FORDING AND SWIMMING OPERATIONS

APPENDIX E FORDING AND SWIMMING OPERATIONS Section I. FORDING WITH THE APC E-1. GENERAL There may be occasions when platoons and squads, moving in the attack or the defense, must cross water obstacles because bridges or ferries are not available. With only minor preparation the APC can ford or swim water obstacles. These capabilities let the mechanized infantry stay on the move. This appendix explains in general terms how to ford and swim with the APC. (See TM 9-2300-257-10 for more detail.) Small water obstacles, such as streams, creeks, or ponds may have established foding sites used by local civilians. These are usually shown on military maps. As a rule, the APC can ford at these sites. However, the APC is not limited to established fording sites; it can use any place that has suitable entry and exit points. E-2. PREPARING THE APC FOR FORDING Platoons and squads should prepare their vehicles for fording before arriving at the ford site so that action is not stopped at a critical point in the operation. Preparation should be in a covered and concealed location, a short driving distance (1 kilometer or less) from the ford site. To prepare the vehicle for fording: Check hull access covers, drain covers, and drain plugs to insure that gaskets are serviceable and that covers and plugs are in place and tight. Secure ramp and ramp door. They should be firmly closed and locked. If the depth of the water is not known or is deep enough to float the vehicle, drop the trim vane. Turn on bilge pumps. Remove M8 chemical-agent alarm and mount it inside the APC. CONTENTS PAGE Section I. Fording with the APE............ E-1 II. Swimming with the APC......... E-2 III. Tactical Considerations.......... E-6 E-1

E-3. FORDING The entry and exit sites should be firm ground that is free of rocks, stumps, deep drops, and underwater obstacles. The vehicle driver should ease the carrier into the water to prevent water from rushing back from a bow wave and swamping the hatches. When the vehicle is level, the driver should drive slowly as he would on dry land. If the vehicle begins to float and loses traction, the driver should - continue to drive using the swimming procedures (explained in section II) until the vehicle regains its traction. As the vehicle nears the exit point, the driver should slow down and exit at a constant speed. E-4. AFTER FORDING To avoid congestion, the vehicle should be moved away from the exit point to its assigned area or mission. The same after-water operations checks as for swimming the APC are applicable and should be conducted as soon as the tactical situation permits. Section II. SWIMMING WITH THE APC E-5. GENERAL When platoons and squads are required to cross bodies of water that are deeper than APC fording depth, the vehicle must be prepared for swimming. There are three major steps in the swimming process preparing the vehicle, swimming the water obstacle, and restoring the vehicle to its normal fighting form. E-6. PREPARING THE VEHICLE Platoons and squads should prepare their vehicles for swimming in a covered and concealed location within a short driving distance to the swim site. The route to the swim site should be free dense underbrush that could damage the trim vane. To prepare the APC for swimming: Check the hull access covers (1) drain covers (2) and final drive recess drain plugs (3). Make sure they are all tight. Check the track shrouds to be sure they are in good condition and correctly installed. Track shrouds are needed to let the tracks drive and steer the carrier while it is in the water. Clean mud and debris from the bilge pump screens. Turn on bilge pumps to insure they work. Just before entering the water, turn bilge pumps on and leave them on until you exit the water. E-2

Make certain the power plant door is locked down tight and secure. Raise and lock the ramp. Make sure ramplocking handle goes all the way forward so the ramp is tight and secure against its seal. (See TM 9-2300-257-10 for correct procedure to check seals.) Extend and lock trim vane. Swing it forward and make certain it locks in place. Check and insure it is locked. Check and insure all persicopes are securely in place. Turn on dome lights, if not under blackout conditions. Distribute the load evenly. Movable items are tied down. This helps to maintain a well-balanced carrier with a slightly elevated front while afloat. Lopsided distribution of cargo or personnel can swamp the carrier. If the front is lower than the rear, water can ship over the carrier. E-7. SWIMMING THE WATER OBSTACLE The entry site should be firm, and free of rocks, stumps, and deep drops. The driver steers the vehicle so that it enters the water head on, not at an angle. The shift lever is in 1-range, and the vehicle moves no faster than 10 mph. Hatches should be closed initially and opened once the vehicle begins to float. If the vehicle threatens to swamp, the driver backs off if he can; if he cannot, he accelerates to raise the front and get waterborne. E-3

Once the carrier is floating, the driver shifts to 1-2 range. This range is used for all driving in water except when stopping or backing up. To cross a slow current, the driver heads straight across and lets the current carry the ve- hicle downstream until it reaches the other side. If the vehicle must exit directly across from the point of entry, the driver heads upstream and crosses at an angle. The vehicle is steered using the pivot steers or the steering and braking levers, but allowance must be made for a much slower response in the water. The driver avoids overshooting turns by releasing the lever a little before the turn is completed. The carrier will swing through and should line up properly. If the vehicle hits an underwater obstruction, the driver lets up on the accelerator and pulls back on the steering levers to stop the tracks. He then shifts to reverse and backs up. The driver does not try to go through obstacles since they could cause the carrier to roll over or get hung up. The engine is always maintained at high idle. Low idle is used only to shift and to brake. Even when in neutral (N), the idle is maintained at about 1200 revolutions per minute (rpm). Stops should be anticipated long before the stopping point is reached. The vehicle s momentum must be used. The driver lets up on the accelerator, pulls back on the steering lever, and stops the tracks. When the tracks have stopped, he shifts into reverse, releases the steering levers, and then steps on the accelerator until forward momentum has stopped. Finally the driver releases the accelerator and shifts into neutral. E-4

