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Tracking involves using the five senses plus common sense to follow a trail through the jungle. It is a learned skill. However, soldiers with especially keen senses of smell, hearing, and sight are at a distinct advantage. A good source of personnel with basic tracking skills is soldiers who were raised in rural areas. Hunters and farmers are generally good basic trackers. Whenever possible, employ native trackers. A general rule is the more primitive, the better.

The following example from the tracking experiences of the LRRP Company (Company L, 75th Rangers) of the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam is instructive.

There are four major factors to consider in tracking: cdisplacement, staining, littering, and weathering.

DISPLACEMENT. Displacement is the disturbance of soil, vegetation, or wildlife from its natural state. This means that a tracker needs to study the soil, vegetation, and wildlife of his area of operations.

Footprints are the form of displacement that most clearly indicate human traffic. They can indicate the number of personnel in the party, their direction of movement, sex, and, in some cases, the type of load they are carrying.

Studying a set of prints for worn or unworn heels, cuts in the heels, and tread pattern of the soles can allow the tracker to recognize certain individual prints. Also noting the angle of impression relative to the direction of movement.

Prints that are normally spaced, but with exceptionally deep prints indicate persons carrying heavy loads. By following them to an area where they took a rest break, you may be able to see where they set their loads down. By studying that imprint and the surrounding area, you may be able to determine what the loads consisted of.

Vegetation often provides valuable clues. When most vegetation is stepped on, dragged out of place, or cut, the lighter colored underside of the leaves show up. Vines tend to be dragged parallel to the direction of movement. When tread upon, grass generally bends in the direction of movement. Displaced bark from a log or tree generally falls in the direction of movement, exposing the lighter, inner bark.

Due to the large number of thorny plants in the jungle, it is not uncommon to find shreds of clothing. This is particularly true if the enemy was in a hurry.

Birds and animals, when they are suddenly flushed from cover, are another clue to a tracker. Birds in particular usually emit cries of warning. They are also the most likely creature of the jungle to follow a group of humans moving through the jungle. Most animals will run away from man.

STAINING. Staining is the depositing of liquids or soil not natural to a specific location. Bloodstains are a good tracking clue. By examining the volume, type, height, and color, you should be able to get a fairly good picture of the nature of the wound of the person you are tracking. For example, pink frothy blood found on leaves at chest height could indicate a chest wound. Spurts of dark blood found at regular intervals could indicate uncontrolled arterial bleeding.

Observe logs, grass, and stones for signs of soil displacement from footgear. The color and composition of the soil may indicate a previous location or route. The muddying of clear water is normally a sign of very recent movement. If the water in the footprints is clear, the prints are most likely an hour or more old.

LITTERING. Littering is the result of carelessness or poor discipline. Anything, such as cigarette butts, scraps of paper, matches, or any other man-made items, may serve as an indicator. However, litter can be used as a tell tale, for example, leaving a pack of indigenous cigarettes on a trail as you pass. On your return, if the cigarettes are gone, someone has been there. Do not leave U. S. cigarettes; it will point out your presence to the enemy! Uncovered human feces is another type of littering that can tell you a good deal about the person who left it.

WEATHERING. Weathering is the effect of rain, wind, and sun on the appearance of trail signs. Rain has a significant effect on footprints and litter. A light rain will tend to round out footprints, blurring their edges. A heavy rain will obliterate footprints very quickly. Rain tends to flatten paper scraps and other litter. Remembering the date and time of the last rainfall is very important.

Sunlight erodes footprints more slowly than rain. At first, footprints have a ridge of moist earth pushed up around the sides. Sunlight and air will dry the ridge of dirt, causing a slow crumbling effect. If you find a print that is actually crumbling, be cautious for you are closing in on the enemy. Litter is bleached by sunlight. Most paper will become slightly yellowed within three days in the sun. Dark-colored paper and cloth take longer. The only guide for determining how long they have been in the sun is experience.

Wind may blow grass, leaves and other light litter into footprints. It is important to know when the wind was last blowing. Also, check the litter to see if it has been crushed. Litter may be carried some distance by the wind. You may have to search the surrounding vegetation to spot it. Wind can also carry sounds and odors.

