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1. REPORT NUMBER
.(I'
4.T-AU
ADESCRIPTION OF COMBAT RIFLE .QUADS ON THE . REAN MLR DURING:THE WINTER OF 1952-53..,_
IMEA
ruman esources Researcn urgani zat ons(HumRRO) 300 N. Washington Street Alexandria, Virginia 22314
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I.
/
'.
i a 6. tflng Office)
dundI54
-OrAGES
59
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A research team from HumRRO conducted a study of squad effectiveness ;o the 40th Infantry Division from December 24, 1952, to February 7, 1953, on the Main Line of Resistance (MLR) in Korea. This report is a graphic description of riflemen in 78 rifle squads based on questionnaire data and personal interviews.
/
DD
1JAR73
) (AC
Unclassified
'
1473
-x
iI
A DESCRIPTION OF COMBAT RIFLE SQUADS ON THE KOREAN MLR DURING THE WINTER OF 1952-53
by
jarf'
Approved:
LAUNOR F. CARTER Director of Research Human Research Unit No. 2, OCAFF Fort Ord, California
'zER E. REEDER Lt Col, Arty, Chief Human Research Unit No. 2, OCAFF Fart Ord, California
The George Washington University HUMAN RESOURCES RESEARCH OFFICE Operating Under Contract With
Copy
Technical Report 7 June 1954
The contents of Ilumn1ilO publications, including the conclusions and recommendations, should not be considered as having official l)epartment of the Army approval, either expressed or implied.
HUMAN RESOURCES RESEARCH OFFICE Post Office Bu)x 3596 We~slington 7, D. C Distributed Under the Authoity of The 04fice of the Assistant Chief of Staff, G -1, D/A
CONTENTS
CIVILIAN BACKGROUND OF SQUAD MEIMBERS Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure I -Age of Squad Mlembers .................................... 2-Education of Squad Members ............................... 3-Highest Grade Completed by Squad Members ................. 4 -Occupation Before Enterig the .Army ....................... 5 -Parents Bata inU.S.A . ................................... 6 - Ancestry of Squad Members ................................. 7-Paeentage of Squad from Non-European Minority Groups ...... &-Nero Squad Members ..................................... 9-Parent's Oceupatica ...................................... 10 -Average Number of Brothers and Sisters ..................... 11 -446rital Status of Squad Members ............................ 12-State or Country from Which Soldier Caime ....................
..'
SFigure
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
A'!7I'RBUTES OF SQUADS AND SQUAD .MEMBERS Figure 13-Tlypieel Squad Member .................................... . .. .... ... . ...... Figure 14 -Typical Squad .... Figure 15-Typical D~ay of Average Front-Line Squad ................... Figure 6-Amount of 'rime Devoted by Squad to various Daily rass ... Figure Figure Figure Figure F~igure Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure 17-Squad Compon tst........................................ 18-Total M onths in the Army ........ I.....I..................... V)-Total Months in Korea ........... I........I................... 20-Tl'tal Miouths on MLR ..................................... 21 -Tatal Mionthis as ,Member of Present Squad ................... 22 -Months as Member of Present Squad1 .... .................... 23 -Ranks of ,Squad Members .................................. 24-Times Promoted Since Becoming Vk-mber of Present Squad ..... 25 -Titues Wkounded Since Becoming Member of Present Squad ...... 26- l'imes Received Comnpany |'unishpient Since Becoming W~hmber of Present Squad ............................... 21 22 23 : 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34
Page TRAINING Figure 27-Written Infantry Weapons Test ........................... Figure 28-Squad Members Having Specialized Training Bey, nd Basic...... Figure 29-Percentage of Squad Having Specialized Training Beyond Basic ........................................ Figure 30-W orld War II Service ...................................... 37 38 39 40
ATTITUBES Figure 31-A Measure of Ambition .................................... Figure 32- Authority Orientation ..................................... Figures 33- 38-Riflemen's Attitude Toward the Enemy .............. Figures 39-41-Riflemen's Attitude Toward the Katusa ............. 43 44 45-50 51-53
SUMMARY ..............................................................
57
I4
'V]
I!
'1
* * * *
/
* * * * * *
:
*
** * *
*
I I
I
**
j.
*444
I I
-J
Ti 'I
INT RODUC'ION
in 78 rifle squads or, the Korean front lines during the winter of 1952- 53. Future reports will analyze the factors involved in the interaction of squad members
*as S...'civilian .
