FM 21-76 US ARMY SURVIVAL MANUAL Reprinted as permitted by U.S. Department of the Army
Wilderness Survival Guide – Us Army Edition
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page 1 of 236
FM 21-76 US ARMY SURVIVAL MANUAL ...... 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS...... 2
CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION...... 11
SURVIVAL ACTIONS...... 11
S -Size Up the Situation...... 11
U -Use All Your Senses, Undue Haste Makes Waste...... 11
R -Remember Where You Are...... 12
V -Vanquish Fear and Panic...... 12
I -Improvise...... 12
V -Value Living...... 12
A -Act Like the Natives...... 12
L -Live by Your Wits, But for Now, Learn Basic Skills...... 13
PATTERN FOR SURVIVAL...... 13
CHAPTER 2 - PSYCHOLOGY OF SURVIVAL...... 14
A LOOK AT STRESS...... 14
Need for Stress...... 14
Survival Stressors...... 15
NATURAL REACTIONS...... 16
Anger and Frustration...... 17
Depression...... 17
Loneliness and Boredom...... 17
Guilt...... 18
PREPARING YOURSELF...... 18
Know Yourself...... 18
Anticipate Fears...... 18
Be Realistic...... 18
Adopt a Positive Attitude...... 18
Remind Yourself What Is at Stake...... 19
Train...... 19
Learn Stress Management Techniques...... 19
CHAPTER 3 - SURVIVAL PLANNING AND SURVIVAL KITS...... 20
IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING...... 20
SURVIVAL KITS...... 20
CHAPTER 4 - BASIC SURVIVAL MEDICINE...... 22
REQUIREMENTS FOR MAINTENANCE OF HEALTH...... 22
Water...... 22
Food...... 23
Plant Foods...... 24
Animal Foods...... 24
Personal Hygiene...... 24
Keep Your Hands Clean...... 25
Keep Your Hair Clean...... 25
Keep Your Clothing Clean...... 25
Keep Your Teeth Clean...... 25
Take Care of Your Feet...... 25
Get Sufficient Rest...... 25
Keep Camp Site Clean...... 26
MEDICAL EMERGENCIES...... 26
Breathing Problems...... 26
Severe Bleeding...... 26
Shock...... 26
LIFESAVING STEPS...... 26
Open Airway and Maintain...... 26
Control Bleeding...... 27
Direct Pressure...... 28
Elevation...... 29
Pressure Points...... 29
Digital Ligation...... 30
Tourniquet...... 30
Prevent and Treat Shock...... 31
BONE AND JOINT INJURY...... 33
Fractures...... 33
Dislocations...... 35
Sprains...... 35
BITES AND STINGS...... 36
Treatment...... 36
Bee and Wasp Stings...... 36
Spider Bites and Scorpion Stings...... 37
Snakebites...... 37
WOUNDS...... 39
Open Wounds...... 39
Skin Diseases and Ailments...... 40
Boils...... 40
Fungal Infections...... 40
Rashes...... 40
Frostbite...... 41
Trench Foot...... 41
Burns...... 41
ENVIRONMENTAL INJURIES...... 41
Heatstroke...... 42
Hypothermia...... 42
Diarrhea...... 42
Intestinal Parasites...... 43
HERBAL MEDICINES...... 43
CHAPTER 5 - SHELTERS...... 44
SHELTER SITE SELECTION...... 44
TYPES OF SHELTERS...... 45
Poncho Lean-To...... 45
Poncho Tent...... 46
Three-Pole Parachute Tepee...... 47
One-Pole Parachute Tepee...... 48
No-Pole Parachute Tepee...... 49
One-Man Shelter...... 50
Parachute Hammock...... 51
Field-Expedient Lean-To...... 51
Swamp Bed...... 52
Natural Shelters...... 53
Debris Hut...... 53
Tree-Pit Snow Shelter...... 54
Beach Shade Shelter...... 55
Desert Shelters...... 56
CHAPTER 6 - WATER PROCUREMENT...... 59
WATER SOURCES...... 59
STILL CONSTRUCTION...... 64
Aboveground Still...... 64
Belowground Still...... 65
WATER PURIFICATION...... 67
WATER FILTRATION DEVICES...... 67
CHAPTER 7 - FIRECRAFT...... 69
BASIC FIRE PRINCIPLES...... 69
SITE SELECTION AND PREPARATION...... 69
FIRE MATERIAL SELECTION...... 72
HOW TO BUILD A FIRE...... 72
Tepee...... 72
Lean-To...... 73
Cross-Ditch...... 73
Pyramid...... 73
HOW TO LIGHT A FIRE...... 73
Modern Methods...... 73
Matches...... 74
Convex Lens...... 74
Metal Match...... 74
Battery...... 74
Gunpowder...... 74
Primitive Methods...... 75
Flint and Steel...... 75
Fire-Plow...... 75
Bow and Drill...... 75
