Special situation. The 1st bn., 1st Blue infantry, part of the Blue forces advancing on a wide front, halted to reorganize in the north edge of the BELLEAU WOODS after an unopposed advance of of a mile through the woods. The 2nd Bn., 1st Infantry, is on the right of the 1st Bn. The 1st platoon, Co. B, is the right assault platoon of the 1st Bn. The right of its zone of action is marked by the unimproved road running south through the woods. It is covering 200 yards of front. The 2nd platoon, Co. B, is on its left. The 3rd platoon follows the 2nd at 500 yards, in support.

Extracts from the company commander's order as received by Lieut. A, commanding the Ist platoon, Co. B:

No new information of the enemy in our front.

"The advance will be resumed at 7 a. m. Direction N. 7° W.

"One section of Co. C (battalion reserve) will act as right combat patrol and maintain contact with the 2nd Bn.".

Demonstration 1. Reconnaissance and Orders of the Platoon Commander Before Moving Out of a Covered Pisition.

Lieut. A studies his map (Fig. 1) and notes:

(a) That the first 1000 yards of his advance is over open rolling country;

(b) That he will cross one crest parallel to his front about 250 yards from the edge of the woods, a second (lower) about 600 yards from the edge of the wood, and a third (highest) about 900 yards from the edge of the wood. This last crest appears partly wooded and the map shows a farm on the forward slope on the line of advance of the platoon.

(c) That a strip of woods runs along his right flank for 1000 yards; (d) That the country on his left flank is open.

Lieut. A makes a reconnaissance from the edge of the wood, verifying his observations from his map. With his compass he takes the bearing of the farm he sees on the crest 900 yards away, and finds that from the center of his sector it is on the line N. 7° W.

Lieut. A assembles his non-commissioned officers, scouts and runners near the edge of the wood, and explains the situation.

"There is no new information of the enemy. The battalion will resume its advance at 7 a. m. Direction N. 7° W. Do you see that farm (pointing)? The right building of that farm is our direction point.

"We will move, preceded by scouts of the 1st section, each section in squad columns at 50-yard intervals, Ist squad the base.

"Green (4th runner), report to Capt. B that the 1st platoon is ready to move, and remain with him."

Demonstration 2. Platoon Moving out of Covered Position over Open Ground.

At 7 a. m., Lieut. A commands: "Scouts out."

The scouts move forward in pairs, at intervals of 50 to 75 yards, each pair moving with 10 to 20 yards interval and distance. When the scouts are 100 yards from the edge of the wood, Lieut. A orders:

"Black and White (runners), move out." The runners move out with about 100 yards interval, Black on the left observing to the left, and left front, White on the right observing to the right and right front.

Lieut. A and the remaining runner move out as the scouts start up the hill (150 yards ahead). The 1st section advances to the edge of the woods, ready to move out when the scouts reach the first crest.

Lieut. A sees the scouts of the platoon on his left leave the woods and start their advance.

Demonstration 3. Reconnaissance of Target and Terrain.

As Lieut. A starts up the slope of the hill, the 1st section leader starts to move his section out of the edge of the woods.

The scouts 250 yards ahead are so close to the next crest that the section leader knows there can be no danger from this locality.

Rifle firing, which has been heard intermittently in front of the extreme left of the battalion zone of advance, seems to suddenly break out along the entire front. Lieut. A hears a machine gun open fire, apparently directly in his front. The gun fires in long, almost continuous bursts.

Lieut. A sees his scouts on the crest take cover. He sees the 1st section deploy as skirmishers, and advance at double time down the hill to the stream bed, where it halts under cover.

The platoon leader moves rapidly forward to a point from which he can see to the front and obtain verbal information from his scouts. His scouts are firing tracers, some at the farm buildings and some at an area on the forward slope in front of the farm from which the sound of machine gun firing seems to come. Lieut. A studies the front with his glasses.

NOTE. A machine gun position at 600 yards, if properly concealed, is exceedingly hard to locate. Infantry at 700 yards is also a hard target to pick up.

