Post by 2nd Bat on Dec 28, 2005 1:20:44 GMT -5
An often missunderstood tactic is the use of passwords. As you've no doubt seen in countless movies they consist of a challenge word and a counter sign. Example "Apple" (Challenge) "Cobler" is the required response. What you may not know is they were never used near the main line of resistance or forward of the line of departure on a patrol. They were strictly for sentries and check points behind your main line. They were typically changed every 24 hours.
For forward security a unit might employ a "running password" or running challenge number. A running password would be a phrase or word that would be repeated as an element was moving near another friendly element. EXAMPLE: "ranger, ranger, ranger." They tried to pick words that would be hard for the enemy to say: in the pacific: Lolipop,lolipop lolipop. In the ETO "toothache, toothache, toothache." A challenge number would usually be formulated for a patrol element operating in close proximity to the enemy. (Especially at night.) An example would be "5" If five were the number the challenge would be any number less then five. The response would then have to be the additive number that would total five. If you challenged with the "Two" the response would be "Three" If you challenged with "Four" the response would be "One" and so on. For even a small number like Five there are a multitude of combinations. The beauty of this is that an enemy listening in isn't likely to be able to decipher this code quickly and come up with the appropriate response. More tactics to follow....
For forward security a unit might employ a "running password" or running challenge number. A running password would be a phrase or word that would be repeated as an element was moving near another friendly element. EXAMPLE: "ranger, ranger, ranger." They tried to pick words that would be hard for the enemy to say: in the pacific: Lolipop,lolipop lolipop. In the ETO "toothache, toothache, toothache." A challenge number would usually be formulated for a patrol element operating in close proximity to the enemy. (Especially at night.) An example would be "5" If five were the number the challenge would be any number less then five. The response would then have to be the additive number that would total five. If you challenged with the "Two" the response would be "Three" If you challenged with "Four" the response would be "One" and so on. For even a small number like Five there are a multitude of combinations. The beauty of this is that an enemy listening in isn't likely to be able to decipher this code quickly and come up with the appropriate response. More tactics to follow....