CHAPTER 8 - FOOD PROCUREMENT...... 77
ANIMALS FOR FOOD...... 77
Insects...... 77
Worms...... 78
Crustaceans...... 78
Mollusks...... 78
Fish...... 79
Amphibians...... 81
Reptiles...... 81
Birds...... 82
Mammals...... 83
TRAPS AND SNARES...... 83
Use of Bait...... 84
Trap and Snare Construction...... 84
Simple Snare...... 85
Drag Noose...... 85
Twitch-Up...... 86
Twitch-Up Snare...... 86
Squirrel Pole...... 87
Ojibwa Bird Pole...... 87
Noosing Wand...... 88
Treadle Spring Snare...... 88
Figure 4 Deadfall...... 89
Paiute Deadfall...... 90
Bow Trap...... 91
Pig Spear Shaft...... 92
Bottle Trap...... 92
KILLING DEVICES...... 93
Rabbit Stick...... 93
Spear...... 93
Bow and Arrow...... 93
Sling...... 94
FISHING DEVICES...... 94
Improvised Fishhooks...... 94
Stakeout...... 94
Gill Net...... 95
Fish Traps...... 96
Spearfishing...... 97
Chop Fishing...... 98
Fish Poison...... 98
PREPARATION OF FISH AND GAME FOR
COOKING AND STORAGE...... 99
Fish...... 99
Snakes...... 100
Birds...... 100
Skinning and Butchering Game...... 101
Smoking Meat...... 102
Drying Meat...... 103
Other Preservation Methods...... 103
Freezing...... 103
Brine and Salt...... 103
CHAPTER 9 - SURVIVAL USE OF PLANTS...... 104
EDIBILITY OF PLANTS...... 104
Plant Identification...... 105
Universal Edibility Test...... 107
Seaweeds...... 110
Preparation of Plant Food...... 110
PLANTS FOR MEDICINE...... 111
Terms and Definitions...... 111
Specific Remedies...... 111
CHAPTER 10 - POISONOUS PLANTS...... 113
HOW PLANTS POISON...... 113
ALL ABOUT PLANTS...... 113
RULES FOR AVOIDING POISONOUS PLANTS...... 114
CONTACT DERMATITIS...... 114
INGESTION POISONING...... 114
CHAPTER 11 - DANGEROUS ANIMALS...... 116
INSECTS AND ARACHNIDS...... 116
Scorpions...... 116
Spiders...... 117
Centipedes and Millipedes...... 117
Bees, Wasps, and Hornets...... 117
Ticks...... 117
LEECHES...... 118
BATS...... 118
POISONOUS SNAKES...... 118
Snake-Free Areas...... 119
DANGEROUS LIZARDS...... 119
Gila Monster...... 120
Mexican Beaded Lizard...... 120
Komodo Dragon...... 120
DANGERS IN RIVERS...... 120
Electric Eel...... 120
Piranha...... 120
Turtle...... 120
Platypus...... 120
DANGERS IN BAYS AND ESTUARIES...... 121
SALTWATER DANGERS...... 121
Fish Dangerous to Handle, Touch, or Contact...... 121
Animals and Fish Poisonous to Eat...... 122
Other Dangerous Sea Creatures...... 122
CHAPTER 12 - FIELD-EXPEDIENT WEAPONS, TOOLS,
AND EQUIPMENT...... 124
CLUBS...... 124
Simple Club...... 124
Weighted Club...... 124
Sling Club...... 125
EDGED WEAPONS...... 126
Knives...... 126
Spear Blades...... 128
Arrow Points...... 128
OTHER EXPEDIENT WEAPONS...... 129
Throwing Stick...... 129
Archery Equipment...... 129
Bola...... 130
LASHING AND CORDAGE...... 131
Natural Cordage Selection...... 131
Lashing Material...... 131
RUCKSACK CONSTRUCTION...... 131
Horseshoe Pack...... 132
Square Pack...... 132
CLOTHING AND INSULATION...... 133
Parachute Assembly...... 133
Animal Skins...... 133
Plant Fibers...... 133
COOKING AND EATING UTENSILS...... 133
Bowls...... 133
Forks, Knives, and Spoons...... 134
Pots...... 134
Water Bottles...... 134
CHAPTER 13 - DESERT SURVIVAL...... 135
TERRAIN...... 135
Mountain Deserts...... 135
Rocky Plateau Deserts...... 135
Sandy or Dune Deserts...... 136
Salt Marshes...... 136
Broken Terrain...... 136
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS...... 136
Low Rainfall...... 136
Intense Sunlight and Heat...... 136
Wide Temperature Range...... 137
Sparse Vegetation...... 137
High Mineral Content...... 138
Sandstorms...... 138
Mirages...... 138
NEED FOR WATER...... 139
HEAT CASUALTIES...... 140
Heat Cramps...... 141
Heat Exhaustion...... 141
Heat Stroke...... 141
PRECAUTIONS...... 141
DESERT HAZARDS...... 141
CHAPTER 14 - TROPICAL SURVIVAL...... 143
TROPICAL WEATHER...... 143
JUNGLE TYPES...... 143
Tropical Rain Forests...... 144
