomesurface evacuation for casualties.Attack order specifies location of CCP.1stSgt establishes CCP. CCP is marked with single IR chemlite. Ideal marking is six feetoff the deck, hanging on a string. See Night Marking SOP.CCP is near road for vehicle access.CCP is near open field for LZ. Company CASEVAC team marks LZ with IR chemlites.Company Commander may authorize white light for treatment of casualties. However,corpsmen need to train to treat casualties using IR light and NVGs.Upon signal for consolidation, each platoon assigns Marines to assist with casualtyevacuation.Standard Accountability Plan. 1stSgt maintains roster of evacuated Marines, injuries, and tentative treatmentdestinations.1stSgt requests ground and air CASEVAC to battalion COC on Bn Tac1.1stSgt reports casualty numbers on Bn Tac1. SOP is three-number code: “Casualties.One, Zero, and Five.” (Urgent, Priority and Routine)1stSgt makes personnel report to battalion S-1 on Bn Tac 2.Weapons and night fighting equipment are NOT evacuated with injured Marines.4. References: See MCO 3501 Task 02A.03.06 Process casualtiesSee ARTEP 7-10-MTP Treat and Evacuate Casualties (Company) 08-2-0003.07-210415
Night Combat in Infantry Units2001. Platoon Attack Battle Drill An independent rifle platoon night attack is conducted in the same general manner as acompany night attack. See Night Attack SOP.Although written for a reinforced rifle platoon serving as the assault element for acompany attack, the following drill can be executed by any size assault element.1. Conditions and Standards The company is executing a deliberate night attack.The enemy has had (24) hours to prepare wire, entrenchments, and bunker defenses, andreinforce buildings. A reconnaissance element has diagrammed the enemy position.The assault element is a reinforced rifle platoon.The SBF element is a reinforced rifle platoon, in position prepared to suppress
Purpose and Scope Purpose Night Combat in Infantry Units is designed to help train an infantry company in the collective skills needed to conduct a night attack. Night Combat in Infantry Units is Book II of the Night Warrior Series: Book I: Night Warrior Handbook is a training guide designed to help train infantrymen in the individual skills needed to conduct a night attack.
