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

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMcious use of smoke may reduce enemyobservation.are best realized when fired from astationary position.b. Fires During Continuous Movement in (c) Movement by individual tanks is ef-Mass.fective against any type target ex-(1) The unit continues to move withouthalting.cept those requiring the concen-trated fires of more than one tank.(2) The tank machineguns can be em- (d) Considerations when movement byployed effectively while the tank isindividual tanks might be used aremoving, but the accuracy of the un-as follows:stabilized tank gun is reduced seri-1. In the advance to the assault whenously.enemy tanks or other point targets(3) Fires during continuous movement inmass are effective only within thethreaten the accomplishment of themission and cannot be neutralizedrelatively short range of the machine-by the base of fire or by machinegunand against an enemy vulnerablegun fire while moving.to arms small fire.2. When a force is caught in the openby effective enemy fire and must(4) Continuous movement in mass with move and neutralize the fire to premachinegunfire is used in the assaultvent unacceptable losses.of defended positions.3. In the assault when the presence ofc. Fire and Movement. Fire and movement enemy tanks requires the use ofis used so that the force as a whole may con-armor-defeating weapons.tinue to advance while elements of it halt tern- (e) The advance by continuous moveporarilyto fire 1 or 2 rounds from the tankment in mass is resumed as soon asgun at known targets that prohibit continuouspossible.movement in mass. Fire and movement is con- (2) Coordinated movement by bounds. Theducted by two methods-movement by individ-unit commander selects the firing poualtanks and coordinated movement by bounds.sitions, designates who is to occupy the(1) Movement by individual tanks (fig.62).positions, and gives the order to displacefrom one position to another.(a) Each tank commander determineswhether to fire the machinegunThe unit commander may designatetargets, the time to fire, and the routewhile moving or to halt to fire thebetween firing positions.machinegun or tank gun. The tank (a) Alternate bounds (fig. 63).commander selects the firing posi-1. A part of the tank unit is orderedtion, the target, the time of fire, andforward to a predesignated limitthe route between firing positions.while the remainer of the unit firesIn making these determinations, heon the enemy. When the leadingmust maintain, in general, his rela-element is in position, it fires on thetive position in the platoon forma-enemy while the remainder of thetion. The platoon leader insures unit advances past its position to athat the platoon continues to movesecond predesignated limit. This alandmay direct individual tanks toternation of movement is repeatedfire less and move more if necessaryas often as necessary. The tankall tanks participate company executes alternate boundsto insure that all tanks participateby platoons. When platoons areaggressively in the fight. The pla-forced to execute alternate bounds,toon leader may direct the fire ofthe platoon leader decides whereindividual tanks when necessary.and when a tank or tanks will move.(b) The accuracy capabilities of bothThe movement of all tanks is coorthemachinegun and the tank gundinated.284 AGO 9139A