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

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

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WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMmasked. Fire from the antitank rock-have been supporting the attack byets and flamethrowers, directed fire are moved forward to assist.against embrasures, may be used by Fresh teams are moved forwardthe assault group to assist in coveringquickly to continue the attack withoutthe advance of a demolition party atdelay, and the process of deepeningclose range. Upon breaching the and widening the breach is continued.fortification, the assault group rushesthe emplacement and, with hand gre- 372. Defense of a Fortified Positionnades and portable flamethrowers, Tanks are normally a part of the reserve forovercomes all enemy resistance. Flankand support groups move up andemployment in counterattacks. However, whennumerous armor approaches exist, tanks maycover the reorganization of the team, be attached to forward defense units to cover(3) During the mopup stage, tanks are critical avenues of approach from defilade posipreparedto fire on probable avenues tions. See FM 31-50 for details of the defenseof enemy counterattacks. Tanks that of fortified positions.Section X.OPERATIONS IN BUILT-UP AREAS373. General tial strongpoint. By additional con-Armor units normally bypass built-up areasstruction, use of barricades, boobybecausecombat operations are characterizedtrapping of areas in the buildings, andby house-to-house fighting, restricted observa-other means available to the defender,tion and fields of fire, restricted maneuverspace for armored vehicles, and extremethe buildings selected for defense be-come potential fortresses.difficulty of control and coordination. As a re- (2) The defender can select positions thatsuit, combat in such areas consists of a seriesof small, predominantly mechanized infantrymaintainobservation and fires on theapproaches into the city.heavy actions (FM 31-50).(3) The defender has a choice of buildings374. Tactical Considerations to defend. These buildings alsoprovide cover and concealment. TheBasic tactical doctrine and fundamentals for attacker must determine which buildoperationsin built-up areas are essentially theings are being defended and whichsame as those prescribed in previous chapters,are not. Adequate underground coverin FM 31-50, and in FM 100-5. The nature ofis usually available to the defenderthe environment reduces the speed with whichand gives him some protection againstarmor units normally conduct operations. Plan- air and artillery bombardment.ning must be in great detail and troops must (4) Streets and alleys allow movementbe briefed carefully. The following factorsmust be considered in establishing the tacticalprocedures and techniques for this type ofand killing zones. Streets and alleysoperation.can be blocked easily by mines, boobytraps,barricades, and other obstacles.a. Characteristics of City Fighting Favorableto the Defender. ~~~ble to the Defender. ~Theattacking troops, by the nature ofthe area through which the attack(1) A well-organized and determined the area through which the attackforce located in the confines of amust be conducted, will find theirbuilt-up area can hold off a superiormovement restricted and canalized.attacking force for long periods of (5) The attacker will be limited in thetime. Strongly constructed cities giveemployment of indirect-fire weaponsthe defender a decided advantagebecause of restricted observation inover the attacker in that each buildingor group of buildings is a potenthearea and the nearness of his owntroops to enemy targets. Employment201

