Field ArTillery - US Army Center Of Military History

BETWEEN THE WARS
147
75-mm. guns (with ammuni tion) left
from World War I that, as an economy
measure, were being modernized with
new carriages. The project for developing
a satisfactory carriage for the
105-mm. howitzer to match its already
satisfactory tube was too low in priority
to receive much attention while the
75-mm. guns and 155-mm. howit zers
were being updated. 48
By June 1938, new tables of organization
were prepared, and the 2d
Division was again selected for extended
testing. The 81-mm. mortars used for
close support had been transferred to
the infantry. Previous tests had shown
that a four-battalion regiment presented
no major tactical problems, but the
shortage of experienced commanding
officers and the trend of foreign armies
to increase artillery resulted in the
division of light and medium artillery
into two separate regiments. The light artillery regiment was to consist of three
battalions, each with three firing batteries of 75-mm. guns. The medium regiment
was to include one battalion of eight 105-mm. howitzers and one battalion of eight
155-mm. howitzers. Each firing battery was also to have a .50-caliber machine gun
for antiaircraft defense. The armament of the proposed division thus consisted of
thirty-six 75-mm. guns, eight 155-mm. howitzers, and eight 105-mm. howitzers,
for a total of fifty-two weapons. 49
General Danford
A study made in 1938 by the Field Artillery School suggested a combination of
105-mm. and 155-mm. howitzers for divisional artillery. In December of that year,
however, Chief of Field Artillery Maj. Gen. Robert M. Danford warned the school that
if a war erupted, the field artillery should expect to use the modified M1897 75-mm.
gun because the project to equip Regular Army units with the modernized weapon was
near completion. The attempt to realize the ideals of the Westervelt board had resulted
in the production of the 75-mm. weapon as an all-purpose gun. Although a remarkable
48 Ingles, “New Division,” pp. 521–29; C. D. Roberts, “The Infantry Division,” Infantry Journal,
March-April 1936, pp. 140–44; Ltr, CI 400.12/7988–BII C4–1, CofInf to TAG, 31 Dec 1935, sub: Reorganization
of Divisions and Higher Units, copy in MHI files.
49 Wilson, Maneuver and Firepower, pp. 130–31; Roberts, “Infantry Division,” p. 144; Notes, Brig
Gen. Lesley J. McNair, 31 Mar 1938, sub: Highlights of Report by CG, 2d Division, of the Field Service
Test of the PID including the Division Recommended, in Papers of Lesley J. McNair, box 13, Entry 58c,
RG 337, NARA; Ingles, “New Division,” pp. 521–27; Ltr, AG 320.2 (9-3-38) Misc (Ret) M, TAG to
CG, Eighth Corps Area, 15 Oct 38, sub: Reorganization of the 2d Infantry Division, CMH files; Annual
Report of the Secretary of War, 1937, p. 35.