If swift currents cannot be avoided, the driver crosses by heading the carrier diagonally downstream. As the vehicle nears the exit bank, the driver and TL should look for firm ground with a gentle slope and free of obstacles. The driver should let up on the accelerator. This is one of the most critical points in swimming. If only one track makes contact, the vehicle can be thrown sharply off course and become swamped if the tracks are moving too fast. The driver should try to touch bottom with both tracks at the same time. When both tracks have hit the bank, he shifts into 1-range. The driver steers the vehicle slowly out of the water to avoid skidding or spinning the tracks. E-8. RESTORING THE VEHICLE TO ITS NORMAL CONFIGURATION Once the vehicle is out of the water, the driver should secure the trim vane. The TL should immediately direct the driver away from the exit site to avoid congestion, to gain dispersion, and to provide security. As the tactical situation permits, the drain plug access covers and the drain plugs should be opened to release any water left in the bilges. When water stops coming out of the bilge pumps, the pumps can be turned off. Before continuing operations, the peepholes on the road wheels, idler wheels, and roller hubs, and the final drive dipsticks, should be checked for contaminated oil. The oil is contaminated if bubbles appear in it or if it has a milky color. Contaminated oils should be replaced as soon as possible. E-9. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS FOR SWIMMING THE APC Before swimming the APC in any peacetime operation, and when possible in combat situations, the vehicle should be predipped. This check insures that the vehicle is safe and ready to swim. The vehicle is readied for swimming as explained earlier. A cable from a recovery vehicle should be attached to the APC s tow pintle. The vehicle then enters the water until afloat. Soldiers in the troop compartment should check for leaks. The TL should check to see that the bilge pumps work. If all is well, the vehicle backs out of the water. If it has movement problems, the recovery vehicle will tow it. Each APC should also be checked before swimming operations to insure that its intercom system and radio work. Personnel in the vehicle should not wear seat belts while the vehicle is swimming. The belts could hinder emergency exit if the vehicle begins to sink or does sink. Every man should wear a self-inflating CO 2 life jacket. Life vests are not issued with APCs but are on the vehicle s list of additional authorized items or provided by support elements. THE LIFE E-5

JACKET SHOULD NEVER BE INFLATED IN- SIDE THE VEHICLE. It should be inflated only when the soldier is free of the vehicle. Personnel in the vehicle should not wear load carrying equipment, packs, or pistol belts while the vehicle is swimming. Such items may snag in the vehicle as a soldier tries to get out of a sinking vehicle. Every man in the carrier must know where and how he is to leave the vehicle if it sinks. The gunner and driver leave through their respective hatches. The carrier TL and personnel in the troop compartment may get out through the cargo hatch. Section III. TACTICAL E-10. GENERAL During fording operations, the caliber.50 machine gun and small arms can be fired. The Dragon should not be fired because the vehicle must be halted while the gunner controls the missile from firing to impact. Halting could endanger the vehicle. E-11. CROSSING FORMATIONS Formations will normally be dictated by the number of usable entry and exit points When only a few points are available, the crossing may have to be in column formation. This formation is easiest to control, but the crossing requires more time to complete. When many entry and exit points are available, the unit may be able to cross on line. Although crossing on line gets the unit across the obstacle in the least time, it is difficult to control. The following emergency escape actions are to be taken if the vehicle begins to sink: The carrier TL alerts all personnel of the vehicle s sinking. Personnel begin to leave through their designated hatches as the vehicle sinks. Once free of the vehicle, they inflate their life jackets. If for any reason personnel are unable to get out through the hatches, they can go through the ramp door. They must wait though, until water fills the troop compartment equalizes the water pressure, and allows the ramp door to open. CONSIDERATIONS E-12. SMOKE While APCs are crossing water obstacles, they are vulnerable to enemy fires. This is because of their slow speed and lack of cover and concealment. Little can be done about slow speed and lack of cover, but concealment may be provided by the use of smoke delivered by the indirect fire method. (see appendix J.) E-13. SUPPRESSION Before, during, and after the crossing, every effort should be made to suppress and destroy enemy direct from weapons and forward observers who can bring indirect fire on the crossing site. Tanks, ITVs, and APCs on the near shore should be positioned where they can suppress enemy positions and weapons on the far bank. The finding and swimming APCs can also help suppress with their caliber.50 machine guns. E-6