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On 17 July 1972, the North Vietnam Army (NVA) hit the right flank battalion of the 44th Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) Infantry Regiment at Kontum with an unsupported surprise ground attack at 0900, catching the ARVN with no security elements forward of their defensive positions. The enemy attacked through mechanical ambushes, sustaining heavy casualties, and overran the position. The South Vietnamese suffered more than 700 casualties. The NVA looted the position, then withdrew back into the jungle with their dead and wounded.

That left the ARVN regiment right flank in the air. The deputy U.S. advisor, Lt. Chuck Tallman, convinced the commander to fold back the rightmost company to partially deny that flank. Incredulous at the sight, Tallman watched later that morning as NVA gunners set up 120 mortars and recoilless rifles IN THE OPEN just 1500m to the direct north of FSB November. Tallman grabbed the regimental S-3 and told him he wanted a division time TOT at 1030, using everything within range from a battery of 155s down to 60MM mortars. The hail of HE and WP hit beautifully except that a platoon of 60s got the count down wrong and gave the NVA some warning. Still, that did not save the NVA gunners, who more or less disintegrated under the barrage. Tallman's barrage stripped the NVA of fire support, and the expected attack stalled.

After the loss of the ARVN battalion that morning, Tallman knew that his unit could still face annihilation. He knew that the NVA were still in their attack AA. Tallman had declared a TAC-E earlier and had priority to all air. He got on the radio and asked for an ARCLIGHT divert to bomb along the seam he expected the enemy attack to come through. The Air Force rogered the request: the three-ship B-52 strike would go in a little after 1400. Tallman's Vietnamese were well dug in by now so he "fudged" the danger close to get it where he wanted it. Unseen from the ground, the three B-52s attacked in trail, rending the earth and the NVA indiscriminately. Tallman watched, hanging on to a bunker support to keep from being thrown to the ground by the Air Force earthquake. Miller time!1

Modern day U.S. Army fire support planners use doctrinal troop-leading procedures (TLPs) to manage time. Units benefit from realistic training exercises at the Combat Training Centers (CTCs). These training centers afford the company fire support teams an opportunity to practice those TLPs in planning, coordinating, and sustaining a defensive fire support plan. Forced to operate under severe time limits, fire support planners often leave important tasks incomplete in the defense. Effective standard operating procedures (SOP) manage time through priorities of work as specified in TLPs. Strict adherence to time management is the key to completing preparations for the defensive battle.

Reaction to warning order:

At receipt of the warning order, the company fire support officer (FSO) and fire support non-commissioned officer (FSNCO) begin planning with the company commander. While the company commander integrates fire support with other battlefield operating systems, the FSO actually develops the company fire support plan. That requirement dictates that the FSO and FSNCO begin as soon as the battalion warning order arrives. The FSO cannot wait for the battalion operations order (OPORD) to begin preparing for the defense. To maximize time, the FSO should alert the fire support team (FIST) to the upcoming mission. He should also direct the FSNCO and the forward observers (FOs) to make pre-combat checks and resupply missing items. The FSNCO also develops a hasty fire plan to cover the company's movement into the defensive area of operation. He completes pre-combat checks while the FSO attends the battalion orders conference.

Reaction to the OPORD:

The battalion OPORD describes how the company supports the battalion mission. The battalion fire support products provide company FSOs with fire support guidance, assets available, and their essential fire support tasks (EFSTs). The FSO must confirm that he has all available fire support products from the battalion fire support element (see planning checklist on page 8). Before departing the battalion orders group, the company FSO should grasp the battalion commander's intent, concept of the operation, and fire support guidance. That understanding will allow the FSO to quickly prepare an effective, integrated, and executable fire support plan. Ideally, fire support personnel should understand the mission, intent, and concept of the operation of the higher headquarters two levels up.

Once the OPORD is complete, the company commander and FSO continue planning and develop a tentative timeline for critical fire support tasks. The FSO will submit requests for information and the company mortar section's status to the battalion fire support element (FSE). The FSNCO completes pre-combat checks (PCCs) and the pre-combat inspection (PCI) before the company warning order is issued. The PCI will identify to the FSO the team's capabilities and limitations for the operation.

Issue a warning order:

The FSO must participate in the company warning order. The fire support team (FIST) personnel and the mortar section leader are briefed on the mission, the company sector, and assets available to the company. The FSO should issue the tentative timeline cataloging all tasks to be completed in sequential order.

Make a tentative plan:

The FSO updates the status of the company's mortar section and FIST. To accomplish the mission, the FSO should clearly understand his units' responsibilities and allocations. The company commander must provide clear guidance for fire support in accordance with FM 7-10, The Infantry Rifle Company, and FM 6-71, Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Fire Support for the Combined Arms Commander. The FSO merges company and battalion fire support guidance to develop the company EFSTs, the observation plan, and the ammunition management plan or attack guidance matrix (AGM). These three products provide the framework for the fire support plan. The FSO should consider targeting forward, on, and behind the company positions to assist the company in withdrawals and counterattacks if the defensive position is overrun.

