What do you think?
Rate this book
US Army Survival Manual: FM 21-76
Army Survival Manual is the finest single source for self-reliance for all extreme circumstances. A must for anyone who wants to know how to survive in primitive conditions. The book is very straightforward with many pictures and user-friendly illustrations, written in easy to understand language. This is just some of the survival information that this book provides: All-climates: arctic, tropics, temperate forest, savannah or desert. All-terrain survival tactics. The Will to Survive. Identify poisonous snakes, as well as edible and non-edible plants. Survival Medicine. Wilderness medicine. Techniques on first aid. Survival in the hottest or coldest of climates. Survival Planning. Make polluted water potable. How to find water. Ways to trap and collection techniques of water. Covers navigation and compass use. Find direction using the sun and stars. Weapons and Tools. Recognizing signs of land when lost at sea. Building life-saving shelters. Traps and snares. How to prepare wild game to be cooked also preserving food. All types of fire making. Water Crossings. Find direction using the sun and stars. Physical and mental fitness. Disaster preparedness. Again this is just some of the survival information is this book!
288 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1970
89 people are currently reading
960 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
April 23, 2019
My mom got us this book for Christmas as kind of a joke since we had ice storms and no electricity last December, but I was actually quite excited about reading it. I don't think I need any of the tips about planning my escape cache as a prisoner of war, but there are lots of other great tips here for how to survive in the wild.
After reading this, I'm seeing that anyone who had to survive in the wild would probably spend most of their time gathering food and water, starting a fire, and cooking the food and water. We certainly take these things for granted in the modern society we live in.
This book is all about turning things that aren't common sense into common sense so that you do survive the elements. Some of the things I learned here include:
* how to find north using the sun and my watch or the north star
* boil all water before drinking
* cook or dry all food before eating
* the importance of building a windshield for my fire out of stones or sticks
* how to trap schooling fish in an arrow-shaped fish trap made of sticks
* how to build a fish hook out of a stick and string
* how to dry fish
* how to make a flotation device out of a pair of pants
* that fresh water can be procured from frozen sea water because the salt separates in a slush
* that roots are probably my best bet for nourishment from plants if I can't find fruit, nuts, or vegetables
* that I don't want to eat a mushroom unless I have this book with me to remind me which will kill me and which will not
* that mushrooms with bulbous shapes at their base are poisonous
* that I really don't want to get lost at sea, in the desert, or in a jungle
* that I'd better hope to god I have a knife with me if I ever need to survive in the wild
* that rope and string would come in handy if I needed to survive in the wild
* that I'd better have this book with me when I'm lost in the wild\
I'm sure there's more information to be had from the 300-page Army survival manual, but this is a good start.
After reading this, I'm seeing that anyone who had to survive in the wild would probably spend most of their time gathering food and water, starting a fire, and cooking the food and water. We certainly take these things for granted in the modern society we live in.
This book is all about turning things that aren't common sense into common sense so that you do survive the elements. Some of the things I learned here include:
* how to find north using the sun and my watch or the north star
* boil all water before drinking
* cook or dry all food before eating
* the importance of building a windshield for my fire out of stones or sticks
* how to trap schooling fish in an arrow-shaped fish trap made of sticks
* how to build a fish hook out of a stick and string
* how to dry fish
* how to make a flotation device out of a pair of pants
* that fresh water can be procured from frozen sea water because the salt separates in a slush
* that roots are probably my best bet for nourishment from plants if I can't find fruit, nuts, or vegetables
* that I don't want to eat a mushroom unless I have this book with me to remind me which will kill me and which will not
* that mushrooms with bulbous shapes at their base are poisonous
* that I really don't want to get lost at sea, in the desert, or in a jungle
* that I'd better hope to god I have a knife with me if I ever need to survive in the wild
* that rope and string would come in handy if I needed to survive in the wild
* that I'd better have this book with me when I'm lost in the wild\
I'm sure there's more information to be had from the 300-page Army survival manual, but this is a good start.
April 13, 2009
You can remain alive anywhere in the world when you keep your wits. This is a major lesson in survival. Remember that nature and the elements are neither your friend nor your enemy—they are actually disinterested. Instead, it is your determination to live and your ability to make nature work for you that are the deciding factors.
Learn to put up with new and unpleasant conditions. Keeping your mind on SURVIVAL will help. Don’t be afraid to try new foods. One survivor reported that some men would almost starve before eating strange food. He said they tried a soup made from lamb’s head, with lamb’s eyes floating around in it. When a new prisoner came in, he would try to find a seat next to him so he could eat the food the prisoner refused.
