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Counter measures to Viet Cong
mine warfare
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Figure 2.--Shown is a VC grenade made from locally available materials including a carelessly discarded "Coke" can. |
COUNTERMEASURES
Countermeasures are those actions, both tactical and non tactical, that can be taken by units and/or individual Marines which reduce the mine and
booby trap threat. Countermeasures decrease the enemy's ability to emplace mines and
booby traps or limit their effectiveness if they are emplaced.
NON
TACTICAL COUNTERMEASURES
The most effective way to counter the enemy's mine and booby trap threat is to destroy this threat at its source; i.e., the elimination of the VC/NVA mine and
booby trap factories and the sources of supply for these factories.
Every effort must be made to locate existing enemy mine and booby trap factories and to determine likely locations for future factory sites. Hoi
Chanhs (enemy who surrendered by choice), POW's and captured documents must be carefully processed because, with skillful handling, they provide vital information on factory location sites. Once found, existing factories and future locations must be made unusable.
More important than neutralizing the enemy's mine and booby trap factories, is the denial to the enemy of the source of supply with which he operates these factories; i.e., unexploded U.S. ordnance, discarded equipment and improperly destroyed trash. The fact that U.S. ordnance and salvageable trash falls into enemy hands can be traced to several factors!
Unexploded Ordnance
The first factor and an important source of unexploded ordnance for the enemy is provided by the free world military force's employment of air, artillery and naval gunfire support. Some ordnance items fail to detonate, become a "dud" and provide a potential mine or
booby trap. All Marines who employ fire support should consider this fact in the employment of supporting arms, and be careful not to call for fires in excess of what is required to accomplish the mission.
Abandoned Munitions
- The second factor, another important source of explosive materiel supply for the enemy's mine and
booby trap operations, is abandoned or lost munitions. The following examples, if allowed to occur, will assist the enemy in his efforts:
- 0verstockage. A unit overstocks ammunition and then is required to move on short notice with only a basic load. The remaining ammunition is left on the abandoned position.
- Ammunition Handling Procedures. A unit attempts to turn in excess ammunition to an ASP (ammunition supply point) and is refused due to inefficient disposal procedures.
- Abuse of Ammunition. A unit discards ammunition considered unserviceable because of dirt, tarnish, mud or other avoidable conditions or minor imperfections.
- Loss in Transit. A helicopter sling breaks on an ammunition resupply mission and all or a portion of the load is scattered across the countryside.
Improperly Destroyed Trash
The last factor, but far from least important to the enemy's mine and booby trap
program, is his source of supply from friendly trash. All items considered unusable by free world forces must be completely destroyed or properly disposed of. Figure 2 shows one example of the results of an improperly policed friendly area of operations. Discarded C-ration/soda cans are also commonly used in a type of
booby trap which is constructed with an M26 grenade. The safety pin is removed and the grenade is put in the can. When the can is disturbed, the grenade slips out, the spoon pops and the grenade detonates. |
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VIP (Volunteer Informant Program) |
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Figure 3.--Shown here is the VIP (Volunteer Informant Program) in action. Articles on ground have been turned in to Marines by local villagers. |
| The VIP (Volunteer Informant Program) has proved to be an increasingly effective countermeasure to the enemy's mine and
booby trap efforts. This program rewards Vietnamese individuals who turn in dud and abandoned munitions. Continued emphasis on this program will significantly decrease the enemy capacity to employ U.S. ordnance against free world forces. (See fig. 3.) During one period, 188 of 259 payments in the III MAF area were made to children who turned in explosives suitable for the manufacture of
booby traps. To ensure that the effectiveness of VIP reaches its full potential, it is the responsibility of
every individual Marine and each Marine unit to give VIP their complete support. |
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TACTICAL COUNTERMEASURES |
Tactical countermeasures employed by Marine units are very effective in reducing the enemy's capability of emplacing mines or
booby traps if such countermeasures are aggressively planned and executed. Unit commanders have several tactical measures at their
disposal, including the employment of sophisticated electronic devices.
