Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
,
I 870 78 {07-
,
............. .... ----- ... -----------
AftO' CJBOWID J'ftOBS Bt.D
APllQ HA'1'O
c....1't by Col. G.B. De.,..., lilt)
are Yeral comment. oftl0... 01
'l'anII Ba'tallON, 'l'ank ntrq.r 1a"a11ona, aDd Tank OoIlPlDle.
1Ihlol1 "lat. , ...lou. t,-pea of...lo,.en', ene.., ..tlou
.... , ...... ef(tl1pMJ1t.
,
..
/
I
III
.. ,
-J j
-.
j,
Coat. .,. L1eut. 001. Geol'ge . Da.l.. Co.'n41na , /
tbe 760th 'raDk Bat"allon, rer,ard1ng the support of ,he "'h,
DlYlalon 4v1D& cTaIIU.I'T. 19,". .'\'''""
t1lle t.tM_'Uftot tM teft&1n and the .eather
oOD41tlona 4Ilr1ft8 the pel'104 the emploJ.ll8nt of tUlka 18 _
....po.albl. orpraotlcable. 'fhe "'Yement ot tanka ftII
""K_'.1;. road, aD4 ridge 11nea and oroaa oount"..ft-
__, ...., polllle_
j.:
..at of the uployment ot 'anke 1n th1a 1lnlt \\.0"
1Il _11.,..,aaDd. th.y wer. UHf. ..aoooap&nJ'laI gun. lnar' ::i ._)( . ,
.........,lJaf"'rr Satta11.... Ms1aenta. In nob ap - . ({!V
'..., ,_.M1a14' N tJlOIl 500 to 1100 'JUda 1.NU .t the ',- Cl ' I
1 I
ba.... ...'0.1;1_ fJ L I', nat...,'''''lemawheN tn. , ....-- the .
ot tM bat..,,.,. ap.1nat en..,_'I-tankgune, WheN heav, \(If<! JJ
.0...."""'"et -eIIT art1U.".,. ....b7 the ,......De', .
ea.... -..ong the Intan\l'J'. and where the '-DJr. aN)
...,.,.on1ng dlatano. ....D.eded tor tUNot t1ft/'
on ...,__'o.ats....pona
...t.a,be attaok ot the "'hDlyl.loD ..,...tbe
RAPIDO 81...., alt..tlve tank .uppo..from poaltlou...t 01
ta..1.,......,po.alble 411. to ,be toa and to ,be great
qua"'".,__whioh was 1qe4_ ft'0Bl lat.rapeatlano
4url.......,poct '9'lalh11"7. " 1. bel1.'9'84 tbat with
good ylalltUlq- u..taUflna troa..poaltlona occ1Iplec1
woul4 haft __Of lnftluabJ.. ..........to the Wantl'7 in
t)da 0'....'.... '") (, (v,,-C'l \j i,. .1,) '
Ibe pea.o.of tanka 1atbe aupportot 1
.. pen.....a.. t..tor whether 01- aM ,be tubare ...'uall.J
stnaatiN11lI>fV'.
,.....Uftl4DOt De puaba4 , 1nto po.lt1ou 1a
:: .,..SIaIuUJ UJ4 lett 1n .1lO11 poaltlcma at nS.Ih'. /
....""'1_the Yalue ot the 'anka 11"7 lW,..
.....,..s.."11t7 \0 4ell'9'er etteo'l.- ani &1..'h-.r
aM ,..., ifM tanka .hftl4__ to .11_., tl_.
wtUad.Nwa wltlaS.a latantl7 poelt1ona or tM int&Dtl7 aho1tl4
f'UdeIl....1_ te. the tanke.
1'/
ifY/
... '. . eel';""-
the So6ohe would peN!''-"t ...... to peUU.M \b'ItoqJl tMlIt
..'._11 of .'rongpoints and. tMIl tl'" up..... alt.
At alpt1'10_ and 88_gun. ,,1'. brnght up 01...
lta....harass Inatallatlon. 1n the rear ......
n.'D8JI1" hal anip.d .,our .-10" on un,- oec..l ....
