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CAMP FUJI, Japan - Thirty seconds can be the difference between
life, death and victory. One second too late and all could be lost.
It is within that demanding time standard that artillerymen must
execute their fire-missions in support of the infantry.
Marines with Battery F trained to this high-pressure and rigid
standard at the Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji Oct. 2, 2013
in support of Artillery Relocation Training Program 13-3.
Marines with Battery F fire an M777A2 155 mm lightweight
howitzer Oct. 2, 2013 at Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji as part
of Artillery Relocation Traning Program 13-3. (U.S. Marine Corps
photo by Lance Cpl. Henry J. Antenor) |
Battery F is with 2nd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, currently
assigned to 3rd Bn., 12th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine
Expeditionary Force.
On the gunline, the fast-paced process
of a fire mission begins with an order issued over the radio via
Marines from the fire direction center, or what could be seen as the
nerve center of an artillery battery.
For gun one of Battery
F, that order is issued to Lance Cpl. Austin B. Duane, who relays
the message as the Marines assigned to the M777A2 155 mm lightweight
howitzer spring into action.
“I keep track of everything that
happens, like how much ammunition we used,” said Duane. “I keep
track of the deflections and the quadrants by writing it down and
reporting it to the section chief. Once I relay that to the chief,
he verifies if it is safe.”
The deflection determines which way
to turn the howitzer left or right, and the quadrant dictates the
elevation. These numbers are crucial to keeping the gun on target,
and communication between the recorder and the section chief has to
be quick and clear in order to avoid making a mistake.
“As a
section chief, I am responsible for everybody and the gun,” said
Cpl. Kenyun D. Scott. “Lance Cpl. Duane is my right-hand man,
writing down everything the FDC says and verifying what I say is
correct as well. Then my gunner will turn the gun based on the
deflection and my assistant gunner will elevate it based on the
quadrant.”
Cpl. Anderson Castano, the gunner for gun one,
must react immediately to input the information into the M137A2
panoramic telescope and turn the traversing hand-wheel.
“My
sights are going to move, so I realign it with the hand wheel. When
the sights are correct the round is going to hit accurately,” said
Castano.
Meanwhile, the assistant gunner Lance Cpl.
Krystofer A. Harris is altering the quadrant of the gun by using the
M138 elbow telescope and elevation hand-wheel.
“I am
elevating the tube up and down to increase or decrease the
(distance) we are going to shoot,” said Harris. “After I enter the
sight, I spin the wheel and make sure the gun is aligned. If I get
it wrong, the gun can overshoot or undershoot.”
As Castano
and Harris align the howitzer, Lance Cpl. Gabriel Alcantar hauls a
155 mm high-explosive round weighing 110 pounds to the section
chief, Scott.
“My job is to get the ammo ready, make sure
the fuses go on the correct round, and take it over to the section
chief to verify it,” said Alcantar. “I want to make sure nobody is
waiting on me, so I do my job as fast as possible.”
After
Scott verifies the round with Duane, he orders Alcantar to put the
round on the howitzer's feed tray and it is left to Cpl. John J.
Stubbs and Lance Cpl. John R. Chiri to load the round. This is
through a method known as ramming in which two Marines must ensure
the round is properly seated in the firing tube.
“Ramming
takes a lot of strength,” said Stubbs. “Once Alcantar places the
round on the tray, we place the staff behind it and I'll say ‘ready,
drop!' The tray drops and we run it in (to the firing tube). It's a
two-man job.”
Once the round is seated and the ramming staff
is removed, a Marine loads the charges necessary to propel the round
down range.
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Lance Cpl. John R. Chiri, left, and Cpl. John J. Stubbs ram a
155 mm high-explosive round into the breech of an M777A2 155 mm
lightweight howitzer at CATC Camp Fuji, Oct. 2, 2013 as part of Artillery
Relocation Training Program 13-3. Ramming the round is a two-man
job, according to Stubbs. It takes a lot of strength and, through
teamwork, Stubbs and Chiri are able to load the howitzer quickly.
Chiri and Stubbs are field artillery cannoneers with the unit. (U.S.
Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Henry J. Antenor)
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“I load the powder (charges), open and close the breech, and
prime it,” said Cpl. Eric D. Barr, cannoneer two for gun one. “I
have to make sure I don't get ahead of myself, like opening or
closing the breech when I am not supposed to. A mistake like that
can slow us down.”
At this point, Barr has already received
the charges from Lance Cpl. Adam J. McPherson, cannoneer three for
gun one.
“It's very essential for me to run powders so we
can shoot faster, or Barr would have to run back and forth as well
as maintain the duties of his job,” said McPherson.
Scott
verifies that the correct charge is inside the tube before ordering
Barr to close the breech. Scott runs back and forth, looking through
the quadrant sights and the deflection sights and shouts to verify
with Duane. Scott stands back and looks to cannoneer number one who
holds a lanyard, which initiates the firing mechanism.
“As
cannoneer number one, I have to pay attention to the rammers and to
cannoneer two because I drop and raise the loading tray,” said Lance
Cpl. Michael M. Doughty. “The round can't be loaded without me, and
the breech can't be closed unless I lift the tray. On the command
“stand-by,” I hook the lanyard to the firing mechanism.”
With
everything in order and all safety checks completed Scott commands
“fire!” Doughty pulls the lanyard, sending the round to its target,
bringing a thunderous end to the chaos of man and machine, which had
begun 30 short seconds before.
By USMC Lance Cpl. Henry J. Antenor
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2013
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