- They are:
- Employing portable ground radar and seismic intrusion devices.
- Maintaining a constant physical presence throughout the TAOR to include outposting of key roads. This is the most effective tactical countermeasure, but sometimes difficult to achieve because of the number of Marines required to ensure good coverage.
- Conducting aggressive patrolling.
- Conducting reconnaissance patrols to verify S-2 intelligence reports.
- Employing scout-sniper teams.
- Conducting small unit cordon and search operations in coordination with Vietnamese units/police.
- Employing H&I fires over roads or over specific areas
- Employing small stay-behind patrols dropped off unnoticed from units passing near a road.
- Paving or oiling dirt roads.
- Patrolling and outposting on and near roads.
- Employing Kit Carson Scouts. Using the native ability of the Kit Carson Scout coupled with their knowledge of the area of operations and VC activities, can prove highly useful in locating devices. During
October 1968, Kit Carson Scouts found 229 mines and booby traps in the III MAF area.
- Scout Dogs. Using specially trained dogs (see fig. 4.) to detect the scent left by the individual emplacing a mine or
booby trap. This scent is detectable 1-4 days after emplacement. Since
booby traps are generally emplaced shortly after initiation of friendly operations, the chance of discovery by dogs is good. A trained dog will use his vision to detect tripwires and unnatural elements, and his hearing to detect sound waves created by tripwire vibration. Many dogs detect a tripwire when it touches the body hair of their forelegs or chest. Most are agile enough to back away before it is tripped. Of 119 dogs killed in SVN since January 1967, only seven were killed by
booby traps.
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Figure 4.--Specially trained dogs such as the one shown here have proven extremely valuable in detecting enemy mines and
booby traps. |
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INDIVIDUAL COUNTERMEASURES |
Individual countermeasures are those measures each and every Marine can take to diminish the effectiveness of a mine or
booby trap device which has been emplaced, and is found or is accidentally detonated. This can be accomplished through physical protective measures, detection and destruction measures, avoidance of explosive devices, and through application of immediate action when an explosive device has been
accidentally detonated.
Physical Protective Countermeasures
- The individual Marine can take these steps to reduce the effectiveness of enemy mines:
- Wear body armor and helmet.
- Sandbag vehicle flooring. When possible, place a heavy rubber mat over sandbags to reduce secondary fragments such as shrapnel, sand, stones and pieces of sandbag.
- Keep arms and legs inside vehicles to achieve maximum protection from sandbags.
- Maintain proper distance from other personnel.
- Don't travel alone.
- Don't pick up or touch what appear to be attractive "souvenirs". The VC/NVA prey upon the natural curiosity of Marines and
their desire to take home a souvenir. Beware: That "souvenir" is most likely a
booby trap.
Detection Countermeasures
Once emplaced, a mine or booby trap must be found before it causes multiple casualties through accidental detonation by
a Marine. Unfortunately, too many booby traps are discovered only after they explode. It is imperative that detection techniques be stressed. Detection may be by:
- Visual inspection. At present, the best mine and
booby trap detector in the Marine Corps is an alert and observant Marine. Each Marine must know the areas in which
booby traps and mines are normally found and be alert for things which "Just don't look right." Examples are:
- Mud smears, mud balls, dung, or a board on the road.
- Apparent road repair, new fill or paving patches, ditching or culvert work.
- Wires leading away from the side of the road.
- Tripwires across the trails; along shoulders of roads at likely ambush sites; across the most accessible route through dense vegetation; at fords, ditches and across rice paddy dikes.
- Terrain features which do not appear natural. Cut vegetation dries and changes color; rain may wash away covering material and cause an explosive device to sink leaving a surface depression; a covered device may appear as a mound.
- Suspicious items in trees, branches, or bushes.
- Markings used by VC/NVA to indicate the location of a mine or
booby trap.
- Probing. Suspicious spots must be care-fully probed with a probe or bayonet.
