The Storm Troop
Armored Troops Newsletter
The following is a verbatim translation of an article that appeared in the Armored Troops Newsletter for October of 1943.
Because it has been reduced to a catch phrase, the concept of the “storm troop” (Stoßtrupp) has led, through the interpretation and expansion of its original meaning by soldiers, to confusion. The wearing out of this concept springs, in part, from the desire of soldiers to give a powerful name to the point element of their attacking columns. In part the confusion is caused by falsely designating as “storm troops” those assault squads which during the break-in [of an enemy position] are supported by [the fire of] all of the heavy weapons and the other squads. This is an error.
Note well the following.
Storm troops are required for attacks against fortified positions, bunkers, blockhouses, strong points and villages organized as strong points; for making a lane through strong enemy obstacles, for example, for following tank units, to include assignments whose completion requires special weapons.
Storm troops are therefore especially chosen and equipped for their specified task. Storm troops are composed of selected men, generally volunteers, under an especially prudent, brave, and energetic leader. Storm troops must be made thoroughly familiar with the organization and equipment corresponding to their particular task. The task organization can consist of: an explosives team (for bunkers, obstacles, tanks), a hand grenade team, a smoke team, a carrying team, a covering team Equipment might consist of: hand grenades and explosives of all kinds, smoke pots, smoke grenades, Molotov cocktails, sand bags, wire cutters, machine pistols, light machine guns and more.
If the mission requires the use of explosives on a large scale or if flamethrowers are to be used, the storm troops should be made up of combat engineers from the unit’s combat engineer platoon. The assignment of individual combat engineers or flamethrower teams to storm troops drawn from armored infantry companies has, in actual practice, failed to work out because the cooperation required for success has not been present. A complete rehearsal for each storm troop operation is a prerequisite for success. Continually strive to use camouflage and deception to obtain surprise. It allows you to achieve success with little force and few casualties.
Source: Nachrichtenblatt der Panzertruppen [Armored Troops Newsletter], Number 4, October 1943, US National Archives, Microfilm Publication T-78, Roll 623
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