Demonstration 4. Platoon Commander's Estimate of the Situation and Plan of Action.

Mission. Lieut. A realizes that his general mission is to attack, to push forward. His immediate mission is apparently to capture the farm, including the machine gun in front of it. The locality of the farm is covered at short range from the woods in its rear. Lieut. A believes that in the first phase of his attack he should complete the capture of the farm by pushing on promptly and seizing the edge of the woods beyond.

Enemy. The machine gun in front is not firing on Lieut. A's position, otherwise he would be able to note some fire effect. It cannot reach his 1st section in the stream bed, and his 2nd section is still in the woods.

The woods on Lieut. A's right limit the machine gun's field of fire and Lieut. A knows that there is no target for it there. Evidently, therefore, it is firing across his front into the troops on his left. Every minute it fires it may be causing casualties and holding up the advance.

The infantry fire from the farm appears to be weak, not more than two or three squads at most, judging by its effects.

The machine gun and infantry in the farm can be reached by rifle fire from the line of scouts. The enemy have been retiring when hard pressed.

His own troops. The elements of the battalion which moved out of the woods on the left are probably receiving fire from the gun in front. This gun can direct oblique fire against these troops.

The 2nd Bn. will be working into the woods on the right. Lieut. A has protection on both flanks.

Terrain. This nose (the one he now occupies) affords a good fire position from which to initiate an attack on the machine gun and farm with rifle fire. Range about 500 yards, not too great to allow effective fire. The woods on the right afford an avenue of approach to gain a forward flank position (on the left of the farm). There is no cover for an advance on Lieut. A's left. The stream bed in rear is good cover for supports.

Courses of action open to Lieut. A. 1. Work entire platoon forward under cover of the woods to a flank position at close range.

2. Build up line of scouts and attack frontally by combining fire and movement. 3. Build up line of scouts with 1st section and move the 2nd section through the woods to a position at close range on the flank.

Any fire on the machine gun will disturb it. Rifle fire may put it out of action. The spirit of teamwork and co-operation requires that an attempt be made as soon as possible to smother this gun with rifle fire and thus assist the troops on the left.

Fire alone is not likely to drive the machine gun and the infantry in the farm from their positions. To advance across the open by fire and movement with the Ist section alone would be difficult, for the enemy is probably of equal strength and has the advantage of position.

If the second section is thrown into the firing line, sufficient fire power may be developed to permit a frontal attack.

However, the fire of the Ist section will immobilize the enemy and occupy his attention. A better plan of employment of the 2nd section would be to use the cover afforded by the woods on the right, move through this cover to a position on the flank at a range of about 200 yards. The 2nd section may meet resistance in moving through the woods. With the 2nd Bn. on the right, taking this chance is justifiable. Decision. Plan of action. 1. Build up line of scouts with 1st section and apply fire to the target.

2. Send the 2nd section through the woods to a position on the flank of the farm at close range.

Demonstration 5. Actions and Orders of Lieut. A and His Subordinates at Opening of the Fire Fight.

Platoon leader's orders. Lieut. A signals the leader of the 1st section: "Forward," pointing to line of scouts.

He then orders, "Brown (runner), to platoon sergeant. Have 2nd section move to cover of that steep bank (pointing out the steep bank to right rear). Join me." (Brown's duty as runner has been to observe to the rear; he knows where to find Sgt. Z, platoon sergeant.)

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Action of 1st section. Sgt. X, leader of the 1st section, repeats back the platoon leader's signal and orders: Forward." He runs rapidly to the crest near the platoon leader, locates the target from the scouts' tracers, turns to his advancing section and signals: "Range, 500. Commence firing."

Each squad leader receiving the section leader's signal repeats it back and orders: "Range, 500," halts his squad just back of the crest and sees that they set their sights properly. The men of the squads work their way forward into the line of scouts and get the target from them or their tracers. Corp. Q, the section guide, supervises this movement of men into the firing line.

Sgt. X, the 1st section leader, moves to a point near the center of his section from which he can see the enemy (target), the men of his section, especially his squad leaders, and the platoon leader.