A clean shave is a good morale booster.
Avoid scratches, bruises, and loss of direction and confidence by developing “jungle eye.”
If caught in an avalanche, use swimming motions to stay on top.
Be careful not to drink more than three or four cups of ripe coconut juice a day. This juice is a violent laxative.
Be careful not to get this [papaya:] juice into your eyes—it will cause intense pain and temporary or even permanent blindness.
…you can live for a long period on nothing but almonds.
Both rats and mice are palatable meat, particularly if cooked in a stew. These rodents should be skinned, gutted, and boiled. Rats and mice should be boiled about 10 minutes. Either may be cooked with dandelion leaves. Always include the livers.
Survival in remote and desolate areas, in the Arctic, desert, or jungle, depends on you. You must be physically fit; have a fundamental knowledge of woodcraft principles; know what foods are available and how to find and prepare them; understand how to care for your body and how to conserve energy; and recognize those plants and animals that will harm you. Armed with this knowledge, you are prepared to wage a winning battle for survival.
With few exceptions, natives are friendly. They know the country, its available water and food, and the way back to civilization….
(1) Let the natives contact you. Deal with the recognized headman or chief to get what you want
….
(3) Treat natives like human beings.
….
(5) Respect personal property, especially their women.
(6) Don’t take offense at pranks played on you. Primitive people especially are fond of practical jokes.
Survival is synonymous with “take your time.”
The polar bear is a tireless, clever hunter with good sight and an extraordinary sense of small. He may even hunt you!
Do not fry meat. This method eliminates the fat necessary for your health.
Don’t hurry. Never try to beat the jungle by speed—you can’t.
Native food in the Sahara is both palatable and edible. You are less likely to enjoy the food that is available in the Gobi since the native Mongols have less idea of cleanliness than the Arabs.
Avoid wild buffalo because of their continued mean tempers.
Learn to put up with new and unpleasant conditions. Keeping your mind on SURVIVAL will help. Don’t be afraid to try new foods. One survivor reported that some men would almost starve before eating strange food. He said they tried a soup made from lamb’s head, with lamb’s eyes floating around in it. When a new prisoner came in, he would try to find a seat next to him so he could eat the food the prisoner refused.
A clean shave is a good morale booster.
Avoid scratches, bruises, and loss of direction and confidence by developing “jungle eye.”
If caught in an avalanche, use swimming motions to stay on top.
Be careful not to drink more than three or four cups of ripe coconut juice a day. This juice is a violent laxative.
Be careful not to get this [papaya:] juice into your eyes—it will cause intense pain and temporary or even permanent blindness.
…you can live for a long period on nothing but almonds.
Both rats and mice are palatable meat, particularly if cooked in a stew. These rodents should be skinned, gutted, and boiled. Rats and mice should be boiled about 10 minutes. Either may be cooked with dandelion leaves. Always include the livers.
Survival in remote and desolate areas, in the Arctic, desert, or jungle, depends on you. You must be physically fit; have a fundamental knowledge of woodcraft principles; know what foods are available and how to find and prepare them; understand how to care for your body and how to conserve energy; and recognize those plants and animals that will harm you. Armed with this knowledge, you are prepared to wage a winning battle for survival.
With few exceptions, natives are friendly. They know the country, its available water and food, and the way back to civilization….
(1) Let the natives contact you. Deal with the recognized headman or chief to get what you want
….
(3) Treat natives like human beings.
….
(5) Respect personal property, especially their women.
(6) Don’t take offense at pranks played on you. Primitive people especially are fond of practical jokes.
Survival is synonymous with “take your time.”
The polar bear is a tireless, clever hunter with good sight and an extraordinary sense of small. He may even hunt you!
Do not fry meat. This method eliminates the fat necessary for your health.
Don’t hurry. Never try to beat the jungle by speed—you can’t.
Native food in the Sahara is both palatable and edible. You are less likely to enjoy the food that is available in the Gobi since the native Mongols have less idea of cleanliness than the Arabs.
Avoid wild buffalo because of their continued mean tempers.
May 10, 2017
Cool. Picked this up in the dollar section of my library and felt it was worthy to pick up. Not bad at all. Though I have to admit most of what I read is confirmed from various action adventure movies but there is still plenty to learn from.
