Most of our minor tactics are marginal to poor. He mentions in there that the lead element often got pinned down and could do nothing. Our doctrine says that the lead element 'returns fire, suppresses enemy fire and develops the situation.' I saw that done repeatedly in Korea -- and I saw that it flat did not work.

I always told folks that the job of the lead element coming under fire -- when they almost certainly were going to be out gunned and have little idea where the opposition was -- was too get under cover and simply stay alive and that the next element in line was to lay down heavy suppressive fire to help the lead element get out or just survive. The third element would do any maneuvering required.

One up and two back -- three back is better -- has always been the way to go.