FM 21-76

[Martyn]

Just got a copy of this...

FM 21-76 "department of the (US) army field manual" SURVIVAL - printed in 1970, first printed 1956.

Man what a great little book. A much better read than it's rather drab exterior implies. Full of drawings, tips, techniques etc. Excellent. Bit dated, but good stuff nonetheless.

 

[Hoodoo]

And often copied and repackaged as some "expert's" latest and greatest survival book. It's easy to spot when you see some of the misinformation repeated. The solar still is a good example.

 

[Stew]

I have a copy of this on cd, but the 1992 (I think) version. It's a whopping 48.8mb!!

 

[Adi007]

Here's a link to it if anyone is interested:

http://www.equipped.com/fm21-76.htm

 

[Martyn]

Yeah, I'd seen it mentioned many, many time and curiosity just got the better of me. I'm glad it did, it's a cracking good little handbook. The drawings of wild plants and their edible parts are great, though I'm not sure how many varieties can be found native to the UK. It's got sections for all sorts of climates, tips & diagrams on making all sorts of wierd and wonderful things. I was fascinated by the sections about smoking and curing of different meats using various "in the field" construction. Good advice for dressing and skinning game and even large mammals. Really very good. Even though it's dated, some stuff just doesnt change. Well worth it.

Available from Amazon.co.uk and silvermans.

 

[Martyn]

Here's a link to it if anyone is interested:

http://www.equipped.com/fm21-76.htm

Dunno why, but that's different to the one I have. My guess is that's been made from either an older, or newer version of the manual - not sure which.

 

[larry the spark]

Try this one, it might be the one you have Martin.

http://www.equipped.com/multiservice_ser_manual_1999.pdf

I think if memory serves me correctly the older version has more drawings, diagrams etc.

 

[Adi007]

Like most things military it has many versions/revisions. I find that the older one is the better.

 

[sargey]

you can get both older and newer versions over at ETS.

a quick tip if you decide to print one off, hit the "two pages to a page" button on print properties. saves a load of paper, and you can knock up a tidy little A5 size book to go in a ruck. otherwise you end up with a hundred plus A4 sheets, with a 2 inch margin all round the A5 page in the middle.

cheers, and.

 

[Martyn]

Try this one, it might be the one you have Martin.

http://www.equipped.com/multiservice_ser_manual_1999.pdf

I think if memory serves me correctly the older version has more drawings, diagrams etc.

No definitely a lot older than that. I think I might have a version which predates both the above (in fact mine says "October 1970" on the spine). The cover is exactly as in my first post, there are 285 pages, with illustrations and diagrams on most of em. That last one was more like condensed bullet points, whereas the one I have reads more like a book. Though all that navigational stuff looks good. It might be worth printing off just for that.

 

[sargey]

october 1970? same as mine then. i never got round to giving it a proper read...

in all fairness one or other of the newer ones are designed to be stored in kits and survival vests, so need to be pretty compact. if you want a kit book, the collins gem version of lofty's sas bookis probably a better bet.

cheers, and.

 

[Viking]

The best survival book there is The swedish Army Survival Handbook. It´s free to download, the bad thing it´s all in swedish =(

http://www.fmuhc.mil.se/fmpub/pubdok/h_overlevnad.pdf

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

yup i fell for the 100 pages of A4!

if only i'd realised :roll:

i too have the october 1970 version (from download) and strangely enough i have had it around a year and i haven't read it yet either!

:shock:

prehaps it just reminds me of all that paper and ink?

there is some useful stuff in there, as with all military manuals some is inapropriate for civilians like: evasion, and lifeboats.

if nothing else it's nice to be able to compare ideas and pictures with other "survival" books i have.

:roll: soooo much paper...

 

[Martyn]

there is some useful stuff in there, as with all military manuals some is inapropriate for civilians like: evasion, and lifeboats.

My print version has had all the E&E stuff taken out - rather, it was printed without it - the letter E is even absent from the index. I wonder why? 1970's E&E techniques cant be *that* secret.

 

[sargey]

there is some useful stuff in there, as with all military manuals some is inapropriate for civilians like: evasion, and lifeboats.

the guy who escaped from being held hostage by south american rebels recently, might've benefited from the E&E tips. though he did ok without.

survivors of that black sea? ferry crash who succumbed to hypothermia during the night might've benefited from knowing how to turn their raft up the right way.

granted "bushcraft" it ain't. :-? i don't think it's inappropriate. but it is perhaps of less of an immediate concern.

cheers, and.

 

[Mikey P]

For an even more comprehensive read than the FM 21-76 (Army), try AF Regulation 64-4 - the USAF version (ISBN 1-58663-722-3). This is a stonking 600 pages and I picked mine up for about 10 dollars in the US. It's more comprehensive than the US Army manual and goes into more detail.

Does anyone know if UK forces have a similar manual? The only thing I have found is the JSP 374 Airrcrew Survival Flip Card, which is really a set of emergency drills. God, I'm a geek....

On the subject of E&E missing from the later versions of the FM 21-76, it's not that these techniques are 'secret', but more likely that E&E procedure and combat search and rescue have altered somewhat since the 70s. Whilst some of the techniques may remain the same/similar for many years, the classified stuff tends to be actual operational procedure and use of CSAR equipment and locator beacons. If these procedures were widely known, it would be easier for hostile forces to pinpoint and capture downed aircrew, etc. Therefore, it is right that these are never published/demonstrated to a wider audience.

 

[sargey]

is it this one?

cheers, and.

 

[Bug Boy]

If you get time, take a look at this site

http://www.wilderness-survival.net

It is based on the manual and it has a fun quiz

BB

 

[Tumper]

I remember buying a copy of paladin press's 'SAS-Escape and evasion' as a young teenager. At that time, I was more taken with the 'Rambo' culture of it all. Thinking back, it actually had some very good info. Lots on shelter building, medicine and first aid, navigation, and of course the infamous line " young puppies provide better meat than older sinewy dogs. The fat content of pups keeps the meat tender". The POW story of surgical removal of piles with a sharpened boot shank was also a good read :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[Exploriment]

This is an online version that wasn't posted here. Not 100% certain what the difference is betweenit and the ones that were posted, but have a look:

http://www.rmsg.us/FM/toc.htm