'I'he 0....1n tne 10" cpE:r",t1ag 1n ....,.&1 anuba4 _ ....
11 I.,...'bell' ..hiolt. at all,lIMt. to .,014 Minc 1\1, .."
.....,. rltk tlN. 'fWO men weN woua4e4 b7 sniper tiN:wbeD
they rat..........1..... up in tl1e to ob.8ne. .
oar"10',were .bl.to reduce German .trona peta'.
b7 tlr1aC I lMhAPC and BB dalaJ in'o the Doua.. anel ._11 ..
n.rq a't.p'-'to tlhe was cut do.'bJ"8 1nch BE .. wi'll
tua.......ad .50 caliber .tt.....
a; ,.". The .e .oou'can are.'.111'"t
re.... ......l ano. on the eta. '."bepee.
tl.,.tl._ -.rabT groun4. ,
tneh APO-BDP proda....xo.llent r
"'10" ar. not .u1taltl. for olo.e .apport of Int..,.,-
while ........11 arma fir. due to the lAck or .,l.loa allt, 1D
the ____'te. tM tank command.,r. a.oomaenCl a 'uare' perl,..
___b rubber blook trunof the .-10 baa p"ft4
....".'..'01'7 tor an7 type of croa.-oOUll'1T _._11'. R_a"
....ta_U ....1 'rack. or the rubbe, oMftIOIl t7Pe
....mtAO 1mma41ate i .... ot "'1n7 Tim" ...,
....., to,. all,,10". On .,.:ral oooa,lou we baW
1, ...le'. enel'l17 action att.- '*"'1'7 t .. 11,,", de.piN
........_'0Jaarl1na radio eperat1oa. .
. ..... . - It 'MI* aeatJt07.ra aH to be UM. .a.aal.t PU.
"._......eouWoallber .10 mach1D.4t pJl .. __ted. 1D. tiM
...... , ..s.q ... 'Nllt.
OIn.....".Col. Van W. J71aD4. COl.nD41q OMtll'1'''
1.\1'.",..lattall_, ...lat 1v. to ,.....,10,..'ot '1'.. De.,..,.
111 ,he ftpport 01 rift......lag
... SUI1 gun aelt-pl"Ojl.u.41''- Del'...,.. Batlall..
1a tJw ."onfit .. rl'ftr erolns P"'''''&II lnteNat10a
..,lo,...n'. Firat the aa t ...YUlOl. aut_1' tu
. _,...,1...,,_AnlOHd Foro. ut4c.0.. the B&1lq
.,1.......be ,.N-OH1Di eaploJ1U8B' Of the tank aut"",.
wUl .... MDI1dere4a lth. hea...,.. beautUal17 a.ourat. I In.ob pa
",14Ml17 eu1'........la. plll bOaO" ....aplae_'....
..._ ..............tbe oroaaSJsa la _l.heM"mlper. _4
_biDe paDeN 111ft.. Oo""l'al7 to ,...raJ. oplnloD the .......
..t tl.,e1lben ill clo.....tr'm
t
!..IN,.."'- tf' t...
wi'h n.,h 4etUa4e and with CnS._ _aUffle'._ '0 .. v '"i
.ng..., 41 1D 'argeta. All Ie s- et the Batta110n.at ;'-
be ear.1'1:tl17 "sleteredon a 00'.- ...... poiDt and ......1 oUok
pout. in tu ..... Fol"WU'Cl ......r.placecl ..u. .. '
w1tll cmtIilOA'I._al.-a. u...1,l1ntt in 'liM .-_0' ,r,.if
the Wl1t; JiU&U .t1r Of the ...attallQD to .
beaJl em 'ese,.ot eppol'tun1t.7' aa4 OIl 1...,..enelD1 "I'ODI .,oat
Th... obn-ere Cab al'bJltrc1i.l"e.'0 Meon an,. ell..,. .!'mOr
which may be u4 in the lA1t;la1 etas..or oroa.lDc.
