SCHWERPUNKT Putting together an issue el." Captain Michael Landers provides some of ARMOR has always detailed and workable techniques for platoon been a challenge, and this leaders who find themselves overwhelmed issue has been no differ- with information or the need to recall it. For ent. During each week, the young officer just starting out, this article we receive many excel- offers excellent advice. lent articles on mobile The argument of whether armored vehicles warfare. Our challenge is should travel on tracks or wheels has been in selecting the best and with us for many years. General Andre' most relevant ones. I believe that this issue Sciard, a distinguished combat veteran of contains some very good choices. WW 11, Algeria, and Indochina, offers us his Our cover story, "Bastogne: A Fascinating, ideas on the "Modern Use of Wheeled Ar- Obscure Vignette," by Brigadier General mored Vehicles." The article recognizes the Albin F. Irzyk, Ret., reveals a little-known, changing terrain of Europe, thediverse battle- but very interesting fact. Six days before the fields upon which armored forces may have to Germans encircled Bastogne, the 4th Ar- fight, and the growing "battlefields of the mored Division - which was later to break budgets" in Western nations. that enemy encirclement - actually had As promised in our last issue, we have forces inside the battered city and then was included a feature on "The St. George Award" ordered to withdraw. This story illustrates the that the U.S. Armor Association has imple- oftenchaotic natureof mobilewarfareandthe mented this year. Based on the responsesthat way that a fluid battlefield affects the leaders I have read from the armor and armored and commanders on it. cavalry commanders of the force, this pro- Glenn Johnston's article, "The 120-mm SP gram is going to be very active. In fact, I Mortar/Howitzer: Its Impact on NATO Rear understand that the Armor Association has Area Defense,"gives us a detailed view of this already received requests for the award. new Soviet weapon system and how it adds to Before I end this already-too-long column, I the capability of Soviet airborne units to dis- commend to you the Professional Thoughts rupt their opponent's command and control, section of this issue. It contains three excel- reserves, and service-support units. lent points of view on three very important This issue of ARMOR also includes the topics: reconnaissance skills training, mentor- second article on U.S. armored cavalry doc- ing, and command and control. trine: "The Armored Cavalry Regiment: Cata- The purposes of ARMOR are todisseminate lyst for Operational Success." With the publi- knowledge of the military arts ad sciences, cation of the new FM 100-5, comes increased with special attention to mobile, ground war- emphasis on the operational level of warfare. fare; to promote professional development of This article by Colonel Thomas White and the Armor Community Major John Rosenberger shows how the through an exchange of armored cavalry regiment fits into this very ideas, thoughts, and con- neglected aspect of AirLand Battle. cepts; and to preserveand Robin Fletcher concludes his "Trunnions foster the spirit and tradi- on the Move" with his recommendation for tions of Armor and Ar- the next generation of main battle tanks. mored Cavalry. We believe "'Creating the 'Gun-Over-Hull' Tank" is full of that this issue does that intriguing possibilities for tank design. It's well, and we hope you well worth your reading. believe so too. - GPR In "Management Methods at Platoon Lev- ~~ Magazine Staff FEATURES Editor-in-Chief MAJOR G. PATRICK RllTER 11 The Armored Cavalry Regiment: Managing Editor Catalyst for Operational Success JON T. CLEMENS by the Command & Staff Department, USAARMS Assistant Editor ROBERT E. ROGGE 16 The St. George Award Production Assistant 19 What Would You Do? VIVIAN THOMPSON Fighting With Degraded-Mode Gunnery Contributing Artist SFC ROBERT TORSRUD by the Weapons Department, USAARMS 20 The 120-mm SP Mortar/Howitzer: United States Army Armor School Its Impact on NATO Rear Area Defense Commandant by Glenn T. Johnston MG FREDERIC J. BROWN 24 Assistant Commandant Bastogne: A Fascinating, Obscure Vignette BG PAUL E. FUNK by Brigadier General Albin F. Irzyk, (Ret.) Deputy Assistant Commandant 32 COL CLAUDE L. CLARK Modern Use of Wheeled Armor Vehicles by General Andre' Sciard Chief of Staff COL RALPH R. WOLFE 35 Trunnions on the Move, Part II Command Sergeant Major Creating the "Gun-Over-Hull" Tank CSM JOHN M. STEPHENS by Robin Fletcher Maintenance COL G. L. THOMAS 41 Armor's Heritage: Command and Staff Lieutenant General Daniel Van Voorhis COL ROBERT D. HURLEY by Robert E. Rogge Weapons COL DAVID V. HARBACH 42 Management Methods at Platoon Level Training Group by Captain Michael D. Landers LTC JAMES L. KLUENDER NCO Academy/ DEPARTMENTS Drill Sergeant School CSM JAMES M. GREENWELL 2 Letters 48 Recognition Quiz Answers 