ARMOR, January-February 1991 Edition

56 Pages·2007·3.09 MB·English

For the second straight time in as many Was the M48 or the M113 a proven
years, we begin a new calendar year with tlefield workhorse in 1965? Did most
US. forces deployed abroad under condi- talion or company commanders in Vie1
tions of imminent hostility. For those who like have combat experience? The answer i!
to find lessons learned, there is a gigantic now, obvious. We have nearly ah
one there -- mostly for those who thought entered a major conflict the same wa
you could fold up the Army like a tent and with new, untested leaders and equipn
put it in storage until the next camping trip. Somehow, American soldiers and
leaders learn quickly and get optimum
There has been a lot of talk about readi- out of any piece of equipment from hell
ness. (See p. 45 for clarification on USR.) to tanks.
And some would have everyone believe that
we could be in for real trouble because our
Korea was the exception. While we
battalion and company commanders have
proven equipment and leaders, the tent
no combat experience, and our equipment is
been folded and put in storage.
largely untested in battle. Let's look at the
record, after which we can formulate the
answer, "So what?" Compare the U.S. Army at the start of
with the Army in 1917, 1940, or 1965
In 1918, Rockenbach and Patton and Brett you should see an Army that stands I
led the first Tank Corps into battle, essential- and shoulders above those others in qt
ly on an OJT footing. No combat-tested of equipment, training, and organization
equipment here. an all-volunteer force that has enjoy(
good decade of plentiful resourcing to r
Did the first Sherman tanks we gave the it what it is today. The equipment is the
British to use in North Africa have a combat in world, and our tactical unit leaders
track record? Nope. Was Creighton Abrams had the best training possible, short of a
a hardened veteran of mobile, armored com- combat.
bat when he led the 37th Tank Battalion into
battle in Europe? Nope. Nor were many of
And don't worry about our reservists
his contemporaries or subordinates. The
guardsmen. Never before have they bee
whole concept of mobile, armored warfare
highly trained and deployed so quickly.
was new to us in 1940, and the TOES were
changed several times during the war to
reflect new equipment and lessons learned. Just keep the ammo and chow coming.
New equipment training took place near or
on the front lines.
By Order of the Secretary of the Army: Official:
CARL E. WON0 THOMAS F. SIKORA
General, United States Army Brigadier General, United States Army
Chief of Staff The Adjutant General
ARMOR
I
-
The Professional Development Bulletin of the Armor Branch PB- 17 -91 1
Features
Editor-in-Chief
MAJOR PATRICK J. COONEY
8 Defeating the Iraqis
by Colonel Wallace Franz, USA, Ret.
Managing Editor
JON T. CLEMENS
10 Obstacle Breaching Techniques
by Lieutenant Colonel David Eshel, IDF, Ret.
Commandant
MG THOMAS C. FOLEY
14 Tactical Unit Pre-Combat Inspections
by Captain (P) James L. Boling
ARMOR (ISSN 0004-2420) is published
bimonthly by the U.S. Army Armor Center, 4401 18 Making Light Forces More Flexible and Responsive
Vine Grove Road, Fort Knox, KY 40121.
by Lieutenant Colonel Tom Rozman
Disclaimer: The information contained in
ARMOR represents the professional opinions of
the authors and does not necessarily reflect the 21 Cavalry in the Defense: A Historical Vignette
official Army or TRADOC position, nor does it by Captain Douglas W. Dunklin
change or supersede any information
presented in other official Army publications. 26 Tank Destroyers in WWll
Official distribution is limited to one copy for
by First Lieutenant John A. Nag1
each heavy brigade headquarters, armored
cavalry regiment headquarters, armor battalion
headquarters, armored cavalry squadron head- 32 The Armored Gun System Debate:
quarters, reconnaissance squadron head- Let It Begin Before It Is Too Late
quarters, armored cavalry troop, armor com- by Lieutenant Colonel James Etchechuty
pany, and motorized brigade headquarters of
the United States Army. In addition, Army
35 The French Armor Corps: A Branch in Transition
libraries, Army and DOD schools, HCl DA and
In a Changing Army
MACOM staff agencies with responsibility for ar-
mored, direct fire, ground combat systems, or- by Major Timothy Decker
ganizations, and the training of personnel for
such organizations may request two copies by 42 Combat Service Support in the Task Force Scout Platoon
sending a military letter to the editor-in-chief.
