European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 10, 1967, Darmstadt, Hesse                              Page 9 3rd Cav unit volunteers the stars and stripes sunday september 10, 1967 Black berets hit like a Hurricane by Allan k. Risdon Baum older Ger Many special while the special forces has its Green berets the 3rd army Cav regt Here has its Black  group of clerks mechanics Drivers and medics from a troop 1st so would rather fight than sit. Instead of merely perform ing their assigned army tasks they have volunteered off duty time to train in skills which is modelled after the Range companies employed by the army during the korean War. The group is also similar to today s reconnaissance teams finding effective use by Ameri can units in South Vietnam. Two men from the 1st so 3rdarmd Cav Are responsible for starting the unit s Hurricane team. They Are maj. Harold Thorn Squadron executive offi cer who Servetz As a Ranger in Korea and 1st sgt. James , who served in Vietnam. A Hurricane team May con Sist of either six or 12 Mem Bers but the usual number i six. The 1st so uses 12, or two six Man units. Each unit consists of a team chief medic radio operator Archer and two grenadiers. In addition approximately 10other men Are training with the team for the time when they May someday save their own lives or the lives of their comrades in Battle the skills of a Hurricane team. A Hurricane team is a Small highly Mobile squad of men with at least two primary roles. One Job is to participate i reconnaissance missions sneak ing into an area and maintain ing radio silence while finding the enemy observing his activities and then departing. Another role is to be lifted into a combat area by helicopter or other Means in Advance to secure vital Points such As Road junctions dams and Power plants and bold them until a main assault Force arrives. In Short the Hurricane team too May join As former Hurri Cane members leave the squad Ron. As the team is unofficial under present authorizations for Arm ored cavalry units participation and training must be voluntary and occur Only during off duty hours. Hence Smith said morale of the group s members is very High because they want to participate and there is a big de Mand by other personnel to join the team although it was just organized and began training afew months ago. Probably the most Basic an important skill the team had to learn first was rappelling or descending a Cliff on ropes. Training in this area was recently completed and the team is How concentrating on the Bow and Arrow. In rappelling Hurricane Tea members attach themselves to their supporting main ropes wit Small aluminium snap link de vices known As carabiners. The Carabiner is slipped through a Swiss Belt a rope tied around the climber s Waistband legs. This completes attach ment of the individual to the main rope which he then grasps with his right hand or left hand i left handed to control his rate of descent. Using this method and keep ing his body in an a Posi Tion the Kappeller May Wal safely and easily to the Bot Tom. With this same technique Smith led 110 Rappel missions during his tour in Vietnam. There Are a number of Neces sary skills and goals Hurricane team members Hope to learn or achieve during their continuing training program. The group should be fast an hard hitting Able to function in any weather condition Andin any terrain. Members should be skilled in making sudden aids and ambushes and be Able to Cross Rivers climb mountains and descend any Cliffs. A Hurricane team should retrained in a variety of unusual combat skills including use of the Bow and Arrow and silent and foreign weapons hand to hand combat land navigation and survival. Additional training will include the Clearing and marking of helicopter Landing zones and the use of hand and Arm signals to direct helicopter landings in such areas. Ready at left spec. 4 David a 11 s o n demonstrates How Swiss Belt is attached to rap peller s body. Above spec. 4 John Russell shows How rap peller places ropes in alumni num snap link before , spec. 5 Robert Petty is ready to descend Cliff after re pairing a simulated helicopter skid used in training. Down pfc. John Young of the 1st so 3rd army Cav Hurricane team shows hew a Mere one hand is used to control the rate of descent during rappelling. He is leaning Over the Edge of an 80-foot Cliff. Army photos Ferrari and Mccubbin As the a Jiow  my firs ski. Janus n. Smill draws a Bead will Bow and Arrow. Al Reg lit Elf. James Deli eels set for Feng dist uni shot