1963 US Army Vietnam War Armor Operations ... - Survival Books

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMcommander in his planning for sub- (4) Supply. Ammunition and equipmentsequent operations.are redistributed within the unit if(2) Casualties. Casualties are replaced as necessary. Basic and prescribed loadssoon as possible or men are reassignedof supply are reconstituted as timewithin the unit to cover the loss ofpermits.key personnel.(5) Control. New communication plans(3) Evacuation. Plans made before the are made or old ones revised as reattackfor the evacuation of casualties,quired. Command and control faciliprisonersof war, and damaged equip-ties are located to control the consolimentare implemented.dation and anticipated future actions.Section V. TYPES OF OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS196. General (3) Preparatory fires are used in the ruptureOffensive operations that armor units con-turetotoweakenweakenthetheenemyenemydefensedefenseandandduct, or in which they participate, are theneutrailze his reserves. Enemy forcespenetration, envelopment, turning movement,isolated during the rupture may beand exploitation (including pursuit).neutralized by fire.(4) The rupture must be completed and197. Penetration widened as rapidly as possible to avoidreinforcement or blocking actions bya. General. The penetration is an operation enemy reserves or to prevent engaged-in which the attacking force passes throughenemy forces from adopting delayingthe enemy's defensive position, ruptures it andtactics.neutralizes or destroys objectives to break upthe continuity of his defense. The penetration c. Holding or Widening the Gap. Holding oris accomplished by means of three tasks: rupturingthe enemy defensive position; holdingwidening the gap may be accomplished by ma-neuver forces or by fires, or both. Actions areor widening the gap; and overrunning or seiz- aimed at preventing the movement of enemying deep objectives that destroy the continuity forces into or out of the area of operations.of the enemy defense and create an opportunity Enemy counterattacks are engaged rapidlyfor exploiting the breakthrough. Armor units with reserve units or fires. Desirably, it is perparticipatein the penetration by accomplish- formed by fires or by other forces to avoid dissipatingthe maneuver forces available for theing 1 or more of the 3 tasks by maneuver forces thd task.or, under some circumstances, by fire alone.d. Destroying the Continuity of the Defense.b. Rupture of the Position.(1) Armor units participating in a pene-(1) The rupture of the enemy defensive tration expend every effort to mainpositionis made by a violent attack ontain the violence and momentum ofa relatively narrow front by forcesthe attack. Overrunning the enemy orstrong enough to overwhelm the de-an attack deep in the enemy rear thatfenses and open a gap to permit highlydisrupts the continuity of his defensesmobile forces to pass rapidly throughrequires friendly forces to have relatoexploit the enemy's rear. The em-tively greater battlefield mobility thanployment of nuclear weapons may al-that of the enemy.low attack of the defense positions on (2) As the rupture is completed, the tempoa broader front.of the attack is increased to create an(2) The attack is planned and coordinated opportunity to exploit deep into thecarefully to insure that the assaultenemy rear.has sufficient force and momentum to e. Exploiting the Penetration. The forceovercome the enemy's defenses. given the mission of exploiting the penetration100 AGO 91S9A