by Captain Timothy Flanagan
Authorized Content: ARMOR will print only
those materials for which the U.S. Army Armor
45 Unit Status Reporting: A Broken System?
Center has proponency. That proponency in-
cludes: all armored, direct-fire ground combat by The Directorate of Total Armor Force Readiness
systems that do not serve primarily as infantry
carriers; all weapons used exclusively in these 47 In Memory: Major Charles E. Griffihs
systems or by CMF 19-series enlisted soldiers;
any miscellaneous items of equipment which
Departments
armor and armored cavalry organizations use
exclusively; training for all SC 12A, 128, and
12C officers and for all CMF-19series enlisted 2 Letters 17 Armor Conference
soldiers; and information concerning the train-
2 Contacts 48 Bustle Rack
ing, logistics, history, and leadership of armor
and armored cavalry units at the brigadelregi- 5 Commander’s Hatch 52 Books
ment level and below, to include Threat units at 7 Driver’s Seat
those levels.
Material may be reprinted, provided credit is
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January-February 1991, Vol. C No. 1 Distribution Restridlon: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
USPS 487-970
~ ~
A Worthy Cause into law on November 6, 1986, authorizing Monument Committee stili needs about
Is Slipping Away establishment of a memorial to honor the half of the $400,000 price tag - a cheap
United States Armored Force. "The price by monument standards.
Dear Sir: memorial shall commemorate the excep-
tional professionalism of the members of To say that donations from industry
What if a halfcentury of Armor Force his- the American Armored Force and their ef- have been disappointing, is to severely un-
tory and development went unrecog- forts to maintain peace worldwide." derstate the record. And now, with dwin-
nized? What if someone decided to build dling defense contracts, that situation is
a monument to our valorous Armored For- Such would seem to be a worthy cause not likely to improve. So, it falls to us
ces in our nation's Capital, and nobody deserving support of the thousands who then, to our pride in having served, to our
cared? How do these ideas sit with you? sewed from the very beglnning of the Ar- memories of comrades, to raise this
They are soon to be facts unless we take mored Force in 1940 to today. monument to their deeds in four wars.
action now. And time is against us. The Congressional
The monument, on the "Avenue of authorization expires in about a year. Do
After a tremendous volume and a few Heroes" in Washington, D.C., was to be we really want to sit idly and watch this
years of liaison work by several in- dedicated on November 11, 1990. But it happen? Or do we want to jump up and
dividuals, the Congress passed H.R. 4378 did not happen. The Armored Forces say, "Count me in!"?
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ARMOR Editorial Offices U.S. ARMY ARMOR SCHOOL
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ARMOR HOTLINE DSN 464-TANK
TRADOC Sys Mgr for Tank Systems (ATSB-TS)
(The Armor Hotline is a 24-hOiIr service to provide assistance with
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ment of the Armor Fome.)
2 ARMOR - January-February 1991
Each of us must consider what is at driver skill. During turns, increasing power sights were mounted in the periscope and
stake here - the opportunity to raise an application was needed to avoid risk of gave a wide field of vision but lacked mag-
Armored Force monument in our Nation's throwing a track. This was also true of the nification and accuracy.
capital. There won't be another oppor- M4 Medium.
tunity. We must move now - next year is Every man in Ordnance, including the
too late! Then came the M4 Medium. The only CG, should have been required to change
real improvements Ordnance made were a broken volute spring in the bogie
What can you do to help? Contact the the 360-degree gun-mounted turret and suspension system. I am sure they would
Armored Force Monument Committee seating the driver next to the transmis- have devised a different suspension sys-
through Cot. (Ret.) Duke Wolf, 210 East sion, rather than astraddle it. But hey, that tem very quickly. Running on a broken
Fairfax St. Apt. 500, Falls Church, VA was appreciated by all of us. spring could mean a thrown track be-
22046-2908 (703-532-0776) cause of loss of track tension.
Let me tell you a few things I remember
THOMAS C. FOLEY about the M4 Medium. Our nine-cylinder, General Omar Bradley, in his book "A
Maj. Gen., USA air-cooled, dual-ignition, radial engines Soldier's Story" tells about our tanks on
had to be operated above 1200 RPM or pages 322 and 323. He relates General
WWll Armor: Another View spark plug fouling would cause missing. Eisenhower's comments about the failure
Have you ever been in combat with a nine- of the 76mm replacement for the 75s and
Dear Sir: cylinder engine hitting on five? It causes a about Ordnance's touting of the 76. Brad-
degree of anxiety, I assure you. The en- ley goes on to state: "For the remainder of
Wwll tanks were appreciably less than gine had a governor set at 3200 RPM and the war our tank superiority evolved
the success that is portrayed in the article you can use your imagination about how primarily from a superiority in number
by Konrad F. Schreier Jr. in your Sep-Oct we felt about those. To change the 18 rather than the quality of the tanks sent
."
