FM 31-5
War Department
Basic Field ManualLanding Operations On Hostile Shores
Prepared under direction of the
Chief of StaffUnited States
Government Printing Office
Washington: 1941
WAR DEPARTMENT.
WASHINGTON, June 2, 1941.FM 31-5, Landing Operations on Hostile Shores, is published for the information and guidance of all concerned.
The general policies of the Army and the Navy on oversea expeditions are contained in Joint Action of the Army and the Navy.
This manual is based to a large extent on Landing Operations Doctrine, U.S. Navy, 1938. The arrangement of subject matter is similar to the Navy publication and many of the illustrations are taken from it.
[A. G. 062.11 (3-28-41).]
BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR:
G.C. MARSHALL,
Chief of Staff.
OFFICIAL:
E.S. ADAMS,
Major General,
The Adjutant General.
DISTRIBUTION:
X
(For explanation of symbols, see FM 21-6.)
Table of Contents
Paragraphs Page Chapter 1. General Section I. General 1-8 1 II. Advance forces 9-12 7 III. Main and secondary landings 13-16 9 IV. Selection of landing areas 17-26 11 V. Time of landing 27-33 15 Chapter 2. Organization for Landing Operations Section I. Organization and command 34-45 18 II. Beach and shore parties 46-51 24 III. Station and maneuver areas 52-57 27 Chapter 3. Landing Boats Section I. General 58-65 32 II. Standard Army and Navy boats 66-73 35 Chapter 4. Ship-to-Shore Movement Section I. General 74-75 42 II. Organization 76-80 44 III. Boat group formations, platoon and company 81-88 48 IV. Boat group formations, assault battalion 89-97 52 V. Landing of regimental, division, or landing force reserves 98-101 57 VI. Planning 102-111 59 VII. Execution 112-119 71 Chapter 5. Operations on Shore Section I. General 120-122 83 II. Reconnaissance patrols prior to and during landing phase 123-132 84 III. Beachhead 133-140 91 IV. Scheme of maneuver 141-145 95 V. Withdrawal and reembarkation 146-150 99 Chapter 6. Naval Gunfire Section I. Targets and fire missions 151-157 101 II. Characteristics 158-166 104 III. Requirements in guns and ammunition 161-171 107 IV. Coordination of fire 172-175 110 Chapter 7. Aviation Section I. General 176-181 113 II. Air operations preliminary to landing 182-184 116 III. Air operations during debarkation 185-187 117 IV. Air operations during approach to beach 188-192 118 V. Air operations during advance inland 193-194 120 Chapter 8. Signal Communication Section I. General 195-198 122 II. Ship-to-shore and ashore 199-207 125 Chapter 9. Field Artillery, Antiaircraft Protection, Tank and Engineer Units, and Chemicals Section I. Field artillery 208-211 131 II. Antiaircraft protection 212-215 133 III. Tank units 216-221 135 IV. Engineer units 222 137 V. Chemicals 223-230 137 Chapter 10. Administration Section I. General 231-234 140 II. Embarkation 235-241 141 III. Transport loading 242-246 147 IV. System of supply 247-255 158 V. Military police 256-260 163 VI. Engineers 261-266 164 VIII. Medical service 267-271 167 Chapter 11. Special Training for Landing Operations Section I. General 272-276 171 II. Training prior to embarkation 277-283 172 III. Joint signal communication training 284-287 175 Appendix I. Boat nomenclature 177 Appendix II. Types of Navy ships and aircraft 184 Appendix III. Small boat types 185 Appendix IV. Definitions of sea terms 186 Index 192