The M47 'Dragon' was a recoilless anti-tank missile launcher system introduced into US Military service in 1975. It consisted of a rocket loaded in a lightweight fiberglass tube, and which would blast out the rear to counter the recoil from such a heavy projectile.
You would be carrying one or possibly two sighting units with you, an infrared device which you attach onto the tube with the rocket, which would be used to guide the missile. One was for daylight, one was for nighttime, the tubes with the rockets were expended when used and disposed of, the optics themselves would be reused with new loaded tubes. The warheads in question were pretty potent, and could do short work of any lightly armored vehicle or bunker structure that it hit.
How the M47 operated was that the rocket was wire-guided, "SACLOS" (Semi Active Command Line Of Sight), there was about 1000 meters of wire coiled up inside the launcher, which is connected to the rocket and uncoils as it travels, this would connect with the tracking optic you were using and would allow you to guide it (this tracking operated with infrared signals, though would not give the user infrared vision through it). The rocket had three panels on the side with a large number of small thrusters each, these thrusters would be set off automatically as you guided it to compensate and correct flight course, as well as keep the missile airborne, these thrusters going off would make a distinct POW noise each time, as many as 2 or 3 a second, earning it the nickname "Popcorn Missile"
A live firing demonstration here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmgUZXeTy6I