How to Clear a House (Vietnam, 1968)

h. The assault party is divided into 2 groups, the searching party and the covering party. The covering party protects and aids the advance of the searching party. The searching party provides covering fires and protection for the covering party as it displaces. The searching party enters and clears all buildings that the unit is responsible for clearing.

i. Prior to entering buildings or rooms of buildings, which are believed to contain enemy, a grenade is thrown in a window or door or some other opening in the building.

j. A searching team is normally composed of at least two riflemen. At times it is either necessary or desirable to create openings in walls to permit movement from one room to another or from one building to another. These openings may be created by use of handtools, explosives, or weapons.

k. Entry from the roof top is the most desirable method, and whenever possible a building is cleared from the top floor down. Access to the roof may be gained by use of ladders, helicopters, roofs of adjoining buildings, ropes, and grappling hooks. In the event that the building cannot be entered at the top, it should be entered at the highest level possible. In this case, the floor entered is cleared first, then the searching party moves to the top floor and clears the building from the top down. Special care must be taken when the building is entered at the ground level, since doors and windows are likely to be booby trapped or covered by enemy fire. After the ground floor has been cleared, the searching party moves to the top and clears down. In clearing rooms of buildings, shooting through the floors and walls before entering adjacent rooms is recommended. Searchers must stay alert.

Source: Report of the Seminar on Tactics and Techniques for Fighting in Built-up Areas, HQ, II Field Force Vietnam, June 3, 1968, p. vi.