said terrain is a specific land component requirement. In both expanding the lodg- ment and securing friendly supply lines, the Army will seize key terrain, likely, from a defending enemy. Mounted forces proved invaluable throughout the Luzon Cam- paign in accomplishing these missions. Specifically, the U.S. employed tanks asym- metrically to support infantry seizing restrictive terrain, or in a more tradition- al armored assault to rapidly seize deep objectives.
The Japanese arrayed in a well-devel- oped defense in depth across Luzon’s key terrain, occupying caves, hillsides, and entrenched battle positions. As U.S. forces attacked south the close-knit tank -infantry team tactics, perfected months later on Okinawa, set the pace. Tanks routinely provided direct and indirect fires to enable infantry maneuver onto restricted terrain, knocked out entrenched or fortified positions, and protected light infantry.9,10 Additionally, in a more sym- metric role, tanks supported the seizure of key terrain by defeating enemy armor. A counterattack by the Japanese 7th Tank Regiment led to a meeting engagement with C Company, 716th Tank Battalion. Following a two-hour fight C Company defeated the counterattack, eliminating a company of tanks and armored vehicles, then resuming the attack (see Figure 1).11 In addition to the success of the tank- infantry team, a mounted seizure of major objectives in Manila followed from the 1st Cavalry Division (1st CAV).
As the Sixth Army approached Manila, the 1st CAV, along Highway 5, organized its 44th Tank Battalion into three “flying columns” that spearheaded each brigade to seize key objectives within the city and encircle it with the remainder of the force (see Figure 2).12 Under the respon- sive watch of direct support close air support, the flying columns aggressively penetrated nearly a hundred miles into the Japanese defense, inflicting over 700 casualties and neutralizing dozens of fortifications and anti-tank systems. Despite intense Japanese fires and the loss of the battalion commander, the 44th Tank repeatedly succeeded. The unit secured the first major objective within the city proper when B Company tanks crashed through the gates of the Santo Tomas University internment camp
Fall 2024 CAVALRY & ARMOR JOURNAL
Figure 1: The 716th Tank Battalion passes a knockedmJapanese Type 97 tank.35
and liberated some 3,500 civilian prisoners. Shortly after, the 1st CAV seized subse- quent objectives throughout the city, including key terrain (palace and prison) and major infrastructure locations (power substation and residential district).13 Ultimately, the mobility, protection, and firepower of the tanks in Manila facil- itated in-stride breaching, supporting and fixing fires, destructive direct fires, and survivability to bypass enemy disrupting or harassing positions.
From Luzon to Manila, mounted forces provided a significant symmetric and
asymmetric advantage to U.S. forces. Tank-infantry teams succeeded routinely in small unit engagements against de- veloped positions. Deploying tanks for- ward, in both maneuver and security, afforded decisive firepower in meeting engagements, and unleashed the shock effect of massed armor during violent maneuvers. Neutralizing urban fortifica- tions and positions enabled the rapid seiz- ure of key terrain in and around cities. Each of these efforts accomplished Sixth Army missions and are relevant to the potential operational requirements of mounted forces in the Indo-Pacific today.
Figure 2: Tank-infantry team clears the brush adjacent to Highway 5 en route to Manila.36
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