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

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMfrom moving with the maneuver force. This an attack, any one or more of the three methmethoddoes not take maximum advantage of ods of attack may be used. As the situationthe mobility, shock effect, and combat power of changes, the commander is alert to vary histanks.method of attack. The factors of METT aree. Selection of a Method of Attack. During analyzed in selecting a method of attack.Section III.CONDUCT OF THE ATTACK120. The Advance to the Assault (b) The battlefield mobility of both elea.The advance to the assault is initiatedfrom a line of departure and is conducted in aments of the tank and infantryteam will be retained.-manner which minimizes casualties to the ma- (c) Casualties will be minimized inneuver force while placing combat power in po-areas covered by small arms, morsitionto impose maximum destruction on thetar, and artillery fire.enemy.(d) Artillery airbursts can be employedb. The maneuver force conducts the advance over the attacking force.to the assault as a continuous rapid movement, (e) Some protection will be affordedto insure that it passes through the enemy'sagainst nuclear weapons.defensive fires in minimum time.(f) The infantry can conserve energyc. Where possible the assault is always con- to be better able to fight dismountductedin mass. However, enemy action mayed when needed.require the maneuver force to employ fire and (3) Infantry normally dismount when itmovement. For a discussion of fire and move-is necessary for them toment,see appendix XIII.(a) Breach or remove obstacles that ared. Throughout the advance to the assault, preventing the forward movementthe commander supervises the execution of hisof the tanks.plan and continues his estimate. He keepsabreast of the situation as it develops to deter- (b) Assist in the neutralization or demineif changes must be made in the scheme ofstruction of antitank weapons thatmaneuver or plan of fire support.are holding up the forward move-ment of the tanks and armored per-121. Tank and Infantry Teamwork Duringthe Advance to the Assaultsonnel carriers.(c) Lead an attack through heavilya. General. Armor operations are based on wooded areas or over very rough orthe combined arms concept in which each armbroken terrain.contributes its capabilities to the combat power (d) Lead an attack across defendedof the overall force. To weld the capabilities ofrivers that cannot be crossed by arinfantryand tank units into one effort, themored personnel carriers or fordedcommander considers the following relation-by tanks.ships between tanks and infantry in the advanceto the assault.(e) Take part in an attack throughfortified areas or defended towns(1) Whenever possible, tanks lead the at- and villages that cannot be bytackingformation in order to takepassed.maximum advantage of their capabilityfor mounted combat.(f) Assist the tanks forward movementduring certain conditions of low(2) It is desirable that the infantry re- visibility and restricted fields ofmain mounted as long as possible sofire (darkness, fog, smoke, heavythat-woods, broken terrain, or other(a) Movements can be conducted at thesimilar conditions).speed of the tanks to rapidly close b. Mounted Infantry.with and destroy the enemy.(1) Tank and mounted infantry elements69