TangoTwoBravo
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 2,659
- Points
- 1,110
I read an excellent little article in the June 2005 edition of the Marine Corps Gazette today regarding the use of Marine M1s in the intitial Fallujah battles. The article was written by a tank company commander who was there and the focus was on tank/infantry cooperation in the urban enviroment. I strongly recommend it for professional development reading.
The key lessons brought out were:
a. Tanks must still always be employed in pairs, even in the highly constricted urban environment. This ensures that the the wingman tank can extract the other tank quickly if it is disabled.
b. Infantry should not support/protect the tanks by simply walking closely beside or behind it. Tanks draw fire that makes the infantry seek cover. Infantry should preceed the tanks and also follow-up.
c. Target designation for the tanks by the infantry must be practiced ahead of time and should be accorded the same kind of respect as calling for artillery fire or fast air. This has to be practiced over the radio.
Again, I highly recommend this article.
2B
The key lessons brought out were:
a. Tanks must still always be employed in pairs, even in the highly constricted urban environment. This ensures that the the wingman tank can extract the other tank quickly if it is disabled.
b. Infantry should not support/protect the tanks by simply walking closely beside or behind it. Tanks draw fire that makes the infantry seek cover. Infantry should preceed the tanks and also follow-up.
c. Target designation for the tanks by the infantry must be practiced ahead of time and should be accorded the same kind of respect as calling for artillery fire or fast air. This has to be practiced over the radio.
Again, I highly recommend this article.
2B