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

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COM41. The Battalion Mortar and well forward initially, a short dis-Davy Crockett Platoontance back of the FEBA, to provideadequate support for the combatSee sections II, III, and IV, this appendix.outpost. If this does not give ade-42. The Weapons Platoon, Mechanized quate support, one or more squadsTRiflhe WeapCompany Mechanized may be attached to the combat out-Rifle Companypost.a. Offense. (c) When the mortars are employed in(1) The company commander employs the81-mm mortar section in general supgeneralsupport, the company commanderdesignates a general posiportwhenever centralized control willtion area for them, based on thepermit delivery of fires in support of recommendation of the weaponsall or the major part of the companyplatoon leader.throughout the zone or along the axis (2) Antitank section.of advance. Forward observers of(a) Whenever possible, the antitank sectheweapons platoon are positioned astion is employed in general supportdirected by the directed company by commanders.thefor flexibility in moving the weap-(2) He employs the antitank section in ons throughout the company areageneral support whenever centralizedto meet armor threats. When thecontrol will permit the squads to pro-terrain does not permit free movevideantitank protection for the com-ment, one or both squads may bepany or, if appropriate, close fire sup-attached to rifle elements.port for the attacking platoons. Con-(b) One or both squads may be attachedsiderations in determining the methodto the combat outpost.of employment include the companycommander's ability to control the(c) When the antitank section is emsectionthroughout the attack and theployed i general support, the comsection'sability to move rapidly pany commander assigns each squadthroughout the area of operations toa general position area and a princimeet an armor threat.pal direction of fire, based on therecommendation of the weapons(3) For detailed discussion of the em- platoon leaderployment of the weapons platoon in(d) For a detailed discussion of employthpendixIo , seeFM 7-20. 7 and apment of the weapons platoon indefense, including selection of posib.Defense. tions, see FM 7-11.(1) 81-mm mortar section. c. Retrograde.(a) Whenever possible, the 81-mm mortarsare employed in general sup-mortar section. The Si-mmport. It is desirable that they bemortars are normally employedable to support. all forward riflegeneral support to cover the front andable to support all forward rifeare placed well forward to obtainplatoons from one position area.maximum range. If the mortars can-Exceptionally, the forward rifle not cover the company sector adeplatoonsmay be too widely sepa-quately from a centralized location,rated for the mortars to be used ingeneral support. In this case, onethey may be attached to the rifle plaormore may squadsbe attachedtoons. One or more of the mortarsor more squadsto forward platoons while the restmay be employed as a part of unitsare used in general support.left in contact.(b) When the company is responsible (2) Antitank section. The antitank squadsfor the combat outpost, the mor-are normally attached to the rifletars may frequently be positionedplatoon in whose area they are lo-298 AGO 913A