Recondo

Vorlage:For Recondo is an American military term for RECONnaissance and commanDO for specialized infantry training or a graduate of a Recondo School who led small, heavily armed long-range reconnaissance patrols deep in enemy-held territory.

History

In 1958 the Commanding General of the 101st Airborne Division Major General William Westmoreland noticed a failing of proficiency and initiative in squad, fire team and patrol leaders during an exercise code named WHITE CLOUD. General Westmoreland was a veteran of the Normandy invasion and realized the importance of small unit leaders and individuals who had been separated from their parent units to take action against superior enemy forces. The General decided that his Division needed relevant training to rectify deficiencies.

The United States Army sent many of their officers and senior non-commissioned officers to the eight week Ranger School. However, not every unit leader could be sent to the course. One of the missions of a graduate of the Ranger School was to train his platoon or squad members in Ranger tactics. 2nd Lieutenant Donald Bernstein suggested that some of the 101st Airborne's Ranger trained personnel start a school for the entire division in Ranger tactics. When the idea was brought to General Westmoreland he recommended that Major Lewis L. Millett command the school.

The Recondo insignia resembled a downward-pointing arrowhead to signify assault from the sky and the hunting and tracking skills of an American Indian. It was also white and black to signify day and night operations, though when wore in combat it was black and olive-drab. To distinguish soldiers trained in Vietnam from those in the States, a large ‘V’ was added beneath the word ‘Recondo’ printed on top. The patch would be worn on the graduate's breast pocket. To avoid confusion, the graduate of the school would be considered a "Recondo" rather than "Ranger" trained; the latter being a graduate of the Army Ranger School.

Vietnam War

When General Westmoreland became commander of the American forces in the Vietnam War in 1964. He ordered the creation of the MACV Recondo School at Nha Trang in 1966 to replace Project LEAPING LENA, later Project DELTA. It consisted of Ranger-trained 5th Special Forces Group instructors who trained American soldiers and Marines as well as members of other Allied forces in the art of Reconnaissance and Patrolling techniques. Most students were experienced combat veterans, already LRRP or Force Recon trained at the divisional or brigade level, and were expected to complete this advanced course in the art of long-range patrolling in order to become team leaders. The course required a high level of physical fitness and concluded with an actual combat patrol prior to completion of the course to demonstrate the students' knowledge and capabilities.

The 20 day course had a failure rate averaging 50 percent. It was disbanded once General Westmoreland was replaced by General Creighton Abrams in 1970, who favored a more conventional approach to the war. The course graduated over 3,000 American and 333 allied troops.

Training and missions

The three-week day and night course included training in

• Patrolling
• Land Navigation
• River Crossing
• Mountaineering to include abseiling
• Hand to hand combat
• Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape
• Code of Conduct
• Helicopter and Liaison aircraft operations

A February 1960 article in Army magazine described Recondo tactics as "dedicated to the domination of certain areas of the battlefield by small aggressive roving patrols of opportunity which have not been assigned a definite reconnaissance or combat mission". The mission of a Recondo type patrol was to cause as much havoc to the enemy as an opportunity presented itself.

A Recondo patrol could be used

• immediately after the seizure of an objective when the enemy was disorganized
• as a screen for retrograde operations
• to eliminate guerrilla activity
• to develop a situation in front of a rapidly advancing larger force
• to conduct feints

Impressed by the concept and results of the Recondo program, other U.S. Army divisions adopted the concept.

In 1960, General Westmoreland became Superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point where he created a Recondo school for the cadets.

Other Recondo training

• The French Army offers a similar type Commando training within each Regiment and the graduate wears a Commando badge on his or her pocket.

• The German Army offers a comparable Commando course for its service members, called the Einzelkämpferlehrgang.

External links

• 101st Airborne Division Recondo School http://www.lcompanyranger.com/101recondo/101recondpage.htm
• Green Beret magazine feature http://www.281stahc.org/DELTA/DeltaMag1.htm
• Lurps: A Ranger's Diary of Tet, Khe Sanh, A Shau, and Quang Tri, "Recondo School," 173–88