A Handbook for the Suppression of Communist Guerrilla/Terrorist Operations (Chapter IX)
| Author | Department of the Army |
|---|---|
| Country | United States of America |
| Subject | Counterinsurgency |
Publication date | 1961 |
| Text | A Handbook for the Suppression of Communist Guerrilla/Terrorist Operations online |
| Digital Identifier (JFK Library): JFKPOF-080-014 | |
| Part of a series on |
| Counterinsurgency |
|---|
AMBUSHES
The wide variation of forms of the ambush preclude detailed treatment in this work. However, certain general considerations of the ambush as an operational technique in counter-insurgency operations should be covered.
(1) The ambush is generally classified under two broad categories:
(a) Hasty Ambush: An improvised operation designed to capitalize on an immediate opportunity, e.g., patrol observes an enemy group approaching and hastily conceals themselves to take the group under fire on signal or challenge.
(b) Deliberate Ambush: A carefully planned operation based on intelligence of enemy movements or location.
(2) Several types of ambush exist under the two categories listed above. Primary types are:
(a) Stakeout Ambush: Ambush party, deploy covering a route or locale which the target will traverse or visit.
(b) Moving Ambush: Ambush party traverse a route along which the target will travel, approaching the target from the opposite direction or overtaking the target from the rear. E.Q.: A reliable source reports a group of disguised terrorists traveling from town "A" to "B" on cycles. A truck carrying several concealed military and police in civilian clothes is dispatched from "B" to "A" and upon passing terrorists suddenly challenge the group and open fire when they attempt to resist arrest.
(c) Rendezvous Ambush: A variation of the stakeout in which the target is lured or "set-up" for ambush by subterfuge or pretex by an agent, informer or traitor within the enemy movement or on false information "leaked" by government forces.
(d) Drive Ambush: The enemy is flushed or driven from a camp or other refuge by a small party and attempt to retire into the surrounding area where several small ambush parties, have previously been posted on "Killing Stands" affording multiple fields of fire and observation.
(3) Because of the sensitivity of Guerrilla/Terrorist elements to ambush and their elaborate security precautions unusual care must be exercised in both planning and execution to avoid abortion of the operation or a counter-ambush by the enemy.
The following apply as general tenet to be considered:
(a) Ambush parties employed in a- deliberate ambush usually will not be uniformed or bear arms openly unless documented as the enemy. Care should be exercised in selection of personnel to avoid use of individuals who posses unusual physical characteristics or who are , well known to the enemy. Similarly, the selection of persons afflicted with colds or other ailments likely to cause compromise should be avoided.
(b) Ambush parties should contain an absolute minimum of personnel necessary to accomplish the task. Emphasis should be placed on utilizing selected personnel carefully positioned to deliver a welldirected volume of fire to assure-a high-skill ratio on the first volley. A well-planned ambush by a few men can account for several times their number in the target group. A large ambush party greatly increases the likelihood of compromise and, in addition, confuses and hampers the follow-up action.
(c) Careful surveillance of the ambush locale should be given to consider the presence of bystanders, inhabitants or other factors likely to hamper or compromise the operation.
(d) Extreme care should be exercised to avoid acting on enemy planted or other erroneous information in laying an ambush. The casualties resulting to an ambush party from a counter ambush by the enemy are a justifiable risk accepted in the conduct of operations. However, the seriousness of killing a group of innocent civilians in the mistaken belief that they are guerrilla/terrorist personnel cannot be overemphasized. The effects of such a mistake can adversely influence the conduct of overall operations in an entire area.
(e) Patience and perseverance are prime virtues in the conduct of ambush operations. The determination to continue stakeouts and/or surveillance of suspected locales for protracted periods of time in the absence of physical evidence of the enemy's presence is necessary to success. If one-quarter of all ambushes planned pay off the overall operation can be considered to be very successful.
(4) Equipment Considerations:
(a) Silenced Weapons: The use of silencers or suppressors on weapons employed by the ambush party is highly desirable; permitting an additional short time delay in the reaction of the target and confusion as to the location of the ambush party.
(b) Killing Power: Selection of weapons and ammunition for the ambush party should receive careful consideration in light of the specific conditions existing. Weapon selection should be optimized on delivering a one shot knockdown-kill. Night pistol and carbine type calibers (30 carbine), 7.62 Pistol, 32 ACP, 38, and 9mm, although handy to aim and fire are notoriously poor killers.' Weapons set to deliver full automatic fire are excellent for volume area coverage but are difficult to control and a poor choice for selective killing in situations where bystanders are present or the danger of hitting other members of the ambush party is probable.
Hollow point, soft nosed or other expansion type ammunition of the type sold commercially for hunting is desirable for maximum destruction on the target and prevention of "wounded getaways." The 12 gauge shotgun is an excellent weapon for ambush usage. Utilizing rifled, slugs it is accurate enough for hits on a man sized target up to 50 yards. Loaded with small buckshot (#1-4) or # 2 or # 4 shot it is effective up to 30 yards. Since the majority of ambush operations are conducted at relatively short distances the range of the shotgun is generally adequate.
(c) Illumination Devices: Illumination of a night ambush site at the time the ambush is sprung is. desirable but presents problems in either blinding the ambush party or obscuring target personnel. In general portable battery spotlights or large multi-cell flashlights are most satisfactory. Flares (either ground or aerial types) or kerosene trenches have decided disadvantages.
(d) Explosives: The use of either set charges, booby traps or grenades in deliberate foot ambushes are generally impracticable. Either they cause as much danger to the ambush party as to the target or they are ineffective in kill assurance and require the target to follow a rigid pattern route in a close formation.
Exceptions to the above exist in the case of vehicle ambush or when the target element is located within a building, cave, or similar fixed locale.