Combative Measures Instructor Training (Judo)

Air Crew Self-Defense Techniques

February 1963

Stead Air Force Base

Student Study Guide 140004-3 (Academic)

----------------For Instructional Purposes Only--------------

AIR CREW SELF-DEFENSE TECHNIQUES

Presentation of Air Crew Self-Defense Techniques or Unarmed Combative

Measures Training is another step the U.S. Air Force has taken to take care of its

own. The crew member plays a valuable role in the defense of our nation's

heritage, and he, therefore, deserves every right to continue to enjoy this

heritage. To preserve this intangible property our flyers must be able to go on to

an enemy target and return. To accomplish this, our country not only provides

the finest equipment available for accomplishment of the primary mission, it also

provides the air crewman with extensive knowledge of proven methods of

survival and the equipment to enable him to effect a safe return in the event an

emergency puts him into a survival or evasion situation.

What with training in survival on both land and water, escape and evasion,

survival weapons, resistance, and unarmed combative measures, together with

the maintenance of a capable rescue service, a flyer can rest assured that every

means has been taken to provide for his return. Unarmed combative measures

may be considered a "last resort" method of survival. When all else fails,

unarmed combative measures can be relied on as one more "ace in the hole" to

call upon. It would be good to be able to say "I won't ever have to use that," but it

is much better to know that you are capable of using this "ace in the hole" if the

need arises. (See Figure 1.)

The training which you will receive at this school will give you the ability to apply

the principles of attack and defense, to apply effective chokes, to defend yourself

against chokes and both rear and frontal body attacks. You will learn the way to

use a knife as a weapon and how to defend yourself against somebody else's

knife. You will learn how to deal with an enemy armed with a pistol or rifle. You

will learn to maneuver for control and how to throw an attacking enemy and

apply counters and combinations in hand-to-hand combat. Above all else you

should learn when to attempt and when not to attempt to use knowledge and skill

you will gain.

PRINCIPLES OF ATTACK AND DEFENSE

Objectives

The student will:

1. Be able to coordinate his movements and fall so as to facilitate

accomplishment of unarmed combative techniques.

2. Understand how to deliver and avoid blows to vulnerable areas.

3. Be able to apply the techniques of mixed fighting using karate and judo

movement in standing and ground positions.

Introduction

Unarmed combative measures might be defined as "the amount of fighting

which, if you are weaponless, is necessary to overcome your attacker." Since we

talk in terms of "maximum efficiency with a minimum of effort," we seek to use

the measures appropriate to any given situation. In this lesson we discover the

simpler methods of moving and striking which will take care of many situations.

Good body management will move you from the more dangerous positions in

front of your attacker and enable you to counterattack by providing the

opportunity to deliver effective blows to his most vulnerable areas. In this lesson,

you will not only discover which of your attacker's vulnerable areas will be

exposed to you under various types of attack, but you will also learn which blow

will be effective.

Study Assignment

Pages 5-16, SACM 50-10B.

Supplementary Information

Americans brought up in the environment of fair play and consideration for

others are not normally proficient in disposing of an adversary in a "rough-and-

tumble" fight. When it comes to "kill or be killed," you must know how to bring

into play measures which you may never have considered before --in order to

preserve your own life. You must be ready to gouge, kick, knee an attacker's

groin, and use many other "unethical" forms of attack. You must be ready to

crush an enemy's skull or separate his vertebrae with a stamp of your foot. You

must be able to use knuckles, fists, and elbows as they have never been used

before. When you have the enemy down, don't let him up. Kicking and stamping

techniques may be used most effectively in this situation. If you have been

knocked down, you should know enough about falling to fall without injury to

yourself, and immediately to protect yourself from his boots or other means of

attack. The trained person can be very dangerous even when on the ground.

(See Figures 2, 3, 4, 5.)

Feet are fine defensive weapons and will keep your attacker at a respectful

distance. If he does attempt to get inside your guard, you can inflict damage in

varying degrees, depending on where you direct your blows. Vulnerable areas

are the kneecap, groin, abdomen, ribs, throat, and face. One important thing to

remember is to fight defensively until you have your opponent off balance. Give

way as your adversary presses to the attack. This should effect his off-balance.

