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

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMcated. If attached to units left in (3) General. For a detailed discussion ofcontact, they withdraw based on thethe weapons platoon in retrogradeplans of the rifle platoon. operations, see FM 7-11.Section VII. FIRE PLANNING AT PLATOON AND COMPANY LEVEL43. General target areas. The sectors of responsibility assignedeachThe planning of organic andtanksupportingmust be overlappingfirestoto support an operation is accomplished at allinsureTank commanderscomplete coverageprepareofatherangeplatooncard,sector.which, includes the specific targets and areas assignedbattalion, and brigade must be coordinated and bybythetheplatoonplatoonleader,leader,andandselectselectadditionalfully integrated to insure success of the planadditionalof attack or defense. The plan of fire support thethetanktanksectorsectorofofresponsibility.responsibility.TheTheplatoonincludes fires of organic, attached, and sup- leader selectsplatoonsuspect target and target areasporting weapons. Fire planning at platoon andcompany level must be continuous and as deincommander.addition toThethosefireassignedplan submitted by the companyby t ecommander. The fire plan submitted by theplatoon leader to the company commander is44. Fire Planning in Defense an integration of the tank range cards, thetargets assigned by the company commander,a. Company Level. As soon as the battalion and targets selected by the platoon leader.commander has determined his plan of defense,he assigns each company a sector of responsi- 45. Fire Planning in Offensebility, which the company commander is requiredto cover by fire. The battalion commanderwill designate critical target areas to assisted by the artillery forward observer, dethecompanies. He may also assign a mortar velops a plan of supporting fires to support thebarrage to the company. The company com- company's scheme of maneuver. In developingmander assigns areas of responsibility to eachplatoon. Upon receipt of the platoon plan offire support, he integrates these plans along (1) The mission and scheme of maneuver.with the target areas, concentrations, barrages, (2) Information of the enemy.and other organic and supporting fires avail- (3) Possible enemy avenues of approach.able, selected and assigned in formulating his (4) Fires requested by the platoon leaders.plan of fire support. The artillery forward ob- (5) Protective fires required along theserver and the mortar observer supporting theflanks and during consolidation on thecompany are the commander's principal ad-objective.visers in the preparation of the company plan (6) Smoke required to facilitate maneuver.of fire support. When the consolidated company (7) Illumination required to support aplan of fire has been completed, the platoonnight attack.leaders annotate their maps to reflect all (8) Other supporting fires available suchplanned fires. The targets and target areas areas attached mortars, artillery, closeidentified by numbers and letters so that any air support, or naval gunfire.member of the company can call for fires The company commander, platoon leaders, andon a target using a common identification artillery forward observers must be alert tosystem.detect targets of opportunity during the conb.Platoon Level. The company commander duct of the battle, and request fires on theseassigns each platoon a sector of responsibility targets to prevent interference by the enemy.and specific targets or target areas. The pla- b. Platoon Level. Upon receipt of the attacktoon leader assigns a sector of responsibility order, the platoon leader issues a warning orderto each tank along with specific targets or and begins planning for the employment of hisAGO 9129A 299