ipl-logo

The Thunder Runs In The Vietnam War

1322 Words6 Pages

The armored strike to capture Baghdad was one of the most unorthodox fights for an armored division, and changed the way we now fight wars. Prior to April of 2003, the state of mind that all leaders had was that tanks had no place in tight urban warfare. They believed tanks belonged on the outskirts of cities providing fire support, while infantry and mechanized units fought inside the complex urban environment. This paper will explain how one Commander, Colonel Perkins, changed that perception for the entire U.S. military command. For this war, the Generals in command used a military tactic called a “Thunder Run”. U.S. troops first used Thunder Runs in the Vietnam War. Convoys of vehicles would ride down a road or trail in line. The first vehicle would have their guns oriented forward, while each subsequent vehicle would have their weapons oriented left or right, alternating down the line of vehicles to the end. These “Thunder Runs” relied heavily on speed and violence of action. The point was to move fast and not engage in an actual face-to-face combat with the enemy, then return to home base safely. It was a type of guerrilla warfare. …show more content…

V Corp (USEUCOM) would be comprised of 3rd Infantry Division (mechanized), 101st Airborne Division, and the 82nd Airborne Division. Attacking from Kuwait and pushing to the south west of Baghdad by crossing the Euphrates River. 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), comprised of the 1st Marine Division, and the British 1st Armored Division, were to attack from Kuwait as well, and push more towards Iran and attack Baghdad from the south east, crossing the Tigris River. 1st MEF was also responsible for securing the Umm Qasr port and as many oil fields as they could before the retreating Iraqi forces set the oil fields on

Show More
Related

  • Outline For The Tuskegee Airmen

    783 Words  | 4 Pages

    They escorted the bombers to their targets and back to the

    Read More

  • Battle Of Wanat Case Study

    1542 Words  | 7 Pages

    On July 30, 2008, a bloody battle involving Coalition forces took place in the mountainous eastern Afghan province of Nuristan. This was the Battle of Wanat and the devastating amount of Coalition casualties began a vigorous investigation by the United States Army. The village of Wanat, defended by Second Platoon, Chosen Company, Second Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team would fall victim to numerous bad decision made by higher command. Although the men of Chosen Company fought hard, they ended up surrounded, vastly outnumbered, and without any Battalion assets. This paper will argue the reasons for the disastrous outcome of the Battle of Wanat; examining the effective company leadership exploiting effective

    Read More

  • Research Paper On The Kokoda Track

    1461 Words  | 6 Pages

    This includes: tanks, aircraft and artilleries. This is how the campaign of Kokoda track was fought. The popular large formation sweeping the emeries aside with heroic bayonet charges was far from now it was for the average

    Read More

  • Seahorse Assault

    901 Words  | 4 Pages

    The 36th Engineer Brigade based at Fort Hood, TX has a long history, which dates back to 1933. The first thing people ask is, “why the seahorse on the patch?” Well, the seahorse signifies something very unique about the unit. The 36th Engineer saw action in numerous campaigns, and participated in the invasion of Europe. The unit was trained to conduct amphibious assaults, but always saw a change in its role.

    Read More

  • Battle Of Elsenborn Ridge Essay

    1511 Words  | 7 Pages

    However, these fire systems provide highly efficient and contributed the victory at Elsenborn Ridge (Cole 495). Much of their success was contingent on the methodological forward observers who used artillery as required. The men who partook in these defensive and offensive tactics were equally as crucial to the victory as the artillery used. Another salient piece of artillery summoned in this battle was known as the P 47 Thunderbolt fighter bombers (Gooderson 210).

    Read More

  • What Was George Patton's Accomplishments

    1366 Words  | 6 Pages

    No one can deny that General George S. Patton was a brilliant military tactician who revolutionized tank warfare during World War II. He helped co invent the co-axial tank mount for canons and machine guns. His high standards, discipline, toughness, and pride within his units where legendary, and his action and temper led to many controversies during his career. His men gave him the nickname “Old Blood-and-Guts." These distinctions have made him one of the most influences military figures in world history.

    Read More

  • Juno Beach

    826 Words  | 4 Pages

    Canadian airmen were among the first into action. Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) squadrons belonging to Bomber Command ’s No. 6 Group had already been involved for several months in bombing key enemy targets in the invasion area: roads, bridges, railways, airfields, and command and communications centers. As the moment to launch the invasion neared, Allied bombers dropped thousands of tons of explosives on German coastal defense’s, approximately 6,000 tons in just the last few hours before the invasion.

