_Captain James_: “I will first locate the platoon commander and then designate the location of the elements of the platoon with reference to him. I think that the platoon commander would be marching at this time about midway between the assault and the support waves. The 1st Section would be marching in a line of squad columns with the right (left) squad near the directing line which is right there (indicating). It is the base section and the squad nearest the directing line is the base squad. The head of the squad columns is about 25 yards in advance of the platoon commander. “The 2nd platoon is following the platoon commander at a distance of about 25 yards in a line of squad columns.” _Lieutenant Baker_: “It seems to me that the platoon commander would be out in front of his platoon at this time.” _The Director_: “The platoon commander is free to go wherever he pleases. But you must remember he has two section leaders—one for each section of the platoon. These men are supposed to be competent to do their job. The platoon commander should march where he can best direct the operations of his platoon through his section leaders. In this case I think Captain James has located the platoon leader in the proper place. “Now having definitely fixed in our minds the location of the elements of the platoon let us proceed with the next situation.” The Problem =Situation No. 3=: You., Lieutenant Y., commanding the 2nd platoon have arrived at this point (indicate). The 1st section is in a line of squad columns 25 yards to the front; the 2nd section is in a line of squad columns 25 yards in rear of you. For some minutes enemy shells have been falling in the area which is occupied by one of our batteries at the rate of about 4 per minute. At this moment the fire increased materially. The men have left the guns temporarily. _Required_: What do you do? Procedure The Director distributes the sheets containing Situation No. 3 and points out to the class the extent of the shelled area. It should be in the direct line of march of the 2nd platoon. Solution _The Director_: “Captain Hall, how do you size up the immediate situation?” _Captain Hall_: “Our original mission has not changed. We must continue the march to the front regardless of what the enemy does. The 2nd battalion must be relieved tonight and our battalion must make the relief. We cannot stand here and wait for the enemy’s fire to let up. It is obvious that we cannot go through the shelled area without ruinous losses. The only thing left for us to do is to go around it.” _The Director_: “Those are the points I wanted to bring out. The question before us is: How are we going to get around the shelled area? What have you to suggest, Lieutenant Barry?”