Use of Grappling Hook. A suitable grappling hook and rope are selected to meet the need

Section IV Entry Techniques

14. Use of Grappling Hook. A suitable grappling hook and rope are selected to meet the need

The grappling hook should be sturdy, portable, easily thrown, and equipped with hooks that can hold inside a window. The scaling rope should be 5/8 of an inch to 1 inch in diameter and long enough to reach the objective window. Knots are tied in the rope at 1-foot intervals to make climbing and holding easier. Marines should follow the procedures outlined below.

a. When throwing the grappling hook, the Marine should stand as close to the building as possible (Figure A-21). If the Marine stands close to the building, he is less exposed to enemy fires and he does not have to throw the hook as far.

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Figure A-19. Using Ladders To Get to Upper Levels

Figure A-20. Getting Lumber From Inside the Walls

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Figure A-21. Grappling Hook Thrown at Close Range

b. Making sure there is enough rope to reach the target, the Marine should hold the hook and a few coils of rope in the throwing hand. The remainder of the rope, in loose coils, should be in the other hand. The rope should be allowed to play out freely. The throw should be a gentle, even, upward lob of the hook, with the other hand releasing the rope as it plays out.

c. Once the grappling hook is inside the window (or on the roof), the Marine should pull on the rope to obtain a good hold before beginning to climb. When using a window, the hook should be pulled to one corner to ensure a good “bite” and to reduce the Marine’s exposure to lower windows during the climb.

d. The use of grappling hooks is the least preferred method for gaining entry to upper levels of buildings. Grappling hooks should be used only as a last resort and away from potential enemy positions. This method may potentially be used on adjacent buildings that offer concealed locations and a roof that connects to enemy positions.

15. Scaling Walls. When forced to scale a wall during exposure to enemy fire, all available means of concealment should be used. Smoke and diversionary measures improve the chances of a successful exposed movement. When using smoke for concealment, Marines should plan for wind direction. They should use fire, shouts, and fake movement to distract the enemy.

a. A Marine scaling an outside wall is vulnerable to enemy sniper fire. Marines moving from building to building and climbing buildings should be covered with friendly fire. Areas

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between buildings offer good fields of fire to the enemy. Properly positioned friendly weapons can suppress and eliminate enemy fire. The M203 grenade launcher is effective in clearing the enemy from rooms inside buildings (Figure A-22).

Figure A-22. Employment of the M203 Grenade Launcher

b. A Marine scaling a wall with a rope should avoid silhouetting himself in windows of uncleared rooms or exposing himself to enemy fires from lower windows. He should climb with his weapon slung over the firing shoulder so that he may quickly bring it to a firing position. He should clear the lower room with a hand grenade before going outside the window. Before doing this, the Marine first loosens the safety pin so that he needs only one hand to throw the grenade. The objective upper story window should not be entered before a hand grenade has been thrown in.

c. The Marine enters the objective window with a low silhouette (Figure A-23). Entry can be head first; however, a preferred method is to hook a leg over the windowsill and enter sideways, straddling the ledge.

16. Rappelling. Rappelling (Figure A-24) is an entry technique that Marines can use to descend from the rooftop of a tall building into a window. (See Army manual TC 21-24 for more information on rappelling.)

17. Entry at Lower Levels. Buildings should be cleared from the top down. However, it may be impossible to enter a building at the top; therefore, entry at the bottom or lower level may be the only course of action. When entering a building at the lower level, Marines avoid entry through windows and doors because both can be easily boobytrapped and are usually covered by enemy fire.

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Figure A-23. Entering the Objective Window

Figure A-24. Rappelling

a. Ideally, when entering at lower levels, demolitions, artillery, tank fire, antiarmor weapons fire, or similar means are used to create a new entrance to avoid boobytraps. Quick entry is required to follow through on the effects of the blast and concussion.

b. When the only entry to a building is through a window or door, supporting fire should be directed at that location. (Specific lower level entry techniques are shown in Figure A-25.) If no supporting fire is available, AT4s can be employed instead.

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c. Before entering, Marines throw a hand grenade into the new entrance to reinforce the effects of the original blast. When making a new entrance in a building, they consider the effects of the blast on the building and adjacent buildings. If there is the possibility of a fire in an adjacent building, Marines coordinate with adjacent units and obtain permission before starting the operation. In wooden-framed buildings, the blast may cause the building to collapse. In stone, brick, or cement buildings, supporting fires are aimed at the corner of the building or at weak points in the building construction.

