Estimating Distance
Categories: TARGET PRACTICEMilitary Handbooks: The Plattsburg Manual Advanced Training
Suppose you are out hunting, and that you see a big buck on a distant
hill. Suppose that it is exactly 600 yards distant from you, that you
are an expert shot, and that you set your sights at 400 yards and fire.
Will you hit the deer or not? You must know how to guess accurately the
distance to a deer, or a man, or anything else, if you propose to have
any reasonable hope of hitting it.
The art of estimat
practice. When you are in ranks, observe continually your surroundings.
Call attention to and make estimates of the distances to all the
prominent objects in view. Others near you will become interested, and
the interest will soon spread to the entire company. It will be
necessary for the objects to be pointed out to those interested. This in
itself is a difficult thing to do. To be able quickly to see distant
objects that are being pointed out is a military accomplishment which
all soldiers should possess and which comes only with practice.
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Dame Cricket's Story
"Come, children, it is time to get up," said Dame Cricket to her ten little crickets. "Hurry, now, and take your bath and put on your little black caps and your little brown suits. The sun has almost gone down over the hill and the birds will... Definitions
Deploy. To extend the front. A squad deploys when it goes As skirmishers. A company likewise deploys when it goes from column into line. File. Two men, the front rank man and the corresponding man in the rear rank. The front rank man is the fil... Department Commander's Report
At the end of each calendar year department commanders and chiefs of staff corps and departments compile lists of members of the Officers' Reserve Corps under their command, showing: (a) Name, rank, age, and address. (b) Amount of instr... Different Kinds Of Attack
The most usual kinds of attack are: Frontal Attack. This attack is delivered directly against the front of the enemy. It offers little opportunity to bring more rifles against the enemy than he can bring against you. Decisive results can only be... Disadvantages Of The Defense
(1) The defender surrenders the advantage of the initiative as the attacker can elect the point of attack and the defender must be prepared at all points. (2) The defender must fight amidst his dead and wounded which is depressing. (3) The d... Discontented Dewdrop
One morning a little Dewdrop was resting on the petal of a wild rose that grew beside a river. The sun shining on it made it glisten like a diamond and a lady who was passing stopped to admire its beauty. "It is the most beautiful thing in t... Discontented Dewdrop
One morning a little Dewdrop was resting on the petal of a wild rose that grew beside a river. The sun shining on it made it glisten like a diamond and a lady who was passing stopped to admire its beauty. "It is the most beautiful thing in t... Distance From The Main Body
While the distance between these two bodies should be great enough to prevent needless interruptions in the march of the main body, and to give the latter time to deploy should the enemy be encountered, it should never be so great that timely supp... Distances
The distance of the rear guard from the main body and between the fractions of the rear guard are about the same as in the case of an advance guard. If marching at night, the rear guard draws nearer the main body. ... Distribution Of Outpost Troops
The outpost will generally be divided into four parts. These, in order from the main body, are the reserve, the line of supports, the line of outguards, and the advance cavalry. [Illustration: PLATE SHOWING THE IDEAS INVOLVED IN AN OUTPOST] T... Distribution Of Troops
An advance-guard order generally describes the following distribution of troops: Advance cavalry. Support. Reserve. The manner in which the advance-guard cavalry is employed depends upon the situation. Its proper place is in the... Distribution Of Troops
The proximity and conduct of the enemy control, to a large extent, the formation of a rear guard. When it is not necessary to withdraw in deployed lines, the greater part of the rear guard marches on the road in column of route, taking up a format... Dress
The uniform you will wear stands for Duty, Honor, and Country. You should not disgrace it by the way you wear it or by your conduct any more than you would trample the flag of the United States of America under foot. You must constantly bear in mi... Drowning
Being under water for over four or five minutes is generally fatal, but, unless you know the body has been submerged a long time, make an attempt to restore life. Don't get disheartened and give up, if you see no signs of life after a few minutes'... Duties Of A Patrol
Each reconnoitering patrol is given a certain mission (duty) to perform. The name, reconnoitering, meaning to survey, to view, indicates that its first duty is to get information, and information is always greatly increased in value if the enemy d... Elevation
General rule for changing the elevation after hitting the target: A change of elevation either up or down, of 100 yards on your rear sight, will raise or lower your bullet in inches on the target equal to the square of your distance in yards from ... Employment Of Air Craft On And Near The Firing Line In The Theater Of Operation
Airplanes will move far out, perhaps hundreds of miles, in front of our most advanced cavalry for the purpose of gathering general information of large bodies of the enemy's forces. This is called Strategical Reconnaissance. Other airplanes do mor... Encountering The Enemy
If a small hostile patrol is encountered it is generally better to remain in concealment and let it pass than to attack. The noise of a fight may be heard by the enemy, the presence of the patrol therefore indicated, and the enemy will take furthe... Equipment
During the hike your equipment for living will be limited to: (1) your pack (things that you carry on your back), (2) a few authorized articles which are placed in a squad laundry bag (called a surplus kit), and (3) a blanket roll. Contents of th... Esprit De Corps