1990 issue. spark plugs required an agile mechanic to into battle
lower the major part of his body head first
From July 1942 to January 1945, I was into the engine compartment to reach the Compared to the German Mark V Pan-
the maintenance officer of G Company, bottom spark plugs. Yes, we did it more ther, our M4 Medium was lacking in every
33rd Armor, 3rd Armored Division, a than once, chancing small arms fire from category.
medium tank company. The TO called for the enemy infantry. At about 325 HP, that
three platoons of five tanks each, and one engine, with the limited RPM range, was a W.H.F. SAIA, P.E.
for the CO and one for me, a total of 17. real dog for a 33-tOn M4. Midland, Mich.
My maintenance sergeant was T/Sgt Bow-
den Lafayette "Pappy" Henderson, whose Remember that in the hedgerow
Record Needs to be
service was continuous from WWI. Pappy "Bocage" country of Normandy, we
taught me how to "road test" every vehicle measured progress in terms of yards per Set Straight
in the company each month. My tank ex- day many days. This meant a lot of en-
perience was first-line, from use them to gine idling and very slow speeds, all of Dear Sir:
fix them. which caused spark plug fouling. I wonder
how the new M1 MBT will perform in Publication of the Konrad F. Schreier,
The M3 Medium should never have got- close infantry support at idle 90% of the Jr., article "American Tanks Meet the Test"
ten to the design stage with its 75-mm time and first gear the rest of the time. in the September-October 1990 issue
gun, having only about a 25-degree What, no first gear? merits comment on a few significant
traverse. The Field Artillery ROTC at Pur- items.
due University taught that the 25-degree Exhaust elbows were tightened against
axle traverse on the Model 1895 French a gasket between the cylinder heads and First of all, concerning the M3 General
75mm eccentric screw, breech block box- the elbow. Exhaust leaking often caused Lee and General Grant Medium Tanks.
trail, towed pieces was so serious a fault the gasket to blow, and the elbow flanges The British did not like the 37-mm turret
that the design was no longer used. Sure- to warp. Upon tightening the nut on the on the M3 when it was initially designed,
ly, Ordnance was aware of this. stud in the cylinder head, it was common as they considered it too crowded and
for the stud to fail in tension and require lacking in space for the mounting of a
M3 Medium drivers sat front center, with replacement, which was a nasty job on radio. American policy was to mount the
their legs astraddle the transmission. Oil the lower cylinders. There were many first radio in the tank hull, while the British
temperatures in the transmission during echelon maintenance problems on the preferred a turret-mounted set. As a conse-
Mohave Desert training made the drivers radial engines that made them unsuited quence, the British came up with a turret
appreciate frequent relief. for tanks. with a bustle for the radio and more room
Engine starting procedures required turn- for the crewmen. They named the M3
M3 Medium engines were nine-cylinder, ing the engine over five revolutions by Medium with this turret the General Grant.
air-cooled, dual-ignition, and used high-oc- revolving the hand crank 55 revolutions to This particular version was not used by
tane "airplane gas." Vapor lock was a very avoid "hydrostatic lock." Batteries were lo- US. forces. The British named the M3
common problem. The air cleaners were cated under the turret and replacement of used by the US. forces with the original
too small, and excessive dirt was ingested the steel battery box cover could be excit- US. turret the General Lee, and the
during dusty conditions. ing if you dropped the cover against the British did use the General Lee as well as
battery terminals. the General Grant. The M3s used by the
Front drive on the M3 Medium resulted Gyrostabilizers on the 75s were almost US. forces were never "Grants," as used
in a "pulled track," which required high impossible to keep in operation. The gun throughout the article.
