Platoon leader was a great book to give you a concise glimpse into the reality of one young army leader in vietnam. Infantry army infantry battalion of the infantry division or separate infantry brigade u. It takes into account the reorganization of this platoon, which incorporates three rifle squads. Well, as mentioned above, there are several different types of infantry platoons depending on the country, branch of service army or marine, type mechanized, rifle, scout, mortar, stryker, etc. Tactics 101 101 the mechanized infantry platoon by rick baillergeon and john sutherland. A platoon leader or platoon commander more common in commonwealth militaries and the us marine corps is the officer in charge of a platoon. Basic infantry building block army university press. The mechanized infantry platoon battles are won by slaughter and manoeuvre. The squad and platoon are the lowest units within an infantry organization. The platoon is officially led by the young and inexperienced lieutenant wolfe, but in reality the soldiers defer to two of his older and more experienced subordinates. As the name suggests, the weapons squad can be an extremely lethal unit on the battlefield.
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squadssections patrols. Oct 31, 2011 an interesting thread here about the evolution of the infantry platoon stucture as the war progressed. Some platoons have 2 recon teams, 1 sniper section, and one headquarters team. In an armoured or mechanised battalion, the platoon vehicles could be either warrior or afv 432. Thus, it is important to know the types of components and sets, kits, and outfits skos that exist within the platoon. Various information gleened indicates that this is supposed to be a battle against iraq or iran while the more powerful u. We also have a handful of active duty 3id members out of ft steward that you may see around from time to time depending on what console you are using. Special forces battalion of the special forces group u. Given that i have read also that platoons were upwards of 60 men i cant seem to get my figures to add up in that the.
Identify and analyze the fundamentals of defense and other considerations, analyze terrain using the five military aspects of. After korea, the army again changed the rifle squad size. Important supporting concepts are doctrine and training, individual. Retain key terrain or deny a vital area to the enemy. Often it was in fact a standardized squad or even platoon. To see more photos check out our book armored fighting vehicles in the vietnam war amazon books. Economize force, allowing combat power to be concentrated elsewhere. Fm 78 infantry rifle platoon and squad doctrine 550 cord. Tactics 101 093 the infantry platoon armchair general. World war ii infantry tacticscompany and battalion. Infantry rifle and mechanized platoon collective task. The use of the term battalion varies by nationality and branch of service.
Here then, are just six books that i have found both helpful and entertaining to read. The exercise allowed the soldiers to practice working with multiple combined arms elements including artillery. Army rifle company nov 1970 1975 airmobile infantry battalion of the air assault division u. Specifically it is directed toward the company commander, executive officer xo, first sergeant 1sg, platoon leader pl, platoon sergeant psg, fire support officer fso, master gunner, supply sergeant, signal support specialist, emergency care sergeant, field. Heavy weapons platoon hwp is a term from military science which refers to an infantry platoon equipped with machine guns, mortars, rocketpropelled grenades, flamethrowers, grenade launchers, antitank weapons, or any other weapons that are portable but heavier than a single infantryman can reasonably transport and operate by themselves for combat, generally a crewserved weapon.
The procedures apply unless a leader makes a decision to deviate from them based on the factors of mettt. The platoon can fight as part of a pure mechanized infantry company or as part of a company team that is task organized with tank platoons and mechanized infantry platoons. On 4 september 1944, the intelligence and reconnaissance platoon crossed the loire river into enemyheld territory, with the mission of scouting enemy positions and. The busy platoon commanders reading list grounded curiosity. Army volunteer chris taylor arrives in south vietnam and is assigned to an infantry platoon of the 25th infantry division near the cambodian border. The platoon sergeant is a vehicle commander, so you have the platoon leader, his rto, the platoon fo, and the attached medic riding in back with the weapons squad. As a platoon leader, learning the capabilities and how to employ your platoon and its equipment is achieved through training. The third infantry division was started in august 2002 on the ps2 as a clan on socom. The average number of squads in a platoon is three because it gives the officer two squads to fight with and a squad to keep in reserve. French infantry company 1940 quartermaster section. Jan 28, 2009 a platoon is commanded by either a second lieutenant or lieutenant, assisted by a platoon sergeant holding the rank of sergeant. He also said that the total strength of such a company was 193, all ranks. Understanding why a ground combat vehicle that carries nine. Infantry is a military specialization that engages in military combat on foot, distinguished from cavalry, artillery, and tank forces.
Gun, 2 x medium truck antitank gun platoon 3 x 37mm atg, 3 x light. What was the typical composition of an infantry squad in. The primary audience for this manual comprises the mechanized infantry rifle platoon leaders, platoon sergeants, and squad and fire team leaders. The basic unit of maneuver in worlds modern armies by 1939 was the squad ten or so men armed with rifles and usually a light machine gun. The greater the general, the more he contributes in manoeuvre, the less he demands in slaughter. Army and marine corps rifle platoons share many elements. Among the infantry s basic fundamentals are the principles of war, the elements of combat power, and the tenets of airland battle. Each infantry section of 10 men had its own bren light machine gun, but heavier machineguns the vickers and 4. Colonel hemphill considers platoon to be its directors own artistic interpretation of events that occurred in his infantry. Getting through them over the first couple of years as an officer will not feel like hard work.
