Figure 4-5.--Walking gently with your toe down first.
movements are particularly useful when you are moving
at night. The movements must be made slowly; they are
tiring and require extreme patience and self-control to
be performed properly.
Figure 4-6.--Assuming the prone position silently.
WALKING SILENTLY
free hand and opposite knee. Raise your free leg up and
While walking, hold your weapon at port arms.
back slowly; then lower it to the ground gently, feeling
Make your footing sure and solid by keeping your
with your toe for a clear spot. Roll gently to that side and
weight on one foot as you step with the other. When
move your other leg into position in the same way. Roll
stepping, raise your foot high. This enables you to clear
quietly into the prone position.
the brush and grass. With your weight on the rear leg,
gently let your foot down, toe first (fig. 4-5). Feel softly
with your toe to pick a good, solid spot; then lower your
ACTION UNDER FLARES
foot. Shift your weight and balance to your foot that is
When you are caught in the open by an overhead
forward and then continue. Take short steps to avoid
flare, you should immediately hit the deck Since the
losing your balance. At night and when moving through
burst of light is temporarily blinding to the enemy also,
dense vegetation, you should avoid making unnecessary
there is a chance that you may not have been seen. If you
noise by holding your weapon with one hand and
hear the flare being fired, try to get down before it bursts.
extending your other hand forward to feel for
Resume movement as soon as the flare burns out.
obstructions as you move.
When you are caught in the light of a ground flare,
ASSUMING THE PRONE POSITION
move out of the area of light as quickly and quietly as
SILENTLY
possible. Keep moving until you are well away from the
area; then reorient yourself and continue on.
To assume the prone position silently (fig. 4-6), hold
If you are caught by a flare when crossing an
your weapon under one arm and crouch slowly. Feel for
obstacle, such as barbed wire, crouch low and remain
the ground with one hand, making sure it is clear by
motionless until the flare burns out.
removing small twigs and other objects that make noise.
Lower your knees one at a time until your weight is on
When you are assaulting a position and a flare
both knees and your free hand. Shift your weight to your
bursts, continuing your assault is imperative.
4-4