Secondary Jungles...... 144
Semievergreen Seasonal and Monsoon Forests...... 144
Tropical Scrub and Thorn Forests...... 145
Tropical Savannas...... 145
Saltwater Swamps...... 145
Freshwater Swamps...... 145
TRAVEL THROUGH JUNGLE AREAS...... 146
IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATIONS...... 146
WATER PROCUREMENT...... 147
Animals as Signs of Water...... 147
Water From Plants...... 147
Vines...... 147
Roots...... 147
Palm Trees...... 147
Water From Condensation...... 148
FOOD...... 148
POISONOUS PLANTS...... 149
CHAPTER 15 - COLD WEATHER SURVIVAL...... 150
COLD REGIONS AND LOCATIONS...... 150
Wet Cold Weather Environments...... 150
Dry Cold Weather Environments...... 150
WINDCHILL...... 151
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF COLD
WEATHER SURVIVAL...... 152
HYGIENE...... 153
MEDICAL ASPECTS...... 153
COLD INJURIES...... 153
Hypothermia...... 153
Frostbite...... 154
Trench Foot and Immersion Foot...... 155
Dehydration...... 155
Cold Diuresis...... 155
Sunburn...... 155
Snow Blindness...... 155
Constipation...... 156
Insect Bites...... 156
SHELTERS...... 156
Snow Cave Shelter...... 157
Snow Trench Shelter...... 158
Snow Block and Parachute Shelter...... 158
Snow House or Igloo...... 159
Lean-To Shelter...... 159
Fallen Tree Shelter...... 159
Tree-Pit Shelter...... 159
20-Man Life Raft...... 160
FIRE...... 160
WATER...... 161
FOOD...... 162
Fish...... 162
Sea Ice Animals...... 163
Plants...... 163
TRAVEL...... 164
WEATHER SIGNS...... 164
Wind...... 164
Clouds...... 165
Smoke...... 165
Birds and Insects...... 165
Low-Pressure Front...... 165
CHAPTER 16 - SEA SURVIVAL...... 166
THE OPEN SEA...... 166
Precautionary Measures...... 166
Down at Sea...... 166
Cold Weather Considerations...... 172
Hot Weather Considerations...... 173
Raft Procedures...... 173
Sailing Rafts...... 178
Water...... 179
Food Procurement...... 180
Medical Problems Associated With Sea Survival...... 182
Sharks...... 183
Detecting Land...... 184
Rafting or Beaching Techniques...... 184
Swimming Ashore...... 185
Pickup or Rescue...... 185
SEASHORES...... 186
Special Health Hazards...... 186
Food...... 187
CHAPTER 17 - EXPEDIENT WATER CROSSINGS...... 188
RIVERS AND STREAMS...... 188
RAPIDS...... 189
RAFTS...... 191
Brush Raft...... 191
Australian Poncho Raft...... 192
Poncho Donut Raft...... 193
Log Raft...... 194
FLOTATION DEVICES...... 194
OTHER WATER OBSTACLES...... 195
VEGETATION OBSTACLES...... 195
CHAPTER 18 - FIELD-EXPEDIENT DIRECTION FINDING...... 197
USING THE SUN AND SHADOWS...... 197
Shadow-Tip Methods...... 197
The Watch Method...... 198
USING THE MOON...... 199
USING THE STARS...... 199
The Northern Sky...... 199
The Southern Sky...... 200
MAKING IMPROVISED COMPASSES...... 201
OTHER MEANS OF DETERMINING DIRECTION...... 201
CHAPTER 19 - SIGNALING TECHNIQUES...... 203
APPLICATION...... 203
MEANS FOR SIGNALING...... 203
Visual Signals...... 203
Audio Signals...... 208
CODES AND SIGNALS...... 208
SOS...... 208
Ground-to-Air Emergency Code...... 209
Body Signals...... 209
Panel Signals...... 209
Aircraft Acknowledgments...... 210
AIRCRAFT VECTORING PROCEDURES...... 211
CHAPTER 20 - SURVIVAL MOVEMENT IN HOSTILE AREAS...... 212
PHASES OF PLANNING...... 212
Contingency Plan of Action (CPA)...... 212
Standing Operating Procedures...... 213
Notification to Move and Avoid Capture...... 213
EXECUTION...... 213
Hide Site Activities...... 214
Hole-Up Areas...... 215
RETURN TO FRIENDLY CONTROL...... 216
Border Crossings...... 216
Linkup at the FEBA/FLOT...... 217
Linkup With Friendly Patrols...... 217
CHAPTER 21 - CAMOUFLAGE...... 218
PERSONAL CAMOUFLAGE...... 218
Shape and Outline...... 218
Color and Texture...... 218
Shine...... 219
Shadow...... 219
Movement...... 219
Noise...... 220
Scent...... 220
METHODS OF STALKING...... 220
Upright Stalking...... 220
