The Abilene Reporter-News (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 71, No. 184, Ed. 2 Monday, December 24, 1951 Page: 31 of 48
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Firing Artillery, Complex Business
As Former West Texas Reserve Unit Proves
EDITOR’S NOTE: The 330th
Field Artillery Battalion, about
which this feature was writ-
ten, was originally a West Tex- I
as Army reserve unit, acti-
vated Sept. 11. 1950, and sent
to Camp McCoy. Wis. Service
Battery of the 330th is from
Abilene, while other units are
from San Angelo and Brown-
wood Several AbUenians are
still members of the 330th
CAMP McCOY, Wis. —If you
think that an artillery firing mis-
sion consists merely of getting
huge guns lined up and then pump-
ins shell after shell into enemy
positions, you ere in error On the
contrary, firing modern artillery
to a complex business, and an ef-
fective barrace is the climax of | Suddenly comes the signal tor
a series of carefully planned and
co-ordinated operations
Take for instance a recent night
firing mission at Camp McCoy-
here on the second largest artil-
lery range in the country—where
artillery units undergo rugged,
precise training preparatory to a
final combat test somewhere,
sometime, either in Korea or in
many of the potential battlefields
of the world.
It’s shortly after midnight and
despite the cold and darkness,
members of an 8-inch self-pro-
pulled howitzer battery feverishly
make preparations for the last
phase of a night firing mission.
FROM THE
1
MANAGEMENT
AND EMPLOYEES
BILL FLOWERS
Abilene Service Co.
1141 Walnut
Phone 4-6666
*
ARM
and
Thank you, friends and neigh-
hors, for your fine cooperation
and helpful courtesy in the past
year. We look forward to a
bright future and hope you will
receive a generous share of the
good will and happiness so
much in evidence today.
"airburst registration,” and each
weapon fires a shell at an unseen
target. .
FORWARD OBSERVERS
Twelve thousand yards up ahead
of the howitzers, erouching in ad-
vantageous positions, are the
unit’s forward observers. Fifteen
hundred yards in front of the
enemy target area, they are
watching each shell burst—phon-
ing back the words "Range Cor-
met" when a shell explodes on or
very near the “enemy” position.
Then, when every weapon has
completed what artillerymen term
“registration,” the entire battalion
of howitzers opens with a deadly,
carefully coordinated rain of fire-
power designed to “neutralize” the
tenets men are from the 330th
Field Artillery Battalion, current
ly training at Camp McCoy; and ■
their primary weapon is the huga .
8-inch self-propelled howitzer. .
Continuing an analysis of the
unit’s recent night firing mission;
it shows how integrated artillery
"training prepares men for IACIT 1
specialized jobs I
Umpires assigned to the maneu- |
ver designated a base point and 1
targets and checked the effective- 1
ness of the unit’s tactical training 1
throughout the mission. __
PLANNED SECURITY
Every detoll was planned and 1
carefully co-ordinated so as to pro 1
vide every possible measure of sex
curity, such as removing the tops
of the truck cabs to permit ob- 1
servation of aircraft as the ve
hicles moved into Camp McCoy s 1
outlying areas. 1
Major Charles F. Schick. com- |
mending officer of the 330th, met
with umpires assigned to the ma-
neuver shortly after the battalion
arrived at a primary encampment
to obtain specific information con-
cerning the designated base point
and specific target areas..
Then, accompanied by the Dat
tery commanders, Major Schick
went into the field for a recon-
naissance and assigned each bat-
tery to a specific location so as to
form an effective target firing pat-
Lt. George ■. Nash, assumed a
center position, flanked by Battery
A and Battery B, which are com-
manded by Capt. Edward E. Buck
and Capt. Robert •. McCurdy, re-
spectively.
One crew due to their weapons
and made final adjustments before
firing the registration. When the
observers phoned back that each
weapon was “Range Correct," the
battalion opened fire with a bar-
rage of steel and high explosives.
Well, what do you think now?
Possibly, you feel
the enemy
doesn’t fare so well and that an
artillery barrace is a complex op
eration.
Plain Talk for Blood
OMAHA. Dec 24. (—The "Air
Impulse", weekly newspaper pub-
lished at Offutt Air Force Base
here, appealed for blood donationa
to language fighting men under-
stand At the bottom of the news-
paper pace was the single line:
"It is better to give than receive
blood.”
SEE OUR BIG
SALE
Ad in Wednesday
A. M. Paper!
258
Fine
INCERE +
* GREETINGS
Abilene Builders Supply Co.
1182 North 3rd
Phone 4.8553
tern. ..
Back in the battalion area, the
men dug in and camouflaged the
equipment, while communications
teams went into action linking the
fire control center with the obser-
vation point. 1st Lt. Wilson Burch
was directing the communications
section, which faced a difficult job
in keeping the wire serviced and
out of the way of the howitzers.
Returning to the battalion area.
Major Schick sent the survey
teams into the field to compile the
mathematical data needed to en-
able Capt. Robert H. Breen and
his staff of Headquarters and
Headquarters Battery to plot the
target areas. The fire direction
center is the nerve center of any
artillery battalion and has the re-
sponsibility of placing the fire on
the target accurately and rapidly.
Shortly before darkness, some of
the men moved up to the assigned
firing positions, to make prepara-
tions for the actual firing. Then,
under the protective veil of dark-
ness, the big tank-like howitzers
rumbled to the firing positions
Battery C, commanded by 1st
Merry
Chris tmas
From
Selassie favors
Pact With Italy
ADDIS ABABA, Dee. 24.
Haile Selassie views the new es-
tablishment of diplomatic relations
between Ethiopia and Italy, once
bitter enemies, as a contribution
"to the maintenance of world peace
to these critical times.”
“It is believed that thia establish-
ment of relations will prove to be
to the mutual advantage of both
countries and will put an end to
long-standing hostility." the Em-
peror Mid in a November throne
speech.
Diplomatic relations between the
two countries was effected durinc
a recent visit of the Italian under-
secretary of state for African af.
fairs. Italy has already named an,
ambassador to Ethiopia, which in
turn will name an envoy to Italy.
The actual exchange is pending.
. Merry
Christmas!
and if we may be of any
assistance, please call on
us. A
625 Coder
Ph. 2-5801
Mr. & Mrs. R. C. Fischer
Film Will Tall G
Of India's Heroine
BOMBAY. Dec. 24. un — The life
of India’s Joan of Are will provide
the plot for an English-language
color motion picture filmed in this
country *
American and Indian technicians
have joined in the Minerva Movie-
tone Company’s production of the
THE ABILFNE REPORTER-NEWS 7.C
Abilene, Texas, Monday Evening, Dec. 24, 1951 4
life of the Rani of Jhansi, who
gave her life in the anti-British re-
bellion of 1857.
The Hindu princess legend runs,
fought sword-in-hand mounted on
horseback during the rebellion.
Faithful subjects burned her
romaine after her death, toot the
foreigners touch her Brahminit
body.
The glass-blowing industry has
been to existence for about 6.00
years.
MMlERRY CHRISTINAS
May the Peace and
Happiness of the Yuletide
Be yours today and forever.
********
: V. Burt Trailer Sales
250» S. 1st
Ph. 4-9242
Your Friendly Store
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The Abilene Reporter-News (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 71, No. 184, Ed. 2 Monday, December 24, 1951, newspaper, December 24, 1951; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1648763/m1/31/?rotate=90: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Public Library.