Field ArTillery - US Army Center Of Military History

BETWEEN THE WARS
General Westervelt (seated, third from right) with fellow staffers of AEF and Chief
of Artillery General Hinds (seated, fourth from right)
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reports, submitted in early 1919, became the basis of field artillery development,
both in weapons and in organization, for the next twenty years. 4
The Hero board deemed the organizational structure of units employed during
World War I generally satisfactory. It did, however, find the AEF organization for
ammunition supply inadequate and advocated the grouping of battery combat trains
into ammunition batteries and battalions to improve ammunition supply. Another
of its recommendations was for a larger battalion staff to coordinate communications,
ammunition supply, motorization, and observer and liaison functions more
effectively. The board also found the regimental headquarters company too large
and unwieldy, recommending that it be subdivided, detailing sections to the battalions
as separate and distinct units. 5
For the division artillery, the Hero board recommended eliminating the trench
mortar battery and replacing it with a four-battery battalion of sixteen mountain
4 Final Rpt, CofArty, AEF, 1919, fldrs 381–86, box 41, Entry 22, RG 120, NARA; Report of the
Chief of Field Artillery to the Secretary of War, 1919, pp. 184–87, 189–94; “Proceedings of the Board of
Officers Commanded by the following order: Headquarters, American Expedi tionary Forces, Office of
the Chief of Field Artillery, 9 Decem ber 1918 (Hero Board Report),” FA School files (hereinafter Rpt,
Hero Board, 9 Dec 1918).
5 Final Rpt, CofArty, AEF, 1919, fldrs 381–86, box 41, Entry 22, RG 120, NARA; Rpt, Hero Board,
pp. 3–5, FA School files; Report of the Chief of Field Artillery, 1919, p. 190.