Crawling...... 220
Prone Stalking...... 221
Animal Stalking...... 221
CHAPTER 22 - CONTACT WITH PEOPLE...... 222
CONTACT WITH LOCAL PEOPLE...... 222
THE SURVIVOR'S BEHAVIOR...... 223
CHANGES TO POLITICAL ALLEGIANCE...... 223
CHAPTER 23 - SURVIVAL IN MAN-MADE HAZARDS...... 224
THE NUCLEAR ENVIRONMENT...... 224
Effects of Nuclear Weapons...... 224
Types of Nuclear Bursts...... 225
Nuclear Injuries...... 225
Residual Radiation...... 225
Bodily Reactions to Radiation...... 226
Countermeasures Against Penetrating External Radiation...... 226
Shelter...... 227
Water Procurement...... 230
Food Procurement...... 230
BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENTS...... 231
Biological Agents and Effects...... 231
Detection of Biological Agents...... 232
Influence of Weather and Terrain...... 233
Protection Against Biological Agents...... 233
Shelter...... 234
Water Procurement...... 234
Food Procurement...... 234
CHEMICAL ENVIRONMENTS...... 234
Detection of Chemical Agents...... 235
Protection Against Chemical Agents...... 235
Shelter...... 235
Water Procurement...... 235
Food Procurement...... 236
CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION
This manual is based entirely on the keyword SURVIVAL. The letters in this word can help guide you in your actions in any survival situation. Whenever faced with a survival situation, remember the word SURVIVAL.
SURVIVAL ACTIONS
The following paragraphs expand on the meaning of each letter of the word survival. Study and remember what each letter signifies because you may some day have to make it work for you.
S -Size Up the Situation
If you are in a combat situation, find a place where you can conceal yourself from the enemy. Remember, security takes priority. Use your senses of hearing, smell, and sight to get a feel for the battlefield. What is the enemy doing? Advancing? Holding in place? Retreating? You will have to consider what is developing on the battlefield when you make your survival plan.
Size Up Your Surroundings
Determine the pattern of the area. Get a feel for what is going on around you. Every environment, whether forest, jungle, or desert, has a rhythm or pattern. This rhythm or pattern includes animal and bird noises and movements and insect sounds. It may also include enemy traffic and civilian movements.
Size Up Your Physical Condition
The pressure of the battle you were in or the trauma of being in a survival situation may have caused you to overlook wounds you received. Check your wounds and give yourself first aid. Take care to prevent further bodily harm. For instance, in any climate, drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. If you are in a cold or wet climate, put on additional clothing to prevent hypothermia.
Size Up Your Equipment
Perhaps in the heat of battle, you lost or damaged some of your equipment. Check to see what equipment you have and what condition it is in.
Now that you have sized up your situation, surroundings, physical condition, and equipment, you are ready to make your survival plan. In doing so, keep in mind your basic physical needs--water, food, and shelter.
U -Use All Your Senses, Undue Haste Makes Waste
You may make a wrong move when you react quickly without thinking or planning. That move may result in your capture or death. Don't move just for the sake of taking action. Consider all aspects of your situation (size up your situation) before you make a decision and a move. If you act in haste, you may forget or lose some of your equipment. In your haste you may also become disoriented so that you don't know which way to go. Plan your moves. Be ready to move out quickly without endangering yourself if the enemy is near you. Use all your senses to evaluate the situation. Note sounds and smells. Be sensitive to temperature changes. Be observant.