This publication is an extract from fm 78 infantry rifle platoon and squad. Under normal circumstances, the whole platoon with the exception of the lmg light machine gun gunners are armed with iw sa80 individual weapon. Infantry platoon tactical standing operating procedure. A battalion is typically commanded by a lieutenant colonel. Jul 07, 2011 your average infantry scout platoon consist of 19 men. Sydney jary led 18 platoon of 4somerset light infantry in normandy, the netherlands and germany in 1944 and 1945. In some countries, the word battalion is associated with the infantry the term was first used in italian as. A typical mechanized infantry platoon is organized as shown in illustration. Infantry make up a large portion of all armed forces in most nations, and. Reading them in the order below is suggested and all can be found on kindle. The proposed platoon composition is therefore only suitable for a light infantry unit with truck support, or if the platoon will never conduct a mission as a whole but will always be tailored to the mission with the rest staying behind as a ready reserve. Mcdonough retired is an impecable example for future and current young lieutenants that are preparing to take command of their first platoons. Here, british, american, and german units are compared.
Marine infantry battalion is typically supported by an artillery battery and a platoon each of tanks, amphibious assault vehicles, light armored reconnaissance vehicles, reconnaissance marines, and combat engineers. Now retired from active duty, mcdonough lives with his family. Usually 3 five man recon teams and one 4 man headquarters team. Typically a battalion consists of 300 to 800 soldiers and is divided into a number of companies.
Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but are. Basic principles of each countrys use of these formations is provided. The first allfemale infantry platoon in the united states military, despite breaking lots of sexist barriers, has also broken lots of rules, sources say. What is the composition of a us army heavy weapons platoon. They are both organized into larger companies, both. Aug 03, 2006 the unit in the movie platoon is identified at the beginning and end of the film as bravo company, 3rd battalion, 22nd infantry, 25th infantry division.
In such a case, the exception applies only to the particular situation for which the leader made the decision. Some other marines have suggested the following ways to look for books and photos. Identify and analyze the fundamentals of defense and other considerations, analyze terrain using the five military aspects of terrain in the defense, and. Was it an engineering platoon, heavy weapons, armored or artillery. It is based on the platoons equipped with the m2a2ods, but still applies to all variations of the bfv. It is organized with a platoon headquarters and three rifle squads. The battalion had much in the way of its own support weapons, including 2inch mortars, a platoon of 3inch mortars, and a platoon of antitank guns. A platoon is commanded by either a second lieutenant or lieutenant, assisted by a platoon sergeant holding the rank of sergeant. I have evidence that there were 4 sections, 2 rifle, 1 bombers and 1 lewis each of 1 nco and 6 men. Platoon is a 1986 american war film written and directed by oliver stone, starring tom berenger, willem dafoe, charlie sheen, keith david, kevin dillon, john c.
A us army weapons platoon when part of a light infantry battalion consists of two sections, and is typically deployed alongside three rifle platoons, as a part of a rifle company. The enduring size and organization of the modern infantry squad. Working with excellent ncos he built the sort of band of brothers that forms the backbone of all armies. The platoon is subdivided into three section of between 710 soldiers, each commanded by a corporal with a lancecorporal as the section 2ic.
Infantry platoon structure soldiers and their units. Infantry skills, and the organization of the infantry platoon and its squads. Javelin missiles are carried in all 4 vehicles, as are clus, iirc, so you might be able to pare the mg teams down to pairs and give the ammo humpers a javelin if the fecal matter. This section provides the mission of the infantry and the doctrine principles basic to the infantry rifle platoon and squad. A rifle platoon from an infantry company consists of three sections of eight men, plus a signaller operating the radio, plt sergeant, plt commdr and a mortar man operating a light mortar, this means the platoon has 27 men and. A spokesman for the us army infantry center of excellence at fort benning, ga. These fundamentals have application at the platoon and squad level. If you are interested, but unfamiliar with bidding on ebay, contact me. This manual describes the operations and capabilities of the bradley fighting vehicle bfvequipped infantry rifle platoon. The battalion was a standard tactical organization throughout the 20th century, and overseas deployments were usually done with. On the other hand, in infantry drill manual, artillery drill manual and similar specialized papers ija showed standard composition for each weapon teams. Jul 29, 2015 a platoon is composed of two or more similar squads.