- Mine detectors. Mine detectors are designed to assist the individual Marine in a detailed, deliberate sweep of a specific area, usually a road. Particular
attention must be given to the time factors of the individual sweeping situation, since overhasty opening of a road can mean an ineffective sweep and quite possibly destruction or injury to vehicular traffic and personnel. The average sweep rate varies from almost nothing to about 5 m.p.h. depending, of course, on the proficiency of the team and the number of contacts encountered. In using detectors, certain considerations must be kept in mind:
- Graveled roads make it difficult for the AN/PRS-4 detector to discriminate between real and false targets.
- Metallic debris, such as can tops, small arms ammunition cases, and metal fragments from artillery rounds fired over roads at night to discourage mine laying, make it difficult for the AN/P153 detector to discriminate between real and false targets.
- The tendency for the enemy to bury mines deeper than designed detection depths, and to deliberately plant metallic debris in the road, calls for additional caution in the use of detectors.
- Operator fatigue. Consideration must be given to the fatigue experienced by operators after 20 minutes of wearing detector earphones. This condition can be delayed to 1 or 2 hours by wearing earphones over the helmet so that 2 to 4 inches exist between ear and phone. This also permits the operator to hear a verbal alert for an ambush.
- Use of the Buddy System. This system
is not only useful in training inexperienced Marines, but also provides an extra
margin of safety to the individuals who employ it. Two Marines working together,
in the same area, have the advantage of increased detection capability, mutual reassurance, and shared knowledge.
Destruction Countermeasures
Once detected, mines and booby traps must be marked and/or destroyed in place by the discovering person or unit to prevent
accidental detonation by a following unit or individual Marine. Considerations for destruction are:
Mines and booby traps should not be moved unless absolutely necessary and then only by qualified EOD or engineer personnel. Many
booby traps are themselves booby trapped, and if disturbed will detonate the associated device.
Explosive devices should be destroyed by engineers. If engineers are not available, then devices may be destroyed by selected qualified personnel within each unit.
Mines and booby traps may be destroyed or neutralized by use of grappling hooks, demolitions, and artillery fires. The LVTE
line charge and the LVTE with plow-shaped mine excavator (figs - 5 and 6) should be considered for use in areas of high mine density.
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LVTE: Part of the Amtrac
range |
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Images from http://home.nyc.rr.com/namvets/ |
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LVTE: Landing Vehicle,
Tracked, Engineer, a lightly armored amphibian vehicle designed for
minefield and obstacle clearance and part of the Amtrac Range of
vehicles used by the USMC.
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Figure 5.(above) The LVTE firing its
organic line-charge to clear mines.
Figure 6. (below) The LVTE with its plow-shaped mine excavator. |
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Avoidance Countermeasures
Strict application of training and careful planning of movements through danger areas will enable unit commanders and individuals to reduce casualties by simply avoiding the explosive devices. The unit leader must analyze from the enemy's viewpoint each area through which he intends to move his men. He must ask himself the question, "If I were the enemy, where would I put the
booby trap?" This question can and should influence both administrative
and tactical movements and is a factor to be considered in the scheme of maneuver during an attack. Some suggested means for avoiding mines and
booby traps are:
- Stay off trails, footpaths, cart tracks, or other likely routes of travel as much as possible. Vary routes used to villages and key terrain features. Use of the same route twice is an invitation to the enemy to employ
booby traps. Keep the VC/NVA guessing as to which route will be used next.
- Move where local inhabitants move. These people know the location of most mines and
booby traps and will avoid these areas. In a village, stay near the villagers
and watch which buildings they use. Use Vietnamese as guides whenever possible Have sufficient money on hand to pay for information on mine and
booby trap locations and support VIP.
- Avoid patterns. Constantly change
direction of movement. Check times of
departure and return of patrols for example, to ensure that
all daylight patrols don't return before time supper and all
night patrols depart after supper. Avoid the repeated use of the same bivouac areas.
