An E-7, eh? Hmmmmmm... you musta been pretty darned smart to service up at I-Corps in a Major's slot.
But don't "knock" the non-coms, trust me, they "RUN" most of the "show" if we could get the O-1's to shuddup and learn something from their Sgts.
Only a few of those 'brown bars" (2nd. Lts.) knew anything.., and even THAT was questionable!!! However, in their "defense", SOME of 'em were smart enough to keep their mouths SHUT and listen to their Sgts... some of whom had more "stripes" on their sleeves than a zebra has on it's WHOLE body !~!~!
Splitting 100 yard (meter) increments during the adjustment phase needed an Observer with "micrometered" eye-balls at 5,000 yard targets... but some of the guys could do it, I guess.
It surely sounds like the Army finally "got-it-right". Your Observer/firing "system" is much faster and undoubtedly more productive and useful in getting fire-on-the-target ASAP than our's was... and splitting the battery into 2x3 howitzers makes a lotta sense, too... especially in the 105mm batteries which had 6 howitzers.
I was in both kinds of 105mm units... towed 105s (by a "deuce" and a �) and, for a while at Ft. Knox, Ky, in self-propelled 105s. And, for a time, I was the Executive Officer in a 155mm (towed) battery... their "separate-loading" rounds were much slower-to-load than the 105s, but their "
BOOM" is a
LOT bigger...
It's been a REAL "education" talking to you, George... and I sincerely "appreciate" all the up-dated info you've given this old warrior.
It's not a whole lotta "fun" gettin' old...
'most everything "hurts" and what don't "hurt" don't WORK, but those "memories" don't seem to fade all that much.
Eternal Strength & Honor to ya, George...
Ron T.
