MHI Copy 3 B DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY FIELD MANUAL ARMOR OPERATIONS SMALL UNITS HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY AUGUST 1957 FM 17-1 FIELD MANUAL HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY No. 17-1 WASHINGTON 25, D. C., 23 August 1957 ARMOR OPERATIONS-SMALL UNITS Paragraphs Page CHAPTER 1. GENERAL. Section I. Purpose and scope ---------------------- 1, 2 3 II. The role of armor --- _________-____--____ 3-13 4 III. Atomic and nonatomic warfare ----------- 14-18 9 CHAPTER 2. FUNDAMENTALS OF EMPLOYMENT OF SMALL ARMOR UNITS. Section I. Principles of war --------------- 19-28 13 II. Fundamentals of employment ------------ 29-39 16 III. Factors affecting employment ------------ 40-44 18 IV. Organization for combat ----------------- 45-56 21 V. Combat support ------------------------ 57-67 29 CHAPTER 3. EXERCISE OF ARMOR COMMAND. Section I. Command-. ------- ------ ------ ------ 68-70 38 II. Leadership ----------------------------- 71-75 39 III. The battalion staff --------------------- 76-89 42 IV. Combat intelligence --------------------- 90 51 V. Commander's estimate of the situation ---- 91-93 52 VI. Combat orders, records, and reports -- - 94-98 53 VII. Logistics ------------------------------ 99-100 58 VIII. Administration ------------------------ 101-110 58 IX. Signal communication ------------------ _ 111-116 63 CHAPTER 4. EMPLOYMENT OF ARMOR EQUIP- MENT. Section I. Armor weapons, general ---------------- 117-123 67 II. Tanks -------------------------------- 124-128 71 III. Armored vehicles other than tanks -------- 129-131 75 IV. Armored combat support vehicles --------- 132-135 76 V. General-purpose and special-equipment ve- hicles --- ---------------------------- 136, 137 81 VI. Special equipment ---------------------- 138-141 82 CHAPTER 5. RECONNAISSANCE AND SECURITY OPERATIONS. Section I. Reconnaissance operations --------------- 142-160 86 II. Security .------------------------------161-179 96 CHAPTER 6. INDIVIDUAL AND UNIT PROTECTIVE MEASURES. Section I. General ------------------------------- 180-183 111 II. Protective measures against atomic weapons_ 184-190 112 III. Protection against chemical and biological attacks ------------------------------ 191-194 120 IV. Protective measures against artillery, mor- tars, aircraft, and antitank guided missiles_ 195, 196 122 437256O-57--1 1 Paragraphs Page CHAPTER 7. ARMOR MARCHES AND ASSEMBLY AREAS. Section I. Marches ------------------------------- 197-222 124 II. March orders and computations -......... __ 223-225 144 III. Bivouac and assembly areas .-.. ........226-234 150 CHAPTER 8. OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS. Section I. General --------.---------------- 235, 236 162 II. The attack, general.-------------- 237-243 162 III. Coordination and control during the attack__ 244-258 166 IV. Preparation and planning for the attack --- 259-275 176 V. Conduct of the attack --------- ------- 276-285 192 VI. Methods and techniques of employing tanks and armored infantry in the attack ----- 286-289 200 VII. Advance to contact ------ - --- 290-293 210 VIII. Exploitation ------------- ---- 294-306 214 IX. Passage of lines.-- ---- ----- --- 307-309 222 X. Night attacks -------------------------- 310-318 224 XI. Additional considerations in offensive opera- tions ------------- ------- 319-345 230 CHAPTER 9. DEFENSE. Section I. General ------------------------------- 346-353 265 II. Organization of the defense -------------- 354-366 272 III. Mobile defense ------------------------- 367-378 281 IV. Position defense ---------------- -- 379-388 297 V. Perimeter defense --------- --------- 389-392 307 VI. Additional considerations in defense ------- 393-411 309 CHAPTER 10. RETROGRADE MOVEMENTS. Section I. General -------------------- - 412-415 321 II. Delaying action_---. ...................416-430 322 III. Withdrawal from action . .............-... 431-435 334 IV. Retirement ---------------------- .. 436-438 337 CHAPTER 11. SPECIAL OPERATIONS. Section I. Armor units operating with infantry units_- 439-441 338 II. Armor-airborne link-up -----------------.. 442-444 339 III. Jungle operations -------------. - 445-450 342 IV. Guerilla warfare -----------. .---------451-454 345 V. Desert operations --------------- ---- 455-461 346 VI. Mountain operations --------- -------- 462, 463 348 VII. Operations in deep snow and extreme cold_. 