The Green Berets training on the Mockup at Eglin AFB…
Wednesday Sept 30th, 1970

…exactly 50 years ago this week

Here’s more about how we cleared a room. After the grenade exploded and the door blew off, Capt Dan would dive to the floor at the threshold firing into the room from top left to bottom right. At the same time, I would step over him firing top right to bottom left. By this, we created an X with bullets. Capt Dan would remain on the floor and I would back out and shine my flashlight in the room so Capt Dan could confirm that we had neutralized everyone.

I would then put in a new clip, depending on whether I had fired any tracer rounds. Capt Dan taught me that, in combat, you don’t have time to count how many bullets you fired. The technique is to first load five tracer rounds and then finish filling the magazine. When you’re in a firefight and you see the tracers smoking out the end of your barrel you know you need to change magazines.

Read about using this technique clearing rooms at Son Tay the night of the Raid in Who Will Go.

Click Here:  The book.