ARMOR - January-February 1991 3
On page 29, a short paragraph men- thinner armor, the M36B1 proved nothing "Armor Support in Low- to Mid-Intensity
tions track connectors and grousers as if the M36 had not already proved. Conflict" emphasizes, once again, the
they were the same items. This is not the Mr. Schreier wrote that the M4A3E2 As- Army's inability to come up with a decent
case. The problem discussed was the nar- sault Tank version of the Sherman never Armored Gun System. The LAV with a 75-
row Sherman track and the flotation it accumulated a combat record. Only 254 mm ARES cannon would fit the bill nicely,
provided as the weight of the tank was in- were manufactured in JuneJuly 1944, but but it doesn't seem to appeal to the
creased. An interim solution was to they were highly successful in combat. If powers that be.
replace the standard track end connectors available, they normally led in the attack "Give Me a Heavy-Light" points out the
with extended end connectors (some- over suitable ground or in the cities due same theme as noted above: the need for
times called duckbills) along the full to their heavier armor. Some were con- light recon elements in any scenario. The
length of the track to increase the width of verted in Europe to take the 76-mm gun light wheels could do the mission here
the track and as a result, the flotation. The in place of the 75-mm originally employed. also.
grousers on the tank track attacked
another problem - that of traction. The I hope you do not consider the above Had Saddam Hussein moved into Saudi
smooth rubber block tracks did not mere nitpicking, but the record needs to Arabia before the 82d got in place, or
provide sufficient traction in certain terrain be set straight for armor people to read. through the 82d, the political leadership
conditions, so relatively sharp edged steel Some of us were not there in World War II would have been faced with some terrible
grousers were fitted transversely across with these vehicles as some of us were. choices, and the Army would have been
the track at four-track-link intervals. They Comments in addition to these could be left with no good answers as to why it has
were fastened by pins and a screw to the made about this article as well as the pre- no means to protect light forces with or-
standard end connectors, but did not ex- vious one, mainly of a less significant na- ganic light armor. It would have been em-
tend the width of the track. Extending ture. barrassing for the Army leadership, but
below the track as it traveled over the fatal to the members of the 82d who were
ground, they provided a greatly increased LEO D. JOHNS killed by the Iraqi combat arm of decision.
traction, or grip. COL, USA, Retired We were very lucky in August 1990; I
Midlothian, Va. doubt we'll be lucky if Kim 1I Sung
Two different type horizontal volute decides to reunite Korea, if the U.S. is
spring suspensions (HVSS) were tested in Off -t he-Shelf Solutions decisively engaged in the Persian Gulf,
1943. The second was tested on four pilot and the North Koreans follow Larry
models of the Sherman - M4E8, Dear Sir: Bond's novel Red Phoenix and launch an
M4A1E 8, M4A2E8, and M4A3E8. Ten addi- attack three weeks after the Gulf goes hot.
tional were then installed on ten more Your September-October 1990 issue
pilots, all M4A3E8s. The suspension used had several very interesting articles that LARRY A. ALTERSITZ
three dual-wheel bogies per track with cen- go to the heart of the current Persian Gulf MAJ(P), FA, NJARNG
terguided, 23-inch-wide tracks. In March crisis. New Jersey Military Academy
1944, the HVSS was released to produc- Sea Girt, N.J.
tion for all tanks of the M4 series. "A New Day for Armor or the Last Glim-
- ..."
the pilot tanks carried the E8 designation mer of Sunset?" pointed out the need to "A Rock to Lean On
-
the production tanks carried their stand- have mobile armored forces available to
ard series number such as M4, M4A1, back up the quick reaction forces of the Dear Sir:
M4A3, etc. The 76-mm gun first appeared Army. Light armor is desperately needed,
in production tanks in the M4A1 in preferably wheeled light armor that is am- Late in the afternoon of 28 September
January 1944, before the HVSS was phibious, reducing dependence on bridg- 1990 at MacDill AFB, Florida, a soft rain
released for production. Thus, the state- ing equipment. LAV-type vehicles with the fell on a retirement ceremony. Perhaps it
ment the M4A3E8 Sherman was intro- 75-mm ARES gun, standard LAVs, and was the Lord weeping; most assuredly St.
duced in early 1943 with the 76-mm can- Panhard M11 VBLs would make a potent George wept because one of our greatest
not be factual. The M4A3 (76-mm) force for both firepower and scouting mis- cavalrymen took off his spurs and dis-
wIHVSS appeared in March 1944 - and it sions for a light unit. These are off-the- mounted his steed for the last time.