He expects to have his attack resisted, therefore, he exerts enough force to

accomplish his attack. If you "give way" and do not provide the resistance he

expects, you will maintain good balance while he puts himself in an off-balance

position which makes it hard for him to defend himself.

Question

What is meant by "giving way" under attack, and how will it affect your attacker?

Have you ever seen a person try to force himself into a room when the door is

locked? He puts his shoulder to it and pushes. If it doesn't give on the first try, he

will again try, using additional force. Now, what would happen if someone

unlocked the door and turned the knob just as he was giving it the third

try? He would probably charge through and fall on his face! The same principles

would apply if you "gave way" under a similar type of attack. Add knowledge of

the karate striking techniques of the vulnerable areas, and his helplessness in

off-balance position gives you a decided advantage.

The measures you should take when your attacker is off-balance, or when you

are in a close quarter fighting situation are predominantly striking techniques.

One well-directed blow can save you much struggling. After you have learned the

art of body movement and balance, the next step is to learn to inflict damage on

your attacker. You will learn how to deliver blows most effectively, and what

areas of the body to strike. This training is called "karate." It is derived from an

ancient form of fighting originating in the Far East. Here you use your natural

weapons. Your hands, feet, elbows, and knees make fine offensive weapons,

and they can be an effective deterrent in defense against many types of attack.

Evan an attacker wielding a knife, a gun, or a stick can be overcome if you

properly apply the principles and techniques which you will learn during this

training.

(See Figures 5A, 5B.)

CHOKES AND DEFENSE AGAINST REAR AND FRONTAL BODY ATTACKS

Objectives

The student will:

1. Warm up and review the previous lesson.

2. Be able to defend himself against and apply chokes.

3. Be able to defend himself against body attacks.

4. Be able to follow through and put his attacker at a disadvantage and disable

him.

Introduction

In hand-to-hand fighting with an enemy, you must expect the dirtiest, most

unethical type of fighting you have ever been exposed to, and you must be

prepared to resort to such tactics yourself. This lesson deals with the simplest

and quickest ways of gaining the advantage over an enemy regardless of the

type of attack he may use. One of the simplest means of gaining this advantage

is to use your foot, knee, or elbow as a weapon. No matter what type of unarmed

attack he makes, he must bring himself within range of your natural weapons. If

he should grab you from behind, for example, a well placed elbow blow, or a

stamp to his shin or arch should force him to release you. Against close in frontal

attacks, a knee blow delivered to the groin should do the trick. If he should

attempt to choke you, these same blows can be the means of preventing this

action. You will also learn how to apply many chokes, without exposing yourself

to the same dangers your attacker does when he attempts to choke you.

Study Assignment

Pages 26-41, SACM 50-10B.

Supplementary Information

Choking is one of the most useful methods of disposing of an enemy when it is

necessary in an escape or evasion situation. (See Figures 6, 7, 7A.)

A guard or sentry, who is posted well away from camp, can be quietly and

efficiently taken care of in this manner, without arousing anyone with excessive

noise.

Question

When is it not advisable to attempt to silence a guard with a choke?

Choking is also effective in hand-to-hand combat. The use of the garrote, collar,

and bare arm will provide a man with several choking methods to be used under

various situations. With the exception of the garrote, the chokes taught in this

course are used in the sport of judo. In judo, they are only used to make your

opponent submit. If he doesn't indicate submission in time, he may very well be

choked into unconsciousness, as the chokes take effect quite rapidly. In the

sport of judo, after a man has been choked, a little resuscitation is all that is

necessary for complete recuperation. In combat, however, these same chokes

can be used to kill depending on how long the choke is held. When the collar

choke or garrote is used, pressure is applied to the carotid arteries of the neck,

thereby interrupting the circulation of blood to the brain.

It requires only a few seconds to "black out" a person with this type of choke.

In judo, joint-locking, like the chokes, is another method of getting your opponent

to submit. Application of pressure to the elbow or shoulder joint will cause

immediate submission before the joint can be damaged. Unlike the chokes, joint-

locking causes excruciating pain, and your opponent will not hesitate to

surrender. In the case of hand-to-hand combat with an enemy, you will not be

concerned with making him "give up."

Question

If you succeed in getting a joint-lock on the enemy, what is your next step?

