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

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMoperations in the rear areas that are beyond 417. Rear Area Security Operationsthe capabilities of tenant units, activities, and a. Concept. Rear area security operations,installations.by armor units designated as rear area securityforces, include the location, engagement, anddestruction of guerrilla, infiltrator, sabotage,a. In rear areas guerrillas may operate as and conventional forces whether ground, airindependentor semi-independent groups. These borne, or airlanded. Tenant unit, activity, orgroups may be composed of dissident civilian installation commanders conduct defensiveirregulars, paramilitary type forces, bypassed operations primarily and limited offensivearmed forces evading capture, or stay-behind operations within their capabilities. The priarmedforces units designed to organize and mary function of the rear area security forceconduct resistance activities against friendly is to fix and destroy the enemy or to keep theforces. The use of the term "guerrilla" in the hostile elements sufficiently off balance to preremainderof this section does not limit the clude their launching successful offensiveoperations and activities described to irregular operations. In the event hostile attacks occur,bands roaming the countryside, but includes, rear area security forces are deployed rapidlyas appropriate, paramilitary and regular to defeat the enemy elements or to contain thearmed forces units which may be using guer- attack until additional forces are committed.rilla tactics. The extent of organized guerrillaactivities is normally dependent on guerrilla b. Missions. An armor unit designated as aforce organization, leadership, and logistical rear area security force is assigned the missionsupport available.of protecting the entire rear area or specificterritorial areasb. Guerrillain theoperationsrear area, by theareappro-characterized by priate commander The protection of the desgpriatsurprise,mobility, and rapid dispersion of nated territorialcommander.areasTheincludesforcesprotection of the desig-following any operation. As a generalrule, guerrilla forces converge on a target over (1) Relief of attacked installations andmultiple, concealed routes, moving either units.singly or in small 2 to 3-man groups. Imme- (2) Protection of lines of communication.diately following an attack, the guerrilla force (3) Denial of drop or landing zones.will disperse and move to secure bases or min-ce of possible basesgle with the local population. Surprise is theofmost important single element in guerrillaoperations. A guerrilla force will normally at- (5) Finding, fixing, and destroying enemytack friendly forces where they are weakestconventional forces and enemy guerandwhen least expected.rilla forces operating in rear areasc. The primary objectives of organized guer- (fig. 44).rilla operations are to restrict or stop the flow c. Planning.of supplies, troops, and equipment, to and (1) The commander responsible for secuwithinthe combat zone; to disrupt communica- rity of an area reconnioiters his astions;and to interfere to the maximum extentsigned area to determine key terrainpossible with friendly force operations withto defend, the location of installatheaim of forcing commanders to divert corn-tions, and likely enemy drop zones,bat forces to mobile and static security opera-landing areas, or assembly areas.tions.Based on intelligence and other inford.Operations of hostile guerrillas can affect mation furnished by higher headarmorunits by:quarters, the commander and subordi-(1) Delaying the movement of armor nate commanders familiarizeunits by interdiction operations themselves with capabilities of enemyagainst critical bridges and defiles.forces and enemy airborne and air-(2) Forcing commanders to divert armor landed assault capabilities. Based onelements to mobile and static securityhis reconnaissance and study of theoperations.enemy capabilities, together with a244