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

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMactions may be preplanned and exe- (2) Casualties. Casualties are replaced ascuted for a consolidation. Registra-soon as possible or men are reastionis completed when possible, andsigned within the unit to cover theintegrated fire plans are prepared toloss of key personnel.support the consolidation. If the timesupportfor thethecontinuationconsolidation.of theIfattackthe timeis(3)tackEvacuation.for thePlansevacuationmade beforeof casualties,the at-tack for the evacuation of casualties,not tank known, commanders beginprisoners of war, and damaged equippreparationof individual range cards.ment are implemented.c. Reorganization. Reorganization includesall measures taken to maintain the combat (4) Supply. Ammunition and equipmenteffectiveness of the unit. Reorganization is con-are redistributed within the unit iftinuous throughout the attack, but halts fornecessary. Basic and prescribed loadsconsolidation offer opportunities to accomplishof supply are reconstituted as timethose activities that are difficult to do on thepermits.move. Actions to be taken include- (5) Control. New communication plans(1) Reports. Units report their location are made or old ones revised as reandstatus to assist the next higherquired. Command and control facilicommanderin his planning for subse-ties are located to control the consoliquentoperations.dation and anticipated future actions.Section IV. FORMS OF MANEUVER AND OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS125. General and overrunning or seizing objectives that destroythe continuity of the enemy defense andOffensive maneuvers and operations that arcreatean opportunity for exploiting themor units conduct, or in which they participate,are the penetration, envelopment, turningmovement, and exploitation (including pur- sharply and the seizure of the objectives accomplishedquickly, the penetration becomes suit). The basic forms of offensive maneuver complished quickly, the penetration becomes aare the penetration are the and penetrationenvelopment. The frontalattack is a variation of the penetration; afrontal attack. This may result in high casual-double envelopment and a turning movement adopt other defensive measures. Armor unitsare variations of envelopment. Infiltration is a participate i the penetration by accomplishingtechnique of movement used in conjunctiononeoneorormoremoreofofthethethreethreetaskstasksbybymaneuvermaneuverwith the several with the forms severalof maneuver. The exploitationis an offensive operation which mayforces or, under some circumstances, by firefollow a successful penetration or envelopment. b. Rupture of the Position.The pursuit is an extension of a successful ex- (1) The rupture of the enemy defensiveploitation. The choice of a specific form of ma-position is made by a violent attackneuver or a specific type of operation ison on a relatively narrow front. front, Theinfluenced by the mission, enemy, terrain and forces involved must be strongweather, and troops available.and open a gap to permit highly mobileforces to pass rapidly through to126. Penetrationexploit the enemy's rear. The employa.General. In the penetration, the attacking ment of nuclear weapons may allowforce passes through the enemy defensive posi-attack of the defense positions on ation, ruptures it, and neutralizes or destroysbroader front.objectives to break up the continuity of the de- (2) The attack is planned and coordinatedfense. The penetration is accomplished by carefully to insure that the assaultmeans of three tasks: rupturing the enemy de-has sufficient force and momentum tofensive position; holding or widening the gap;overcome the enemy's defenses.73