Fire and movement is one of the founding principles of assault doctrine, and can be applied all the way from two men covering each other in street fighting right up to higher formations. The defender will seek to disrupt the assault on his position with accurate fire against the attacking troops. To diminish the effect of his defensive fire requires a greater weight of offensive fire to be directed at the defenders. This should encourage them to take cover, even if only temporarily. During this disturbance, the assault troops attempt to close the distance to the enemy line and launch into the close battle.
For the U S Army in WW II you had to look at the company and platoon, not squad.
The basis for all tactics for the US Army in WW II was something called the holding attack. From platoon through division, the US Army infantry was organized into 3s (3 platoons per company, 3 companies per battalion, etc) with additional support units assigned as augmentation.
The doctrine was for one unit to maneuver to contact with the enemy and conduct a holding attack to fix the enemy into place. A second element then maneuvers and tries to find a flank in order to attack a weak spot. Finally the final third is kept in reserve to exploit success or to pass through and maintain momentum.
This same concept was kept from platoon through division and corps. It was a simple doctrine which worked for a rapidly mobilized Army with a worldwide mission. It also lent itself well to an Army which, primarily, was designed to be offensive in nature.
American Rifle Company (1944-45)
Headquarters
3 Rifle Platoons
3 Rifle Squads
10 x M1 Rifle
1 x BAR
1 x 1903 Springfield Rifle or M1 Garand
Heavy Weapons Platoon
Bazooka Squad
3 Bazooka Sections
1 x Bazooka
LMG Squad
2 LMG Sections
1 x .30 cal LMG
Mortar Squad
3 Mortar Sections
1 x 60mm Light Mortar
HMG Section
1 x .50 cal HMG
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