Not Just an Infantryman's War: United States Armored Cavalry of the Vietnam War.

摘要

This is a study of the organization and equipment of the United States Army's armored cavalry squadrons that fought in the Vietnam War. It begins with background information on the buildup of armored forces in Vietnam, the country's terrain, and the enemy. Next, the doctrinal missions of the armored cavalry are compared to the actual missions armored cavalry executed in Vietnam. The author then describes the equipment and organization used by armored cavalry squadrons in Vietnam and modifications that were made to adapt the cavalry for fighting on a nonlinear, restrictive terrain battlefield against an asymmetric threat. He concludes that the inherent combined arms task organization of armored cavalry squadrons made them an extremely successful force during the Vietnam War. The most capable of the various armored cavalry squadron organizations was the regimental armored cavalry squadron that was fielded with the M551 Sheridan tank in 1969. This cavalry squadron was successful because it was able to achieve an effective balance of mobility, firepower, protection, and shock effect. The study provides some insight into how to effectively organize and equip armored cavalry forces to fight on a nonlinear battlefield against an asymmetric enemy.