Infantry battalion

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MHI Copy 3 WAR

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DE-PART MENT

IELD

LJ MANUAL

INFANTRY BATTALION

WAR DEPARTMENT

*·

OCTOBER 1944

CHANNON, R,. WAR

DEPARTMENT FIELD FM 7-20

MANUAL

This manual supersedes FM 7-20, Rifle Battalion, 28 September 1942, including C1. 27 March 1943.

INFANTRY BATTALION

WAR DEPARTMENT

1 OCTOBER 1944

United States Government Printing Office Washington : 1944

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, 1 October 1944. FM 7-20, Infantry Battalion, is published for the information and guidance of all concerned. [A.G. 300.7 (25 July 44).] BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR:

G. C. MARSHALL, Chief of Staff. OFFICIAL:

J. A. ULIO, Major General, The Adjutant General. DISTRIBUTION:

As prescribed in Par. 9a, FM 21-6 except Inf Sch (12,500), D 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 17, 18, 44(3); Def Comds (3); Sectors (3); Subsectors (3); Base Comds (3); Island Comds (3); Base Sectors (3); HD (3); B 1, 2, 4-7, 17, 18, 44(3); R 1-7, 17, 18, 44(3); Bn 2-6, 17-19, 44(10), 7(25). Bns will distribute to IC.

(For explanation of symbols, see FM 21-6.)

CONTENTS Paragraphs CHAPTER 1. General. .................................... 1-2 CHAPTER 2. Battalion commander and staff. Section I. Battalion commander .......... II. Battalion staff and staff duties .................................. III. Troop leading ........................ IV. Staff records, reports, and maps .................................... V. Command post ...................... CHAPTER 3. Battalion headquarters company. Section I. Company headquarters ........ II. Battalion headquarters section .................................. III. Communication platoon ........ IV. Ammunition and pioneer platoon ................................ V. Antitank platoon .................. VI. Security .................................. CHAPTER 4. Battalion medical section. ........

3-6

5

7-23 24-29

6 17

30-36 37-45

22 24

46-51

29

52 53-57

32 32

58-61 62-68 69-73

36 38 41

74-81 CHAPTER 6. Adminlstratlon. Section I. Battalion trains .................... 82-84 II. Supply ...................................... 85-95 CHAPTER 6. Troop movements and security on the march. Section I. General .................................... 96 II. Day marches ........................ 97-103 III. Night marches ...................... 104 IV. Motor and rail movements .... 105-106 CHAPTER 7. Bivouacs...................................... 107-111 CHAPTER 8. The offensive. Section I. General .................................... 112 II. Approach march ............... 113-125 III. Assembly areas (positions) 126-129 IV. Types and methods of attack 130-132 V. Reconnaissance, plans, and orders for an attack against an organized position ................................ 133-140 VI. Conduct of the attack .......... 141-148 iii

Page 1

44 47 47

60 60 70 71 75 81 81 93 96

100 116

CONTENTS (Continued) Paragraphs VII. Reserve battalion .................. 149-154 VIII. Night attack .......................... 155-159 IX. Attack in woods .................... 160-163 X. Jungle warfare ...................... 164-168 XI. Attack of towns .................... 169-172 XII. Attack of a river line .......... 173-189 XIII. Attack of a fortified position ............................... 190-194 XIV. Raids ........................................ 195-199 XV. Beachheads ............................ 200-205 CHAPTER 9. Section I. II. III. IV. V.

The defense. General .................................. Front-line battalion ............ Reserve battalion ................ Defense on a wide front, in woods, in towns, and of a river line .................... Defense against air-borne operations ..........................

CHAPTER 10. Retrograde movements. Section I. General .................................... II. Daylight withdrawal ............ III. Night withdrawal .................. IV. Delaying action ......................

iv

Page 132 135 151 156 158 162 175 179 185

206-208 209-226 227-233

189 190 226

234-238

231

239-241

238

242 243-247 248-255 256-261

242 242 247 252

This manual supersedes FM 7-20, Rifle Battalion, 28 September 1942, Including C1, 27 March 1943.

Chapter 1 GENERAL 1. ROLE OF THE INFANTRY BATTALION. The battalion is the basic tactical unit of Infantry. It usually operates as an element of the infantry regiment. Its mission is assigned by the regimental commander, and its actions are coordinated with those of other units of the regiment. Exceptionally, the battalion may be detached from the regiment to perform an independent mission. It has administrative functions. 2. COMPOSITION. The battalion consists of a headquarters and headquarters company, three rifle companies, and a heavy weapons company. Medical personnel and nonorganic transportation are attached. (See fig. 1.) a. Battalion headquartersand headquarterscompany. (1) The headquarters consists of the battalion commander (a lieutenant colonel) and certain members of his staff. (2) The headquarters company consists of company headquarters; a battalion headquarters section; a communication platoon; an ammunition and pioneer platoon; and an antitank platoon. (3) See figure 2 and Table of Organization and Equipment No. 7-16. b. Rifle company. Each rifle company consists of a company headquarters, three rifle platoons, and a weapons platoon. (See T/O and E 7-17.) c. Heavy weapons company. The heavy weapons company consists of a company headquarters, two caliber .30 (heavy) machine-gun platoons, and an 81-mm mortar platoon. (See T/O and E 7-18.) d. Attachments. For operations, the battalion section from the regimental medical detachment joins its battalion. (See FM 7-30 and T/O and E 7-11.) NOTE: For definition of military terms not defined in this manual, see TM 20-205.

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