464 349 VIII. Raids ---- - ------------------ 465-471 350 IX. Amphibious operations -------- ---- 472-475 352 X. Helicopter-borne operations ------------- 476-489 353 CHAPTER 12. ARMOR TRAINING --- - - - 490-497 361 APPENDIX I. REFERENCES ----------------------- 368 II. COMMANDER'S CHECKLISTS --------------- 371 III. ORDERS AND REPORTS --------------------- 378 IV. THE 4.2-INCH MORTAR PLATOON OF THE ARMORED DIVISION ARMOR BATTALION AND ARMORED INFANTRY BATTALION__ 402 V. EMPLOYMENT OF ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS IN HASTY RIVER-CROSSING OPERATIONS ----------------- ----- 411 INDEX -______________________--____-__----------- ------------ 419 2 CHAPTER 1 GENERAL Section I. PURPOSE AND SCOPE 1. Purpose This manual provides information and guidance on doctrine, tac- tics, and .techniques for the employment of platoon-, company-, and battalion-size armor units (hereafter referred to as small armor ?units). It should be used in conjunction with appropriate field man- uals of the 17 and other series. It provides the basic doctrine, tactics, techniques, and procedures common to two or more types of small armor units. Other publications provide the specific doctrine, tactics, techniques, and procedures for specific units. In addition, this manual supplements the doctrine stated in FM 100-5 and the staff procedures contained in FM 101-5. 2. Scope a. This manual covers basic doctrine, tactics, and techniques of employment; organization; exercise of command; reconnaissance; se- curity; administration and logistics; control; movements; and offen- sive, defensive, retrograde, and special operations appropriate to all small armor units. This general information is not repeated in other armor unit manuals. This manual duplicates other field manuals only where necessary to ensure clarity and understanding. Unless other- wise specified, the material presented herein is applicable without modification to both atomic and nonatomic warfare. b. Small armor units include platoon-, company-, and battalion-size units of tanks, armored infantry, and armored cavalry, within the armored division, infantry division, airborne division, armored cav- alry regiment, and other corps and army organizations. These are referred to generally, in this and other 17-series field manuals, as armor units. Currently prescribed terminology for these units differs in several respects from that heretofore used; the following are cur- rent titles and designations of armor units in divisions. Title* Designlation* Armored infantry battalion_________- _ Armored Rifle Battalion, Infantry. Rifle company, armored infantry bat- Co - , Armored Rifle Battal- talion. ion, Infantry. *The title is used when making a general reference to the type unit; the designation is used in referring to a specific unit. 3 Title* Designation* Armored division armor battalion, 90- __ Medium Tank Battalion (Pat- mm. ton), Armor. Medium tank company, armored divi- Co _ , __ Medium Tank Bat- sion armor battalion, 90-innm. talion (Patton), ._ Armor. Armored cavalry squadron____________ lReconnaissance Squadron, Calvary. Reconnaissance troop, armored cav- Troop, - , -- Reconnaissance alry squadron. Squadron, - Cavalry. Infantry division armor battalion, 90- -- Medium Tank Battalion (Pat- lnm. ton), _ Armor. Medium tank company, infantry divi- Co , Medium Tank Bat- sion armor battalion, 90-mm. talion (Patton), Armor. Infantry division cavalry squadron____ Reconnaissance Squadron, Cavalry. Reconnaissance troop, infantry divi- Troop , __ Reconnaissance sion cavalry squadron. Squadron, - Cavalry. Airborne division cavalry troop_______ Troop (Reconnaissance) (Air- borne), Cavalry. *The title is used when making a general reference to the type unit; the designation is used in referring to a specific unit. Throughout this manual, where the word battalion appears in a gen- eral sense (battalion commander, battalion staff, battalion trains), it is to be considered as applying equally to the armored cavalry or infantry division cavalry squadron. Likewise, a general reference to company applies equally to the reconnaissance troop. Section II. THE ROLE OF ARMOR 3. General Technological developments and doctrinal and organizational con- cepts indicate that increased emphasis will be placed on combat opera- tions that are characterized by open and fluid warfare, with greater dispersion of tactical formations and installations. The decisive elec- ment of these operations will be the rapid concentration of the combat power required to achieve a tactical advantage. Upon the accomplish- ment of a mission, immediate dispersion of this combat power will be necessary to avoid enemy atomic retaliation. Armor is designed for the conduct of mounted mobile warfare. Its capabilities have assumed increased importance within the role that ground forces will play on the battlefield. 4. Definition of Armor The term armor embraces the tank, armored calvary type recon- naissance and security elements, armored infantry, artillery, engineer, and mobile service support units required to form an integrated and balanced fighting force for the conduct of mounted warfare, the nu- cleus of which is tanks. The term armor as used in this and 17-series manuals should be so interpreted. It should