Letter Re: Best Military Manuals with Field Fortification Designs?

Jim –
There is an absolute plethora of military manuals out there. I’m looking for a Listening Post/Observation Post (LP/OP) diagram such as you use in your novel “Patriots”. What manuals would you consider your “must read and own” manuals that would answer this question and others I that haven’t arrived yet? I’m a 10 Cent Challenge subscriber and enjoy your web site and books. Thank you and God Best You, – Brent I. in Louisiana

JWR Replies: The basics describing and illustrating one-man and two-man fighting positions (suitable for LP/OPs) with overhead cover can be found in FM 7-8, Infantry Platoon and Squad. (An older edition is available online, sans illustrations.) But for greater detail, including some on larger and more elaborate positions, see FM 5-15, Field Fortifications. A very old edition, circa 1944, is available online.) One other excellent–but hard-to-find–manual is FM 5-103, Survivability. I recommend looking for used hard copies of these either at gun shows or from online booksellers.