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

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMenemy places effective fires upon thedata is prepared, during daylight.attacker. In any event, illuminationWeapons are moved under cover ofmust be planned for and executeddarkness. In a night attack by a batwhenthe enemy fires become effectivetalion task force, it may be desirableor if he chooses to illuminate theto provide all supporting fires frombattlefield himself.units not in the task force. When this(2) Battlefield illumination facilitates con- is done, all the battalion's supportingtrol and coordination within the at-weapons can follow the attacking echetackingelements, permits delivery ofIon to the objective by bounds.aimed fire, and allows rapid minefield g. Communication. Radio is the primaryremoval and evacuation of casualties. means of communication in the mounted attack.For a discussion of battlefield illumi- Listening silence may be imposed on the attacknationsee appendix XV.ing force to mislead the enemy as to the intenf.Fire Support. tions of the moving tracked vehicles. When the(1) In a night attack, supporting fires are enemy discovers the attack, listening silence isplanned and controlled in the same lifted. Dismounted mechanized infantry givenmanner as in a daylight attack. They the mission of breaching minefields and securmaybe employed before, during, and ing the probable line of deployment should useafter the attack. To assist in gaining wire communication until the attack is dissurprise,the attacking force may ad- closed. In any event, supplemental means suchvance within assaulting distance of as pyrotechnic signals, infrared searchlights,the objective without supporting fires. and electronic devices are planned andOnce the assault on the objective employed.begins, fires are delivered to isolatethe objective, prevent or limit counterattacks,and support the assaulting The amount of maneuver possible during aforce.night attack depends mainly on the nature of(2) Nuclear fires may be used just before the objective and the visibility. It is difficult tothe attack to neutralize known hard change direction. Complicated maneuvers aretargets. The employment of on-call nu- avoided to decrease the danger of firing onclear fires should be avoided since the friendly troops. Attacks normally are made inexact location of, and protective meas- one direction and in a relatively close formationures afforded to, the attacking troops to facilitate control. Nevertheless, simple mamaybe difficult to determine. Special neuvers may be used by tank and mechanizedprecautions must be taken to increase infantry units employing vehicular mountedtroops safety considerations because navigational aids, and infrared equipment.of dazzle effect at night. The creation a. Formations. In an attack that is not illuofobstacles is to be avoided as they minated initially, tank companies cross the lineare more difficult to negotiate at night. of departure in line formation with platoons inNuclear fires may obliterate land- column. Attached mechanized infantry may bemarks that were to be used as control in column behind a tank platoon. Intervals bemeasures.tween company teams are such that units can(3) Normal fires are maintained before deploy further when necessary. Deployment byand during an unsupported attack. platoons to line formation is made when forcedThey do not alert the enemy to an by enemy action or at the probable line of deimpendingattack but assist in main- ployment to attain maximum firepower andtaining secrecy by muffling the noise shock effect. In an illuminated attack with supofadvancing tanks and armored per- porting fires or when visibility permits,sonnel carriers.platoons may employ line formation from the(4) Positions for supporting weapons are attack position to the objective. In any event,reconnoitered and marked, and firing the rate of advance is timed to permit a: simul-112 AGO 913A