All of the factors listed above combine to cause metal to rust or oxidize. Check recently exposed portions of metal. For example, check the rim of ration cans where the opener stripped the paint. Rust normally forms on such surfaces in 12 hours or less.

TOPIC: General Tips.

DISCUSSION: The following is a listing of general combat tips that were proven in Vietnam and at the JOTB.

LESSON(S):

• Wrap radio hand sets in a sock, then in plastic. The sock will absorb any moisture that gets through the plastic.
• A 550 cord "handrail" run from the ORP to a site near the objective will assist the leader's reconnaissance in returning rapidly to the ORP. It will also facilitate linkup if the leader's reconnaissance doesn't have time to return to the ORP for any reason.
• Line M249 ammunition cases with mole skin to reduce noise.
• Field-strip MREs to reduce trash backhaul.
• Use an opened compass slung on your rucksack to aid in night movements.
• Use pre-rigged claymores during the offense to aid in counter-reconnaissance operations, during the defense to cover withdrawals.
• Don't tie wet socks to LBE, they won't dry. They will become snagged and shred. Put them on the back of your rucksack, as close to the middle as possible.
• Ground all unnecessary equipment in the ORP prior to the leader's reconnaissance to reduce noise.
• When clearing jungle huts, remember they are generally made of grass, which has little effect on grenade fragments, 5.56 rounds, and 7.62 rounds. Just fire through the structure in the direction of your advance. Otherwise you will almost certainly fire on your own troops. Keep in mind that any grenades thrown into the hut will most likely throw fragments out.
• M60 tripods have extremely limited value in the jungle. METT-T must be applied.
• The average life of the AN/PRC 126 in the jungle during the rainy season is roughly two weeks.
• Keep your compass and map on your person at all times. They are your basic tools for a return to friendly lines.
• Have tracers as the last four or five rounds in each magazine. It will give you a visual clue as to when you are running low on ammunition.
• Carry at least five bungee cords to construct field expedient shelters quickly.
• To make a pad for taking notes at night, laminate a sheet of cat's eye material. Then you can write on it with an alcohol pen or other marker.
• Keep your packing list mission-oriented.
• Don't wear restrictive clothing in the jungle.
• Wear a regular watch with a luminous dial. Fancy watches that beep or chime are guaranteed to go off at the worst possible moment. A regular watch can be used to navigate, while a digital watch cannot.
• Do not smoke when in the field.
• Put batteries in a waterproof bag along with some sort of material to absorb moisture, such as a sock.
• Do not wear regular BDUs in the jungle.
• Cover your boots with socks to cross trails and open areas as a counter-tracking measure.
• Carry magazines upside down in your pouches to prevent moisture accumulating in them. When you have empties, place them right-side up so you can feel them at night.
• Use a shotgun or M203 with flechette (buckshot) round as the point man's weapon.
• Put extra smoke grenades on the outside of your rucksack, not on your LBE.
• Use your hand grenade holders on your ammunition pouches for fragmentation grenades, not for your flashlight or other items.
• Use silent hand signals to the maximum extent possible. Practice them frequently.
• Rig a headset to use with your radio. Use it while in a patrol base, ORP or position to constantly monitor the radio.
• Before it gets dark, put up your field-expedient shelter and your field-expedient antenna.
• Change your compass man and point man occasionally during long movements.
• Always ensure your weapon is pointing where you are looking.
• Ensure your weapon is taped to prevent noise.
• Do not forget to scan the trees as you move through the jungle.
• Unless required by your mission, avoid human habitations. Unoccupied houses may be boobytrapped.
• Always sterilize your trail when on patrol.
• Sleep close enough to touch each other.
• If you snore, put a handkerchief over your mouth. Try sleeping on your stomach.
• To be more comfortable while you sleep, do not remove equipment.
• If you are on guard at night and have trouble staying awake, kneel instead of sitting.
• Dead foliage may be old camouflage, while tied-down or cut brush may indicate a field of fire.

Section III: Tips of the Trade

Addendum to Section III: " Tips of the Trade" B-720 Tips