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

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMhim as rapidly as possible with minimum ca-cated on high ground, care must besualties to friendly forces. The assault of a de-taken to acquire and destroy any enfendedposition by tanks and mechanized in-emy antitank and automatic weaponsfantry in coordination with the base of fire sited on the reverse slope. Thesemay take one of three forms-weapons are normally positioned soa. Tanks and Dismounted Infantry Assault as to engage tanks and dismountedin Coordination.infantry as they crest the hill.(3) Once the assault has cleared the obusedto bring the force into the as-.jective, the carriers are moved forwarsaultposition, the assault is conduct-wardtotoremountremounttheirtheirsquadssquadsforforcon-conedas a coordinated effort. As thetinuation of the attack. They shouldforce approaches the objective, theobjective is under heavy fire from theavoid "cruising" the objective searchbaseof fire. The tanks maintain theiring for their squads. The followingrate of advance and increase the vol-techniques may be employed to moveume of fire on the objective. As thecarriers forward under control.tanks approach the objective, the (a) Radio. Armored personnel carriersmechanized infantry moves quickly toare provided with radios that netdismount positions to support thewith those carried by the dismounttanks.Fire from the base of fire ised infantry. The range of thelifted as the tanks move onto the ob-transmitting station must be conjective.Mortar and artillery overheadsidered with respect to the positiontime fires are shifted to the flanks andof the carrier and the driver mustfar side of the objective. The localconstantly monitor the radio.commander commander determines when and (b) Messenger. A dismounted meswherethe mechanized infantry willmaximum advantagesenger may be sent to the positiondismount maximumaoccupiedtakingby the carriers to guideof defilade for the armored personnelthem to their respective units. Thisis the slowest method and depends(2) As the tanks continue their assault to on a route clear of the enemy.the far side of the objective, the infantryfollows and protects them by (c) Pyrotechnic devices. A pyrotechnicengaging infantry-type targets, in-signal may be fired to indicate tocluding individual antitank weaponsdriversdriversthethmetime totomovemoveandandthetheand tank killer teams. Coordinationapproximate location of the unit.should be accomplished before the at-This technique requires constanttack to maximize infantry support ofscanning of an area by the driver,tank elements tank during elements the assault.good visibility, and availability ofWhenever possible, the machinegunspyrotechnics.of the armored personnel carriers are b. Tanks and Mechanized Infantry in theused to support the assault until their Mounted Assault. In some situations, becausefires are masked by advancing rifle- of the nature of the terrain or of limited enmen.The riflemen use assault fire emy resistance, it may be unnecessary to distoclose with the enemy. The shock mount the mechanized infantry. The decisioneffect of assaulting tanks and in- to keep the infantry mounted is up to the localfantry is multiplied by rapid move- commander at the time and can rarely be prementand heavy volume of fire. As the planned. The mounted assault differs from thetanks arrive at the far edge of the ob- dismounted assault in the employment of supjective,fire is directed on the enemy porting fires. In the mounted assault, integratpositionsbeyond the objective area. ed forces may assault the objective under coverDuring the assault of an objective lo- of overhead artillery and mortar fire. Tanks71