(Obner
t
,. not.: The abO_ eont. we" mad. An;el' ,he
ooaba' Inoldent10 tiiiIa iII8 of tbe lL\PIDO RIft! bJ ,he Nth
lDtantrr Dlv1alon th6 per10d 3an IOth-al.t, Whioh wa.
npporte4 by the .,.th.....J)eatroyer Battalion.)
.,-
a:;
1
1
The tollowL'"l[ cQ1;r.nente by r,t. Col. Van J. Pyland, Com-
manding, 638 TD Battalion, relc.tlve to the Dual V18alO1l ot
Destroyer orantzat1ons s.re forwcrded ss oeine ot' 1.n-
tareet.
636th 'fA"I LE.::/fROYER E.A'fTALIOW
Office 01' tLe Batti:.llon Commander
APO 464, U. S. Army
'1 1""
'!'be primary 01" ti10 tank ('estro:ler is fl.'P;;Jarent
b7 ita name, that is against enemy armor. In ear-
..,.s.1tI out thie prlmt'.ry even In an offensive sltua-
1Jloa, .... tank destroyer seeks 1:j the explol tat ion of ter-
rala _nil .....to maintain nn advanta"e over itsheav1er
&1"110'" .....,he tank. in the occupation f'osi-
tiona,tl.:Ut8 Of' Tire avenues of anproach,
.c....laa and dug 1n t1 b.o.ve become fI tried and 80-
,..,...,tactl of "te.nk ldllers"
.... be'lrely:new :11(1 for the tenk hae
ba 'rled. and proven 111 th ': Ca!ll9al(,.n In Ite.ly. Thtl.t 18
It....eadan role as artillery. In that thie role ie
bJ: the tank t:HStroyer f1 :;rRt:'ter percentne;e
1t.. t In 1t 1.8 well to confllrer the ohera-
cst....t1 of the WClnon r:nd flOW it can be to t'it
both Its prs.ary flnd :secon(f:ry rd.l!s1one.
. !'he gN.teet 01 t:je tunl: ernploJ-
m*ni arC;l1le.,. 18 that it \'1111 not be Eos1 tloned and
r:;a4i In'tbe,.th 0:' the Hl';)ored attaok. ilIa 18
\ a.ou.td,. .,senitaland rIghtly rec<\_nlzed as tank des-
f
i
tl'O,.,r teet1... l'etto place the tank deetr,)yeJ- in thi8
I 4iNct fire position prematurel,. to expose It to un-
. casualties from enem,. f1re anc1 to 117.
tremendous fire power in 1'"ole as artl11er,-.
Sere 11 how the dual al.aloltoaa be suo-
. eN.ttlll,._ 'rbe fla' high veloc1ty'3- gun on
I
1
r
the M-IO mount must be positioned behind very littlemask
so that the minimum elevation will enable it to fire at
close-in targets. The usual artillery piece will ocouPT
a position behind a mask rrom which a destroyer can only
be fired at its maximum ranges. This means that position.
suitable ror artillery are not usually suitable for the
tank destroyer.
On the other hand the destroyer's primary mission
demands that itbe further rorward near good routes and
olose to ita previously selected direot fire anti-tank
positions. So it is believed that if carefUl considera-
is given the tank destroyer in the selection of ita
indirect firing pOSition, that it perform its second-
ary role without danger to the successful accomnlishment
or its primary one. These the fundamental rules:
(1) That the indirect position be well
rorward and as ,near the probable avenue or approach of
eneB7 as the terrain permits.
(2} That this position afford at least
flash de.ttlade or conoealment,but a very low mask in or-
der to exploit the close as well as maximmn rnges of the
gun.
(3) That good routes lead from the indir-
ect position to the direct position.
(4) That the ammunition requirements of
the direct and primary mission be oonstantly in mind.
(5) TLat the capabilities of the :5 inch
SUD tlred indlreotly by forward observer methods, at t'air-
17 0108e ranges, using delayed fuse, at enemy pill boxes,
b.. and stone houseo be thoroughly understood.
Itthese rules are known ann nractloed the tank de.-
trap!'.anaccomplish its mission and completely justl-
r., 1ts ex1i1'tenoe and its extremely high cost to our govern-
ment.
