ARMORED INFANTRY UNITS PLATOON, COMPANY AND …

[Pages:185]MH I

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY FIELD MANUAL

ARMORED INFANTRY UNITS PLATOON, COMPANY AND BATTALION

HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY AUGUST 1957

FIELD MANUAL)

) No. 17-20

*FM 17-20

HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY WASHINGTON 25, D. C., 26 August 1957

ARMORED INFANTRY UNITS-PLATOON, COMPANY, AND BATTALION

Paragraphs

CHAPTER 1. GENERAL

Section I. General ....................................... II. Organization, armored infantry battalion ........ III. Communication, armored infantry battalion .....

1-5 6-22 23-30

Page

2 5 17

CHAPTER 2. COMBAT OPERATIONS, GENERAL

Section I. Organization for combat ........................ 31-37

25

II. Combat formations ............................

38-42

29

III. Utilization of firepower ......................... 43-48

36

IV. Security operations ............................ 49-57

41

CHAPTER 3. OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS

Section I. General ....................................... 58-64

45

II. Preparation for the attack ...................... 65-83

48

III. Employment of the armored personnel carrier in

attack ....................................... 84-86

56

IV. Conduct of the attack .......................... 87-135

58

V. Additional considerations in offensive action .....

136

89

CHAPTER 4. DEFENSIVE OPERATIONS

Section I. General ....................................... 137-140

90

II. Organization of the defense..................... 141-154

91

III. Mobile defense ................................ 155-163

102

IV. Position defense ............................... 164-180

108

V. Perimeter defense .............................. 181,182

120

VI. 81-mm mortar platoon in the defense............ 183-190

121

VII. Additional considerations in defense .............

191

125

CHAPTER 5. RETROGRADE MOVEMENTS

Section I. General ....................................... 192,193

127

II. Delaying action ............................... 194-205

127

III. Withdrawal from action ........................ 206-208

135

APPENDIX I. REFERENCES ............................... ......

137

II. DISMOUNTED COMBAT FORMATIONS,

CREW DRILL, AND BATTLE DRILL ...........

138

INDEX ..................................................

......

170

* This manual supersedes FM 7-17, 23 March 1951, including C 1, 12 September 1952.

TAGO 1338-B, Aug.

1

CHAPTER 1 GENERAL

Section I. GENERAL

1. Purpose and Scope

a. This manual covers detailed doctrine, tactics, techniques, procedures, and organization of armored infantry units-platoon, company, and battalion-acting either with or without reinforcements.

b. The procedures described in this manual are intended to be used as guides and should not be considered inflexible. Each new situation in combat must be solved by an intelligent interpretation and application of the doctrine set forth herein, and not by blind adherence to any set of rules.

c. This manual must be used in conjunction with FM 17-1, Armor Operations, Small Units. General information contained in FM 17-1 is repeated in this manual only where necessary to insure clarity and understanding. Although this manual deals primarily with armored infantry units, it emphasizes the fact that armored infantry normally operates in close coordination with other arms, and that success in battle is certain only when all arms and services work together.

d. While the employment of other types of units, such as tanks, artillery, engineers, and Army aircraft, is mentioned in this manual, FM 17-1, and manuals of the 5-, 6-, 17-, and 20-series, should be consulted for the basic and detailed tactics and techniques of these units. This also applies in the field of logistics and communication. In addition to FM 17-1, armor series manuals which supplement this manual are as follows:

FM 17-100 The Armored Division. FM 17-33 Tank Battalion. FM 17-35 Reconnaissance Battalion Armored Division. FM 17-50 Logistics Armored Division. FM 17-70 Signal Communication in the Armored Division.

e. Discussions in this manual of organizations and equipment are based on TOE of the 7- and 17-series.

2

TAGO 1338-B, Aug.

f. Unless otherwise specified, the material presented herein is applicable without modification to both atomic and nonatomic warfare. Paragraphs 15 through 18 and 183 through 189, FM 17-1 provide additional atomic considerations.

2. The Role of Armored Infantry

Armored infantry is the infantry striking force of armor. It engages in offensive, defensive, and retrograde actions, with or without tanks. It is capable of providing infantry support for tank units in all types of actions. Armored infantry units are employed most frequently either with tank units attached or attached to tank units. The armored infantry battalion is both an administrative and a tactical unit, with self-contained facilities for administrative, supply, evacuation, and maintenance activities sufficient for limited periods of combat. Its continued operaton depends on adequate and timely logistical support.

