Watermanship Page: 136
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is provided as described in paragraph 64. The best pro-
tection is gained by getting out of the water onto a float-
ing object.
c. Landing. (1) When the landing craft reaches a
point 15 to 20 yards off the beach, the boat-team com-
mander warns his men that the boat is about to hit, so
that they can brace themselves against the shock of land-
ing. Debarkation begins as soon as the boat is beached
and the ramp lowered, d below. However, extreme pre-
caution must be taken to avoid a premature lowering of
the ramp. There is danger of such a mistake if the boat
slides over a sand bar, giving the impression that the
landing craft has been beached though actually it is
some distance from dry ground.
(2) If it becomes necessary to take to the water near
shore but in water too deep to get a footing, certain
precautions must be observed. The infantry pack is
relatively buoyant but additional ammunition, the rifle,
and the helmet may quickly fatigue even a strong swim-
mer. Before leaving the boat, equipment is checked for
ease of discarding-the cartridge belt is unhooked and
rifle is slung diagonally across the back. Also the helmet
chin strap is securely fastened under the chin, not on the
point of the chin. When entering the water, one must
prevent the helmet from snapping his chin upward. This
is done either by clapping the helmet on the head (fig.
71) or by pulling down on the chin strap (fig. 71) while
entering the water.
d. Debarkation. (1) On dry beach. (a) To escape
the great volume of hostile fire that must be expected,
rapid debarkation from the landing craft to the beach is
essential. Each man disembarks straight over the front
corners of the ramp.
(b) When the landing craft is beached, the coxswain
keeps the engines running ahead and the propellers en-
gaged to keep the boat headed onto the beach and pre-
vent it from turning sideways. This sometimes causes
sudden forward movement of the boat without warning
as, for example, when a minor obstruction gives way
allowing the boat to lurch forward. If a man is caught136
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United States. War Department. Watermanship, book, April 25, 1944; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc96650/m1/142/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.