Basic survival tips. Food: Plants that have a milky white fluid are ~90% poisonous. Water: Absolutely Necessary wherever you can find it but purify as much as you can by boiling. Hygene: You can reuse your clothes indefinitely as long as you fan them out everyday. Cold: Protect your eyes; as bad as looking at the sun. Sandstorms: Stop and seek shelter, even hiding under your coat is better than trying to outrun it or enduring it. And so much more.
All this and more is amazing, even though this version I read was in the 1970s and with some updates between here and there, this is an impeccable manual. I really wish this included some tips like weapons or martial arts skills. Still its a good manual.
C+
Basic survival tips. Food: Plants that have a milky white fluid are ~90% poisonous. Water: Absolutely Necessary wherever you can find it but purify as much as you can by boiling. Hygene: You can reuse your clothes indefinitely as long as you fan them out everyday. Cold: Protect your eyes; as bad as looking at the sun. Sandstorms: Stop and seek shelter, even hiding under your coat is better than trying to outrun it or enduring it. And so much more.
All this and more is amazing, even though this version I read was in the 1970s and with some updates between here and there, this is an impeccable manual. I really wish this included some tips like weapons or martial arts skills. Still its a good manual.
C+
June 12, 2011
I'm what you call a paranoid wackjob...I also have spent more of my life living in the woods, or the high desert, miles away from anyone but my immediate family, than I have anywhere else.
This is one of two books that I bring with me from place to place. I know every page, but It's still in the bag, just in case. I've owned two copies, the first was destroyed from use.
It's the old version...there's a modern re-print with more current information on various subjects, but for the things I care about...navigation, food gathering, a selection of plant and animal life that will not kill you from around the world? No book I've read has more viable information about surviving in every kind of situation on this planet.
This is one of two books that I bring with me from place to place. I know every page, but It's still in the bag, just in case. I've owned two copies, the first was destroyed from use.
It's the old version...there's a modern re-print with more current information on various subjects, but for the things I care about...navigation, food gathering, a selection of plant and animal life that will not kill you from around the world? No book I've read has more viable information about surviving in every kind of situation on this planet.
April 30, 2010
This book deals with survival in the desert, the tropics, under arctic and subarctic conditions and at sea. Topics include treating insect and snake bites, making wooden and stone knives, starting a fire, obtaining water (it details how to make a solar water still and make polluted water drinkable), creating a shelter, finding your direction using the sun and stars--and all sorts of ways of getting food--including the Universal Plant Test. This is an Army manual created by the Department of Defense--it's expert and deadly serious. This is for soldiers in very serious conditions (and no doubt camper and those spending time in the wilderness would find it useful--it's like a grown up scout manual.) But this also makes surprisingly lively reading for an armchair adventurer and can be very useful to a fiction writer trying to get the details of survival right.
July 6, 2007
Large parts of this book are completely peripheral to the military aspect of it -- lots of tips for outdoor survival that I have seen elsewhere or that seem like great suggestions. This manual is certainly not written with ecological impact in mind, but it is intended for the kind of situations where that probably wouldn't be the first thing on your mind in any case. Mostly the focus is on general survival skills that would be good in any emergency situation, although there are some times you are reminded that it is a military manual when all of a sudden there is reference to "making contact with your unit" or some such. There is also a section on makeshift combat weapons which I read out of curiosity.
December 30, 2007
A general manual on living off the land using what you have to stay alive.
I must add an important factor that is missing in this book. Drinking your own urine was not adviced. This is 100% wrong. Urine drinking has been done thousands of years by acient cultures. Its the oldest form of medicine around. Look up any extreme survival story -no water buried under a building,alone for days abandoned,in a desert lost......etc. those that have survived are the ones that have drank their own urine.
(i did an exp. and drank my own urine for one full yr with no adverse reactions) In fact it made me more healthy.
Not enough information on eatible plants/weeds,but in all a good book.
I must add an important factor that is missing in this book. Drinking your own urine was not adviced. This is 100% wrong. Urine drinking has been done thousands of years by acient cultures. Its the oldest form of medicine around. Look up any extreme survival story -no water buried under a building,alone for days abandoned,in a desert lost......etc. those that have survived are the ones that have drank their own urine.
(i did an exp. and drank my own urine for one full yr with no adverse reactions) In fact it made me more healthy.
Not enough information on eatible plants/weeds,but in all a good book.