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMof direct-fire weapons is subjected toof street fighting will probably belimited fields of fire.used, but basic techniques will remainb. Characteristics of City Fighting Favora- the same.ble to the Attacker.(3) The center of the built-up area is(1) The attacker has the advantage of usually the business section and willmaneuver in isolating the city to bealmost always consist of buildings ofseized. Once the isolation of the cityblock-type construction, with little orhas been completed, the attacker is inno space between buildings, excepta position either to press the attackfor an occasional park, street, or alonthe city or to contain it and forceley. This type of construction will rethedefender eventually to capitulate.quire fighting from building to build-(2) Once the city has been isolated, the ing and block to block. This is theattacker may select his point of entry part of the built-up area where basicinto the city. The attack may be con-differences in techniques are required.ducted from any direction(s).375. Plan of Attack(3) The attacker may be able to bypass3strongly defendedat bbuildings in the Plans for the attack and seizure of a well-decityby going under them, using cel- fended city must be based on a detailed studyars, sewers, subways, or other under- of the city as well as the enemy dispositions inground passages. Other strongly held and around it. As in any other attack, planningdefensive positions may be bypassed must provide for a plan of maneuver and aattacking sby over the roofs of the plan of fire support. The attacking force maybuildings.be composed of a mechanized infantry-heavydirect-assault force and a tank-heavy envelopc.Building Arrangement in Built-up Areas. ing force (fig. 31). Both forces are supportedThe construction patterns or building arrange- by coordinated fires. The enveloping force hasments of a typical city are classified usually in- the mission of preventing the escape of the entothree different categories.emy, preventing reinforcements from entering(1) On the outskirts or suburbs are found the city, providing direct-fire support for thenormally isolated houses or small direct-assault force, and protecting the directgroupsof houses surrounded by small assault force from counterattack. The directplotsof land, gardens, farms, fields, assault force has the mission of clearing theor vacant lots. When this part of the city of enemy resistance and linking up withcity is attacked, the houses should be the enveloping force. The attack is plannedtreated as inferior pillboxes or indi- normally in three phases: in the first phase thevidual emplacements, and the plan of city is isolated; in the second phase, a footholdattack may be no different from that is gained on the near edge of the city; and inused in an attack over normal terrain the third phase, the area is systematically rewherean occasional fortification is duced.encountered.(2) The second type of building arrange- 376. Conduct of the Attackment is usually found in the residen- a. Phase 1. Phase I is the isolation of thetial district. This is an intermediate city and the seizure of terrain features thatarea where buildings are closely dominate the approaches into it. The attackerspaced, detached, or semidetached and secures positions outside the built-up areaare usually flanked by streets on one from which to support the entrance into theside and by gardens or grassy plots city itself. The tactics and techniques for thison the other. The general layout may phase of the operation do not differ from thoseor may not follow some geometrical employed in an attack against other well-orpattern.The type of attack to be used ganized enemy positions.in this area will depend upon the den- b. Phase II. Phase II is an advance of thesity of the buildings. A modified form attacking forces to the edge of the built-up202

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMmasked. Fire from the antitank rock-have been supporting the attack byets and flamethrowers, directed fire are moved forward to assist.against embrasures, may be used by Fresh teams are moved forwardthe assault group to assist in coveringquickly to continue the attack withoutthe advance of a demolition party atdelay, and the process of deepeningclose range. Upon breaching the and widening the breach is continued.fortification, the assault group rushesthe emplacement and, with hand gre- 372. Defense of a Fortified Positionnades and portable flamethrowers, Tanks are normally a part of the reserve forovercomes all enemy resistance. Flankand support groups move up andemployment in counterattacks. However, whennumerous armor approaches exist, tanks maycover the reorganization of the team, be attached to forward defense units to cover(3) During the mopup stage, tanks are critical avenues of approach from defilade posipreparedto fire on probable avenues tions. See FM 31-50 for details of the defenseof enemy counterattacks. Tanks that of fortified positions.Section X.OPERATIONS IN BUILT-UP AREAS373. General tial strongpoint. By additional con-Armor units normally bypass built-up areasstruction, use of barricades, boobybecausecombat operations are characterizedtrapping of areas in the buildings, andby house-to-house fighting, restricted observa-other means available to the defender,tion and fields of fire, restricted maneuverspace for armored vehicles, and extremethe buildings selected for defense be-come potential fortresses.difficulty of control and coordination. As a re- (2) The defender can select positions thatsuit, combat in such areas consists of a seriesof small, predominantly mechanized infantrymaintainobservation and fires on theapproaches into the city.heavy actions (FM 31-50).(3) The defender has a choice of buildings374. Tactical Considerations to defend. These buildings alsoprovide cover and concealment. TheBasic tactical doctrine and fundamentals for attacker must determine which buildoperationsin built-up areas are essentially theings are being defended and whichsame as those prescribed in previous chapters,are not. Adequate underground coverin FM 31-50, and in FM 100-5. The nature ofis usually available to the defenderthe environment reduces the speed with whichand gives him some protection againstarmor units normally conduct operations. Plan- air and artillery bombardment.ning must be in great detail and troops must (4) Streets and alleys allow movementbe briefed carefully. The following factorsmust be considered in establishing the tacticalprocedures and techniques for this type ofand killing zones. Streets and alleysoperation.can be blocked easily by mines, boobytraps,barricades, and other obstacles.a. Characteristics of City Fighting Favorableto the Defender. ~~~ble to the Defender. ~Theattacking troops, by the nature ofthe area through which the attack(1) A well-organized and determined the area through which the attackforce located in the confines of amust be conducted, will find theirbuilt-up area can hold off a superiormovement restricted and canalized.attacking force for long periods of (5) The attacker will be limited in thetime. Strongly constructed cities giveemployment of indirect-fire weaponsthe defender a decided advantagebecause of restricted observation inover the attacker in that each buildingor group of buildings is a potenthearea and the nearness of his owntroops to enemy targets. Employment201

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