Once in position to apply the lock, apply the force necessary to break the arm or

shoulder. This will severely incapacitate your enemy, and it is quite possible that

the pain will render him unconscious for a time. You will then be in a better

position to take any further measures you deem necessary to continue

your escape.

USE OF AND DEFENSE AGAINST THE KNIFE

Objectives

The student will:

1. Warm up and review the previous lesson.

2. Understand how to use a knife effectively.

3. Understand how to defend against a knife attack.

4. Be able to use and defend against a club.

5. Be able to engage successfully in mixed randori-style, karate, knife, and club

fighting.

Introduction

Most aircrew members carry a knife as part of their equipment on combat

missions, but few ever expect to use it as a means of defense and offense in

personal combat. With very little training, a knife can be a formidable piece of

emergency armament. If you find yourself without the regular sidearm, you may

have to rely on your knife. A sentry may have to be taken out, in order for you to

pass a remote post. An unsympathetic enemy civilian may resent your intrusion

and attack with some crude weapon. A knife can be a real asset in these and

similar circumstances.

Study Assignment

Pages 42-54, SACM 50-10B.

Supplementary Information

Although it would be a rare occasion when you must defend yourself against an

enemy armed with only a knife, the possibility is ever present. To prepare for this

eventuality, a portion of this course is devoted to knife fighting. Naturally a

person who is well trained in handling a knife will be a difficult opponent to cope

with. He can, however, be defeated with no other weapons than your hands and

feet. The knife attacker can be held at a distance and made to respect a safety

range by the proper use of kicking techniques. The length of an outstretched leg

is normally quite a bit greater than that of the extended arm with a knife held in

the hand. If the attacker attempts to press the attack, a few feints in the direction

of his extended knee or groin will slow him down considerably. Scooping up a

handful of dirt and throwing it in the attacker's face will also be a distraction, and

possibly afford the opportunity to counter.

Of course, if you can find a stick of almost any length to aid in your defense, you

are in a much better position to overcome the enemy. The stick can be used

both as an offensive and a defensive weapon. No attacker with a knife can take

liberties with an individual holding even a short stick (fourteen to sixteen inches).

A longer stick would naturally be much more effective. If your only weapon is a

knife, your enemy will have to respect your weapon as much as you respect his.

You should be fighting a defensive battle in any instance. The object is to make

him come off balance by causing him to commit himself to a definite threat. Your

counter will require short slashing movements at any exposed part of his body,

after he has missed his thrust and thus created the off-balance needed for your

advantage.

Question

Since your use of the knife would be primarily defensive, when would be the

most opportune time to go on the offense?

If he can be incapacitated, by several slashes to the wrist or leg, your eventual

success is practically assured. Thus, with your defensive knife fighting, you are

looking for one of two situations to present itself: One, the opportunity to

incapacitate him with your defensive counter slashes; two, finding him

completely off balance by his lunge so that he is momentarily defenseless. In

either of these situations, he can be considered "ready for the kill."

USE OF AND DEFENSE AGAINST A PISTORL OR RIFLE

Objectives

The student will:

1. Warm up and review the previous lesson.

2. Understand the use of and defense against a pistol or rifle.

3. Be able to disarm an enemy with a pistol or rifle.

4. Be able to successfully engage in standing and ground randori.

Introduction

An enemy soldier or guard holding you at gunpoint will make several mistakes,

unless he is well trained in handling prisoners. One mistake on the enemy's part

is all that is needed to enable a trained individual to successfully disarm the

soldier or guard. The impatient guard can give you the opportunity for action

when, to get you to move faster, he prods you in the back with his weapon. Or

the gloating, overconfident captor may give you the opportunity when he sticks

his weapon in your stomach to accentuate his orders. However, these instances

may be rare. You must try to induce the wary guard into committing the one

blunder which you can use to best advantage. The trained person is much

harder to cope with because he will usually maintain a discreet distance.

Disarming a person who holds a gun on you is always dangerous; nevertheless,

it can be done with a better than even chance for success, if you choose the

proper psychological moment. (See Figure 8.)

Study Assignment

Pages 55-63, SACM 50-10B.

Supplementary Information

Usually the enemy soldier who confronts you will be armed with a pistol or rifle.

