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In 1944 the Army Pictorial Service produced Film Bulletin No. 151, The Infantry-Tank Team, which discussed the tactical effectiveness of combining infantry and still newly developing tank corps. Its opening statement summarized, “Infantry needs tanks and that tanks need infantry.”
Over time the infantry-tank team tactics laid the groundwork for combined arms doctrine, and the infantry-tank team itself evolved into the modern Armored Brigade Combat Team. Today’s ABCT combines the speed and power of the combat arm of decision and the flexibility and versatility of the queen of battle. While the infantry’s mission remains foundationally the same: to close with and destroy the enemy, the role, capabilities, and training of the track mechanized infantry of an ABCT differs significantly from other BCTs.
“In a light unit, the infantry is really all of the combat power. So, it does everything.” Maj. Zachary Morris, battalion operations officer of 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd ABCT, 4th Inf. Div. explained, “In an armored brigade…there’re only four infantry companies, so it’s almost a critical resource or a critical capability that we just don’t have a lot of. The key function [of the infantry in an ABCT] is to enable the armored vehicle’s success and speed, and one of the key ways to do that is to clear restricted terrain and to seize restricted terrain, that’s going to allow armored formations to continue moving.”
Calling track mechanized infantry companies, a limited critical resource, isn’t an exaggeration as they make up less than 50 total companies Army-wide, and they are crucial to the survival of an armored formation. 1st Batt. 8th Inf. Reg. effectively demonstrated this point during the 3rd ABCT’s April National Training Center rotation, seizing cities and clearing restricted terrain that allowed their armored battalion counterparts to strike deep into opposing force territory.
Morris also pointed to historical large scale operational instances of the combined strength of infantry-armor partnerships, “If you look at Thunder Run in 2003, having the infantry supporting the armor in Bagdad was critical, armor does not work effectively on its own, especially as soon as you start to hit restricted terrain.”
While critical, maneuvering on a shared battle space can be drastic change for many coming from light backgrounds. Sgt. First Class Dustin McClure, brigade M2A3 Bradley master gunner, 3rd ABCT, 4th Inf. Div. was one such Soldier, “I was used to six grid square (6km) missions, very small missions, especially the (Counterinsurgency) COIN fight,” McClure said. “Then you come here [to an ABCT], and now you’re talking thirty grid square (30km), massive missions. Now you have to think of everything that you’re going to need in that Bradley, to keep it going to carry your dismounts to the fight.”
In addition to the speed and scope of mission, the capabilities of a track mechanized infantry platoon also greatly increase as explained by Sgt. First Class Paul Roath, the M2A3 Bradley master gunner of 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd ABCT, 4th Inf. Div., “You have the tanks and the Bradley’s, which provide us speed and much greater maneuverability than wheeled vehicles would as well as protection.” Roath continued by explaining the sheer difference in firepower capabilities between an ABCT infantry formation and others. “Additionally, in a typical light infantry formation, you have your weapons squad and your heavy weapons company, but what is spread out across a platoon and a company, is now completely organic to a [mechanized infantry] platoon. The heavy platoon can do everything that a light platoon can and more.”
The necessity of vehicle and weapon integration is most visible during the train-up to cumulative events such as gunnery and platoon situational exercises, such as the squad and team live fire exercises that have been the recent focus of the infantry units in 3ABCT. Morris explained, “Getting that combination of vehicle integration with the dismounts and the dismounts enabling those vehicles by clearing that restrictive terrain is what we’re looking to do, and that is what really enables the success of the brigade in large part.”
McClure also addressed the importance of syncing the maneuver of both dismounted and mounted components at the lowest levels, “Incorporating the Bradley into those squad tactics is pivotal, that way when you go to the platoon, there’s not that gap [in understanding] … You have to do those basics [battle drills], but if you don’t bring in those Bradleys and that communication part between either the platoon leader and the squad leader or the section leader and the squad leader, you’re going to miss those tasks.”
“It takes a lot of practice, communication, rehearsals, everything. It’s complicated, it’s hard, and it’s very, very fast.” Morris added, “The armor formation lets you be a lot faster. A lot of times, those Bradley’s are dropping off those dismounts right on the objective.”
Almost 77 years ago, F.B. 151, summarized the relationship between infantry and armor, “When both [tank and infantry] worked together, the tank got the benefit of the infantry’s ability to maneuver, and the infantry got the benefit of the tank’s armored firepower… Taken together, that meant greater battle efficacy.” And despite changing battlefields and constantly advancing technology, the central message of Film Bulletin No. 151 remains undeniably true: Infantry need tanks, and tanks need infantry.
| Date Taken: | 08.24.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 09.07.2021 13:37 |
| Story ID: | 403851 |
| Location: | FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 309 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
This work, Infantry in an ABCT by Capt. Tobias Cukale, by CPT Tobias Cukale, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