This person is usually a junior officer a second or first lieutenant or an equivalent rank. The platoon leader and his headquarters are mounted in one apc, and the squads are mounted in the other three. The infantry battalion was the basic tactical unit of the ground forces of the canadian military throughout the 20th century. Despite the outcome of the 1946 conference and four major studies all of which agreed with the conferences conclusions, army leaders changed the squad size from nine men to eleven and returned to the 1940s doctrine of fire and maneuver. Your average infantry scout platoon consist of 19 men. The busy platoon commanders reading list posted january 5, 2018 september 7, 2019 chris hall there are many reading lists available to the military professional and an increasing focus on professional military education within army. Generally the weapons platoon stayed at the night defensive position or firebase and gave support from that location. In the new zealand army, an infantry platoon is commanded by a 2nd lieutenant or a lieutenant, with a platoon sergeant, a platoon signaller and a medic where relevant composing the platoon headquarters. While none of these studies, exercises, or books led quickly to a formal change in doctrine. What is the composition of a british army infantry platoon. And it is why, as fontessa showed, the standard composition of platoon squad must be included in wartime mobilization plan. A platoon composed of tanks, ifv infantry fighting vehicles or apcs armored personel carriers substitues vehicles for squads. An interesting thread here about the evolution of the infantry platoon stucture as the war progressed.
Besides the straight infantry squad, a platoon will also normally be equipped with a weapons squad. In infantry combat the reader leads a rifle platoon charged with protecting the flank of u. The battalion structure is designed to readily expand to include a fourth rifle company, if required, as described. Can anyone tell me how a british infantry platoon was organised in 191718. It provides the tactical standing operating procedures for infantry platoons and squads. Also known as foot soldiers or infantrymen, infantry traditionally relies on moving by foot between combats as well, but may also use mounts, military vehicles, or other transport. The basic building bricks of the infantry battalion are the platoon and the section. I can tell you the typical current composition of a u. A platoon is composed of two or more similar squads. And it is why, as fontessa showed, the standard composition of platoonsquad must be included in wartime mobilization plan. That unit was commanded at the time by captain robert hemphill, now lieutenant colonel, retired. Finding you platoon book results 1 to 4 of 4 thread.
In such a case, the exception applies only to the particular situation for which the. Among the infantrys basic fundamentals are the principles of war, the elements of combat power, and the tenets of airland battle. The mortar platoon at battalion level is equipped with 81mm. In the australian army, an infantry platoon has thirtysix soldiers organized into three eightman. Before the transfer of authority, the departing unit develops a continuity book. A platoon leaders guide to inventory and accountability.
Whitman hippocrene books 1990 detailed, scholarly account of the bataan campaign in the philippines in januaryapril 1942 which includes many personal recollections by members of the 31st infantry author served with the 31st infantry in korea as a platoon leader during the 1970. To fully understand operations of the mechanized rifle platoon and squad, leaders must have an understanding of fm 390. Infantry platoon structure soldiers and their units great. It will have two m240 type machine guns and two antitank missile systems normally a javelin.
A military theorist who has helped shape the postcold war armys thinking, he is also the author of the defense of hill 781 and the limits of glory. As the diagram highlights, the basic light infantry platoon is composed of three rifle squads, a. They cannot rely on a book to solve tactical problems. Heavy weapons platoon hwp is a term from military science which refers to an infantry platoon equipped with machine guns, mortars, rocketpropelled grenades, flamethrowers, grenade launchers, antitank weapons, or any other weapons that are portable but heavier than a single infantryman can reasonably transport and operate by themselves for combat, generally a crew. A rifle platoon from an infantry company consists of three sections of eight men, plus a signaller operating the radio, plt sergeant, plt commdr and a mortar man operating a light mortar, this means the platoon has 27 men and one officer. The mechanized infantry platoon is equipped with four apcs. Feb 24, 2018 a us army weapons platoon when part of a light infantry battalion consists of two sections, and is typically deployed alongside three rifle platoons, as a part of a rifle company. Tmp 191718 british infantry platoon organisation topic. Gun, 24 x limber heavy infantry gun platoon 2 x 150mm inf. British army the infantry platoon organisation armed.
Nov 16, 2007 can anyone tell me how a british infantry platoon was organised in 191718. It is also necessary to know what the actual equipment consists of. The matter of lewis guns and their allocation prompts me to mention the recentlypublished fighting nineteenth which covers the history of the 19th battalion, aif in the context of its parent formations, the 5th brigade and the 2nd division. The two sections are a mortar section, and an antiarmour section. Assuming that the weapons platoon is of similar size as the rifle. The officer is usually assisted by a platoon sergeant. Administratively, battalions are subdivisions of regiments. There is one scout platoon assigned to every infantry battalion that is responsible mainly for reconnaissance and snipercounter sniper operations. Soldiers from 1st battalion, 27th infantry regiment, 2nd brigade combat team, 25th infantry division, participate in a combined arms livefire exercise 6 december 2017 at schofield barracks, hawaii. These are the platoon books i have for san diego, ca.
Lets put it together and address the light infantry platoon. The unit in the movie platoon is identified at the beginning and end of the film as bravo company, 3rd battalion, 22nd infantry, 25th infantry division. If it was an army infantry platoon, it would be equipped with the m14 automatic rifle, the m79 grenade launcher. Some special units, such as specific aviation platoons and special forces, require a. We have discussed the individual soldier, the fire team, the rifle squad, and the weapons squad. Most of the time, there will be 2 4 marine corps boot camp platoon books listed. The platoon is a basic combat unit capable of maneuvering in the conduct of combat operations.
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