Unclassified Ad Number Classification Changes
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
UNCLASSIFIED AD NUMBER AD392381 CLASSIFICATION CHANGES TO: unclassified FROM: confidential LIMITATION CHANGES TO: Approved for public release, distribution unlimited FROM: No foreign distribution. AUTHORITY 1980 Group-4 per document markings; OAG, O/A ltr., 29 Apr 1980 THIS PAGE IS UNCLASSIFIED SUBJECT: Operational Report - Lessons Learned, Headquarters, 1st Cavalry Division (Airnlobile), Period Ending 30 April 1968 (U) 00 CYJ SEE DISTRIBUTION \ '. C\i 'C» . 1. Subject report is forwarded for review and evaluation in accordance with paragraph 5b, AR 525-15. Evaluations and corrective actions should ~ be reported to ACSFOR. OT RD, Operational Reports Branch, within 90 days Q. of receipt of covering letter. j' cr: 2. Information contained in this rf~portis provided to insure that the Army reallaes current benefits from l~ssons learned during recent'opera tiona. 3. To insure that the information provided through the Lessons Learned Program is readily avail~ble on a continuous basis, a cumulative Lessons l ~.. Learned Index containing alphabetical listings of items appearing in the I' :., .• t- . reports is compiled and distributed periodically. ReCipients of the ~ !'I a -.attached report are encouraged to recommend items from it t·, i.nclusion i;J to- oS !in the Index by completing and returning the self-addressea .~·rm provided .. '8 CD at the end of this report • • o.~A' fj JIg BY ORDEIl OF THE SECRETARY OF THE ~1Y: J I ; ! ~ h". ---j. -, j-- I I ~ : ~ .'. J ~ .JldUaAMA-· ~.:~O ~ ~ . 11 5 II .. allncl KENNETH G. WICKHAM •• • 0 til aa Major General, USA 0 ...... ~ ~ .. ~ u 0 The Adjutant General -I:: .;: g. DISTlUBUTION: o o • CIJ ~ ~ Commanding Generals " : :i : 8. US Continental Army Command ~ ~ .. :: ~ US J.\rmy Combat Developments Command • ~ ~ CD! Commandants . !f , .• '!l' ~ US Army War College i ~ ... ~ ~ .8 US Army Command and General Staff College I I B;:: 0 i US Army Adjutant General School : • .. i ii US Arf4y Air Defense School o !I! J. Ii I ~: .:: =~l:~~o:~d' Miuile SCh001~-R---eg-"r-~~e' d~-~~l~s;ified w~-~ri--~epa~~t~ , , . ~ us Army Aviation Scbool . U . ': ~ f !': US Army Chaplain School from classified Inclosure.' . .,1 ~ .. e - ,,-------- ------------------".--.--... .~ &j 2 I CONFIDENTIAL. I 1--' .L:.m.~.!.'dI._-__ . -c-___~.=~~ ",···.. ·.,~.o<.·,<:l"':'1r."=::"~·_._~rj_:w~,.~~~~~~~"~,,.::':', ... ,. .,.,.._ ..:_.::,_::::':::::::::::. :;:. c' ==::::==:::::;, ... ::;;::z:c:·:,::,:;;;;"':;:::rr;::-.~;-': US Army Missile and Munitions School . US Army Ordnance School US Army Quartermaster School US Army Security Agency School. US Army Signal School US, Army Southeastern Signal Scheol US Army Special Warfare Schcol US Army Transportation School Copies furnished: Offic~, Chief of Staff, US Army D6puty Chiefs of Staff Chief of Engineers Chief of Research and Development Assistant Chiefs of Staff The Surgeon General The Provost Marshal General Research Analysis Corporation (Library) OSD(SA), Assistant for Southeast Asia Forces National Aeronautics and Space Administration Director, Weapons Systems Evaluation Group Commanding Generals US Army Materiel Command US Army Weapons Comnand US STRIKE Command US Army Flight Training Center US Army STRATCOM US Army Southern Connlumd 1st Ca~alry Division (AM) Commanding Officers US Army Limited War Laboratory US Army Logistics, Doctrine Systems & Readiness Agency US Army Aviation Test Activity Hudson Institute . Defense DocUmentation Center USAF Air Ground Operations School Commandant of the Marine Corps (A03HIO) Senior Army Representative, Marine Corps Dev & Educ Gommand Bell Aero Systems Company 2 '"' ''''I:, U.l..