was a standard series model, not an shelf items that could be in place within Major General Joe Lutz, a distinguished
M4A3E8 experimental vehicle. months, if the decision could be made to cavalryman and the developer of all the
utilize them. good that is now in our Special Operating
Mr. Schreier stated that the M36B1 90- Forces, retired. He was the ideal soldier to
mm Gun Motor Carriage mounted a spe- "Making a Case for Brigade Reconnais lead our Special Operating Forces
cial open-top 90-mm gun turret on a sance Elements" also points out the need through some trying periods, and he led
slightly modified M4A3E8 Sherman, and for such vehicles, especially the Mlls. them well. Strong men wept at his retire-
proved the Sherman could have been The M11 is a small, three-man, am- ment. Grizzled NCOs who would look
armed with a 90-mm gun. In fact, the phibious, lightly-armored, NBC-protected comfortable wrestling with crocodiles or
sMta3n6dBa1r dw aMs4 Ath3e t atnukrr ehtu lol.f Itt hwea sM 3b6u ilot nb ea- vaenhyi colerg athnaizt awtioonu,l dli gbhet oidr ehaela fvoyr. sItc ocauntsI h-ien- bIL U_eIZa _rswL ha sa da- e_r_oy_eac_Ks I1b_0r iIlme_a-m_ni no_gn_ w1To_irt_ h g_ etenae_rrsad. i_JcIon- e s-_ .
cause sufficient numbers of the M36 90- equipped to defend itself and is ablt! to of soldiers, and these warriors knew it . He
mm Gun Motor Carriage were not avail- carry sensor systems (tank thermal sigh ts- was a warrior's warrior.
aSbulbes ttiotu mtee eSt tathned adred.m aBnedc,a aunsde wthaes raMte36d satmarplilgifhietr ss,c loapseers ,r alnagrgeefi nbdienrosc,u eltacr.)s ,t hsaotu .a=nA"-d t..i nJeoset. l.eL audt.ze rw oat- sm ae n nm.a. atut.r a.I l.n, apvero ebvaebr ljsI e'te hn e.
was a new turret on the MlOA1 Gun Motor tend the area of coverage for a brigade
Carriage, which was a Sherman hull with commander. Continued on Page 50
4 ARMOR - January-February 7997
MG Thomas C. Foley
Commanding General
US. Army Armor Center
Desert Shield Deployment
Rivals Patton’s Rush to the Bulge
Who would have thought a year Bastogne. This decisive move, spear- the least. I don’t know another army
ago that well over half of our active headed by the 4th Armored Di- that could accomplish this.
component Armor Force would vision’s battalions such as Creighton It says a lot about the soundness
now be in Southwest Asia? This is Abrams’ 37th Tank Battalion and of our combined arms doctrine, our
astounding, and what makes it so Albin Irzyk‘s 8th Tank Battalion, outstanding equipment and or-
remarkable is not just the mag- broke the back of the German at- ganizations, our quality soldiers, our
nitude of the force involved, but tack. tough and realistic training, and our
how quickly we were able to dis- very competent leadership. We are
engage, turn, and move our power- This Third Army operation has intensely proud of what we are wit-
ful armored formations. I predict rightly long since become a much nessing. We know that, as long as
historians will be writing about his studied classic in the art and there is an Army, that Army will
great feat of arms for years to come, science of command and staff work continue to look to its Armor
comparing it with a very famous in mobile armored warfare. But the branch for bold, courageous leaders
operation conducted 46 years ago turn and move by our forces from with the superior mobility and
this past December. CONUS, and especially those from agility of mind who thrive on rapid
U.S. Army Europe, is equally im- response to unexpected challenge.
pressive. To suddenly disengage a
Recall, in December of 1944, it modern armored corps, with all of Just as in the victory in the Battle
was General George Patton who its support, from the myriad and of the Bulge and just as in
defied conventional wisdom by turn- very diverse activities associated DESERT SHIELD, Armor will al-
ing .his army 90 degrees and then with a forward deployed army, and ways answer the call.
swiftly racing to relieve the en- move it quickly to port and into a
circled lOlst Airborne Division in distant theater, is remarkable to say Forge the Thunderbolt!