In rule .tive (5) above the registering of one gun or
each platoon ot the battalion on a oommon base point and
olosingthe shears, enables the battalion commande'r to tire
one gun ormass the fires ot tblrtT-six in a very small
area with territic ettect.
VAN w. PYLP.ND
Lt Colonel, Infant17
Commanding
ifbS.
.s,Ual3 BECUI
- 2 -
etl!,
S S
rc:CRE-r
e...,1-
Is British MOST SECREl
vOPT. -JC
UlwU',,:,tJAhTBRS 1ftBAT'lALI01J
1st Armored negtment
2fl,U.'Z. ArItrf
, FelJruarr 191'
Action or lat Bs.ttal1on, 1st ANored on 'Jan31,l94'
MAP G.8., {l.S., Il
'
ALY 4229, 1/50,000 - 158 IV .
,.irat BattallCJn, First Armorec1 Regiment (-Co "A" - "13") moved at
0810 31, 1944 to ,..oo:rmo1ter 1n a northeasterly t:1rcet-
1. .0-..P871aea to vietn1t,. .t Station aampol.on,- to find
ot ad,y.... and type 01' op,",os1tlon. aOl:npan7 "C" 1st Ar>:1ored
Reg1m.." "apta1a Wickham R. Cartel', Oommandin6. went into position
1'ldp uF8'l8ltaat la.5 hI'S an,: prepared to ac!vanee on miss1on.
let (Bnti.h) Dlvlf:ion .forwar<1 unit, Duke of Welline;ton ne
e
l-
ment ws. eontaoted at tb:ls pOint, their advance elanenta were then
holdtfl(; _11 bill., )'lrst Bn. 1st .lrad Regt tOl'W&ro CP
at F86t1N.' "e", let Amd ReC.t moved rorward and Innedlate-
11' No.l'Qd amnll ams 1'1re from r1d(,e runnint'. through Ai'ter
killl", ... tta lnfantrrmen ant; driving them to the weat, a_-
pany "0 .. the northwest more 1nfantry and mortar
rlre. !b.l. w nducec1, and a 0.: the ravine J'\1l1nlng throuGh
FS6S&" ...... tOUlid until Oompan7 tiC reached F8'703'18. Worth 01' th1e
po1nt t'hJtee (I) oroea!ne.s were made. Dur1nc thIs tme artillery .ad.
alr-burate .ere coacentr.ted on Oompany "C". Compan7 C" to
hill P9I8 181 ael'mAn ID1'antry ot:r. time was then about 14S0
bra. Adyanoe wu 1&&4. to FS6838a tut was stopped bJ antl-timk tire.
COl'l'lp88f - atAr*l _ tb1$ hill unt1l dark, heaVT artIl1e1'7 and
small ANa rtR., At'lftnoe to north and nortbwest 'Wam atopped by antl-
tank t'1" r... JIlIN.aJid F8'19390, ODe taak was deetrOJed by thln .fire,
and eM t.a II1l1as..s. Compt;,ny "C" clectr0184 one German tank, type un-
knOInl, OompaD.7 tlB" battallon at hra but \laa at ,aatIO..
..t- OOSlll4 a. Ibad Battalion, 1st Arm6. a.it .as advancing at thl. tlme
1a .., aDd .a it was known tha.t the whole torce. ould. te withdrawn .
a' lYOO hr.. Pirst Buttallon was ordered to w1thcrBW to blvouae
a' 1'100 hr.. flda .a. accomp11shed and Datta110n elo,ecl in biYouae
t, IIOQO bra.
. \, 'hl. operation C" ldlle<1 an estlmt', ted aeventJ
, rtve ".) Germaa tDtaat.,..n, "tro78d a German tanks end a bout
i ..... ....ar.t lIPgull ,,,-., 1 btl-tank gUl'l (75Imn), ground.
IIlcnmt, and two.unidentlrle4 Wheel yehlel... .
Lt Olln DJaad h1s cr.w A1"e 1Id.1Dt; 1A .etlO1l aa. a result 01'
thea tank be1D& kIlo.ked out bJ CIenaB ,.btl-.,.. rlt-e
. /_/ Wl1.11am R. Tuck
A I'lED '1'RUE con.