*".,
individuals and the squad's performance as a group; the present report simply presents data on riflemen's backgrounds, training, and attitudes. Descrip-
A research team from Army Field Forces Human Research Unit No. 2 conducted a study of squad effectiveness in the 40th Infantry Division from 24 December 1952 to 7 February 1953. The 40th Division occupied positions from the Mundung-Ni River, across lleartbreak Ridge, holding Sandbag Castle and the rim of the Punch Bowl. Rhile the troops were in these positions on the Main Line of Resistance (MI), the researchers visited
one platoon in each rifle company in the 160th Regiment (the only regiment to face both the North Koreans and the Chinese), the 224th Infantry Regiment, and the 5th Regimental Combat Team. From these regiments a sample of more than 80 rifle squads was interviewed and given questionnaires and tests; this study is based upon'78 squads for which data were reasonably complete. Information was obtained from all English-speaking squad members who were present at the time of the researchers' visit. This permitted obtaining test- questionnaire data from 386 riflemen and recording lengthy interviews with
350 of these men. The graphs in the succeeding pages are based upon the data obtained from the test-questionnaires and interviews. The first group of charts deals with characteristics of the civilian backgrounds of squad members and is based upon information obtained in the questionnaires. The second group of griphs is concerned with descriptive attributes o' squads and
squad members; the first four figures in this se.-.ion are based
upon information obtained from the recorded inte.views, and the remaining 10 figures reflect the data obtained in the questionnaires. The third section, on truinipg, includes three charts based upon questionnaire data and a fourth chart based upon scores received on a written infantry weapons test. In the fourth section of the report, dealing with riflemen's attitudes, the first two figures are based upon attitude questionnaires, and the remaining nine drawings reflect material obtdined in the recorded interviews. 'lhe final section of the report is mainly composed of the summary statements which itppear under cach chart throughout the report.
* *
* * *
*
*
I*
* * * * * * * 44444 * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
1
ii
L_
*1
Major Range = 18.5 to 74.5 years Number of Men = 381 Average Age =21.55 years
Standard Deviator.*amount of spread In the data. 'A measure of the = 2.00 years
90
NN
60
z U w
CL
--
50
30
.....-
..
..
. .
--.. .
20
--
10
17 and
under
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
Over 29
AGE IN YEARS
Figure I
srs v r2 old.
LEGEND
* Average number
KB
6 8 10 Figure 2
__
---14 16 18 20
12
YEARS OF SCHOOLING
9qluunk,
Ihte edue~ationail backgrounds of froit..ine riflenieu are relutkelv luv'. the variaktion in background within the squad i.- large.
In nmany
100
Number of Men = 386 Average Grade Completed= 10.09 grade Standard Deviation = 2.39 grades Major Range =4.11 to 16.09 grades
90
70
LU U
50-
__-
LU
I-
4601
wI
101~
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
HIGHEST GRADE
COMPLETED
Figure 3
90
80O
70
60 z
w
U uj
ix 50
iL 40
---
30---
20-
10 --
Went to School
Unemployed
Figure 4
I0
jJFather
(Number of Men= 383)
80
70
Mo1h11
(Numbor of Men= 384)
60---
--
Iz
wI
101
Fur
50
0.U
90
80
70
60
z
U 50
30
----
_______
20
10-
Northern Europ-an
Combinetion *
Negro
Latin American
Eastorn European
Souihern European
Miscellaneous
Oriental
*(A combination primarily not European.) *(Japonese and Chinese; does not include Koreans.)
Figure 6
Iven though half of tlhe riflemen on the froat line have Northern
there are si' minority groups anid minority combinations. immediate and ,otential problenis of integration.
European
ancestry,
12
00
II
: jud Ah t
mq
rltin
c60tiun
i.,, nfrJ
ant
;ooto
etfr'nerto'udgo
neproa
luinu
,u
13
10
20
40
70
80
90
100
Figure 7
Ilie proportiott of
ioiO
I9III0
IU
-_
50.I
N(eO.TwLhe EROSI QA
I2
14
4U0RO
30ur
The Negro population is not evenly distributed among front- line squads.
PARENT'S OCCUPATION
100
Number of Men=379
90
80
70
60
I-
LU
50
W
40
30
20
--
__
10-_______________
=_____________________v=
.. ..- .
Professional
SemiProfession'l
Skilled
Laborers
Figure 9
More than half of the wage- earners in the families of the front- line squad members werv urskilled workers.