-
ARMOR January-February 7997 5
Armor-Cavalry
Units Deployed
Operation
Desert Shield
1st Armored Division
1-1 Cav
1s t Briaade
1-37 Armor U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY LINDA L. SLUDER
2d Briaade 1st Cavalry Division 24th Infantry Division
1-35 Armor
2-70 Armor 1-7 Cavalry 24 Cavalry
4-70 Armor
1s t Briaade 1s t Briaade
3d Briaade 3-32 Armor 3-69 Armor
3-35 Armor 2-8 Cavalry
2d Briaade
2d Armored Division 2d Briaade 1-64 Armor
1-32 Armor 4-64 Armor
1s t Briaade 1-5 Cavalry
1-67 Armor 1-8 Cavalry 197th Infantry Brigade
3-67 Armor (WWP)
1st Infantry Division (M)
2-69 Armor
3d Armored Division
D/4 Cavalry
14C avalry .
4-7 Cavalry
1s t Briaade 82d Airborne Division
1s t Briaade 1-34 Armor
1-73 Armor
4-32 Armor 2-34 Armor
1-17 Cavalry
2d Briaade 2d Briaade
2d Armored Cavalry Regiment
3-8 Cavalry 3-37 Armor
4-8 Cavalry 4-37 Armor
1s t Squadron
2d Squadron
3d Briaade 3d Infantry Division (M)
3d Squadron
2-67 Armor
4th Squadron
4-67 Armor 3d Briaade
4-66 Armor
3d Armored Cavalry Regiment
2d Armored Division (FWD)
8th Infantry Division 1s t Squadron
3d Briaade 2d Squadron
2-66 Armor 1s t Briaade 3d Squadron
3-66 Armor 4-34 Armor 4th Squadron
6 ARMOR - January-February 7997
The Force
by CSM Jake Fryer, Command Sergeant Major, U.S. Army Armor Center
Just this morning, I was looking at
Force Reduction Actions Desert Shield Impact
my calendar, and realized I was late
in writing my article for the Driver's
Seat. A lot of ideas flashed through 0 Reduce accessions 0 Continue Accessions
0 Restrict retention
my mind on what to write about.
0 Expand Voluntary Release 0 Voluntary Release suspended
There are so many great things hap- 0 Expand involuntary programs 0 Slow down involuntary programs
pening in the Armor Force today. 0 Can do indefinitely
But the most important issue is the 0 Allow soldiers in 0 Accept overstrength in the CMF
future of the armor enlisted force. I inactivating units to separate 0 Morale
0 National Commitment
reached for my phone and issued an
OPORD to Sergeant Major Greg
Merder, who works in the Direc-
torate of Total Armor Force Readi- Saudi Arabia. Our deployment, promotions will probably slow sig-
ness, Personnel Proponency Divi- along with projections of casualties nificantly. This is because promo-
sion. Together we have put this ar- if hostilities do break out, caused us tion targets are based on authoriza-
ticle together. to take actions to ensure the robust- tions at least a full fiscal year out,
ness of CMF 19. while our inventory remains quite
If you have been keeping up with high. But when the dust settles, the
the Army force structure chan- .Stop-Loss - In late August 1990, overall promotion opportunity and
geslcuts through the news media, the Army ordered Stop-Loss action opportunity to serve in our key
the situation looks foggy, and the fu- into effect. Stop loss is mandated by leadership positions will again be
ture seems unclear. law when the president orders very healthy. The responsibility is
mobilization of Reserve Forces. on us as armor leaders to, first, iden-
We are going through a lot of Stop-Loss suspended all voluntary ti@ and separate through involun-
changes: Voluntary Release Pro- release programs, including early tary means those soldiers who are
gram, DESERT SHIELD, and Stop- separation programs. poor performers; and second, make
Loss. How will this all impact on maximum effort to identify and con-
-
our soldiers? Let's look at each one .Force Reductions While all of tinue to encourage our best soldiers
of these actions. these actions are taking place, the to stay in armor. They need to un-
Army will still drawn down in size, derstand that the situation will stabi-
.Voluntary Release - In May of as required by the budget. The lize soon and they still will have
last year, the Army established a Armor Force will go from 26K to super opportunities to pursue duty
voluntary 90-day early separation around 15K by 1996. as platoon sergeant, first sergeant,
program. It was to help the Army and sergeant major. Good soldiers
make personnel and force structure .Conflicts - On one hand, we will hang on through the tough
reductions as required by the have force reductions; on the other, times if they are strong, concerned,
budget and Congress. we have to maintain robustness in and caring leaders, and are offered
the CMF to support DESERT tough, challenging, and rewarding
.DESERT SHIELD - On 2 SHIELD. duties. Armor has both: leaders to
August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait mentor and inspire our young sol-
and the United States sent troops What does this all mean to the diers, and the challenges that keep
and equipment to support the Saudi armor soldier? What it means is motivated soldiers thirsting for
government. Armor units, along that for the next year or two, the more.
with the other combat arms, are the professional development situation
core of our United States forces in will be very cloudy. In particular, "Forge the Thunderbolt!"