R -Remember Where You Are
Spot your location on your map and relate it to the surrounding terrain. This is a basic principle that you must always follow. If there are other persons with you, make sure they also know their location. Always know who in your group, vehicle, or aircraft has a map and compass. If that person is killed, you will have to get the map and compass from him. Pay close attention to where you are and to where you are going. Do not rely on others in the group to keep track of the route. Constantly orient yourself. Always try to determine, as a minimum, how your location relates to--
- The location of enemy units and controlled areas.
- The location of friendly units and controlled areas.
- The location of local water sources (especially important in the desert).
- Areas that will provide good cover and concealment.
This information will allow you to make intelligent decisions when you are in a survival and evasion situation.
V -Vanquish Fear and Panic
The greatest enemies in a combat survival and evasion situation are fear and panic. If uncontrolled, they can destroy your ability to make an intelligent decision. They may cause you to react to your feelings and imagination rather than to your situation. They can drain your energy and thereby cause other negative emotions. Previous survival and evasion training and self-confidence will enable you to vanquish fear and panic.
I -Improvise
In the United States, we have items available for all our needs. Many of these items are cheap to replace when damaged. Our easy come, easy go, easy-to-replace culture makes it unnecessary for us to improvise. This inexperience in improvisation can be an enemy in a survival situation. Learn to improvise. Take a tool designed for a specific purpose and see how many other uses you can make of it.
Learn to use natural objects around you for different needs. An example is using a rock for a hammer. No matter how complete a survival kit you have with you, it will run out or wear out after a while. Your imagination must take over when your kit wears out.
V -Value Living
All of us were born kicking and fighting to live, but we have become used to the soft life. We have become creatures of comfort. We dislike inconveniences and discomforts. What happens when we are faced with a survival situation with its stresses, inconveniences, and discomforts? This is when the will to live- placing a high value on living-is vital. The experience and knowledge you have gained through life and your Army training will have a bearing on your will to live. Stubbornness, a refusal to give in to problems and obstacles that face you, will give you the mental and physical strength to endure.
A -Act Like the Natives
The natives and animals of a region have adapted to their environment. To get a feel of the area, watch how the people go about their daily routine. When and what do they eat? When, where, and how do they get their food? When and where do they go for water? What time do they usually go to bed and get up? These actions are important to you when you are trying to avoid capture.
Animal life in the area can also give you clues on how to survive. Animals also require food, water, and shelter. By watching them, you can find sources of water and food.
WARNING
Animals cannot serve as an absolute guide to what you can eat and drink. Many animals eat plants that are toxic to humans.
Keep in mind that the reaction of animals can reveal your presence to the enemy.
If in a friendly area, one way you can gain rapport with the natives is to show interest in their tools and how they get food and water. By studying the people, you learn to respect them, you often make valuable friends, and, most important, you learn how to adapt to their environment and increase your chances of survival.
L -Live by Your Wits, But for Now, Learn Basic Skills
Without training in basic skills for surviving and evading on the battlefield, your chances of living through a combat survival and evasion situation are slight.
Learn these basic skills now--not when you are headed for or are in the battle. How you decide to equip yourself before deployment will impact on whether or not you survive. You need to know about the environment to which you are going, and you must practice basic skills geared to that environment. For instance, if you are going to a desert, you need to know how to get water in the desert.
Practice basic survival skills during all training programs and exercises. Survival training reduces fear of the unknown and gives you self-confidence. It teaches you to live by your wits.
PATTERN FOR SURVIVAL
Develop a survival pattern that lets you beat the enemies of survival. This survival pattern must include food, water, shelter, fire, first aid, and signals placed in order of importance. For example, in a cold environment, you would need a fire to get warm; a shelter to protect you from the cold, wind, and rain or snow; traps or snares to get food; a means to signal friendly aircraft; and first aid to maintain health. If injured, first aid has top priority no matter what climate you are in.
Change your survival pattern to meet your immediate physical needs as the environment changes.
As you read the rest of this manual, keep in mind the keyword SURVIVAL and the need for a survival pattern.
CHAPTER 2 - PSYCHOLOGY OF SURVIVAL
It takes much more than the knowledge and skills to build shelters, get food, make fires, and travel without the aid of standard navigational devices to live successfully through a survival situation. Some people with little or no survival training have managed to survive life-threatening circumstances. Some people with survival training have not used their skills and died. A key ingredient in any survival situation is the mental attitude of the individual(s) involved. Having survival skills is important; having the will to survive is essential. Without a desk to survive, acquired skills serve little purpose and invaluable knowledge goes to waste.