15
iiA
LEGEND Average number of brothers and sisters for al squad members within a given squad.
killif
LNUMBER
0 1 16
hared It
, Itlk
-.-.
t*ra
I, ro fl: er,
100
Number of Men=383
90
80
70
60
z
a
50
-_
40~
__
30
20
10-
Single
Married
Divorced
Figure 1!
\tii't
lIw~c
rt .pon~biltit's.
171
IsI
18.
0.i
:
*
4' 4'
4'1
4.'
Is unmarried and white Is 22 years old Is from small town or rural area Completed 10th year of school
Has three brothers and/or sisters Is from lower socio-economic class Has spent a total of 19 months in the Army Has spent three months on MLR ihas spent three months in squad Has 15 points toward rotation
Figure 13
21
It
I,
TYPICAL SQUAD
I;1
~enlit
Whitewit
Did no1enlis
Grac
[coo grade
Tenth
01K Toilsgraad
notA*Did R enlist
Whhse
TeentS
grace
Whitee
irsAl ont
six
Tenthd
~Z
In squad sixe
nmonth
[Z
tKoreui
Fiujure 14
223
-p
ASISTANT ASSISTANT AA MAN ARMO RIF LAAN RIF LFWAN IRIFLEMAN ITI.
0500
0)001
0ONO
Ambush Ambush Positron patrol Click Gu0ard pat Sleep Guard pn Police company C Phone Guard 'Sakosh, R 1 Posiron Pasrrun~Guard Cecko Guat Pione .Guard Gud I Guard
~PY
S I P Position
Hot Meal
H -1
Gauard -.Sleep Ho e
li.IAJ,
Phone Guard hot NAlo 000 utMal . . -_ ... Sleep Sleep 1000,
I__0_'
r 000 0900
1000
PhoneGuard ,0, _...... -1100-i__ Phone Guard Sleep C Ratian I .....-Postiao Guard Care ad Phone Guard! Gard Hot Meal I Cleaning lHr Neal Guard
o,0dd..a. .... Sleep iC Ration jC Position gurd Care and Phone Guardl Core and Ratio.Position Guard C Ration .... -----Coreand Cleonil' Positron
---
Position Gurd
-,103 110_
Rto
C00
laion
C Rattan
-
Cleaning
40 1500
1500 1 Platoon CP1 hone Guard Hot Nal 1600-1 Hot Meal 'Phone Guard 1700, CheckhGuard'
. Guard .... Guard Guord hot Neal Position Guard . Guod hot Meal Positron Guard Guard Positron Guard
Ga
1600 l700
600, .. Se.up .
Check Guordj
mpon CP
Aibushi Patrol
- - -8--6----0j
Sleep
Positron Position I Guard Guard Compan CP Phone Gd Cipn Ph.po G7dF Position Guard
Gard
Wor
Sleep
1-900
Ambush Patrol
ph
0hn
Guar
'Phone Guard
Positron
2000 ,2105OUod
2200
- ---- , 0 W -~
1 itin o Coard_ ' Phone Guard i Conmpany CP
Positon
Sleep
F 210D
2200
F
I
Sleep
Pos n Guard
' Sleep ..
___ _
Postron Guod
230ul-
++
Position Position
2306"
Postnon
240O
Goald
Guard
Guard
Guard
. Conat
"utpost
.-
Gard Conbat
Lutpst
-t 2400
0100-
.Sleep
Sleto
Position
IPhone Guard
Sleep
Position
Positron Guard
0100,
Sleep
v30
CheckGuard
Guard
Sleep
Iuood
Sleep
!Phone
ard
v3
400
23
"Sukoshi R'
0.8
Fhouer1
1.3
hour
90
80
70
-________
~---
z w
U 50
---
20
--
--
--
National Guard
Regular Army
Draftee
F igcure 17
I hie
proportion-,
olf
?l
rafted metn on the front line' ure -,iiiIr to the pro.titt t'd
I2
100
I90
80
-______
60
--
--
z
U
LiJ 50
10
3-6
7-9
10-12
13-15
16.18
19-21
22-24
25-30
31-36
Over 36
Over 99
MiONTH S
Figure 18
I hret
\rlliN
than 18 nioithes.
26
90 80
70
--
60
w 0
5-
40
30
10
Less
than Y2
!6-1
More
than 9
MONTHS
Figure 19
airlf the men hte been in korea less than four month-..
27
100
Number of Men
385
90
80
I60-
z
50 CL
--
40
40 - 30
---
~ -_ _
-_
___
_
_
_
_
20
_--
Less
Y2- 1
MONTHS
Figure 20
'I hree-fourths of ite nten have been on the \11.11 Ies, than foue, mouth.-,.
