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CHAPTER 19
FORMATION AND DUTIES OF
THE BATTERY
DETAIL
General
Abbreviations
March formation
Duties of individuals of
the battery
detail
Route marking |
Paragraph
261
262
263
264
265 |
261. General.
a.
General.-In
each firing battery is a group, consisting of an officer and certain
enlisted
men, known as the detail, to assist the battery commander in
the
operations incident to the reconnaissance, selection, and occupation of
position and in the preparation and delivery of fire. It includes
sufficient
personnel for the reconnaissance, installation and operation of the
communication
system, operation of instruments, route marking, survey operations,
operation
of observation posts, and the preparation and conduct of fire.
b.
Organization
.-
In general, a detail consists of the battery commander's party
and
the remainder of the detail. The party contains the
reconnaissance
officer and certain key enlisted men, who usually accompany the battery
commander on the march and assist him in reconnaissance, in issuing his
initial orders, in initiating the movement forward to position, and in
the occupation and organization of position. The communication
personnel
of the detail are responsible for the installation and operation of
communication.
They operate under the control of the signal sergeant. The instrument
personnel
in the detail operate the fire-control instruments, assist in the
preparation
and observation of fire, and conduct survey operations. They are under
the control of the instrument sergeants. While each member of the
detail
is trained primarily for certain duties, each member should be able to
perform the duties of any other member of the detail. Figure 148 shows
a typical setup for a battery observation post.
262. Abbreviations. - The
following
abbreviations and symbols are used hereafter in describing the
formations
and duties of the detail:
A
Agt
BC
Bglr
Btry
Cfr
Cik
Com
Corp
CP
Ex
I
L
MS
OP
Rad
RO
Sc
Sgt
Sig
Sb
T
[symbol]
[symbol]
[symbol]
[symbol]
|
Automatic
rifleman
Agent
Battery
commander
Bugler
Battery
Chauffeur
Battery clerk
Communication
Corporal
Command post
Executive
Instrument operator
Lineman
Messenger and
signalman
Observation post
Radio operator
Reconnaissance
officer
Scout
Sergeant
Signal
Switchboard
operator
Telephone operator
OP, Battery A
Telephone central,
Battery A, 1st
Field Artillery
Gun battery in
position
OP, 1st Battalion,
1st Field Artillery
|
Symbols
are omitted.
263. March formation. - The
formation
given below indicates an appropriate position for each member of the
detail.
However, when reasons therefor exist, the battery commander may change
the distribution of individuals.
Personnel and
transportation
Major items of equipment
BC party
BC Car
Cfr
Sig
Sgt
I |
BC
Sc Corp 2
Rad (Note 2) |
1 aiming circle
1 flag kit |
RO
Car
Cfr
ISgt
Sc Corp 1 |
RO
ICorp |
1 aiming circle
1 flagkit |
Wire truck 1
(Note 1)
Cfr
L 1
T 1
Sb 1
Cfr |
Sig
Corp 1
L 3
T 3
A |
1 reel,
RL-26 (with 2 drums, DR-5,
each with 1 mile of
W-110 wire)
1 drum, DR-S (empty)
1 drum, DRA with
axle, RL-27
(drum with
1/2 mile of
W-11O wire)
1 switchboard
5 telephones |
Remainder of
detail
Wire truck 2
Cfr
L 2
T 2
Sb 2 |
Sig
Corp 2
L 4
T 4
Cfr |
1 reel,
RL-26 (with 2 drums, DR-5,
each with 1 mile of
W-110 wire)
1 drum, DR-S (empty)
1 drum, DRA with
axle, RL-27
(drum with
1/2 mile of
W-11O wire)
1 switchboard
4 telephones |
Detail truck 1
Cfr
L 2
T 2
Sb 2 |
Sig
Corp 2
L 4
T 4
Cfr |
1 reel,
RL-26 (with 2 drums, DR-5,
each with 1 mile of
W-110 wire)
1 drum, DR-S (empty)
1 drum, DRA with
axle, RL-27
(drum with
1/2 mile of
W-11O wire)
1 switchboard
4 telephones |
Detail truck 2
Cfr
L 2
T 2
Sb 2 |
Sig
Corp 2
L 4
T 4
Cfr |
1 reel,
RL-26 (with 2 drums, DR-5,
each with 1 mile of
W-110 wire)
1 drum, DR-S (empty)
1 drum, DRA with
axle, RL-27
(drum with
1/2 mile of
W-11O wire)
1 switchboard
4 telephones |
| Notes: |
1.