3. Mission of Armored Infantry

The armored infantry has the mission of assisting in the successful advance of tanks through mounted or dismounted action. To accomplish this mission, the armored infantry closes with and destroys or captures the enemy by fire, maneuver, and shock action.

4. Capabilities of the Armored Infantry Battalion

The armored infantry battalion has the following capabilities:

a. Provides armored infantry support for division tank units.

b. Conducts offensive and defensive operations with or without the support of tanks units.

c. Possesses high cross-country mobility with light armor protection and multiple means of communication.

d. Traverses unfordable water obstacles while mounted.

e. Rapidly exploits the effects of atomic weapons.

f. Dismounted armored infantry elements may be helicopter lifted to positions beyond an obstacle so as to outflank and seize enemy defensive positions and key terrain features. See FM 17-1.

5. Legend for this Manual

Figure 1 gives the symbols most frequently used in illustrating this manual.

TAGO 1338-B, Aug.

3

LEGEND

t~

~ TANK PRIMARY POSITION

LIEgARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIER

ENEMY TANK POSITION

ENEMY SELF-PROPELLED ANTITANK GUN

~t

TOWED ANTITANK GUN IN POSITION

TYPICAL TANK

NOTE: ILLUSTRATIONS OF VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT OTHER THAN PHOTOGRAPHS IN THIS MANUAL ARE ARTISTS DRAWINGS AND ARE NOT INTENDED TO INDICATE FUTURE DESIGN

FFiigguurree 11.. SSyymmbboollss uusseedd iinn mmaannuuaall.

4

TAGO 1338-B, Aug.

Section II. ORGANIZATION, ARMORED INFANTRY BATTALION

6. General The armored infantry battalion consists of a headquarters and head-

quarters company and four rifle companies (fig. 2). There are four armored infantry battalions in the armored division.

7. Headquarters and Headquarters Company a. Organization. The headquarters and headquarters company of the

armored infantry battalion consists of a battalion headquarters and a headquarters company. The battalion headquarters contains the battalion commander and his staff. The headquarters company has a company headquarters, a battalion headquarters section, a battalion scout platoon, a battalion 4.2-inch mortar platoon, a battalion communication platoon, a battalion support platoon, a battalion maintenance platoon, a battalion personnel section, and a battalion medical section (fig. 3).

b. Mission. The mission of the headquarters and headquarters company is to provide command, reconnaissance, motar support, communication support, administration, supply, medical support, transportation, and maintenance support for the battalion.

8. Battalion Headquarters The battalion headquarters contains the necessary personnel to com-

mand and control the battalion. These are the battalion commander, executive officer, adjutant (S1), intelligence officer (S2), operations officer (S3), S3 air, logistics officer (S4), surgeon, chaplain, communication officer, maintenance officer, and sergeant major. For duties and responsibilities of the battalion commander and his staff, see paragraphs 68 through 88, FM 17-1.

9. Headquarters Company Headquarters The company headquarters of headquarters company is organized to

provide administrative, supply, maintenance, and mess facilities for the company and for battalion headquarters personnel. It consists of a company headquarters section; an administrative, mess, and supply section; and a maintenance section.

a. Company HeadquartersSection. The company headquarters section includes the company commander, the first sergeant, and a driver. The company commander may be designated as battalion headquarters commandant. As such, he is responsible for operations pertaining to the internal arrangement of the command post, its movement under direction of the executive officer, and its security. In addition, he is charged with the responsibility of providing messing facilities for attached or supporting personnel, such as liaison officers and forward air controllers. He

TAGO 1338-B, Aug.

5

i

*oq

_C 0

N E

u~

c0~

~ 'v - ~

=o

~

6-vI-T~~G~~O~~1~3, 3-Z

ad

A

TAO13-,Ag i

U

0

Uj

U

0zv~

a

w

z~~ Uj~~

w

?I I

S r *za-

0 U

'0

* z1

0 za.

I-

Uj

0

*za- 0 CO~~~~~

0

0z

0

v,~~~~~~~2

H

a

* za

H

aI

<

H

0

Um~I

a

I

0

I

~~~~~~~~~U~~~UIIIU <

I

z O 0 Iir u~~.

0~~L~X~~Lm~~ a~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I

D

*I Zv,

*

a

U

L

2:

TAGO133UBAug

*w C~3 ~ ~ ?

a

TAGO 1838-B, Aug.

7

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download