1966 US Army Vietnam War ARMOR ... - Survival Books

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COM(9) Other pertinent information. Flak over the ground formation to perform visualsuppression if provided; artillery and reconnaissance to the front, rear, and flanks,naval gunfire maximum ordinate; for- and to attack enemy air or ground elementsward air controller (FAC) identifica- that impede or threaten the progress of thetion and location.ground force. A FAC is located usually in oneNote. Photo requests should -contain infor- of the forward armored vehicles and directsmation as to type of photography, scale, infor- aircraft onto targets. The column cover mismationdesired, and quantity of prints. Visual sion is of great assistance to armor in the exreconnaissanceshould include specific area or ploitation of enemy disorganization and weakrouteto be covered.ened resistance following a breakthrough.b. Immediate. Requests for immediate close Aircraft on column cover missions can oftenair support are passed over the Air Force air neutralize elements of impending enemy resistrequestnet directly from the TACP at the ance before these elements have been contactedoriginating headquarters to the DASC at corps by friendly ground forces.(fig. 12). Every request is acknowledged by b. Air Escort. When heliborne forces areeach echelon having approval authority. If any employed, air escort may be used to defend theintervening headquarters wishes to disapprove force against enemy air and ground attack ina request, it so indicates and informs the re- addition to eliminating enemy resistance in thequesting agency of the type support to be used. objective or landing area.In the absence of acknowledgment following a c. Air Strike. These missions are the backlengthof time specified by the appropriate bone of close air support. Heavily armed tacticommander,the request will be processed as cal fighters perform their missions by attackthoughan acknowledgment had been received. though an ing acknowledgmentweapons had been positions, received. tanks, troops, vehicles,237. Control Measurer and other equipment.To insure the safety of friendly troops and d. Special Missions. These may include suchinstallations, a fire support coordination line missions as electronic countermeasures per-(FSCL) is established on the ground by the formed by specially equipped aircraft to neugroundforces, generally by the corps com- tralize enemy electronic equipment.mander, and it must be coordinated with thesupporting Air Force commander. This is a 239- Armamentline beyond which the Air Force or other agen- a. Bombs. Bombs are used to destroy or neuciesmay attack targets without danger to, or tralize a selected target. This is achieved usualapprovalfrom, the ground forces. The move- ly by blast, shock, fragmentation, or fire effect.ment of the FSCL must be anticipated and ap- Varied fuse arrangements are used to controlpropriate recommendations must be submitted bomb bursts as desired. Types of bombs thatenough in advance to insure dissemination to' may be used by tactical air support aircrafttactical air force. The FSCL must be easily areidentifiableby terrain features from the air (1) Fragmentation (against personneland ground to prevent confusion and acciden-and aircraft on the ground).tal air attacks on friendly ground forces. Tac- (2) General purpose (same as HE shell).tical aircraft may attack targets short of theFSCL when ground forces request or give (3) Special purposeclearance for such an attack.(a) Penetrating.(b) Demolition.238. Close Air SupportThe following(c) Chemical.types of missions are employednormally in close air support opera- (d) Mining.tions:(e) Fire bombs (thickened fuel).a. Column-Cover. These missions are per- (4) Nuclear.formed usually by tactical fighter aircraft and b. Rockets. Air-to-air and air-to-groundare accomplished by positioning the aircraft rockets are used to destroy small targets such134