Recondo
Recondo is an American military term for a combination of RECONnaissance and DOughboy[1] (or CommanDO) special training or a graduate of a Recondo school.
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[edit] History
In 1958 the Commanding General of the 101st Airborne Division Major General William Westmoreland noticed a failing of proficiency and initiative in squad, fireteam and patrol leaders during an exercise code named WHITE CLOUD.[2] General Westmoreland was a veteran of the Normandy invasion and realised 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 their deficiencies before their deployment.
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. A 2nd Lieutenant Donald Bernstein[3] suggested that some of the 101st Airborne's Ranger trained personnel start a school for the entire division in Ranger tactics.[4] When the idea was brought to General Westmoreland he recommended that Major Lewis L. Millett command the two-week school.
To emphasise reconnaissance and doughboy (standard infantry) skills, the school was called "Recondo". The Recondo insignia of the graduates of the school would be an Indian arrowhead pointing downwards to symbolise assault from the sky to the ground in the colours of black and white for operation by day and night. The patch would be worn on the graduate's 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 eight-week Army Ranger School.
[edit] Training and missions
The two-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".[5] 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 disorganised
- 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[6]
Impressed by the concept and results of the Recondo programme, 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.[7]
[edit] Vietnam War
General Westmoreland became commander of the American forces in the Vietnam War in 1964. He ordered his pet project, the creation of a MACV Recondo school in 1966 to replace Project LEAPING LENA, later Project DELTA.[8] 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 Reconnaissance and Patrolling techniques.[9] 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.[10]
The 20 day course had a failure rate of one third. 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.[11]
[edit] Other Recondo training
- The French Army offers a similar type Commando training within each Regiment.[12] The graduate wears a Commando badge on his or her pocket.
[edit] References
- ^ Westmoreland, William C. A Soldier Reports 1976 Doubleday
- ^ http://www.lcompanyranger.com/101recondo/1959History.htm
- ^ http://www.minisink.com/index.php?id=159
- ^ http://www.lcompanyranger.com/101recondo/1959History.htm
- ^ p.51 Horner, David SAS Phantoms of War: The History of the Australian Special Air Service 2002 Allen & Unwin
- ^ http://www.lcompanyranger.com/101recondo/1959History.htm
- ^ http://www.usmcweb.com/HomePage/UnitPageHistory/1,13506,100072%7C902143,00.html
- ^ http://news.soc.mil/releases/News%20Archive/2008/October/081029-02.html
- ^ http://www.vietnamgear.com/Article.aspx?Art=54
- ^ [1]
- ^ pp.66-67 Gebhardt, James F. Eyes Behind the Lines 2005 Dianne Publishing
- ^ p.9 Rottman, Gordon L. & McCouaig, Simon World Special Forces Insignia 1989 Osprey Publishing
[edit] 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
82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION RECONDO SCHOOL at Ft. Bragg, NC near Holland drop zone.