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ARMOR January-February 7997 7
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Defeati n g t he Ir aq i s
Saddam's Troops Are Not Ready
For a War of Maneuver
by Colonel Wallace Franz (USA, Ret.)
A militaj victory gives the nation- and thousands of tanks and artillery mance in the 1973 Arab-Israeli Wi
al command authority the oppor- pieces. This army has the battle ex- They do not do well at mob
tunity to successfully terminate a perience of the eight-year war with mechanized warfare because tl
conflict. Victory in battle, in a cam- Iran and such statements as "Iraq's calls for an ability to think rapid
paign or even in a war, cannot in battle-seasoned armored units" ap- to improvise in the heat of batt
and of itself achieve the objectives pear in the news. There seems to be and the willingness of junior office
set by the country's leadership. The little doubt on the part of most to take responsibility or ma
Vietnam war is an example of that analysts that the United States and decisions on the spot. Officers a
fact. The many U.S. victories did its allies could defeat Saddam's reluctant to take action without
(
not lead to achieving the goals set army. The question seems to be, ders. The elimination of Iraqi
(
by several U.S. governments. States- how long would it take, and what ficers who think independently,
manship must take the oppor- casualties would the United States who disagree with Saddam, co
tunities presented by victory on the suffer? Some have put the casualty tinued during the war with Irs
battlefield to achieve its objectives figure at 30,OOO or more. While it is The officers corps has suffered
and end a war. The nature of the a cardinal sin in military planning to number of purges over the years
victory in also critical. A victory underestimate your enemy, it is im- Saddam has cemented his control
with high casualties, a long, drawn- portant not to overestimate your the army. On the other hand, in t
out campaign, a particularly destruc- enemy and thus eliminate some vi- defense, fighting from prepar
tive campaign, all can make it dif- able options. There is a tendency in positions, Iraqi troops have do
ficult to achieve the required politi- some circles to overestimate the well. Their army has been mold
'cal results in spite of apparent capabilities of the Iraqi military, by its eight years of fighting a war
military success. It is the job of a and, therefore, its ability to cause position, tied to fortifications ai
country's armed forces to provide casualties to U.S. forces. A close communication nets, against a lo
its government with the kind of look at such important factors such tech enemy.
military success that will aid in as combat experience, equipment,
achieving the political objectives of and leadership will put the Iraqi In spite of its large number
the government. military capabilities in proper tanks, many of which are obsole
perspective. the Iraqi Army is not experienc
If it turns out that the objectives in handling mechanized forces
set by the U.S. government in the The Iraqi Army does not have a mobile operations requiring exte
Persian Gulf can only be achieved record of military success. It at- sive maneuver. If it comes to a fi~
through military action, then the tacked an unprepared Iranian Army in the desert, they will face a sit1
0peratio.n must be swift and not in 1980 and lost most of its early tion they have not had to face sin
produce a large number of casual- gains by 1982. It spent the next six their costly experience against t
ties. Certainly the time will come years defending itself against human Israelis in 1973. The United Stal
when the force ratio in the region wave assaults conducted by an un- will have air superiority, fire sui
will favor the anti-Saddam alliance. professional Revolutionary Iranian riority, and high-tech intelligen
Army. In spite of the fact that it systems, all supporting an A~I
Can the United States and its al- usually had air superiority and fire trained and equipped for mob
lies conduct such a campaign superiority, it suf.fe.r e.d a number of warfare. This is not to say the Ir;
..
against the Iraqi Army in and about a.erre at.s , sucn as Menran, *Kr. norram- Army is a paper tiger. *I.t tn as
Kuwait? shah, and the Majoon Islands. It strengths and weaknesses. 'I
Much has been made in the has lost about 80,000 troops as point is to take advantage of thc
popular press of the military prisoners. Iraqi forces received low weaknesses and use U.S. strengl
capability of Saddam Hussein's marks from Israeli. Svrian and Jor- against them. For instance, I
army, an army of one million men, danian officers foIr .th eir perfor- Gnited States must not attempt
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8 ARMOR - January-February 7991