US Marine BLT

Timothy OConnor · Post by **Timothy OConnor** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 8:22 am

Was at Borders today and they happened to have a reprint of Clancy's Marine. Generally good information. Only complaint was that for some reason there are random holes in the info (see below). But in paperback and with my discount it was well worth the money!

Anyway, here's what Clancy shows as a Marine BLT c. 1996. It looks similar to another recent book on Iraq, at least at a high level, entitled No True Glory. Missing information (or info needing confirmation) is in bold/underlined/red.

additions or corrections are in green and bring the unit up to date for 2007

Corrections and comments are appreciated!

1x Headquarters Company (???)

3x Rifle Companies
----3x Rifle Platoons (3 squads, 9 M249 SAW)
----1x Weapons Platoon (6 M240 MG, 3 60mm mortar, 6 SMAW)

1x Heavy Weapon Company (24 HMMWV)
----8x Humvees with 8x 81mm mortars
----8x Humvees with 8x TOWs
----8x Humvees with 6x HMG and 6x AGL mounted as needed
----8x Javelin Teams
note: Javelin teams usually attached to Rifle Companies as needed

1x Recon Platoon (???)

1x Engineer Platoon (???)

1x Shore Control Party (1 Batt HQ Liason Team, 2 FO Teams)

1x Light Armored Recon Platoon (4 LAV-25, 2 LAV-AT)

1x Tank Platoon (4 tanks)

1x AAV Platoon (13 AAVs)

1x Artillery Battery (6 155mm M198 Howitzers w/ 5-ton trucks)

kennerator · Post by **kennerator** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 10:46 pm

If shore control is anything like shore patrol (navy) its a unit of military police made up from "volunteers" from other units in the Divison.

av8rmongo · Post by **av8rmongo** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 11:04 pm

The Shore Control Party could be the Shore Fire Control Party which controls Naval Gunfire Support.

Here's a link:
http://www.ewtgpac.navy.mil/newt/TACAIR ... 20NSFS.doc

See para 5.d. for personnel assigned.

Paul

av8rmongo · Post by **av8rmongo** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 11:25 pm

It could also be the Shore Party for logistics movememnt.

Look in GlobalSecurity.org for: 3544F 11 MAR 1993 LANDING SUPPORT COMPANY, LANDING SUPPORT BATTALION, FORCE SERVICE SUPPORT GROUP, FLEET MARINE FORCE TABLE OF ORGANIZATION

Paul

voltigeur · Post by **voltigeur** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 11:57 pm

One of the reasons for the "holes" are that some of the units you listed may be on the table with a BLT but wouldn't be under the command of the BLT. It would not be appropriate to list it as part of the BLT.

When I was in the Marines that was one of the eye opening expieriences was realizing that not everyone on yoru area was under your unit's control.

The shore party usually answers to fleet operations. If the BLT commander swims up in his LTVP 7 and decides to survey the beach they have the authority to tell him to get his *** inland now! (You could show the effects of the shore party by giving the BLT some bonus movement on and off the beach.)

A similar situation would exist with any force recon elements on the table. (this is not the organic scout sniper unit) THey would belong to the MAF (Marine Amphibious Force) which is a divisional command or the the MAB (Marine Amphibious Brigade). They are gathering intellegence and reporting to higher command. They would very seldom talk directly to the BLT commander.

Hope it helps.

Timothy OConnor · Post by **Timothy OConnor** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 12:13 am

Based on Clancy's description Paul called it correctly. Thanks for the info!

It looks like each direct support "arty battalion" provides 2x Shore Fire Control Parties (SFCP).

Each SFCP conists of two teams. The Liason Team stays with the battalion HQ to coordinate supporing fires while the Spot Team works with a battalion or company-level OP.

I game at the battalion level and each stand represents 2-4 squads/heavy weapons/guns/vehicles. I abstract attached FO teams so that any stand operating within its company's AO can observe for the appropriate attached arty assets (stands not operating within the company AO are cutoff from company-level command, control, and communication assets and so couldn't observe).

In this case if a marine battalion has an arty battalion in direct support I guess I would allow the battalion HQ stand and two companies or battalion-level stands to spot for those assets.

Timothy OConnor · Post by **Timothy OConnor** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 12:33 am

re: AAVs...the AAV lift capacity comes out to about a company and a half at "official numbers". It seems odd that the AAV platoons are organized at 13 vehicles which doesn't seem to mesh with the rifle companies. Or wtih command tracks, company-level heavy weapons/ammo, and of course down vehicles it's expected that a platoon of 13 AAVs would only move a single company of marines?

av8rmongo · Post by **av8rmongo** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 12:41 am

Tim,

I'm not the expert but I believe that is correct. The AAVs support one company, the helos lift another company and the third company and all the other vehicles take the rest of the lift in to shore. Of course that's modified as tasking and requirements dictate. I have a Concord publication that discusses AAV in depth, I'll check it out tonight and get back to you.

