Fm 17-63 Service of the 105-Mm Howitzer

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copy 3 __ FM 17-63/ ' r

, ; A R D E P A R T M E N TARMORED FORCE FIELD

MANUAL

SERVICE OF E PIECE105-MM H0WITZER SELF-PROPELLED

August 18 , 1942


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FM 17-63A RM O RED FO RCE FIELD M AN U AL

SERV ICE OF TH E PIECE1 05-M M H O W ITZER

SELF-PRO PELLED

UNITED STATESGOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 1942


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WAR DEPARTMENT,WASH INGTON , August 18, 1942.

FM 17-63, Armored Force Field Manual, S ervice of thePiece, 105-mm H owitzer, Self-Propelled, is published for theinformationandguidanceof all concerned.[A.G.062.11 (7-24h-42).]

BY O R D E R O P T H E S E C R E T A R Y O F W AR :,"..._ G.C. MARSHALL,

" ^ O F F I C I A L : " ^: J. A . ULIO , .3- _1

~

B 2,:?, O f r ) ; D 17415); 17 (5); 1C 17 (10).-(For explanation symbols seeFM21-6.)- ; * s /


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TABLE O F CONTENTS Paragraphs PageSECT ION I. General____________________II.Organization________________ 4,5 2III. Posts; mounting and dismounting__ 6 9 3IV . Prepare for action and march order,105-mm howitzer motor carriage,

T-19_______________________ 10,11 11V. Prepare for action and march order,105-mm howitzer motor carriage,M-7______________________ 12,13 16VI. Duties in firing________________ 14-24 22VII. Additional information on the serviceof the piece_______________ 25-35 40VIII. Careand maintenanceof materiel____ 36-46 44INDEX___________ ________________ 63III


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FM 17-631-3

ARMORED FORCE FIELD MANUALSERVICE OF THE PIECE

105-MM HOWITZEK, SELF-PKOPELLEDSECTION IGENERAL

. P U R P O S E A N D S C OPE. T h is manual prescribes the dutiesto be performed in the service of the piece by the personnelnormally assigned to one self-propelled howitzer section ofthe firing battery.B 2 . REFERENCES.T M 9-325; S NL C~21.

T M 9-325; S NL F-l.TM 9-325; TM 9-1900; SNL R-l.T M 9-850; S NL K-l.PM 25-10./. Part Two, F M 6-5.AR 750-10; F M 6-40.F M 6-40.6-40.

F M 6-20.f c . T M 9-710 and 9-750. . D E F IN I T IO N S A N D TER MS. Tables of Organization prescribe the personnel and materiel comprising asection of a battery. In this manual the term is frequentlyused to designate a section of the firing battery. In this

restricted sense, a howitzer section is composed of one pieceand the additional materiel and the personnel required toserve that piece.b. front in a section, is the direction in whichthe muzzle of a piece points.c. (left). The direction right (left) is the right(left) of one facing the front.


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3-5 A R M O R E D FO R C E FIELD M A N UA Lhowitzer is said to be in battery whenit is in its normal firing position.

SECT ION IIO R GA N I ZA T I O N . CO M P O S I T I O N . a. A howitzer section consists of thefollowing:

1 chief of section.1 gunner corporal.3 cannoneers (Nos. 1 , 2 , and 3).1 basic (cannoneer N o. 4).2 ammunition servers (cannoneers N os. 5 and 6).1 driver of the howitzer.1 driver of ammunition carrier.

b. A ny additional cannoneers act as reliefs or are assignedtoother duties as the chief of section may direct. When thesection goes into position for drill or for firing, the chief ofsection remains at the position of the piece and commandsthe howitzer squad. Often the ammunition carrier-will notaccompany the self-propelled howitzer when occupying afiring position. Therefore, N os. 5 and 6 w ill be used at thefiring point only when available. . FO R M A T IO N. a. A howitzer section is formedas shown in figure 1 .b. (1) The place of formation is indicated andthe command given, for example: 1 . IN F R O N T ( R E A R ) O F Y O U R P I E C E S , 2 . P A L L IN . Each gunner repeats the commandF A L L IN and hastens to place himself, faced in the properdirection, at the point where the right of his section is torest. The remainder of the section m oves at the doubletime and assemblies at attention in theirproper places. Forthe first formation of the howitzer section for any drill orexercise, the caution "A s howitzer sections" precedes thecommand. The chief of section, if present, supervises theformation.(2 ) T o execute IN F R O N T ( R E A R ) O F V E H I C L E S the section fallsinat its postsas showninfigure 2 or 3.


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C . To (1) The command is: CALL OFF. Thecannoneer ontheleftof the gunner calls off, "One"; the cannoneer on the left of N o. 1 , "Two,"and so on.(2) After having called off, if a subsequent formation isordered, the cannoneers fall inat once in their projper order.

SECT ION IIIPOSTS; M OUN TIN G AN D DISMOUNTING

H 6 . PO STS O F HOW ITZER SECTION . a. Thehowitzer section is posted as shown in figures 4 and 5 .b. See figures 6 and 7 .The piece having been halted inposition and prepared for action, posts are taken as shownin figures 8 and9 .. To PO ST SEC TION . a. The command is: 1 . D R I V E R S A N D C A N N O N E E R S , 2 . POSTS. Each gunner repeats the commandP O S T S . The drivers and cannoneers move at the double timeto their posts.b. For preliminary instruction the section on entering thepark is first posted with its vehicle, and the section is thensent to its posts by the foregoing command. The commandis general, however, and is applicable when the section is inorout of ranks, and at a halt or marching.B 8 . To MOUN T. The command is : 1 . P R E P A R E T O M O U N T ,2 . MOUN T. A t the first command, the section moves atthe double time to positions shown in figures 4 and 5 . A tthe second command, both columns mount in the ordershown. Each cannoneer is assisted by the one directly behind (or in front, in the case of the last cannoneer in column) to insure promptness and prevention of injuries. Ifonly thecannoneers are to be included in themovement, thecommand is : 1 . C A N N O N E E R S P R E P A R E T O M O U N T , 2 . MOUN T,b. If the command is: 1 . MOUN T, the section executes,at the command M O U N T , all that has been prescribed forthe commands 1 . P R E P A R E T O M O U N T , 2 . MOUN T. If only thecannoneers are to be included in this movement, the commandis: 1 . C A N N O N E E R S , 2. MOUN T.


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T H E A R M Y I I R R 4 R Y


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TARGET (SO AND SO), ELEVATION (SO MUCH), (SO MANY) LEADS,


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Fm 17-63 Service of the 105-Mm Howitzer

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