Tan Canh 1972: First use of the Sagger

 

 

The South Vietnamese developed an interesting and apparently effective tactic to defend against the Sagger.  An operator controlled the Sagger with a joystick connected to the launcher by a 15-meter control wire.  When a puff of smoke from the launcher warned ARVN tanks that a Sagger had been fired,  all ARVN tanks other than the targeted vehicle would fire all over the area 15 meters around the plume of smoke emitted at the launcher, with the intent to kill or at least disrupt the operator.  The target tank counted to five and then made a sudden move in any direction-an evasive maneuver requiring strong nerves and quick reaction by the targeted tank crew.

Page 103, KONTUM, The Battle To Save South Vietnam, Thomas P. McKenna