Paul

voltigeur · Post by **voltigeur** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:23 am

AAVs...the AAV lift capacity comes out to about a company and a half at "official numbers". It seems odd that the AAV platoons are organized at 13 vehicles which doesn't seem to mesh with the rifle companies.

That is because a Marine company is very heavily reinforced when It goes ashore. The company and it's assets are broken down into "boat teams". (Don't let the name fool you this applies to the helicopters as well.) It is the task organisation that si used to transport the company and its attachments. Unlike the Army where one squad rides in its own track and attachments in another.

An example of a 25 man team would be: 1 squad (13 men) the Platoon commnader, a forward observer team 2 men) a machine gun team (2 men), a 60mm mortar team(4 men), Corpsman (1 or 2 men). The other seats would round out with a company clerks, maybe a dragon team from the weapons company, an assault team from the weapons platoon etc. Each of the other tracks would be carrying similar attachments. As a gamer or real life commander you don't want all of one type of support team in one vehicle. If you put all your dragon/ javelin gunners in one track and it gets hit you would loose a major portion of your anti tank protection. Since a Sea Knight helicopter carries the same number of men (25) this task organisation applies to that lift vehicle as well.

When playing with Marines remember that only the rifle units will actually work as a unit. Everyone else is attached out or formed into temporary task groups.

I was in the corps in the 80's so some things have changed but that is the philosophy behind how they work.

Of course one on land if the attachemnts are sent back to thier parent commands the extra space is uesd for ammo water and food. We were very fond of carrying 3 to 4 times our basic load of ammunition.

Cpl_Blakeman · Post by **Cpl_Blakeman** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 8:32 am

Engineer Platoon - Every time I ran into 1300s that worked with the grunts they were composed of 2 combat engineer squads and 1 squad of mixed 1300 series MOSs like water purification, heavy equipment operator, electricians, etc.

This was in 97-01 and it was just in talking to some fellow 1345s at Pendleton. Marine Wing Support Squadrons were different and I am not 100% positive on this.

voltigeur · Post by **voltigeur** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:52 pm

Every time I ran into 1300s that worked with the grunts they were composed of 2 combat engineer squads and 1 squad of mixed 1300 series MOSs like water purification, heavy equipment operator, electricians, etc.

Well you know us grunts; first thing we need on the beach is our Aquafina and microwave so naturally the water purification team and electricians are the first support troops needed!

Something I didn't put in my first post was that the BLT its self is a task organisation. Marines never know who they will get into it with so thier organisation changes from mission to mission.

Semper Fi

Cpl_Blakeman · Post by **Cpl_Blakeman** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 12:22 am

voltigeur wrote:
Something I didn't put in my first post was that the BLT its self is a task organisation. Marines never know who they will get into it with so thier organisation changes from mission to mission.

Semper Fi
Yup, this was back during peacetime and so it was probably just for those kind of operations, humanitarian and the like. I do know that combat engineers get attached a lot, but the rest of us 1300 series yokels were give and take depending on the mission.

If you take a look at the components of previous declassified operations you will see that Marine combat structure is almost always comprised of different components. Sometimes only one platoon flies in and the rest float in, sometimes its the reverse. There is a basic structure to it all but with modern combat it isnt good to pidgeon hole it into one setup or things could go wrong in a hurry.

Timothy OConnor · Post by **Timothy OConnor** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 12:39 am

For comparison here's BLT 1/3 from RCT 7 Phantom Fury at Fallujah, 11/2004

- H&S Company
- Companies A, B, C
- Weapons Company
- Company C, 2nd AAV Battalion
- 2nd Platoon, Company C, 3rd AAV Battalion
- Company A, 1st LAR
- Company A, 2nd Tank Battalion
- Company C, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion
- Combat Engineer Company, Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division
- C Battery, 1/12 Marines
- 5th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, Iraqi Intervention Force

So, a very well balanced combined arms force with infantry, transport, LAVs, tanks, engineers, arty, and even "native" troops. Perfectly feasible for a battalion level game of 1 stand = 1 platoon.

ShortRound70 · Post by **ShortRound70** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:26 am

Tim:

As for the Weapons Company, this is how Weap. Co. 3/23 Mar. looks:

Anti Armor Platoon: 8 x Javelin ATGM Teams, each with a Humvee Hardtop.

Mortar Platoon: 8 x 81mm mortars w/ crews, each with a Humvee Cargo.

Heavy Weapons Platoon: 8 x Humvee TOW vehicles. (There are 6 each M-2 .50 cal HMG and Mk 19 AGL in the platoon.)

Total: 24 Humvees

Company HQ is dispersed among the platoons, but the CO is usually with the Mortars.

When the Javelin teams are assigned to the rifle platoons, their humvees can be up-gunned with the 50's & AGL's from the Heavy Weaps. Platoon.

This is the latest info that I have. Weap. Co. 3/23 Mar. is now deployed overseas.

Hope that this helps.

Semper Fi!