… Mais les missions les plus nombreuses et les plus perilleuses etaient les LRRPs: chasses à l'homme VC en profondeur dans le territoire ennemi par groupe de 6 hommes armes jusqu'aux dents avec un seul mot d'ordre: pas de prisonniers...
Restons cependant très prudents sur ces assertions.
Il est vrai que si les LRRP ont effectue un nombre impressionnant de missions (sans doute dû à leur effectif) mais quant à qualifier ces missions des plus perilleuses, je resterai plus reservé dans la mesure où une quelconque mission d’infiltration profonde en zone ennemie est « particulièrement dangereuse ».
Ils n’étaient pas les seuls à opérer en infiltration.
La mission principale des LRRP au Vietnam était la collecte de renseignements. La chasse à l’homme n’était qu’exceptionnelle.
A propos des LRRP
... The term 'Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol' (LRRP—pronounced 'lurp') is used as a generic term to describe units tasked with passive deep pénétration reconnaissance missions.
... Shortly after the commitment of conventional ground combat units to Vietnam in 1965, division and brigade commanders realized they needed specific intelligence about their areas of operation. Normal intelligence channels were more concerned with the 'big picture' and the intelligence supplied was usually outdated. As a resuit, experienced combat veterans from the divisions and brigades — chosen for their skill in the bush, their alertness, their patrolling ability, and their willingness to volunteer for dangerous missions — were formed into Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols (LRRPs, pronounced lurps) or later LRPs (Long Range Patrols, still pronounced lirps). Originally created on a provisional basis, they were normally of platoon strength or less.
... Alertness and silence were absolute necessities for the LRRPs when on an operation since they were too few to engage in a pitched battle.
... As much as possible, LRRPs avoided contact with the enemy. Their primary job was intelligence gathering rather than combat. If LRRPs discovered an enemy unit, they often called in artillery flre, helicopter gunships, or tactical air support to destroy an enemy. Air-mobile infantry might also be called in as a reaction unit once the LRRPs had located the enemy. While on patrol LRRPs kept their weapons ready in case combat could not be avoided, and if they had to fight they hit hard, fast, and first, trying to kill every enemy so that there would be none left to pursue them or to alert larger units. Occasionally, the LRRPs found themselves in a running firefight as they attempted to fight their way to a point where they could be extracted by chopper.
In very special situations LRRPs sometimes acted as the hunters rather than the hunted. When specific intelligence might be gained by 'snatching' a member of the local VC cadre, for example, LRRPs might carry out such an operation. More likely, however, they carried out hunter/killer operations in which they would set ambushes along VC trail networks. These ambushes made highly effective use of inlerlocking fields of fire, Claymore mines, and detonating cord in ditches along the side of the trail to catch any VC who dived for cover. Many LRRPs were trained as snipers and would eliminate enemy troops from a distance and then fade back into the bush.
... In the late 1950s the NATO nations began to develop the Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) concept. They were greatly influenced by the British Special Air Service (SAS) concept of small independently operating teams, or 'Patrols'. LRRPs conduct passive, deep penetration (up to 15okm) intelligence collection missions for corps or higher HQs. Patrols are infiltrated through enemy lines by air, ground, or water or by conducting stay-behind operations, i.e. permitting enemy forces overrun their areas while remaining concealed. Once inserted, the Patrols establish well-concealed observation posts placing enemy routes under surveillance and reporting their movements. Other LRRP missions include point, area, and route reconnaissance...
... Intelligence produced is used to monitor the movements of enemy forces, thus alerting friendly forces of principal points of attack and strengths as well as supply routes; and to locate enemy command, control and communications facilities, logistical elements, air defence systems, artillery and missile sites, and troop staging/assembly areas. This provides target acquisition for friendly artillery (if in range) and air strikes.
It must be emphasised that LRRPs do not conduct direct action missions. Their rôle is to collect and report information while undertaking extrême measures to remain undetected by the enemy and civilians. Within the US Army, however, this has often been forgotten, as an attitude persists that any special operations unit obviously cuts throats and blows up bridges . . .
... While the principal mission of LRRPs in Vietnam was to locate and report enemy forces in order for manoeuvre battalions to engage them, and surveillance and target acquisition for artillery and air strikes, they were all too often used for other tasks: small raids, ambushes, point security, and PW snatches. The minor direct action rôle, for which they were ill-suited and which sometimes proved disastrous, began to cloud the true rôle of LRRPs, a problem persisting to this day (i.e 1987).
Apparemment les Navy SEALs, ayant les mêmes attributions, étaient plus enclins à la « bagarre ».
A propos des SEALs
... The Navy's SEALs were formed in 1962 afterthe Vietnam conflict was already attracting the attention of the US armed forces. Trained to operate in all three mediums, Sea, Air, and Land — from which they took their name. The SEALs were the Navy's counter-insurgency and special warfare experts. To help counter the strong VC presence in the Mekong Delta and to supply combat swimmers to MACV/SOG and other operations the first SEAL detachments were deployed to Vietnam in 1966.
... One of the first missions assigned to the SEALs was setting up observation and listening posts along suspected VC infiltration routes on the waterways and trails criss-crossing the Mekong Delta. After identifying routes and bases SEALs mounted raids to ambush the VC and destroy their bases. These reconnaissance missions proved immediately successful and their number was expanded, some observation teams staying in place for a week at a time.