    Read More

  • Broader Ribbons Across The Land Essay

    1073 Words  | 5 Pages

    Lt Eisenhower observed many roads that received no attention and roads that were in such rough shape that it was difficult to travel on (Synder). The experience of Eisenhower gave insight into a major problem of moving a large army and material across the land in case of war. The experience convinced him of the necessity of building the infrastructure to assist with moving armies and material. Alongside the FTMC experience, Eisenhower was in command of the Allied forces in an Operation to evict Axis powers in North Africa (Synder). The result of operation gave insight into the Nazi's highway system that allowed them to travel fast and move larger quantities of men and material.

    Read More

  • Vietnam War Dbq

    812 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Vietnam war began in 1963 with the approval of a military coup in Vietnam. There was a generational rebellion to the Vietnam war. All three of the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administrations were impacted severely by the war and envisioned different ways of ending the war. Kennedy’s administration justified Vietnam war as a test, Johnson continued the war, and Nixon finally ended the war. Kennedy’s administration was impacted by the Vietnam war.

    Read More

  • Vietnam War Dbq

    891 Words  | 4 Pages

    Taylor Price Tensions of Vietnam The Vietnam War was one of the most protested and hated wars ever fought by the United States. Though the end of previous wars were celebrated by civilians and soldiers alike, the Vietnam War never came to a victorious resolution. The soldiers of previous wars were loved and thanked for their service, while some Vietnam veterans felt ignored and even hated.

    Read More

  • Battle Of Bunker Hill Battle Analysis

    1128 Words  | 5 Pages

    By definition, “mission command is the exercise of authority and direction by the commander using mission orders to enable disciplined initiative within the commander’s intent to empower agile and adaptive leaders in the conduct of unified land operations,” according to ADRP 5-0. Mission command is about knowing when to change the task to fit the purpose. This paper is intended to analyze the mission command of one side of the battle, focusing on the commander’s role in the operations process. The Battle of Bunker Hill was the most important battle of the American Revolution because of Colonel Prescott’s superior command and control.

    Read More

  • Weapons In Vietnam War

    1164 Words  | 5 Pages

    The Air Defense Artillery soldier are those who fought or still fight with weapons and equipment designed to combat air targets from the ground. The Army was to use this equipment in the Vietnam War. The missions of the brigade is to train and maintain a strategic crisis response. Air defense artillery brigade are capable of deploying worldwide, on short notice, to provide air defense force protection from air breathing threats and tactical ballistic missiles, as well as allowing freedom. A bombing campaign known as operation Rolling Thunder, the United States military aircraft attacked targets throughout North Vietnam.

    Read More

  • The T-34: How The T34 Won The War

    1970 Words  | 8 Pages

    In the Battle of Moscow, the new KV-1 and T-34 tanks dominated a major tank battle preventing the Germans from capturing the Soviet capital. The Germans had a difficult time destroying the Soviet tanks because of the T-34’s effective armor. The short 75mm and 50mm guns on the Panzers were not capable of destroying the T-34 effectively. The T-34 out gunned the German Panzer III and IV at that time, and the German tanks lacked sufficient protection to survive against the T-34’s L-11 and F-34 76.2mm guns. The T-34 could destroy a Panzer III and IV from up to 1,100 yards away, whereas the German Panzers had to get within 110 yards to destroy a T-34 and risk being in their firing range (Tucker-Jones).

    Read More

  • Why Is The Tank Important In Ww1

    689 Words  | 3 Pages

    THE TANK World War One, also known as the Great War, was one of the most devastating wars in history. From 1914-1918 the world was plunged into hell on land, in the air, and on the sea; the globe was caught in a constant battle. WW1 served as an open door to new technological advancements off and on the battlefield. One of these great advancements developed during the war was the tank. The tank was one of the most effective machines in WW1, and in order to establish its significance research will be conducted to explore its background and how it developed throughout the war and the role it played.

    Read More

  • Causes Of Operation Barbarossa

    3158 Words  | 13 Pages

    Simultaneously 3,277 Luftwaffe combat aircraft launched a record-breaking aerial attack targeting the Soviet air force on the ground. Columns of tanks followed by motorized and regular infantry that are supported by continuing air assault also punched holes through the Red Army defenses (Mental Floss, n.d.). The lightning attack, or blitzkrieg, caught the Soviet leadership and Red Army completely by surprise. On the first day alone, the Army Group Center’s panzer tanks penetrated 50 miles beyond the frontier.

    Read More

More about The Thunder Runs In The Vietnam War

Open Document