 
Chapter 8
Signal Communication
Section I
General
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General.--
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Adequate signal communication during
landing operations can be had only if joint planning has
foreseen and provided all necessary equipment, information,
and instructions governing signal communication, joint training,
signal communication security, and coordination of ship
and shore signal means.
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Each transport has a communication center operated by
Navy personnel assisted by Army personnel.
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Liaison officers exchanged between Army and Navy commanders
should have copies of communication plans for the
various phases of the operation, signal operation instructions,
and copies of authorized cryptographic systems of their own service.
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The Navy is responsible for signal communication from
shore to ship, and communication with Navy boats used for
landing and all ships engage din or supporting the landing.
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A naval liaison detachment accompanies each combat
team to provide radio and visual communication and operate
facilities necessary for effective naval gunfire support of the
combat team.
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The Army establishes its own signal communication
ashore, and provides wire and messenger communication from
the command post of each Army combat team to the commander
of the naval liaison detachment assigned to accompany
his combat team. This naval commander's command
post is located habitually at the combat team command post.
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Signal communication systems employ all practicable
agencies. (See FM 24-6 and FM 11-5).
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Prior to the landing of assault units, the use of radio is
kept to a minimum in order to further the chance for surprise.
The maximum use of made of other means of signal communication.
 
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Joint Plans.--
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Signal communication plans provide for--
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The additional personnel such as radio operators and
visual signalmen required for transports; control vessels; boat
groups, boat divisions, and wave commanders; the beachmaster;
and fire-control parties ashore.
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The procurement, distribution, and test of signal equipment
not normally provided, for example, radio sets for boats,
vessels of control group, beachmaster, fire-control parties
ashore, and transports; pyrotechnics for boats and control
vessels; designating flags or lights for control vessels; semaphore
and guide flags for boats; blinker tubes for boats;
portable signal lamps for the beaches; and air-ground code
and panels for fire-control parties ashore.
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The distribution of signal equipment to units for training
prior to the arrival at port of embarkation.
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The preparation and issue of necessary waterproof
covers for all equipment which may be damaged by spray.
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The preparation and distribution of joint signal operations
instruction. (See par. 198.)
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The establishment of alternate channels. When
within visual range, visual methods as well as radio and wire
communication should be established. In addition to radio,
wire, and visual communication between adjacent beaches, it
is desirable to employ a messenger boat service.
 
- 
Prior to landing of assault units, curtailment in the use
of signal communication is essential as a counterintelligence
measure, the silencing of radio, both telegraph and telephone,
is of primary importance as this means is most vulnerable
to enemy interception and direction-finding agencies.
Communication plans should provide complete instructions
to all units on the silencing of radio for purposes of secrecy
and to prevent interference on important channels.
 
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Instruction to Signal Communication Officers.--Prior
to embarkation, all signal communication officers should
be made cognizant of--
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The instruction covering the responsibility for communication
during various phases of the expedition.
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The actual command set-up of the communication system.
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The instructions for both services covering communication
 
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security. The communication channel requirements,
cryptographic systems, and frequency plans for all phases of
the operation.
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The signal operation instructions of the Army for the
various phases of the operation and the similar instructions
issued to cooperating units of the navy.
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Signal Plans.--Prior to embarkation the following
signal plans and orders must be prepared and issued:
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Signal operations instructions covering--
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Radio call and frequency assignments for both Army
and Navy stations.
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A common radio procedure. (See FM 24-10.)
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Common codes and ciphers with geographic appendix
to each code.
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Pyrotechnic code, coordinated with Navy and Naval Air Service.
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Airplane identification markings.
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Visual signaling.
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Telephone and telegraphic code names and numbers.
 