Have too much esprit de corps to complain of the length of the march, or to kick about the dust on the road. Be self-controlled. Don't boast of your ability to march on forever. Such remarks are depressing to a tired comrade who is not as physical... Establishing The Outpost
The outpost is posted as quickly as possible, so that the troops can the sooner obtain rest. Until the leading outpost troops are able to assume their duties, temporary protection, known as the march outpost, is furnished by the nearest available ... Estimating Distance
Suppose you are out hunting, and that you see a big buck on a distant hill. Suppose that it is exactly 600 yards distant from you, that you are an expert shot, and that you set your sights at 400 yards and fire. Will you hit the deer or not? You m... Estimating Distance Test
This test is usually held after the record firing on the range has been completed. No distance used in this test will be less than 547 yards (battle sight range) or more than 1200 yards, which is considered the extreme range for effective fire of ... Estimating Distances By Sound
Sound travels at the rate of about 366 yards a second. Therefore, multiply the number of seconds intervening between the flash of the gun and the report of the same by 366, and the product will be the distance in yards to the gun. ... Examinations
Each applicant for a commission in the Reserve Corps will be given a rigid physical examination. Make certain that you can pass such an examination. Go to your family physician and get him to examine you. The examinations for Reserve Corps commi... Examples
Suppose the company to be in line. In executing: 1. Squads right. The guides go to the left flank. 2. Right by squads. The guides go to the left flank. 3. Squads left. The guides go to the right flank. 4. Left by squads. ... Extended Order Drills
As soon as your progress in close order is sufficiently advanced, you will be given extended order drill, which will teach you the formations used in battle, and how a firing line is controlled. They are executed at ease. We should know the mea... Extinguishing Burning Clothes
Treatment: Lie down on the floor and roll up as tightly as possible in a rug blanket, etc., leaving only the head out. If nothing can be obtained in which to wrap yourself, lie down and roll over slowly and at the same time beat out the fire with ... Eyes Right Or Left
1. Eyes, 2. RIGHT (LEFT), 3. FRONT. At the command right, turn the head to the right oblique, eyes fixed on the line of eyes of the men in, or supposed to be in, the same rank. At the command front, turn the head and eyes to the front. Notice th... Facing Or Marching To The Rear
Being in line, line of platoons, or in column of platoons or squads, to face or march to the rear: 1. Squads right (left) about, 2. MARCH; or, 1. Squads right (left) about, 2. MARCH, 3. Company, 4. HALT. Executed by each squad as described in th... Facings
To the flank: 1. Right (left), 2. FACE. Raise slightly the left heel and right toe; face to the right, turning on the right heel, assisted by a slight pressure on the ball of the left foot; place the left foot by the side of the right. Left fa... Fainting
Symptom: Loss of consciousness. It is usually the result of severe bleeding or exhaustion from fatigue. This condition is rarely dangerous. Treatment: Lay the patient on his back, head a little lower than rest of body, arms by side, feet extende... False Information
Unless instructions have been given to spread false information, all persons connected with the military service are forbidden to discuss the military situation, plans, movements, etc., with, or in the presence of, civilians of any age, sex or nat... Field Exercises
These exercises, as well as combat exercises, are for instruction in duties incident to campaign. To receive the maximum benefit from them you must know the assumed situation of each exercise. ... Field Orders
Field orders, whether written or oral, should follow a certain form. This decreases the probability of any vital part being left out and increases the probability of the receiver or reader understanding it. In the following form for an advance, ... Fifth Movement On Right (left) Into Line
Being in column of platoons or squads, to form line on right or left: 1. On right (left) into line, 2. MARCH, 3. Company, 4. HALT, 5. FRONT. (On right [left] into line, means turn in the direction that is on your right and get into line. You hav... Fill Magazine
Take the position of load, if not already there, open the gate of the magazine with the right thumb, take five cartridges from the box or belt, and place them, with the bullets to the front, in the magazine, turning the barrel slightly to the left t... Final Suggestions
Don't be profane or tell questionable stories to your bunkies or around the company. There is a much greater number of silent and unprotesting men in camp than is generally supposed, to whom this is offensive. Keep everything on a high plane. ... Fire
There are three kinds of fire: (1) Volley Fire. Every one fires at the command FIRE. It is used at funerals and occasionally in the first part of an action when the enemy presents a large, compact target. (2) Fire At Will. In this each soldie... Fire Control
We have just described what the captain directs. Now we must put his directions (orders) into effect. This is done through his platoon leaders, assisted by the platoon guides and the corporals. 1st, The platoon leaders point out and describe their... Fire Direction
A company that cannot start firing or stop firing, that cannot fire faster or slower, that cannot distribute equally its fire over an opposing target, that cannot switch its fire from one place to another and make bull's-eyes, would be as unsucces... Fire Discipline
Now we come to the individual private on the firing line. All of the above measures for efficiency will come to but little unless the man with the gun can understand and do what he is directed to do. This training is called Fire Discipline. Fir...