- Maintain intervals of 15 meters between men and 100 meters between men and tracked vehicles. In view of the fact that the effective casualty radius of the M26 grenade is 15 meters, and that two or more casualties are suffered for each
booby trap grenade accidentally detonated, the maintenance of proper interval is most important.
- Move slowly. Rapid movement generates carelessness. A unit must be allowed sufficient time to move to its objective.
- At times the enemy will show themselves only when they want to be seen. When
pursuing the enemy, be especially alert for deliberately emplaced booby traps
on the axis of advance.
- Artillery and mortar fires near and in the area of operations will not only discourage
booby trap emplacement, but will also neutralize devices by sympathetic detonation, overturning and burying emplaced mines, and rupturing tripwires. Employment of these fires beside a road, before and during a road sweep, will discourage command detonation of road mines.
- At all times, a lightweight stick (bamboo) or a slender steel rod can be helpful if used to feel for tripwires.
- Mark detected mines and booby traps
so those following may avoid them.
- Helicopters can be used to extract a unit which finds itself in a heavily
booby trapped area.
- At times, the flanks of a road are booby trapped
out to 250 meters as an obstacle to road sweep security teams. Tanks., preceding the infantry, can detonate these
booby traps. When trafficability permits, tanks moving off and parallel to the road sweeps can also reduce tank
road mining incidents. Random selection of tank travel between road and adjacent terrain will keep the NVA guessing as to the actual route the tank will take.
- *When on roads, stay in the well-used portion and off shoulders.
- *Follow the tracks of the vehicle ahead. If there is no vehicle ahead, stay out of the ruts.
- Avoid holes, depressions, and objects lying on the road.
Remember: A booby trap too easily detected can be a ruse resulting in detonation of other explosive devices emplaced nearby. |
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Immediate Action To Take When and After an Explosive Device Is Tripped |
It is recognized that little reaction time exists once the detonation chain starts. The maximum delay for the M26 and foreign grenades ranges from 4 to 9 seconds If the delay element has been modified, the minimum fuse delay can be less than 1½ seconds. However, since the time available cannot be predicted, certain immediate action can assist in reducing casualties and the degree of personal injury.
- Immediate Action
- FIRST: Be alert for the "pop" of the exploding cap, the tug of the tripwire, or the warning of another Marine.
- SECOND: Sound a warning so that others may take cover.
- THIRD: Drop to the ground immediately
- Immediate action is designed as an instinctive reaction based on minimum fuse delay. When using it also remember:
- Do not attempt to outrun the explosion.
The 800 fragments of the M26 grenade have an initial velocity of over
5,000 feet per second. During the available delay, however brief, an individual can best remove himself from the cone of the explosion by dropping to the ground. He must assume a minimum delay in every case.
- If possible, when dropping to the ground, present the smallest target to the force of the explosion by pointing the feet in the direction of the charge.
- All those nearby should drop to the ground when the warning is sounded.
- Do not immediately rush to the aid of Marines wounded by mines or
booby traps. Frequently there is a second booby trap in the vicinity of the first. The man nearest each casualty should carefully clear his way to the wounded individual and render first aid. Under no circumstances should the unit leaders or others crowd near the wounded men.
- Conduct a brief but careful search for other explosive devices in the immediate vicinity before moving on.
- If a device is tripped and does not explode, follow the same immediate action and then blow it in place.
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UNIT TRAINING |
We have discussed preventive countermeasures, tactical countermeasures and individual countermeasures. Simply realizing that these countermeasures exist isn't sufficient. It is imperative that every Marine becomes knowledgeable of and proficient in the execution of the countermeasures discussed. This task can be accomplished through an aggressive and comprehensive unit and individual training program.
- Such training should emphasize:
- Wearing of helmets and body armor.
- Dispersion between men.
- Alertness.
- Visual detection techniques.
- Operation of electronic detection equipment.
- Demolition training which enables Marines to destroy explosive devices in place.
- Employment of the buddy system.
- Avoidance of patterns.
- Immediate action procedures and action to take subsequent to the detonation of an explosive
device.
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