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

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMment may be ferried by Ml13's to se- g. Expansion and Exploitation of a Bridgecureand expand the bridgehead. Air head.cavalry units and other aviation and (1) When units reach the far shore, theairmobile units are utilized to assistsupporting fires should either be liftinsecuring and expanding the bridge-ed or shifted to deeper targets.head and ferrying personnel and (2) Any bridgehead must be quickly exequipment.When fording is not possi-panded and secured to protect theble and when the necessary tacticalcrossing site and permit assembly ofamphibious vehicles of the unit cross forces i the bridgehead area. Thethe obstacle and the far shore iscleared of enemy small arms fire,initial security and expansion of thebridgehead will be accomplished bybridges or rafts are erected and theunits that have the capability ofremaining personnel and vehicles crossing rapidly with little or nocross. Priority is given to tanks. Air preparation. Armored cavalry, airdefense weapons are moved acrosscavalry, airmobile forces, and mechaearlyin the operation to protect thenized infantry units have this capabilexpandingbridgehead from air at-ity. When planning crossing operatack.tions, commanders must consider the(4) Ferrying operations and amphibious placement of these units in the formavehiclesthat have to recross thetion.water obstacle by swimming, as in the (3) The tactical situation will decide howcase of ambulances, messenger vehi-far the units on the far shore will adcles,and supply vehicles, will requirevance. Units must be prepared for enentrancesand exits for one-way pas-emy counterattacks or to continue thesage. This will avoid traffic congestionmission on order.and confusion created by oncomingvehicles at the original crossing sites.For traffic procedures that govern (1) To achieve surprise or deception, ittraffic of amphibious vehicles whilemay be desirable to conduct crossingswaterborne, see paragraph 370.under blackout conditions. Such crossingsdiffer from daylight crossings in(5) Forces securing the near bank should that more stringent control and coorberelieved as soon as possible anddination are required to prevent overjointheir unit.concentration of vehicles at entrances(6) In nuclear warfare, overconcentration and exits and to prevent accidentsof troops in the bridgehead area mustwhile crossing. The amount of naturalbe avoided to avoid presenting a lu-light and availability of night visioncrative target. devices must be considered whenf. Fire Support. Maximum fire support is planningablackoutcrossing.brought to bear against known and suspected (2) During crossings at night or periodsenemy positions on the far shore. Smoke is of-of limited visibility, entrances and exitsmust be marked by lights or otherten employed, particularly on the flanks, tomeans that permit detection by thescreen the reconnaissance and crossing. Whendriver or vehicle commander. Refertankssupport by direct fire, arrangementsence points on the far shore must bemust be made for control of fires. Extra am-readily identifiable or illuminated inmunition must be made available to units tosome manner to assist in maintaininginsure that they have a complete load whendirection. Illumination aids may bethey cross. To increase and to extend the rangevehicle lights, tank-mounted searchofthe firepower in the bridgehead, amphibiouslights, flashlights, aiming post nightself-propelled mortars and artillery are crossedlights, chemiluminescent compounds,as soon as possible.and weapons fires. The devices used193