I', WILI.IAlt R. TUCK
. .aJor, 1st Bn. 1st A.R.
leI H. R. Collier
ItI H. R. COLLIRR :om:nan4
1Da
..'OJG, U A.
Aset Adjutant. I='''ua's B.,. I
-... r, IS 1 MOST SECREi
,
U S SEeR.-
-
. e .. .. .!Ir
r
..
equal. British }I.O:l S::CRE1
OOMPA'RY ft._ FIRST AIUlOJ:tE.L' l.,EJrr
APO 251, %Postmaster W.Y., N.Y.
4 j;'ebrua17 1964
Company History, Company nAft, let Bn., 1st Armot-ed Reg1meJlt
The following 18 a hlstory of the combat activities or 00 wA-,
1st A1W. Rest CoverlD(; the period .trOll 1230 hr. lane 29, 1944 '02200
hour. :_.81,
OIl.. drDlDg ot: Jan. 29, 1944 the Company VlflS well established
in a bl....area approximately six:mil Inland l'rom the t 0WIl of An-
zio, Ita17.. 'reparatlona been completed tor an anticIpated
combat at8.'.at;a1n8t the German torceswho were attempt1nc to attack
the Amari...Jthj.J'fq beacbbead around AMio, the CompallJ' was orienta-
tect onVUt. 81,...tlon <d alerted toDlove on a forty rive m1nute notice
, 12M hr. on that day, Maj. Will1am R. Tuck, Battalion Oamn..-n-
d...,la'BIl., called the Company Com111cnder to Lis Poat, aDd
i.au.! the l'olloWing orders I
"At 11'1 ,-our Co;;'.pany is to be detached :l'rom the Bn. and attach-
ed. 0... "A", F1rst Amloreel D1Yislon, under cc::nmand or =
001. It. IaIbert .'fou ..Fe to work With 00. "13" Slst Ren Bn., and are
tlo nnport wlth 1'1" their .forward patrols on a Hen mIssion. You
are topu.h on inan aggressive manner aM aret 0 reoonno1ter the area
Borth-ea.' ..rar a. 13 Move ou, 1mmedIt.t.e1y and make con-
ta" with co. WB" Slst Ren at 1300 hra. Good Luck",
The entire CompanJ' under command ot Capt. Gerald If. DaUe7,
moved out 1n the order at lJUS hOUrS. Second platOOll, act-
ing as ftnolntW, 1I1'1der the command. or la' Lt Wayne B.Yale, Firat
pIntoon under commarld or 2nd. Lt Ralph I. Rothwell, 'l'h1rd platoon un-
der oommand or 2nd. Lt lohn Viatklna, aad the comPaD7 maintenanoe and
caaunand sectloD UDder 1st Lt James Cor," the Bn assault gun platoon
oons1sting ot tbr8, '15mDa how. and their haU'-traek 1IIIIIRU11tloD e...
riel's, under oCllJBband ot 1st Lt lo'reelan4 l)aub1n were at tho tall ot
tho column to be used to support our tire on 01.11 tram tbe Co. Cam-
mander.
At 1300 hrs the Comparl'J haltecl att he prearranged. place aM oon-
taot was made by its00 with Capt. D1x, CO, Qompanr "D" Slat Ren.
Arrantem0nts and the plana Cor the mIssion
were laid and dinGussed. The plan involVE/d work1!l[ north ot" our prea-
6nt area, strik1ng into the German linea, deter..1n1nG their campos1-
t1.on, ntrEmcth and etr;;118 points, maldng a deta1lecl atud., ot their
det'el)ces, and rt)T')ort1l1t..., th1s 1m-ormatlon to the Combat OennaDd.
! '
\." ...
\ At about 1::'30 hra the entire roree moved out. It oone1ste4 ot
,00. "B-, Blst Ren Bn., with attached platoon 0;:: the leth Engr DB.,
.. snc tIds eompanJ. Approximately three miles our Jump orr pos1-
tion, onemy urt111ery upon us the form 01 llr and
#.
r
"
.....
.. :\
.' ....1' 1