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Assignment of attached signal communication personnel
to shore parties, to liaison parties, and to reinforced organic
signal communication units.
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Plans for the procurement and issue of special signal
communication equipment and for the provision of waterproof
covers for equipment which may be damaged by spray during landing.
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Plans for joint training in signal communication prior
to embarkation (see sec. III, ch. 11).
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Plans for communication during movement overseas.
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Plans for communication during landing (a signal plan
for each tactical plan).
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Signal communication plan for operations subsequent
to landing. Each signal communication plan should include--
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Radio net organization and frequency assignments.
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Provision for communication security.
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Radio intelligence.
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Signal supply.
 
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Signal orders and operation instructions must be issued
sufficiently early to permit all subordinate headquarters, both
Army and Navy, to prepare and issue signal orders and instructions.
Sufficient time should be allowed to permit a thorough
 
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Figure 17.--Typical signal communication system for one beach
during 
landing phase of joint oversea expedition.
study by operating personnel for the appropriate sections of the
signal orders and signal operating instructions.
Section II
Ship-to-Shore and Ashore
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Movement to Shore.--A typical joint signal communication
system for one beach during the landing phase
is shown in figure 17.
During the ship-to-shore movement signal communication is maintained between--
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Boat group, wave, and boat division commanders, normally 
by visual signals and with the minimum of portable
radio equipment.
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Boat group and wave commanders, control vessels, and
attack force commander, generally by semaphore flags,
blinker tube, radiotelegraph, radiotelephone, and boat messenger.
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Control vessels and fire support groups, principally by
radio, signal lamp, and flag hoist.
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Navy artillery liaison party and Navy fire support group,
by radio and visual signals (see fig. 18).
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Attack force commander and aircraft engaged on important
reconnaissance missions, usually by radio.
 
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Pyrotechnic Signals.--
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Pyrotechnic signals are restricted
to the transmission of messages of the highest priority.
the influence of meteorological conditions on the
visibility of pyrotechnic signals must be appreciated and considered.
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Although gunfire is placed on the beaches in accordance
with a time schedule, and is observed and verified from the
firing ships and control vessels, it is necessary to have an
emergency pyrotechnic signal meaning "LIFT FIRE" that
can be made by the leading wave if about to run into the
salvo pattern of supporting gunfire. This signal is immediately
relayed to the firing ships and control vessels by succeeding
waves of the same boat group. Similarly, adequate
arrangements must be made for timely communication with
supporting aviation, especially that operating against beach defenses.
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Each rifle platoon in an assault battalion upon reaching
the beach sends the prescribed pyrotechnic or other signals
 
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indicating whether or not the landing has been successful.
The signal indicating that the landing has not bee successful
is controlled by an officer.

Figure 18.--Naval fire control signal communication.
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Platoon.--
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Platoon commanders leave at least one
messenger on the beach to report to the company commander.
This messenger informs the company commander of the
direction in which the platoon has advanced and other pertinent information.
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Each rifle platoon of the assault battalion upon landing
plants an identifying flag or marker on the beach where it can
be seen from seaward. Screened lights are used at night.
 
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Company.--Company commanders upon landing leave
messengers on the beach to report to the battalion commander.
These messengers are given the direction of the advance
of the company headquarters and other pertinent information.
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At night or if advancing in brush, platoon and company
headquarters mark the route of their advance with tape or
other means to facilitate messenger communication with the
beach. Messenger routes of battalions and larger units ordinarily
follow the routes of wire lines.
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Combat Team.--
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Combat team commanders upon
landing immediately establish their command posts unless
this has been done by a staff officer who has preceded the
respective commanders ashore. A staff officer and messengers
are left at the beachmaster's headquarters to report to the
regimental commander as soon as he lands.
- 
The initial signal communication system established is
shown diagrammatically in figure 19.
The combat team establishes a wire circuit to the observation post of the naval
artillery liaison party.
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The artillery battery of the combat team establishes
wire communication with the command post of the combat
team. It is desirable that the artillery battery observation
post is near the observation post of the naval artillery liaison
party. this insures certainty of signal communication between
these two observation posts and facilitates coordination
of the field artillery and naval fires. Sufficient suitable
type radios should be provided to enable each battery to communicate
directly with the observation airplane.
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Direct radio communication should be established between
the senior Army commander ashore and the superior
commander afloat. Airplanes afford a valuable means of
signal communication between the combat team commander
and higher commanders afloat. A drop and pick-up message
ground and panel station are provided near the command
post of the combat team. A panel station also is established
by the naval artillery liaison party in the vicinity of its observation
post. While the combat team ordinarily is the lowest
unit to which dropped messages are delivered, in an emergency
or by prearrangement messages may be dropped to
any unit or detachment.
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Messengers and other available agencies are employed
to supplement wire communication and provide alternative
means of communication. Use may be made of portable high
frequency radio sets to supplement other types of communication
ashore and to communicate with the regimental commander
 