An untrained person, because he lacks confidence, normally considers this a

hopeless situation and resigns himself to his fate. A trained individual, however,

is already in the process of evaluating the situation and figuring his chances of

escape. At the first command, he knows enough to give way by obeying all

orders quickly; he is also aware of the safety range, line of fire, and anything else

about his captor that may give him an idea of how he can effect an escape. He is

alert (See Figures 9-10) and waiting for the psychological time to act, and has

concentrated his gaze on the eyes of his captor. Your captor's eyes will normally

be a clue to his next move.

As long as his gaze is fixed on your upraised arms or in that general vicinity, he

is alert for any move you may make. This is not the time to attempt to disarm

him. The psychological time to act is at that moment when he takes his eyes

away from their original focal point. At this time, you captor's mind is not on you

or your possible intentions, but on the object of his gaze -- your weapon or your

pockets. He is not concentrating on the pulling of the trigger. If it is your gun he

wants, or something in your pockets, his mind is occupied with these thoughts. It

is well known that the mind cannot maintain two separate thoughts with equal

concentration, therefore, when he is looking at the weapon in your holster

or your pockets, his mind is not on the gun in his hand, much less on squeezing

the trigger if you move.

So when his eyes turn away from their original focal point, it is time for you to

make your move, providing of course, the safety range is adequate. You know

exactly what you are going to do, he does not. By the time he is aware of your

movement, he must do several things. He must recover from the sensation, then

interpret what has taken place, and finally pull the trigger. All this takes time,

probably more time than it will take you to move your body out of the line of fire

as you deflect the weapon, and use whatever follow-up is necessary.

Question

What is meant by "psychological timing"?

In an attempt to disarm a person who has a pistol or rifle pointed at you, it is

particularly important to evaluate the line of fire. The direction in which you move

is dictated by the direction in which the weapon points in relation to your body. If

the weapon is centered on your body, the direction (left or right) you choose is

optional. However, if the weapon is pointed to your right side, your chances will

be much better if you move your body to the left. This cuts down the amount of

time your body is exposed to the weapon as you move out of the line of fire. For

example, assume that the body is twelve inches across. If the weapon were

pointed at the middle of the right side of your body and you moved to your

right, nine inches of your body would pass the muzzle, whereas if you moved to

the left, only three inches would be exposed to the muzzle. In other words, if you

moved in the wrong direction, your body would be exposed to the line of fire

three times as long as it would have been if you had moved properly.

Question

What is meant by the "line of fire"?

"Safety range" has been mentioned several times. The term should be clarified

at this point. "Safety range" is that distance from the weapon (be it a knife, gun,

stick or anything else) which permits you to act with a definite margin of safety. If

you are to attempt to disarm a person holding a pistol or rifle on you, his weapon

must be close enough that you can reach it with a minimum of forward motion. If

the weapon is behind you, you must feel it poking into your back before it is

advisable for you to attempt disarming. If you can feel the weapon in your back,

you know where it is. If you can't feel it, you do not know whether it is one inch or

several feet from you. If a knife is the weapon your attacker is wielding,

the safety range is different. Here, you should keep several feet between you

and your attacker. If you are close, he can cut you without too much effort on his

part. If you are six feet or more away from him, he will have to lunge to reach

you. This gives you time to move out of the line of his thrust and be ready

to take whatever counter-measures are necessary to dispose of your attacker.

THROWS, COUNTERS, COMBINATIONS, AND MANEUVERS FOR CONTROL

Objectives

The student will:

1. Warm up and review the fundamentals of attack and defense, defense against

body attacks, use of knife, and defense against knife, club, pistol, and rifle.

2. Be able to throw an enemy.

3. Be able to perform combinations and maneuver for control.

4. Be able to successfully engage in general randori, using all techniques

covered previously and to include counters to ground holddowns and chokes.

Introduction

Throwing is a simple way of using your attacker's momentum and strength to

your advantage. There is no mystery involved in the fact that a 100 pounder can

throw a 200 pounder with no apparent effort. The law of physics regarding inertia

is the "big secret." Since a body in motion tends to remain in motion, it only

requires a little redirection of this motion to cause the person "in motion" to lose

balance and fall. When you throw an opponent, you not only inflict serious injury

as a result of his contact with the ground, but you are also in a position to control

him as he lies on the ground and to use any other measures you may deem

necessary at the time.

Study Assignment

Pages 17-20, SACM 50-10B.