The FSO coordinates with the mortar section sergeant and decides on the number and type of ammunition to be fired on planned targets and adjustments. The mortar ammunition on hand and commander's fire support guidance directly influence indirect fire adjustments onto targets, attack criteria, and the AGM. Dismounted enemy, armor versus soft skin vehicles, and the final protective fire should be considered when allocating ammunition. Early in the planning, the company FSO should coordinate a time to adjust indirect fires with his supported element, adjacent units, and higher headquarters. The FSO finalizes the company's fire support timeline, ensuring it meshes with the battalion timeline and accomplishes all critical tasks.

Timelines:

The following are critical tasks that will always be present in the timeline: company mortar registration, adjustment of indirect fires onto priority targets, fire support rehearsal, FSO's fire support coordination meeting, and the target refinement cutoff time. Ensure the company target refinement cutoff time meets the battalion FSE's target refinement cutoff time. The FSO must conduct a coordination meeting to ensure the fire support plan is integrated and synchronized with the obstacle plan and the company maneuver plan. Once approved by the company commander, the timeline should be disseminated to all subordinate elements and the battalion FSE.

Initiate movement:

The FOs maintain battlefield observation and prepare for the leader's reconnaissance patrol. They do a detailed map study of the platoon and company area of operations. The map recon identifies possible dead space, mounted or dismounted avenues of approach, and other areas of concern. The FO and platoon leader (PL) will confirm the areas of interest identified by the map recon during the reconnaissance patrol. The company FSO should coordinate task organization changes such as combat observation lasing team (COLT) operating in the company sector or FOs being detached to other companies. The FSO should request a meteorological (MET) message and update it every two to four hours for the company mortars.

Conduct reconnaissance:

The FSO accompanies the company commander and the PLs on the leader's recon patrol. If possible, the FOs should accompany the PLs. Whenever possible, parallel planning should be the norm at all levels, to include platoon. During the leader's reconnaissance patrol, the FSO and FOs should identify the observer positions, refine the planned target locations to within 10 meters using a plugger, and verify the task and purpose of each target.

Observation and target triggers:

Instructions to the FOs should include all pertinent information available, focused on the observer's assigned EFSTs. The FSO should integrate the maneuver observers into his company's observation plan. This multiplies eyes on the battlefield and assists in employing fire support. Trained FOs should be positioned on brigade- or battalion-directed obstacles. Once they understand their assigned task, communications net, the company scheme of maneuver, and the assets available, release the observers to establish observation posts (OPs) and develop triggers.

The FOs should identify the trigger for each target in accordance with the method described in FM 6-30, Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Observed Fire, Chapter 5, Section IV. During defensive operations, a trigger is normally a spot on the ground. This particular section of the manual offers a simple sequence for moving target engagement and trigger point development. The formula for determining a trigger point is: transmission time plus time of flight multiplied by the expected speed of the target in meters per second. That equals the distance from the intercept point or planned target location. Triggers should be developed for both mounted and dismounted targets.

Observation techniques:

One observation method is to position the observer forward of friendly troops to trigger the target as the enemy passes the observer's location. Another method is to use forward maneuver units or their listening post/observation post (LP/OP) to observe and trigger targets. The observer must mark the trigger for day and night operations. Infrared chemlights are a good marking tool for night operations. Engineer tape nailed to the observer's side of a tree works well for daylight missions.

The leader's recon should identify mortar section firing positions based on mission, enemy, terrain, troops, and time (METT-T). Using the"1/3-2/3 rule," the mortars are positioned to fire 1/3 of their planning range behind the company and 2/3 forward. This technique allows the mortar section to cover a company's withdrawal to alternate or supplementary positions without displacing the mortars (see Figure 1).

Figure 1

Complete the plan:

Once the leader's recon is complete, the FSO should have a clear understanding of the company defensive position. As the company occupies its position, the battalion FSE should have all friendly element locations, especially FOs. The battalion FSE must know the company observation plan, including all FOs and maneuver observers employed by the company. Even though most maneuver elements are not trained FOs, they can trigger targets if they understand the task, purpose, method, and effects desired for the target they are observing. If the company defensive sector is forward in the main battle area, a Q36 sensor zone can cover the company mortar position to avoid friendly counter battery fires from engaging the mortars in the heat of the battle.

Update the MET data and register:

The mortar section should receive meteorological (MET) messages every two to four hours. This information must be entered into the mortar ballistic computer (MBC). When time and ammo are short, it may not be possible to register and adjust company mortars on priority targets. If registration is not possible, MET messages will increase mortar accuracy. If ammo and time are available, register! Company mortars should be registered a minimum of 1500 meters from the mortar positions. The registration point should be centered forward of the company sector. The registration point serves for targets 800 meters over or short, and 400 mils left or right. Any target outside of the valid registration area requires an additional registration point along with adjustments in ammunition requests, mortars tasks, and timelines (see Figure 2).