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Figure 19.--Initial signal communication system on beach.
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after he lands. Communication established with
subordinate units by messenger is indicated in
figure 19.
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Beach Party.--A beachmaster is assigned to each
beach. He establishes a communication center at each landing
beach to handle communication between ship and shore.
He employs radio, visual, and messenger boat communication
with vessels designated in orders, messenger boat communication
with adjacent beaches, and radio and visual communication
with adjacent beaches when practicable.
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Shore Party.--
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The shore party is a special task
organization of elements of the landing forces, commanded
by an Army officer. He is a staff officer of the senior troops
commander on the beach.
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The shore party consists of a command section and
may comprise detachments of any or all of the following:
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Signal communication personnel and equipment.
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Engineers.
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Military police.
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Supply personnel.
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Labor details.
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Chemical troops.
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Antiaircraft weapons.
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Antitank weapons.
 
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The shore party commander, likewise the beachmaster,
with a part of the shore party and beach party land in the
leading boat group. During the initial trip to the beach,
shore party personnel may be used as gunners, ammunition
passers, or to assist boat crews in other ways.
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The shore party commander and beachmaster must work
in the closest cooperation in order to utilize all available
personnel and facilities to the best advantage.
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The signal communication detachment of the shore party
should include message center personnel, messenger personnel,
and wire and radio teams with appropriate equipment.
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The shore party commander establishes his message center
near the headquarters of the beachmaster. Signal communication
is established from this message center to the
combat team command post, the beachmaster's headquarters
and, when directed, to command posts of adjacent shore parties.
If it is necessary to employ a boat to lay the wire to
 
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connect with other shore parties, provision for the necessary
boat should be foreseen and indicated in orders.
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Other Units.--
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Infantry regiment and supporting artillery
battalion.--Sufficient communication personnel and
equipment of the infantry regiment and the supporting artillery
battalion to establish their initial command posts and
signal communication to their subordinate units accompany
the second combat team at each beach.
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Infantry brigade and supporting artillery,--Action similar
to that in a above is taken when the first combat team
of the second infantry regiment of a brigade goes ashore.
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Larger units.--Signal detachments of larger units are
sent ashore at the earliest practicable time, preceding the
headquarters, for the purpose of establishing command posts,
relieving shore parties of the signal communication responsibilities,
and improving signal communication to subordinate units.
 
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Personnel and Equipment.--
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Signal communication plans provide signal personnel and equipment to replace losses
during the ship-to-shore movement as well as during the
early subsequent operations ashore, and to meet the needs of
the situation for special equipment. This applies particularly
to the assault combat teams and the shore parties.
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All signal communication equipment of the assault combat
teams and shore parties is portable. Adequate equipment
for laying wire is provided. To guard against total loss of
equipment through the sinking of a boat, it is desirable to
provide duplicate sets of equipment in separate boats. The
lack of transportation and the disorganization likely to prevail
during the early operations ashore impose unusual demands
on the signal communication personnel of the assault
combat teams. this personnel is frequently augmented by
the attachment of regimental or higher unit signal 
communication personnel.
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In every case, wire to replace that expended  by assault
combat teams and reel units, with transportation therefore,
for the mechanical laying of wire are sent ashore and pushed
forward at the earliest opportunity.
 
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