Supplementary Information

In a judo contest, it is fairly difficult for a man to throw his opponent if the skills of

the two are relatively equal. The greater the skill differential, the easier it

becomes for the one to throw the other. In hand-to-hand fighting, however, it

requires very little skill to be able to throw an opponent. This is due to the

element of surprise. In the first place, your enemy is not aware of your capability

nor of your intention to throw him. Secondly, he is too intent on what he is trying

to accomplish to use good judgment. Again, you should be fighting defensively to

set up the right off-balance situation. As he pushes you, he is off balance to the

front and can be thrown in this direction if you use his momentum to your

advantage. By the same token, if he is tugging or pulling at you, he is off balance

to the rear. Your throwing effort should be in the rearward direction. Knowing the

fundamentals of a few throws, and an understanding of the principles involved,

makes throwing an unsuspecting attacker fairly easy.

Question

In what direction would you throw a person who was starting to swing at you?

Two examples of practical throwing methods are illustrated in the accompanying

drawings. In Figure 11, the air crewman being attacked has been pushed

backward. He has immediately given way under the force of his attacker's

forward motion. By grabbing the attacker's arms and lowering his own body to

the ground, the air crewman has increased the attacker's momentum and

redirected his force. Now the attacker is off balance and cannot stop his forward

movement. As the airman rolls on his back he brings his right leg up into the

groin of his enemy and continues to pull on the enemy's arms. His attacker will

continue to move over airman's body. By continuing to hold his attacker's arms,

the air crewman will cause him to "flip over" to land on his head or back and

suffer some injury or at least be "shaken up" considerably. This should make the

enemy easy prey for the follow up.

In the second example, Figures 12, 13, 14, the off balance is to the rear. The

crew member has been attacked from behind. By quickly "giving way" (in this

case backing up quickly as the attacker pulls) the attacker has been off-

balanced. He did not expect this reaction (non-resistance) to his pull. Now, as

the attacker loses his balance the air crewman quickly makes a half pivot and

places a leg behind the enemy. This action alone would probably cause the

attacker to fall backward. However, to insure the fall and maintain complete

control of the action, both legs of the attacker are grabbed at the knees and

raised in a scooping motion. If the enemy continues to maintain his grasp, the

airman need only drive the enemy into the ground by falling on him. The landing

should be pretty rough on the attacker, and the air crewman is in good position to

deliver destructive hand, elbow, knee, or foot blows depending on his own

position when the attacker hits the ground. (See Figure 14.) One of the main

points to remember in considering the use of throwing techniques is that the

attacker expects you to resist his efforts in the accepted way, with resistance. If

you "give way" and do not supply the resistance he is expecting, he is

momentarily off balance, both mentally and physically. This is your opportunity to

throw, and remember, always throw in the direction of his off-balance.

In every situation, it is most advisable to get your opponent off balance before

going on the offensive. His off-balance renders him ineffective in his own

defense. Your balance permits you to counterattack without any delay or lost

motion. Guards or sentinels can be taken out effectively through the use of

choking techniques. However, it may not be advisable to apply these techniques

to security personnel in or around an enemy's prison camp. In such situations

attacks on these individuals would result in reprisals against your fellow prisoners

and you. Any escape from a POW camp involving disabled or dead guards

would only serve to lessen your chances of effecting your ultimate escape. They

would be missed from their posts too soon to afford you sufficient time to get far

enough away from the camp. With the whole countryside alerted, your chances

would be pretty slim.

REVIEW AND TEST OF AIRCREW SELF-DEFENSE TECHNIQUES

Objectives

The student will:

1. Review all critical techniques and procedures.

2. Be given a practical test covering all critical elements of aircrew self-defense

techniques.

Introduction

In the review of all critical items, you will have an additional opportunity to

practice techniques and refresh your memory. Speed will not be essential for the

test since the emphasis is placed on the mechanics of the techniques being

evaluated.

Study Assignment

Pages 1, 2, 64-85, SACM 50-10B.

Supplementary Information

There is no intention to make gun disarming or any other phase of this training

sound easy to perform. Many things must be considered. The element of

surprise, for example, is of the utmost importance. Without it very little can be

accomplished. No one will willingly permit himself to be kicked, choked, or

disarmed. This must be accomplished through surprise.