~UUQ"'''''V'' Q,w l'U~g .... ~ VA •.""".J".J. '""1"""" ~..,-- •• - ........ _. -- \ Lessons Learned •• " •••••• 4 ~ ; ; •• ~ ; ; •••••••••• ~ ; .. ; •• ; p. 14 I * 'l118 Bett;Ue of e.u8:llg 'iI i ••••.•••.•- .•...••.....•.- •.• lTPJ3 A 1 ** SSM OpeNit»ioB8 Aftep l,e't·:L?P.. Ropol"S O:pQPat1m~ -PmSHlNG n ••• .,. fJ rnt •••• , •••••• rrrrrr-ty-r-r. ~ ~. !t';',B 'R "".. 'D• .&..&.3. 4> U • . • • !'C! n ~G ~1I:..Q Q.. aU,6 •••••••••••••• »" ••••••••••••••• J • ' c Ii *** i Task Organizat:.ion •••••••••••••••••• II ••••••• 4 ~ •• ; .; TJ\B D I Weather and Terrain ........ ~ ~ • ; ..... ~ • ~ •••••••••••• ; 'rt.B E I' Enenu Act'ivity ••••••••• ~.~ •••••••••••• ~ ••• ~; ••••• ~ 'T.':"B F. Aarial Surveillance ••••••••• ~ ••••••••••••••••• w.,. ·'Tf.R G· . ,.' Int elligence Support Units. ~ •••• ; •• ~ •••••• ' •••• <> •• TJiB H S\1JIIlV.Ll"1 of G-l Activit.l.es ••••••••••••••• ~ ••••••••• '['I,B I Strength Report ••••••••••••••••••••• e~ ••••• ;~ •••• ~ TtB J Casualty Report.•••••••••• ~; •••••••• " ••••••• ; • • • •• 'r /, 'R K Replacement ReVOrt •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Tl'.B L Units in t he 1st l.ir Cay Oiv •••••••••••••••••••••••T tJ3 J·t , **** Key PCl"S.OMel. RCiiit ep •••••••••••••••••• " •.•••••• ~~ Extensions/floonlistJl\ents,/ 'Promotions •••••• ~ ••••••• T/.:a 0 j\\t,'a.rds and Dec:>rat. ions •••••• ; •••• ; •••••••• ~ ••••••• '['f.R P , . Speoial Services Act! vities ••••••• ~ ••' ••••••••• " ••• T ; ..13 Cl Postal Oporati0ns ••••••••••• ~ 00 •• 0 •••• " ••••••••• ~ TI.P. a . J~ ~ •••••••• ., •••••••• ~ .... ~ •• ~ •••••••• ~ ~ • ; ••• ~ ••• ~; T "R ~ Finance Stlrvice ~." ........ ~ ••••••••••••••••• ;.; ~.; '1'.''11 T Medical I.ct~.vities .. 0 •• ~ ~ •• o. ~o. ~ ~ ~.,~"".~;, 0 ••••• TI.B U ReligiO'll.'!I Activities •••. ~., .... '" ~ .00. '" ; 0 ; ~ •• ~.; Tl'l~ V **** ill' 1liait.a.1;.,. ..............r",..· ......... ~ .... ~~.,,-r.-~· r..-.-r...... , , ~ ••• Tf,B \.<,r_. i '. ln1'omat~,on Activit.i6s ..... ~. ~.;. ~ ~ .......... ~ ~~ ~:. TAB X Courts-Martial/J\rticle 15 • ~ •••• ; • ~ •• ~ • ~ ~; ; • ; •• ; • ~ • T:',n y. Ktlitar.r Police Activities~ ••••• ;;;;;;~~;;~~;;;; •• ·1AB Z G-4 CpeIiltions ••••••• ; ~ ~; ;. ; ~ ~; • ~; ; ; 0 ...... ~ ••• ; ; •• TAB AA Logl.stiCft •• II ••• ' ••••••••• ,.. ; ~ ~ ~ •••••••••• ~ '. ~ • ~ ; ; ;:. Tl'.. B BB. psvcholOtJica.l Op.j~at.. ions •• ; ~ ............. ~ •••••• ; .; TAB· CO Ci vil Af1'a1:t:'s ...... 0 •• 0 •••• I ••••••••• 0 •• ~ ••• '........ TAB .on * Withdrawn, Hq, DAj pUblished sepa~ately as cAJ~68X050 ',' ~ ~ Withdra.wn, Hq, DA; published sep;~rately ns CAAI{· 63X()Sl *** Withdrawn, Hq, DA; pUblished ~epara~ely as ~AAR'6eX052 **** Withdrawn, Hq, 'DA ., , . " ~'. I I ", '-'-""'-'.' .... -...•. -... " ..- .... -.