1966 US Army Vietnam War ARMOR ... - Survival Books

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COM404diate reflex action of a person caughtterial between the radiation sourcein the open at the time of a nuclearand the individual. One and one-halfexplosion should be to hit the ground.inches of steel or seven and one-halfShallow ditches or even slight folds ininches of earth will reduce initial nutheground provide some protectionclear radiation by 50 percent. To beagainst flying debris. Individual em-effective, shielding must be on allplacements, such as foxholes or pronesides. Thus, 3 inches of steel in theshelters, offer better protection. Ifhull and turret of a tank, or 15 inchestime and the tactical situation permit,of earth, will reduce the initial nuthemost effective individual shelterclear radiation by one-fourth. Initialto use, with the exception of a tank, isnuclear radiation is emitted at thea well-constructed 2-man foxhole withsame time and velocity as thermal raoverheadcover. This shelter should bediation, but to a shorter range. Initialdug in firm ground, revetted, andkept free of loose objects. The overnuclearradiation is emitted from thefireball at the time of the explosion.head cover should be as substantial asIts duration is about one minute afterpossible.the burst or until the cloud is too high(2) Protection against thermal radiation for the radiation to reach the ground.(heat). The thermal effects of a nu-Initial nuclear radiation must not beclear explosion are emitted instanta- confused with residual radiation,neously in all directions at the speedwhich is fallout in areas downwindof light. Thermal casualties resultfrom the target area or neutron-infromburns on bare skin and to aduced radiation in the immediate vilesserextent through clothing. Per-cinity of ground zero. Persons in thesons caught in the open at the time ofopen within range of this effect at thethe explosion will be exposed imme-time of explosion cannot act quicklydiately to this effect and will be una-enough to avoid all of the initial nubleto react rapidly enough to avoidclear radiation. A tank or a 4-footit.However, any shadow-producingdeep foxhole with adequate overheadobject or terrain feature providescover provides the best available proprotectionagainst thermal radiation.tection. The armored personnel car-Unit SOP's must require that troops rier and other shelters discussedreduce to the minimum the amount of above provide partial protectionbare skin exposed when in the open.against this hazard.Shirts and jackets should be worn (4) Protection against fallout. A surfacewith sleeves rolled down, and gloves or subsurface nuclear explosionshould be worn whenever practical.causes the radioactive hazard of fall-To avoid injury to their eyes, person-out. The explosion lifts tremendousnel must be trained never to look atquantities of earth particles into thethe fireball of an explosion. Armorednuclear cloud formed at the time ofvehicles and shelters having overheaddetonation. This material is highly racoverafford excellent protection fromdioactive and particles are carriedthermal effects. Placing a shelter halfdownwind and eventually fall back toover an otherwise open trench or fox-earth. The particles are known ashole gives protection. The use of com-fallout. The lingering hazards frombustible items for overhead coverfallout may cover many square miles.must be avoided.The presence and intensity of residual(3) Protection against nuclear radiation. radiation is determined by radiologi-Nuclear radiation is the effect leastcal monitoring and survey. Proceunderstoodby the average soldier.dures for radiological monitoring andProtection from nuclear radiationsurvey must be specified in unitmay be obtained by placing dense ma-SOP's and are based on FM 3-12 and