The section leader studies the target and sees that each man locates it from the scouts' tracers or designation. Corp. Q moves to within speaking distance of the leader as soon as the last man is on the line. He studies the section to see that:

1. Corporals are directing fire on the proper target.

2. Men are using cover and firing at the proper rate.

He continually observes the platoon leader for any signals or orders.

Demonstration 6. (Continuation of Demonstration 5.) Action of 2nd (Support) Section.

The platoon sergeant is on the north edge of the woods from which the platoon has just emerged, with Sgt. Y, leader of 2nd section, making a reconnaissance, when a runner reports, From the platoon leader, have second section move to cover of that bank (the runner points it out). Join me."

The platoon sergeant orders the section leader: "You hear the order. Move through the woods to a point directly behind the bank and then cross the stream." The platoon sergeant then returns with the runner to Lieut. A.

The leader of the 2nd section returns to his section, which is in line of squad columns at about 50-pace intervals, 50 yards back from the edge of the woods, and orders: "By the right flank, march." He leads the section to a point directly in rear of the steep bank and orders: "Forward march," and as the leading files reach the edge of the woods, "Double time, march." The entire section, with its leader at its head, moves across the stream, up the slope, halting in squad columns under shelter of the steep bank.

As Lieut. A sees the 2nd section is reaching the position designated he orders: "White (runner) to Sgt. Y (leader of 2nd section), report to me." White knows where Sgt. Y is, since his duty is to observe to the right flank on which the 2nd section has been moving.

White reaches Sgt. Y just after the 2nd section has halted and reports: "From platoon leader, report to me."

Sgt. Y orders Corp. B. (section guide): "You heard that order, take charge," and accompanies the runner to Lieut. A.

Demonstration 7. Enveloping Movement against Hostile Position by

2nd Section.

Lieut. A gives Sgt. Y the following order: "That machine gun (pointing) is firing on our troops to the left. The 1st section will remain in position and fire on it and the infantry in the farm. Lead the second section through these woods (pointing), and gain a fire position on the enemy's flank, as far forward as possible. The Ist section will advance as soon as you get into action. I will remain here. Questions? Move out."

The dispositions of all elements of the platoon at this time are shown in Fig. 2, Plate 38.

Sgt. Y returns to his section, and orders: "Enemy machine gun and infantry section hold the farm about 600 yards to the front. The 1st section will continue to fire from its position on that crest. This section will move through the woods to a position on the enemy's flank and attack.

Edwards and Johnson (scouts of the 4th squad), move ahead of the section. Keep about 50 yards from the left edge of woods. Watch me for signals. Graham and Hendricks (scouts of the 5th squad, on right), move about 30 yards to the right of the section. Keep a bit in advance of us and observe into the woods. Section will follow me in squad columns at 15-yard intervals. Questions? Scouts out."

Comments on Demonstration 7. Sgt. Y considers his immediate mission to move, unobserved, to an advanced position on the left flank of the enemy at the farm. He does not know whether the enemy occupy the wood or not. Hence, he sends out scouts in front and to the flank.

The best formation in which to pass through the woods is squad columns. Section column might be employed, but in a dense wood this might soon disintegrate into two lines of files which, if forced to deploy could not do so in a prompt and orderly fashion, as squads would be separated.

The wood affords so much cover that close intervals are possible and desirable as facilitating control. Wide intervals in woods greatly increase the difficulty of control because of the limited visibility and difficulty of communication. Hence, Sgt. Y's formation is the best he can adopt to accomplish his mission. By guiding on the edge of the woods he is sure to maintain the proper direction.

Demonstration 8. Entrance of the 2nd Section into the Fire Fight.

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As Sgt. Y reaches the top of the 2nd wooded crest and notes the edge of the woods ahead, he signals: Halt." He joins his scouts and makes a personal reconnaissance from the edge of the woods. He notes that he is within 200 yards of the farm and almost directly on the flank of the machine gun. He returns to the section and orders: "Range 200. Machine gun and infantry in farm. As skirmishers, march. Forward, march."