SEAL patrols ranged widely on hunter-killer missions, especially in the Rung Sat Special Zone south of Saigon. Three man SEAL teams were inserted in the swampy areas of the Rung Sat by means of 'Mike' boats, and would then walk and/or swim to a point where they could possibly observe the VC, and if the opportunity arose ambush them. On such operations, SEALs usually maintained complete silence. Relying instead on operational experience together and supplemented by hand signals when needed, SEALs moved silent and deadly through the Delta. Using Claymore mines and demo cord, the SEALs would often lay booby-traps along VC trails. A variation of this technique was to set an ambush and to booby trap any likely escape routes from the killing zone.
... In 1966 the SEALs, as well as the Army's Special Forces, had become involved in the ICEX (Intelligence and Exploitation) program which was aimed at identifying and neutralizing the VC infrastructure within South Vietnam. Working both with ICEX and in-dependently, SEALs killed or captured numerous VC, unearthed arms and supply caches, and acted as spearheads or scouts for South Vietnamese or American units operating in the Delta. SEALs assigned to MACV/SOG were used for missions into Maiphong Harbor and other points inside of North Vietnam, and as the war intensified, critical bridges along supply routes in North Vietnam were often targeted for SEAL demolition raids as well.
By 1967, as a resuit of the success of the SEALs in the Delta region, their numbers in-country were increased substantially. Their major base was al Nha Be, and SEALs maintained mobile bases on barges on the waterways of the Delta. From these mobile bases SEALs mounted hunter-killer and intelligence missions throughout the region. Occasionally SEALs were called upon to act as underwater demolition specialists when it was necessary to clear the waterways. When large scale Riverine operations were mounted SEALs frequently acted as scouts. Two good examples are CRIMSON TIDE in September of 1967, and BOLD DRAGON III in March of 1968. In addition to acting as scouts during these OPERATIONS the SEALs also blew up a number of enemy installations. During BOLD DRAGON III SEALs hit Tanh Dinh Island especially hard, blowing up numerous VC bunkers and destroying a VC weapons factory. In OPERATION CHARLESTON SEALs acted on intelligence from captured VC documents to hit VC wells and supply sources in the Rung Sat Special Zone.
Les Marine Recons opéraient également en infiltration.
A propos des Marine Recons
... Marine Recons are considered an elite among a force that already considers itself to be an elite force. Trained in airborne, helicopter, SCUBA, and small boat insertions; communications, long range patrolling, intelligence gathering, and other special operations skills; the Recons perform missions similar to the Army's LRRPs or Special Forces, and the Navy SEALs. While primarily an intelligence gathering unit, in Vietnam the Recons were used as raiders and advisors to CIDG units as well. Normally, divisional reconnaissance battalions were charged with missions in support of the divisions to which they were assigned, while Force Recon companies were assigned to pre-assault and post-assault reconnaissance in support of landing forces. Force Recons are believed to have been used along the North Vietnam coast line to evaluate possible sites for amphibious landings.
Although 'deep reconnaissance' platoons of Marine Recon units can carry out missions up to 100 kilometers ahead of the unit to which they are assigned, in Vietnam most reconnaissance missions were carried out much closer to major units.
Late in 1965 the 2nd Platoon, 1st Force Recon Company was assigned to the Special Forces campât Ba Toand the3rd Platoon, 1st Force Recon Company was assigned to the Special Forces camp at Tra Bang. Both platoons were to be used on 'Bird Watcher' deep penetration missions. Eventually Recons would operate in Laos and North Vietnam. Marine Recons were also assigned to MACV/SOG for cross border operations.
Un mot pour d’autres équipes opérant en infiltration.
Combat Control Teams
During the Vietnam War, the CCTs received their initial training at Sewart AFB, Arkan-sas. In addition to being trained as air traffic controllers and as parachutists, CCTs were also trained in communications, emergency first aid, patrol, ambush, and counter-ambush tactics, the establishment of drop zones and landing zones, and helicopter insertions and extractions. Combat Control Teams received more intensive weapons training than any other Air Force unit except the Combat Security Police.
CCTs assigned to aerial port detachments worked closely with the Army's Special Forces at Special Forces camps where the CCTs would guide transport aircraft to either land on the camp airstrip or drop supplies. CCTs also acted as pathfinders for airborne operations. In some situations CCTs called in air strikes to support Special Forces camps. It's believed that CCTs were used on clandestine missions along the Ho Chi Minh Trail and elsewhere to spot for USAF gunships such as 'Puff or 'Spectre'. During the so-called siège at Khe Sanh CCTs marked drop zones or landing zones and also stood by to assume control of incoming C-123s and C-130s should the Marine control tower at Khe Sanh hâve lost radio contact.
Tous les extraits sont tirés de souvrages suivants :
US Elite Forces – Vietnam / L Thompson / Squadron Signal
US Army Rangers and LRRP Units 1942-87 / G Rottman / Osprey
US Rangers from boot camp to battle zone / I Padden / bantam Books
US Navy Seals from boot camp to battle zones / I Padden / Bantam Books
SEALS UDT/SEAL Operations in Vietnam / T Bosiljevac / GreenHill Books
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(les Russes et les Chinois faisant pareil du côté Nord de la frontière ^^ )
et le bouquin est excellent)