Figure A-25. Lower Level Entry Techniques

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Figure A-25. Lower Level Entry Techniques (Continued)

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18. Hand Grenades. Combat in built-up areas (mainly during the attack) requires extensive use of hand grenades. The Marine should throw a grenade before entering rooms or negotiating staircases, mouseholes, and so on. This usually requires the use of both hands and employs both the overhand and underhand methods of throwing.

a. Two techniques may be used in the throwing of a grenade. The preferred technique involves throwing the grenade hard enough that it bounces or skips around, making it difficult to pick up. The hard-throw, skip/bounce technique may be used by Marines in training and combat. The least preferred technique, which involves cooking-off the grenade for two seconds then throwing it to prevent the enemy from grabbing the grenade and tossing it back, may be used by Marines, as appropriate, during actual combat but not in training.

b. Nonverbal or verbal alerts are used, as appropriate, before throwing a grenade. A visual showing (preferred) of the grenade to be thrown is made to assault element members, and a visual acknowledgment from them is received. A nonverbal alert may ensure that the enemy is surprised when the grenade is thrown. If the situation demands, a voice alert can be used, but the element of surprise may be lost. When or if a voice alert is used, the voice alert is “FRAG OUT;” when an enemy grenade has been identified, friendly forces shout, “GRENADE.”

c. The construction material used in the building being cleared influences the use of grenades. In some situations, concussion grenades may be preferred over fragmentary grenades during offensive operations or when defending from hasty defensive positions. If the walls of a building are made of thin material, such as sheetrock or thin plyboard, the Marine should either lie flat on the floor with his helmet pointing toward the area of detonation or move away from any wall that might be penetrated by grenade fragments.

d. Marines should throw grenades into an opening before entering a building to eliminate any enemy that might be near the entrance (Figure A-26). Using the M203 grenade launcher is the best method for putting a grenade in an upper story window.

e. When a hand grenade must be used, the Marine throwing the grenade should stand close to the building, using it for cover. At the same time, the individual and the rest of the element should have a planned area to which they can move for safety if the grenade does not go through the window, but falls back to the ground.

f. The Marine throwing the grenade should step out far enough to lob the grenade into the upper story opening. The Marine’s weapon should be kept in the nonthrowing hand so that it can be used if needed. The weapon should never be laid down outside or inside the building.

Once the grenade has been thrown into the opening, assaulting forces should move swiftly to enter the building. This technique should be employed only when the window has already been broken. Otherwise, the chances are high that the thrown grenade will bounce off of the window and fall back onto the ground without going into the room.

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Figure A-26. Hand Grenade Thrown Through Window WARNING

After throwing the grenade, the Marine should immediately announce, “FRAG OUT,” to indicate that a grenade has been thrown. He then takes cover because the grenade may bounce back or be thrown back, or the enemy may fire at him.

g. If Marines must enter the building by using the stairs, they first look for boobytraps. Then they throw a grenade through the stairwell door, let it detonate, and move quickly inside.

They can use the staircase for cover.

h. The best way to enter a building is to breach the exterior wall. Again, a grenade should be thrown through the hole while using all available cover, such as the lower corner of the building (Figure A-27).

i. Another way to enter a room is to blast mouseholes with demolitions. In moving from room to room through mouseholes, Marines should use grenades to clear the room as they do in moving through open doorways.

j. Although buildings are best cleared from the top down, this is not always possible. While clearing the bottom floor of a building, Marines may encounter stairs that must also be cleared. Once again, grenades play an important role. Before climbing the stairs from the bottom floor, Marines should first inspect for boobytraps then toss a grenade to the head of the stairs, if appropriate (Figure A-28). The use of a grenade in these situations is based on stair/building construction and building layout. Throwing grenades up staircases is extremely

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dangerous, and extreme caution and common sense should be used. In most situations, throwing a grenade up a staircase is not recommended. (Again, the grenade is being used in the initial building entry or clearing of the bottom floor of a building having a staircase.) If a grenade is thrown too hard or the staircase is too steep, the grenade can roll back down the staircase. For this reason, if a grenade is thrown, it should be thrown underhand to reduce the risk of it bouncing back and rolling down the stairs. A nonverbal or, as appropriate, voice alert is used when throwing the grenade. Once the first grenade has detonated, another grenade should be thrown over and behind the staircase banister and into the hallway, destroying any enemy hiding to the rear.

Figure A-27. Entering Through a Breached Hole

Figure A-28. Tossing a Grenade Up a Stairway

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k. After the stairs have been cleared, assaulting forces move to the top floor and clear it.

Upon clearing the top floor, forces move downstairs to clear the center and bottom floors and to continue with the mission.

Note: Because large quantities of hand grenades are used when clearing buildings, a continuous supply must be available to forces having this mission within a built-up area.

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