Echo Recon Platoons

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Echo Company Recon Platoon, 3-7th Infantry, early 1970.

Beginning in mid-1968, the infantry battalions within the Brigade began experimenting with a relatively new type of concept that would combine experienced combat personnel, stealth, firepower, and operating independence.

The result came to be called, "Echo Recon," or battalion reconnaissance platoons. Designed Echo Company, these units differed from the Brigade LRRP's and Rangers in that the Echo Recon units worked directly under the supervision of their respective maneuver battalions instead of at the Brigade level like the 71st LRRP, F/51st Infantry or M Company, 75th Infantry (Ranger).

The Echo Recon platoons were also made up of veteran personnel that had at least six months in the field with a regular line infantry unit. They were not required to be Airborne, Ranger, Recondo, or Special Forces qualified, although many personnel were.

Another major difference with the Echo Recon units was that they operated much of the time as "Hunter-Killer" units, engaging the enemy whenever possible and then calling in the rest of the battalion instead of being assigned strictly reconnaissance missions.

By 1969, the Echo Recon platoons were operating very smoothly and efficiently, utilizing other specialized personnel such as Brigade-trained snipers which had attended either the 9th Infantry Division sniper school at Dong Tam or a similar version of the school at Camp Frenzell-Jones.

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