5 Commander's Hatch 49 The Bustle Rack/ Evaluation and Standardization MR. CLAYTON E. SHANNON 8 Driver's Seat Armor Branch Notes 10 Recognition Quiz 50 Books Training and Doctrine Professional Thoughts 53 Armor Conference Agenda COL CLAUDE W. ABATE 44 48 Regimental Review Combat Developments COL ROBERT W. DeMONT ARMOR magazine (ISSN 0004-2420) is CORRESPONDENCE: Address all published bi-monthly by the U.S. Army correspondence to US. Army Armor Units Armor Center, 4401 Vine Grove Road. Center, AlTN: ATSB-MAG. Fort Knox, Fort Knox. Kentucky 401 21. Unless Kentucky, 401 21. (Telephone: 2d Armor Training Brigade otherwise stated, material does not AUTOVON 464-2249/2610 or COL DOMINIC W. RUGGERIO represent policy, thinking, or endorse- commercial (502)624-2249/2610.) 1 st Armor Training Brigade ment by any agency of the U.S. Army. SECOND class postage paid at Fort COL ROBERT B. FRANKLIN, JR. Use of appropriated funds for printing of Knox, Kentucky and additional mailing this publication was approved by the De- office. 4th Training Brigade partment of the Army 6 January 1984. COL JOHN N. SLOAN ARMOR is not a copyrighted publication but may contain some articles which 194th Armored Brigade have been copyrighted by individual SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Individual COL SAMUEL D. WILDER, JR. authors. Material which is not under subscriptions to ARMOR are available copyright may be reprinted if credit is through the U.S. Armor Association, given to ARMOR and the author. Post Off ice Box 607, Fort Knox, Directorate of Permission to reprint copyrighted materi- Kentucky 40121. Telephone Reserve Component Support al must be obtainrl from the author. (502)942-8624. ARMOR may be forwarded to military Domestic: $ 16.00 one year; $27.75 two Director years; $39.50 three years. Foreign: COL JAMES E. DIERICKX personnel whose change of address is caused by official orders (except at APO $23.50 one year; $36.75 two years. addresses) without payment of Single copies, $2.50. additional postage. The subscriber must March-April 1986 Vol XCV No. 2 notify the postmaster. VSPS 467-970 Our Thinkers Must Also Write Iwould like to thank Mr. Burniece for his Finally, Mr. Burniece's idea that the comments concerning my article. His let- West German Kanonenjadgpanzer-90 is Dear Sir, ter (On Soviet Tank Destroyers), however, an equivalent to the IT-122 and IT-130 is In his Professional Thought, "lmagina- seems to have missed its mark. The pri- questionable at best. How can this West tion: The Ultimate Force Multiplier," (pp. mary mission of Soviet self-propelled artil- German vehicle be considered an equiva- 46-48, Nov-Dec 1985) Captain Harry lery has never been in question. The lent to a vehicle that can (by desgin) carry Noyes suggests that "certain key innova- suggested "IT-1 52" tank destroyer would more or heavier armor than a main battle tors(shou1d)do nothing but sitaroundand have very little in common with the 2s-3 tank, fire 122-mm or 130-mm hyperve- think." Of course, that is not quite howitzer and the 25-5 self-propelled gun. locity APFSDS-T ammunition, and deliver enough; our futurists must also commit Perhaps a description of the "IT-1 52" (as extremely long-range indirect fire? Cer- their thoughts to writing, so that they may well as the IT-122 and IT-130's) mission tainly equivalent in name only. As far as compete in the marketplace of ideas. would clarify this point. the Swedish S-tank is concerned, the Wedo haveafewactivethinktanks.The As I suggested in the article, "T-64, IT- equivalency is not even present in the Command and General Staff College has 122, and IT-130: The Soviet Advantage," vehicle's name. begun an Advanced Military Studies Pro- the development of these earlier tank gram for selected officers to pursue re- destroyers was initiated by the require- JAMES M. WARFORD search and to write during a second year ment to defeat NATO heavy tanks. The CPT, Armor in the Fort Leavenworth resident course. Soviets had to react to the American FRG TRADOC's Deputy Chief of Staff for Doc- M103, the British Conqueror, and the trine oversees various study cells which "new" British Chieftain. The apparent address future Army and Air Force opera- balance achieved by the Soviets with the Don't Eliminate NBC Expertise tional concepts. The Army War College IT-122 and IT-130 was short-lived, how- Strategic Studies Institute looks at how ever. Soon they were faced by even more Dear Sir, world economic and political trends will effective and heavily armored western The November-December 1985 issue of affect military institutions. The Air Uni- tanks. The fielding of the American M1 ARMOR Magazine contained a letter by versityat Maxwell AFB and the Naval War Abrams, the British Challenger, and the Captain Dale Wilson concerning improving College at Newport have similar centers West German Leopard 2 main battle tanks the J-Series HHC by creating two separate for scholarship.