"To catch a tank"--US Army Infantry school

[DRG]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5Z...Y1k/view?pli=1

"To Catch A Tank" was written by the Antiarmor Board of the US Army Infantry
School and is a publication of the US Army Com hat Arms Training Board. Fort
Benning. Georgia 31905. The information presented herein conforms as closely
as possible with approved Department of Army doctrine and is intended to com-
plement existing doctrinal literature.

In addition to indirect fire, good marksman-
ship at long range can force the tank com-
mander, loader and driver to button-up. If
you divert the tank crew's attention with fire
just before they enter a minefield, they may
never realize they are in it until it is too
late.

Note the "trick" involving a 5 gallon gasoline can and a claymore mine..


..not nice

[Suhiir]

“The U.S. Marine Corps says that hunting tanks is fun and easy. Remember that when 25′ of fire-spitting monster rolls toward you as the rounds from your Hollywood-style assault rifle bounce off it like breakfast puffs. If you’re a Special Op on a black operation, nobody’s gonna send Tac Air, an armored division, or a hero in a red cape to save the day. Officially, you don’t exist. Physically, you won’t either unless you outsmart your opponent.”

[DRG]

Tanks (The Hard Way)

"If you’re a hero, you can climb on top of a tank and drop a grenade through its hatch. It really works. Israeli and Syrian commandos stopped tanks this way in the battles outside Beirut in 1982. Rioters sometimes do it with Molotov cocktails. However, it is not a good way to collect retirement pay.........."

[Suhiir]

That only works if the idiots that made the tank failed to include hatch locks inside the tank and/or the idiots inside fail to use them.
And it assumes there's no infantry or another tank nearby to "hose you off" (i.e. shoot the fools climbing on top your tank).

Yeah, it can work. But trying it wouldn't be in my first ten choices.

[DRG]

Hence the bit about "it is not a good way to collect retirement pay"

[DRG]

What I found "interesting" is all these techniques require the tank crew to blunder into a situation where they are isolated from their supporting infantry and other tanks as well. They don't work so good when it's a full Mech battalion heading your way and you are in an open field

[Suhiir]

Very true.
But then again combat does tend to include a lot of improbable situations.
Lots of people under massive pressure surrounded by confusion.

[shahadi]

I noted the article was published in 30 June 1972. Although the artwork and design is humorous, of the Fred Flintstone TV evening animated sitcom, it nonetheless is wholly outdated. Today's Abrams crews can locate, identify, and fire from inside, so firing at the tank with marksmanship to force the crews to hunker down would not work today. Furthermore, crews have periscopes, providing 360 views with independent thermal viewers (CITV) giving them independent stabilized day and night vision. However, what I find most salient is the comprehensive training and combined arts doctrine of American tank crews today that were not evident in 1972.

Yabba dabba doo!

----

[Suhiir]

Even with the fancy internal sights and scopes watch any video of tanks and you'll see most of the crew keeps it head up and out whenever possible.
While thermal sights are wonderful things they don't have 360 degree vision and the ability to glance from side-to-side.

[troopie]

The told us in infantry school, a tank section with proper infantry support is a very formidable battlefield opponent, a tank by itself is a target.

troopie