Figure 2

Communication (Commo) checks:

Once observers are in place, the entire fire support network should check communications. Those checks include the FSO, FOs, company mortar sections, the battalion mortar platoon, the battalion FSE, and the artillery fire direction center (FDC). The FIST should maintain communications with these agencies in the event the battalion headquarters sustains casualties and is unable control the battle. The FSO/FSNCO should complete the fire support plan, target list worksheet (TLWS), and the fire support execution matrix (FSEM). They should brief the fire support plan to the company commander prior to the company OPORD.

Issue the OPORD:

The FSO will distribute fire support documents to the PLs and brief the fire support portion of the company OPORD. The FSO/FSNCO should brief the task, purpose, method, and effects desired for every target. Brief the observation plan, how it will affect the company, who is the primary observer and alternate observer, and what event will trigger each target. Explain how request for indirect fires will be cleared within the company and across the battalion. The FO is responsible for briefing the squad leaders on the fire support plan. If an FO is positioned forward early, the FSNCO should brief the squad leaders of the platoon.

Disseminate and EXPLAIN the plan:

The FSEM is the best tool to pass information to platoon level. FM 6-20-20, Tactics, Techniques and Procedures for Fire Support Battalion Task Force, December 27, 1991, explains in detail what should be contained in the company FSEM. The FSO explains attack guidance, engagement criteria, and high-payoff target lists. This step informs the company's key leaders what type of target should be attacked, when to attack the target, and how to engage the target. The FSEM pinpoints the event that will shift priority of fire to the company or the handover line. FM 101-5-1, Operational Terms and Graphics, describes handover line as a control feature, preferably following easily identifiable terrain features, where responsibility for conduct of combat operations is passed from one force to another.

The FSEM shows the scheme of fires, assigned essential fire support tasks (EFSTs), the target list worksheet, and actions to be taken upon loss of all senior fire support personnel (FSO/FSNCO/FOs). It should have frequencies and call signs for all assets in support of the battalion. This includes Air Force, Navy, and Army aviation fire support assets so the company can continue to employ fire support weapon systems if the fire support personnel become casualties. The FSO should explain the list of fire support coordination measures and how they affect the company. The FSO briefs when enemy fire support is expected to be within range of the company positions and their capabilities. If adverse weather is expected, he should provide the effects of weather on fires.

Supervise:

The FSO and FSNCO supervise all fire support preparations in the company sector, including adjustment of indirect assets. All adjustments should be completed during daylight hours to achieve the accuracy demanded by close proximity of friendly troops. To minimize endangerment of friendly troops, construction of survivability positions should begin as early as possible. A minimum of 18 inches of overhead cover is required to provide protection from 81mm mortar munitions.2Adjustment of fires can be scheduled on the timeline after the positions are complete. Combined with ready survivability positions, the unit can use delay fuzes to decrease friendly unit exposure to fragmentation during danger close adjustments. The technique of waiting until the unit has semi-completed positions allows the maneuver element time to continue working on preparation for the defense outside of the effects pattern of the indirect fires. They can maintain security in the company area from their fighting positions.

Rehearse:

Upon target adjustment completion, the FSO should conduct a rehearsal involving, at a minimum, the entire FIST and the company mortars. If possible, company key leaders should participate. The rehearsal should highlight every trigger event for each target in a sequential manner. Vehicles should be used to rehearse mounted targets. The FSO should walk fires during planned displacements from the primary defensive positions to the alternate or supplementary defensive positions. The mortar sections should lay on each target as discussed in the rehearsal. The FSO uses the battalion mortar net, while the FSNCO monitors and controls observers on the company mortar net. The FSO/FSNCO should continuously refine and update the plan until the next mission is received. They should pass those updates to both higher and lower echelons. If required, the FIST should consolidate and reorganize as the main battle passes by the company.

Summary:

Modern day fire supporters must use troop-leading procedures if they hope to complete all defensive preparations in a timely manner. Priorities of work, combined with troop-leading procedures, not only organizes but meshes maneuver and fire support BOS. History has proven that forces in defensive operations must develop effective, integrated, executable fire support plans in time-constrained environments. This article and the checklist below may be helpful in the development of SOP preparation of a company defense.

References:

FM 5-103, Survivability
FM 6-20-10, Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for the Targeting Process
FM 6-20-20, Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Fire Support Battalion Task Force
FM 6-30, Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Observed Fire
FM 7-10, The Infantry Rifle Company
FM 7-90, Tactical Employment of Mortars
FM 101-5, Staff Organization and Operation

Endnotes:

1. Interview on November 16, 2000, with Mr. Charles Tallman, LTC, US Army Reserve (Ret.), Fort Polk, LA.
2. FM 5-103, Survivability, provides dimensions for thickness of overhead cover when building survivability positions.