Table Of ContentA new edition, thoroughly
revised and updated by military
survival expert SFC Matt Larsen
As a soldier, you can be sent anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice.
Whether in a temperate, tropical, arctic, or subarctic region, you might fi nd
yourself alone in a remote area with little or no personal gear. This new edition
of the classiUc. S. Army Survival Handbook provides the information you need
to survive. Widely recognized as the fi nest single source on the subject, it is
standard issue for U.S. Special Operations Forces and pilots, and has been
used by foreign militaries the world over. An essential resource not just for sol-
diers but also for all outdoorspeople—campers, hunters, hikers, and anglers—
this comprehensive volume contains a wealth of detailed illustrations. It covers
a breadth of topics, including:
★ The will to survive ★ Building fi res
★ Survival planning ★ Water crossings
★ Survival medicine ★ Direction fi nding
★ Making weapons and tools★ Signaling
★ Finding water ★ Desert, tropical, arctic, and
★ Wild plants for food subarctic survival
★ Wildlife for food ★ Sea survival
★ Making shelters ★ Poisonous snakes and insects
Sergeant First Class Matt Larsen is a longtime trainer in survival and fi ghting
techniques for the Army Rangers. A graduate of the multi-service SERE (Sur-
vival, Evasion, Rescue, and Escape) training program and of Jungle Survival
Training in the Philippines and Okinawa, he served in the 75th Ranger
Regiment for over twelve years, parachuting into Panama during the 1989 U.S.
invasion and participating in the Gulf War. Sergeant Larsen resides in Colum-
bus, Georgia.
Cover design by Jane Sheppard
$16.95 US / $18.95 CAN Cover image © Shutterstock
ISBN: 978-1-59921-451-1
THE LYONS PRESS LARSEN
Guilford, Connecticut REVISED AND UPDATED BY
www.LyonsPress.com
The Lyons Press is an imprint of SERGEANT FIRST CLASS MATT LARSEN
The Globe Pequot Press
THE
LYONS PRESS
U.S. ARMY SURVIVAL HANDBOOK
EAN
U.S. ARMY
SURVIVAL
HANDBOOK
revised
US Army Survival Final.indd i 10/30/08 8:32:38 AM
US Army Survival Final.indd i 10/30/08 8:32:38 AM
U.S. ARMY
SURVIVAL
HANDBOOK
revised
Department of The Army
REVISED AND UPDATED BY
SERGEANT FIRST CLASS MATT LARSEN
THE LYONS PRESS
Guilford, Connecticut
An imprint of The Globe Pequot Press
★ iii
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Copyright © 2009 by Morris Book Publishing, LLC
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval
system, except as may be expressly permitted in writing from the publisher.
Requests for permission should be addressed to The Globe Pequot Press,
Attn: Rights and Permissions Department, P.O. Box 480, Guilford, CT
06437.
The Lyons Press is an imprint of The Globe Pequot Press.
Text designed by Elizabeth Kingsbury.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on f le.
ISBN 978-1-59921-451-1
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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CONTENTS
Chapter 1 • Introduction 1
Survival Actions 1
Pattern for Survival 5
Chapter 2 • Psychology of Survival 7
A Look at Stress 8
Natural Reactions 11
Preparing Yourself 15
Chapter 3 • Survival Planning and Survival Kits 18
Importance of Planning 18
Dedicated Survival Kits 20
Chapter 4 • Basic Survival Medicine 22
Requirements for Maintenance of Health 22
Medical Emergencies 29
Lifesaving Steps 30
Bone and Joint Injury 38
Bites and Stings 42
Wounds 48
Environmental Injuries 53
Herbal Medicines 55
Chapter 5 • Shelters 57
Primary Shelter—Your Uniform 57
Types of Shelters 59
Chapter 6 • Water Procurement 79
Water Sources 79
Still Construction 87
Water Purif cation 91
Water Filtration Devices 93
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Chapter 7 • Firecraft 94
Basic Fire Principles 94
Site Selection and Preparation 95
Fire Material Selection 98
How to Build a Fire 98
How to Light a Fire 100
How to Hide a Fire 104
Chapter 8 • Food Procurement 107
Animals for Food 107
Traps and Snares 116
Killing Devices 131
Fishing Devices 133
Preparation of Fish and Game for Cooking and Storage 142
Chapter 9 • Survival Use of Plants 149
Edibility of Plants 150
Plants for Medicine 161
Chapter 10 • Poisonous Plants 165
How Plants Poison 165
All About Plants 166
Rules for Avoiding Poisonous Plants 167
Contact Dermatitis 167
Ingestion Poisoning 168
Chapter 11 • Dangerous Animals 170
Insects and Arachnids 171
Leches 173
Bats 174
Poisonous Snakes 174
Dangerous Lizards 177
Dangers in Rivers 178
Dangers in Bays and Estuaries 179
Saltwater Dangers 180
vi ★ CONTENTS
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Chapter 12 • Field-Expedient Weapons, Tools,
and Equipment 184
Weapons 184
Types of Weapons 185
Bludgeoning Weapoms 185
Thrusting Weapons 186
Close Contact Weapons 189
Projectile Weapons 192
Tools and Equipment 195
Lashing and Cordage 195
Rucksack Construction 197
Clothing and Insulation 198
Cooking and Eating Utensils 199
Chapter 13 • Desert Survival 202
Terain 202
Environmental Factors 204
Need for Water 209
Heat Casualties 210
Precautions 212
Desert Hazards 213
Chapter 14 • Tropical Survival 214
Tropical Weather 214
Jungle Types 215
Travel Through Jungle Areas 219
Immediate Considerations 220
Water Procurement 220
Fod 2
Poisonous Plants 224
Chapter 15 • Cold Weather Survival 225
Cold Regions and Locations 225
Windchil 26
Basic Principles of Cold Weather Survival 228
Hygiene 230
Medical Aspects 231
CONTENTS ★ vii
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Cold Injuries 231
Shelters 237
Fire 241
Water 245
Fod 246
Travel 250
Weather Signs 251
Chapter 16 • Sea Survival 253
The Open Sea 253
Seashores 287
Chapter 17 • Expedient Water Crossings 291
Rivers and Streams 291
Rapids 292
Rafts 294
Flotation Devices 300
Other Water Obstacles 302
Vegetation Obstacles 303
Chapter 18 • Field-Expedient Direction Finding 304
Using the Sun and Shadows 304
Using the Moon 308
Using the Stars 308
Making Improvised Compasses 310
Other Means of Determining Direction 311
Chapter 19 • Signaling Techniques 313
Aplication 313
Means for Signaling 313
Codes and Signals 314
Aircraft Vectoring Procedures 322
Chapter 20 • Survival Movement in Hostile Areas 328
Phases of Planning 328
Execution 31
viii ★ CONTENTS
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Return to Friendly Control 336
Countertracking 39
Chapter 21 • Camouflage 341
Personal Camouf age 341
Methods of Stalking 345
Chapter 22 • Contact With People 347
Contact With Local People 347
The Survivor’s Behavior 348
Changes to Political Allegiance 350
Chapter 23 • Survival in Man-Made Hazards 351
The Nuclear Environment 351
Biological Environments 366
Chemical Environments 372
Index 375
CONTENTS ★ ix
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