When practicable, wire truck 1 should be attached to the BC party.
2. Two radio
operators
with 2 SCR-194 radio sets may be attached to the battery by the
battalion.
One operator normally accompanies the BC party, the other th3 executive.
3. The
battery agent (Corp)
with the motorcycle and side car accompanies the battalion commander's
party
4. The
principal items
of a set of topographical equipment are: 1 brass alidade, 1 plane
table,
1 protractor, 1 plotting scale, 1 triangle, and 1 steel straightedge. |
264. Duties
of individuals
of the battery detail. - The following list shows one arrangement of
duties
for members of the battery detail. This must not be considered as
mandatory.
The battery commander may assign duties as he sees fit.
| Instrument
sergeant |
In charge
of BC detail; assists in organizing OP;
calculates firing
data; assists
RO in survey opera tions; care of instruments. |
| Instrument
corporal |
Observer at OP;
operates instruments;
assists RO in survey operations; member of visual team at OP. |
| Instrument
operator |
Observer at OP;
operates instruments;
assists RO
in survey
operations;
member of visual team at
OP. |
| Scout
corporal 1 |
Delivers, sets
up, and operates
aiming circle at post of executive; assists RO in survey operations;
member of
visual team
at post of executive. |
| Scout
corporal 2 |
Assists RO;
guides battery to
position; member of
visual team
at OP. |
| Scout
corporal 2 |
Assists RO; gun
marker; member
of visual team
at post of
executive. |
| Signal sergeant |
Establishes and
maintains signal
communication;
care of
signal equipment. |
| Signal corporal
1 |
Assistant to
signal sergeant;
in charge of wire
truck 1;
establishes and
maintains telephone circuits. |
| Signal
corporal 2 |
Assistant to
signal sergeant;
in charge of wire
truck 2;
establishes and
maintains telephone circuits. |
| Telephone
operator 1 |
Telephone
operators at the OP. |
| Telephone
operator 2 & 4 |
Telephone
operators at post of
executive. |
| Telephone
operator 3 |
Telephone
operator at the OP. |
Telephone
operator
5 &
6 |
Relief
operators; messengers;
maintain telephone
circuits;
visual signalmen. |
Switchboard
operators
1 &
2 |
Establish
telephone
central; operate switchboard |
| Switchboard
operators 3 &
4 |
Relief
operators. |
| Linemen
1 and 2 |
Wiremen on wire
trucks 1 and
2 respectively; line-
men. (Note
1.) |
| Linemen
3 and 4 |
Linemen on wire
trucks 1 and
2 respectively;
messengers.
(Note 1.) |
| Bugler
1 |
Orderly for BC;
messenger. |
| Bugler
2 |
Assists
executive in occupation
of position; orderly for the battery executive; messenger. |
| Messengers
and signalmen
1, 2, 3, & 4 |
Visual
signalmen; messengers;
and relief telephone |
| Agent (corporal) |
Battery agent
with Bn C. (Note
2.) |
| Notes: |
1.
Linemen are posted as the situation requires, usually at the telephone
central.
2. Battery
agent marches
with the battalion commander's party. |
265. Route
marking.
a. The
senior
officer or noncommissioned officer in any group is responsible for
marking
the route where necessary. To use a battery detail it is necessary to
empty
one vehicle. This may be accomplished by transferring all men except
the
chauffeur in detail truck 2 to other vehicles in the detail. As the
detail
reaches any point where those following (the firing battery) may lose
the
route, the senior directs one man to drop off and act as route marker.
Such points in Figure 149 are RJ 276, RJ 310, and CR 290.
b. Upon
arrival
at RJ 276, detail car 2 with the chauffeur is dropped off. At the
succeeding
points, one individual is dropped off. When the head of the battery
arrives
at RJ 276, the chauffeur points out the proper route to the battery
executive.
The chauffeur then joins the rear of the battery and follows it. As the
executive approaches each successive marker, the proper route is
pointed
out. Detail truck 2, following the battery, picks up the successive
markers.
c.
Frequent
practice in route marking is essential in the training of the
detail.
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End of Chapter ~~~~~
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