--~-- I DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR INTER'IAL5; I DECLASSIFIED AFiER 12 YEARS. l CONFIDENTIAL DOD DIR 5200.10 L ·:~.':....:=~----~~..,..-.~.~:""~,~=~""'~".~,,""tL':!:!..~:::-.::::,~Z':::;::::·:-:~:::'3-IE~·~::-:-~,!'I'.,.~.·'::':d~:":.~..-=::::::,:-.,-:: .. r,J.6.'.::~~';::'.,:::.::,:.:.:-:.~~::,=-:::.:~:.:..........;:,:.:.;::.":::::;\:.·f~>ti;:;;,~::·::·;;;;;.;;.;.:;·:::;;:::t~::.;'-:;;;·::;;:+i.j;L;;;;t':;;'tmt;;. Tmu~ Channels I r TO: Assistant Chief of Staff for Force Developnent Department of the J'tt-rrry' Wa~h.ingt.onl D.C. ?0310 Section I~ 1. Operations A. General: FolloWing the completion of a ma.,;or deplovment of the 1 ACD from BINH DINH Province ~d $outher:n I Corps Tact:i.ca1 Zone in lf1t.e Jam1a.r,'"T, this reporting period covers the initiation of l1igr;'intensitv combat oper ations in QUANG TRI and TfIUA T"mJ' Provinces. It 'encompasses three highly su.ccessful a~ tacticallv' siro1ificant operatj.ons: (1) The 'r~ ('\ffensjve, which saw th~ 1 ACD preventing the seizure of Qt1J'.NI"! T'flJ and assist.ipp, in t,1~e exPulsion of tho NVA from their' foothold in Hue City (Operation Jeb St,"h:-t :n! (2) Operation PErY":o.;3/LAM SON 207A which. relievecl tlte NV:\ prec5s1lre ori the 26th ~~ar:i ne Re&iment. at, KHE S/J'lH; and (3) the entirelv air-supportp.ct Op<::i~:. ation DEL,\W.I\RE/LAM SON 216, Wllich disrupt,eel NVA act.ivit.ies bv means of a reconnaissance in force in t.he A SHAU Va11ev. In each of t,"ese op~ratj\ons, the applied concepts, tactics, and doctrine of t~e 1 .t,eD were again prO"-,r.;O successful. Corol'm am' search in con.iunction "z;th "Swooppr" operations. initiated and refined or the 'BONG ~ON Plain, were a~aj.n success:f'1u in diS·· rupting the ez:,t"l1l'\V. infra.structure. in' NICTZ:, a.nd· asslst.ed :i n denv:l.!:l~ thA el'le.fIV:1 refuge among the populace. In Opor,~tion PegMus, entire bn.ttolions wor~ ~ii"~ ift,ed over enemr strong .points and assaulted on to crj.tica.1 terrain as-1tri::1e th~ enemy' 5 route of withdr~.wA.l. This bold mOV0 with its corr0spollding use of. firepower had a. profound effect on the enemv's will to starrl and fiBht. 1:1. maI'G" cases he left his fortified dclayinp,; pos).tion, abandoning ll\r~e amounts , of· supplies ani equipment, and fled in small groups to the sni'ety of LAos or to rugged uncontested terraJ.n. At the opposite end of the spectrum of mobility was the ground attack ' . to relieve Hue. Using tact ies more aldn to breaching the SIEGFRIED L:lliE . than to bold, dashing CBval:.'Y' chr£l.ges, elements of the division atta.cked a strong, heavil.y bunkered enenv in weather that oft. times precluded effective air and artillery support.. The l'. SHAtT Valley Operat.ion "Jas e.j.r-mobilitv in its finest hour. A dashing assault into an en~ bastion lon2.denied'to U3 Forces ani a~ainst modern anti-a.ircraft:. defenses enabled tJ.,e 1 ACD, entirel$ suprorted by air, to rorun the vallev at will for oS. period of nlmost .30 days. During these oper~tions,'the 1 Acn demonstrated a considerable ~ib . ility of a. pe.rticulnr mission, tho task orlZaniza,+·ion of the 1 ACT) oxpand.~ Fc~ o-r ~~. ..... 062331 . CONf.IDENTIAL . l. r ' .. _ • _____ .." .,- _____ • -Z"''' ........... '''u (l1JO ... .LUJ"U wa5 Oll-l.Cl.UlY 'tier- .';.