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

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMthe armored personnel carrier (APC) (1) Mine cluster. A mine cluster is theremains with the vehicle; other per-basic unit of the standard patternsons dismount carrying two minesminefield. It may contain from one toeach, except the squad leader whofive mines. When more than one minecarries the mine fuzes. The driveris used, the additional mines aremoves the APC to a covered positionplaced within a 2-pace radius of theand mans the vehicle machinegun.base mine. The base mine is usuallyThe squad or fire team leader pointsan antitank mine. Each cluster willout where each man is to position acontain no more than one antitankmine on the ground, leaving the fuzesmine. In an antipersonnel minefield, anear the first mine. The first man toreadily detectable type antipersonnellay his mines takes the fuzes andmine will be the base mine. Whenproceeds to fuze and arm each mine.chemical mines are to be integrated inThe second man, following imme-a composite minefield, they can be emdiatelybehind the man fuzing andployed best at a rate of one for everyarming the mines, checks each minefour clusters, the chemical mine beingto see if it is armed, then camouflagessubstituted for an antipersonnel mine.each mine; time permitting they may Clusters are placed in rows with 6-be buried. Each man returns to the pace intervals between the baseAPC as soon as his duties are com-mines.pleted. The squad leader reports themines in position. He prepares a sim-(2) Mine strip. Two rows of clusters con-stitute a mine strip. The rows are sixple minefield location record givingpaces apart, being three paces onthe pattern, number of mines, and lo-either side from the centerline, thuscation for the platoon leader who for-leaving a 6-pace safety lane betweenwards it to the company team com- the two rows of the strip. The clusmander.If later actions prevent ters in the two rows are staggered soneutralization of the protectiveminefield, the company team comthatthey are located at 3-pace inter-vals, alternating right and left of themander forwards the record to thebattalion task force commander forcenterline. The open sides of the clus-ters in both rows are toward the cenappropriateaction.terline of the strip. If tripwires aref. Defensive Minefields. Defensive minefields used, they are placed on antipersonnelare laid in accordance with the tactical plan.mines in the front row (enemy side ofThey are laid between, in front of, or on thestrip centerline), not more than oneflanks of positions occupied to delay and disor-tripwire-activated mine to a cluster,ganize enemy attacks and to defeat or limit enemypenetration into the tactical positions. Alland no closer than every third cluster.Tripwires should be employed intypes of mines, flares, warning devices, and antihandlingdevices are used. Defensivepairs forming a vee with the openends towards the enemy, and mustminefields should be integrated with the plannot be closer than two paces at theof fire support and covered by artillery, mortar,machinegun, and antitank fire. Barragesshould not be laid on the minefields but sited on wire should not exceed the casualtytheir outer edges. Defensive minefield recordsradius of the mine to which it is atshouldbe prepared simultaneously with thetached. Mine strips are lettered alphalaying,using DA Form 1355, and will normallybetically (A, B, C, D), from the frontbe forwarded at least to division headquarters. to the rear, and must be at least 18For details of records and reports, see FMpaces apart. The strips need not be20-32. Defensive minefields are laid to a stand- parallel; a centerline may have asard pattern, consisting of the following ele-many turning points as desired. Aments (fig. 95).standard pattern minefield contains a373