2'8
100
90
80
70
60
I-
z w
U
50-
40
30
20 -!
10
.-
.ELF
1 2 3 4
H-H
6 7
More than 9
MONTHS
Figure 21
29I
_______________Average
J0
_________________
months Standard Deviation = 1.44 *Major Range= 0.0 to 6.7 months Average Number of Months for Man in Each Squad With
__________________________
_________ ___________men -
Average Number of Months for Mon in Each Squad W~th Least Service =0.83 months LEGEND Average number of monyths al within a given squad hay been a member of the squad 4Vriation in number of months
________________________________________
.~....members
0t
1_ NUBR0FMOTSA
_2_
_4
5 EME
7_8_9_10 FPESN-QA
.4-s
In
ud
.4 h
m -
rtriutht
ee
tqkdm
me
es-4-o
hmtrt
ot.
ofte'u
.4-ll. d,_
-ie,_,.i
e _ nti __ol
iilm
t,
90
80
70
60 z u5
40
Private :' i *
Corporal
~s
Sergeant
Sergeant
ls
RANK
Figure 23
'ront-line
.uads
31
~~Num Mn ber of
______
3 f
90
___
70
----------.-
z
L)50
30
20
-
10
None
One
Three
Four
Figure 24
kIIIough (m thet atvragt. the linen1 have~t bel-i it, thet squad old., threr Innorthl,
U111nol
3'
90
__
_-----------___----
-----
70
- -_
--
- --
--
- -
--
- - -
0wI
30
--
--- -
Two
Three
Figure 25
IkUll
Iad h
mchuvl oijtaot
'.Nit
the
i'~i
100
90
80
70
: Iz LU U
60
a50
a. 40
30
20
10
None
One
Figure 26
-4
ureon
he fronit line,.
34
,'U
'4' .'
.4' ,*
.
,*
*
riua
* i1
'"
i____'______"___
- -----'
Number of squads 78 Average Score of All Squads on Written Infantry Weapons Informction T-st = 58.02 points Standard Deviation of Scores =8.31 points Major Range = 37.25 to 75.00 points
II
i
60
70
iU
80 90 100
10
OF ITEMS
CORRECT
Figure 27
No (unaid
.-
iavrtiged Iigl
ore-, a
olile
tiare,
'i lta
I %Not it
ril eat
apowa 3,
-
i'
80
70
z U 5
40
30
20
10
F TRAINING
KIND OF SPECIALIZED
Figure 28
iitthd.
}hie \rmi
38
rNum
,r of Squads =78
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
PFR
CENTI
Fiyofe 29
90
80-
___
70
60 I-
--
z
LU
40
30
20-
10.-
0 L_
Figjure 30
Hi rornt
I 1ne rilleaiiri
likI'.
had hult-I
prr~iou,- tejwtem v
mnumii ttir
voutlhat
,[
ia t I
iv
* * * *
4,
*
4, * * * *
t
Attitudes
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
44
*~444#44
444
___________________________
. .
A MEASURE OF AMBITION
_ __
_4
______________________________________4
vI
__
__
___NumberofSquads_-_78
_______
_Mean___,14_points_
_ _
_to
.8
pin
______________________Maio(__Runge__.4_to__1.3_Points_
0_
.2
0._06__
_1_
_12_.4
_8
1._
_____________________________________W
ON________
ton it
ilitm ncoul
co
v mnerto it
te
-78 highd
ti-vl
btin
__________________________________hal_1___1_1_vi__olvor___m
1.14point?
StnadVnoto
on
AUTHORITY ORIENTATION
,.
--------
~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ ~
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--
--
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m.
mm. - - -, -- -( -
m .m
.I . .
m~rc
mm
mm
mmm
r..........
ii------------I -- J -i---_i--, ,,I .mJ-m -------i-mmmm -m- m
-- m-I-.--.----
)|
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:mmIII
-----
i----------n m
---I I
---
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---
----- ---------------r--------------
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: .' .. _ -L~ _
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nl i i~~
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m mm ----
mi -------------. --M._
LZ "-.......
"."..m...
r3................... -T7~X
,,
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i
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] -" -
r
-
u. -
mr inm
mra
min.
-- --_ I
i1i
"_ N.mU
. jm
ZI
n.
im
Wmmmmmm
ilma
mmmmmmm. : .....