January 13, 2011
This book is a survival manual. I know it was not written for the casual reader, but it feels like a collection of short stories and provides unique insight to the mental preparation of a soldier. The most interesting sections for me talked about preparation of escaping a P.O.W. camp and creating your own animal traps. I doubt I will ever have to attempt either one, but a guy can dream, right?
Since this is not a novel, you can really put yourself in the main character role and let the book wander you through the most extreme aspects of our Earth.
Since this is not a novel, you can really put yourself in the main character role and let the book wander you through the most extreme aspects of our Earth.
January 7, 2008
This is a great resource for learning some basic survival skills to keep you alive for the first ten days after you are stranded, captured, crashed, lost.....
There really isn't much about how to survive long-term, like after the fall. I guess we'll just have to figure that out for ourselves and see who survives.
There really isn't much about how to survive long-term, like after the fall. I guess we'll just have to figure that out for ourselves and see who survives.
October 30, 2007
i learned that i will still probably die in 2 days if left alone in the wilderness, but i think anyone going camping or traveling long distances should bring a copy of the survival guide just in case. after all, it is not everyday that you learn how to make an ojibwa bird snare.
November 2, 2009
This is an awesome tool for anyone who wants to rough it in the bush. The book contains an excellent photographic encyclopedia of most edible and poisonous plants. I used this exstensively to great effect over the last summer at a wilderness survival training class.
Currently reading
May 7, 2012It is useful as situation here goes crazy, I needed something to teach how to survive. I learned that I can make soap from fat and ash!! Still reading it but unfortunately not the paper book. It's software version.
June 6, 2013
The US Army manual on survival skills. Contains in simple language the mindset and skills needed in emergency situations. There are color plates of snakes and plants. Included in is a section on emergency medicine.
July 7, 2008
While the book contains valuable knoledge it was excessively brief in many of the subjects.
August 27, 2008
Great fun to read as bathroom lit. Made it hard for me to watch "Into the Wild" because the whole movie I'm exasperated that the main character so clearly needs this book.
January 21, 2009
There was some good information in the manual, but as far as survival books go there are others with just-as-good information that are easier to read.
Read
March 4, 2009This one's good. I like the illustrations and feeding my own post-apocalyptic fantasies... recommend pairing with The Road.
March 19, 2009
I can now do everything Bear Grylls does but better. Suck it Bear Grylls.
September 12, 2009
Although geared towards the military, this guide has tons of interesting information for campers and hikers.
August 29, 2010
Really the defacto standard in wilderness survival. Read for SEER Training at Fairchild AFB.
November 25, 2010
Good information. The Air Force version AFM 64-5 has more information that is suited to civilian and military personnel.
January 12, 2011
Absolute best field manual.
December 24, 2012
I read this in the 9th grade and totally loved it!
Thank heavens I was still able to get a girlfriend in the 10th grade.
Thank heavens I was still able to get a girlfriend in the 10th grade.
September 19, 2012
A basic manual for your shelf
October 23, 2020
It was at a surplus store, and I was going to live in the Peru mountains, so I bought it to have some english books to read and a way to maybe learn more from the army. Good book, its in my library.
January 2, 2019
Although dated, I learned a few things. If I went on “Naked and Aftaid”, this would be my one item that I’d bring with me
January 14, 2019
Nice work and a nice read
February 19, 2022
The United States Army has severely underestimated the threat of a zombie apocalypse. Not a single line mentioned any preparation for the undead.
Other than that it was pretty good. It’s an older book and a few things in it have been proven to be wrong as science progresses, but there isn’t anything so wrong that it will get you killed. We now know more about plants and animals and where illnesses come from and how to prevent them. The information was good and will keep someone alive under extreme circumstance.
I didn’t absorb all the information and come out as a survival guru; I read it so that if I have it in a survival situation I will know where to look for the information.
At the the very least it was an interesting look into history.
Other than that it was pretty good. It’s an older book and a few things in it have been proven to be wrong as science progresses, but there isn’t anything so wrong that it will get you killed. We now know more about plants and animals and where illnesses come from and how to prevent them. The information was good and will keep someone alive under extreme circumstance.
I didn’t absorb all the information and come out as a survival guru; I read it so that if I have it in a survival situation I will know where to look for the information.
At the the very least it was an interesting look into history.
October 16, 2019
Short quick read and something I'd definitely want if I'm ever out in the wilderness in need of very basic info to understand how to survive.
September 15, 2024
Quite informative and interesting. The vintage drawings really make this to be a neat piece of history. And although I’m sure this has probably since been updated, I really learned a lot from it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews