Extraction signaling

[Vucijak]

Hi all

I saw on some of LRRP units in Vietnam funny pink/orange pieces of cloth. Apparently they were used for signaling to helicopter crews.

Can please somebody tell me a bit more about that funny colored cloth like who is using it, whats the purpose, what do the colors mean?

Cheers

VU

[flanker7]

I think they are called VS-17 pannels

Like this: http://www.bestglide.com/product_images/Signal_Panel_Marker_2.jpg

[Hauser]

Here's a diagram showing the differnt signals that can be made with one of these:
http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/9425/fig198ea4.gif (http://imageshack.us)

I've also seen photos of these pegged to the ground, or tied to the top of tanks to identify friendly poisitions from the air.

[Vucijak]

thanks Hauser. I didn't know that this kind of signaling also exists.

However, I doubt that this is the purpose of VS-17 panels. I mean, I doubt that they can be folded in such way to reflect all those signals. They are more lengthy.

I assume they are just two signal options with VS-17 panels (each signal for each color).

Does anybody know more?

[digrar]

Often you would have a piece of the panel sewn into your bush hat and would use it as a recognition signal for the helo pilots. So instead of verifying a smoke colour, you would do it with your panel colour.

[zonk]

i never knew that the vs17 panels had a diagram of symbols it could do. i am going to have to print that out for our soldiers

[Vucijak]

I found a very interesting link

http://www.ez-info.com/VS-21.html#vs21

[Vucijak]

i never knew that the vs17 panels had a diagram of symbols it could do. i am going to have to print that out for our soldiers

I think Hauser's info is awesome but it does not refer to VS17 panel. As I said, they are lengthy and as such don't allow lot of those signals to be composed. There must be some other sort of signal panel for Hauser's signs.

[Hauser]

I think you can popper 4 VS-17 panels together to make a square. They were apparently also sometimes used to mark the entrance/exit of a cleared lane in a minefield, and CSAR routes and approaches. However, there ended up being so many of these laying about that it was not clear what they were for.

[Hollis]

Problem with I & I especially small teams, is to come and go without notice. When you have a reasonably secured LZ, popping a smoke is used, one reason the enemy knows it is there, but can not make the LZ too hot.

Recon, would insert by hanging from ropes, as the chopper pass the insertion spot they would fall off. Chopper's landing make a big dust cloud, which would single the enemy of "Something to look into".

Extraction is similar to get out without letting the enemy know your leaving. A smoke pretty much says, "Here I am". Generally with larger units, the enemy already has caught on to their presence, stealth is not as important as a small would need. So a alternate signal system was devised. The "Dust off" usually on leaving doesn't matter, the team is gone by the time the enemy can respond or investigate.


Larger units are out their to S&D/fight, small units are mostly for intel gathering or something special. For them a fight is to be avoided.

[Beowulf]

http://www.highspeedsat.com/images/satellite-phone/iridium/motorola-9505/9505-iridium-satellite-phone.jpg

[Beer Monster]

http://www.highspeedsat.com/images/satellite-phone/iridium/motorola-9505/9505-iridium-satellite-phone.jpg

Nice. I was going to go with

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c62/beer_monster/kiss-me_team-america20small.gif

But I think yours is more effective p-):)!

[Hollis]

Nice. I was going to go with

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c62/beer_monster/kiss-me_team-america20small.gif

But I think yours is more effective p-):)!


I like yours better, it seems to show the need for a extraction, or he just realized the driver is blind and does not see the cliff ahead.

[Tommy K]

Hi all

I saw on some of LRRP units in Vietnam funny pink/orange pieces of cloth. Apparently they were used for signaling to helicopter crews.

Can please somebody tell me a bit more about that funny colored cloth like who is using it, whats the purpose, what do the colors mean?

Cheers

VU

This photo shows an Australian Army 'ground to air' signaling pack with the two coloured plastic sheets. I believe it is from the Vietnam War era.

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q121/tommykm/IMG_9897.jpg

[christopherh]

i can tell you that the british army still has and uses these we call them "pannel marker " and are normally used for marking a static vehicle ie a veh that is static marking an entrance to a lane through a minefield. or for making an emergency hls. i actually have one of the pannels different colour on each side in my webbing along with my fire fly light.

[RAPACE]

there are similar systems in french army :PN2A (military code) for vehicule and EBI (individual identification system)for trooper for CAS, the 2° REP test it actually.