--------
-----
10
90
100
35 Acceptim.e di rules
01111111 ,c. , doc
-tbo0)4 of
i ,Ii t
not to
MMA
ogl aderi
ru-.
, %itttd t e,
I. tiv ti
& romtrla tvi
\1
olrrtr
to a riklt*or r::i:
In itt
ic fite~
,141
Figure 33
I he North
korc an,
itrr
Figure 34
I he
(Aiine-4
Figure 35
T toe t
eelli it
,I so [itrcels I
l it
itU
lit. 1, (diepri(.
Figure 36
kil
d 1
didil'i1
Figure 37
Ierit~ t. t.
iv
xt re t
Iit,
kturtit v t,
v it
IIImortar
re.
49
111t.
~~
w ~ m en-r~ atm,38
s~to
Figuto 39
Ih I IIit ,
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1h itt
Figure 40
uu.,a II, tiuph.
.upvrhummdU.i
Figure 4 1
MV
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ft ft ft ft ft
******* * ** ** * **
Summary
SUMMARY
CIVILIAN BACKGROUND OF SQUAD MEMBERS Most of the riflemen on the front line are between 18 and 29 years of age; half of them are 21 or 22 years old. The educational background of front-line riflemen is relatively low; in most squads
Although some squads had no non-European minority group members, most of the
squads had at least one or two such members, and in many squads over half of the men were minority group members. The Negro population is not evenly distributed among front- line squads. More than half of the wage earners in the families of the front- line squad members were unskilled workers. Most of the squad members come from homes which were shared with several brothers and sisters. Over three-fourths of the squad members were single. The 40th had been a California National Guard Division, but bv the winter of 1952- 53 its personnel came from all parts of the country.
- the av.rage squad twice as much time is devoted to guard duty as is allocated for sleep. The men average four or five brok,-n hours of sleep in 24 hours. The proportion of enlisted and drafted men on the front line is comparable to the proportions for the total V'my. I hree- fourth,' of the men have been in the \rtnv less fhai 18 months, and half of thens liuae been in Korea l',-, than four months.
57
Three- fourths of the men have been on the MLR less than four months.
Membership in squads changes so rapidly that more than half of the men have been
in a squad less than three months. In half of the squads the average man has been a squad member less than three months. Two-thirds of the squads have members who have been in the squads a month or less. Two-fifths of the squads have "old-timers" who have been in the squad more than six months.
Front-line squads are operating at not more than two-thirds' strength in NCO's.
Over 90 per cent of the squad members had not been wounded since being a
member of the present squad.
Approximately half of the front- line riflemen had been promoted since becoming
a member of their present squads.
Over 95 per cent of the riflemen had not received company punishment since
becoming a member of their present squad.
TRAINING
No squad averaged high scores, and some scored quite low on a written weapons information test. Over 30 per cent of the men in front- line rifle squads have Army training in addition to Basic, but riflemen do not have an equal opportunity to come in contact with squad-mates who have special training beyond Basic. The front-line riflemen have had little previous experience in any other combat situation.
AIlITUDES Over 80 per cent of the squads had an average level of aspiration score which was above the mid - point of the scale. According to the questionnaire used, in only three squads would the average reaction be to accept rules and orders without question. All of the other squads would tend to evaluate each new situation and decide whether or not to give unquestioning obedience to a rule or order. In no squad was there a strong tendency to flaunt rules and orders. According to the comments obtained in more than 350 recorded interviews it appears that the average squad member thinks that: The North Koreans are barbaric and inhuman in treatment of prisoners. The Chinese are civil in their treatment of prisoners. The enemy attacks fiercely because he is doped. The enemy is more patient than the G.I. in setting up an ambush. The enemy is extremely accurate with mortar tire. The enemy is dug into impenetrable positions. The Katusas sleep on guard., The Katusas have superhuman strength. The Katusa can see hell in the dark. 58
ACKNOA LE.iMEN'I S
Appreciation is extended to the officers and enlisted men of the 40th Infantry Divi sion who made it possible for the research team to gather data in a combat situation. The staff members of Human Research Unit No. 2, OCAFF, who selected and prepared test materials for the study and gathered the data presented in this report were Drs. Robert L. Egbert, Morris Showel, and Rodney A. Clark. Capt. John B. Bennett, Jr., Department of the Army, was military chief of the research team. The drawings are adapted from originals prepared by Mrs. Liese S. Rapozo. Other members of the project who participated in the preparation of the report are: Mr. Gilbert L. Neal, Pfc. Joseph N. P. Ruocco, and Mrs. Alice I. I.owrance.
59