Field ArTillery - US Army Center Of Military History

182 The OrganizaTiOnal hisTOry Of field arTillery
Ground observers included forward observers, those in the observation battalions,
and those in teams manning sur veyed observation posts. In Europe, most targets
were located by map coordinates, and forward observers adjusted the majority of
the artillery fire missions. Men in static obser vation posts conducted only a limited
number of fire mis sions because many of the observers had insufficient training and
little experience in the conduct of observed fires. 44
Artillery commanders were insistent that the number of forward observers
not be less than one per tank or rifle company, including those in reserve, about
forty per division. Maintain ing enough forward observers was a difficult problem.
When they were furnished on the basis of one per infantry or tank company, the
direct-support artillery battalion some times found it necessary to send as many
as twelve observers. But forward observer sections were not included in the infantry
division TOEs until after the Normandy invasion (three forward observers
in each direct-support battalion). The Army had authorized them for some time
in the armored division, although not in the quantity needed, and other personnel
in the artillery battalions had to perform the function. In addition to the forward
observer him self, an officer, the tables authorized each forward observer section
one wireman and one radioman for communica tions. Two forward observer sections
were needed per battery, but the tables only authorized three per battalion. 45
The medium battalions needed between four and six forward observers, but were
only authorized one per battalion. 46 Some units main tained a forward observer
pool, made up of the younger battalion officers and run by roster to ensure coverage.
The physical strain on these officers was great because their casualties were
high. 47 Most battlefield promotions in field artillery units serving in Europe were
awarded to enlisted men serving as forward observers. 48 It was reported that personnel
using forward observation methods, usually by map coordinates, adjusted
up to 95 percent of observed fires during the war. 49
A key link between the forward observer sections and fire-support resources
was the liaison officer. Each direct-support battalion main tained one liaison officer
with each battalion in its supported infantry regiment. The liaison officer’s
primary functions were to plan fires in support of infantry operations and coordinate
target informa tion. A large number of direct-support battalion fire missions
resulted from communications through fire-support chan nels. Forward observers
would funnel target informa tion through the liaison officer to the battalion fire
direction center (FDC), which, when supplementary fires were needed, could
request additional fire support from higher echelons. Corps and division artillery,
44 USFET Study no. 64, pp. 2–4, 29–30, copy in CMH files.
45 Ibid. and Study no. 59, pp. 4, 5, 12, 13, 16, 40, 43, 45, copies in CMH files.
46 USFET Study no. 59, pp. 4–5, copy in CMH files.
47 N. P. Morrow, “Employment of Artillery in Italy,” Field Artillery Journal, August 1944, pp.
499–505; John F. Casey, Jr., “An Artillery Forward Observer on Guadalcanal,” Field Artillery Journal,
August 1943, pp. 562–68; “How It Actually Works Out,” p. 128.
48 USFET Study no. 59, p. 4, copy in CMH files.
49 Ulrich G. Gibbons, “Let’s Use Forward Obser vation,” Field Artillery Journal, May 1946, p. 269.
Also see James Russell Major, The Memoirs of an Artillery Forward Observer, 1944–1945 (Manhattan,
Kans.: Sunflower University Press, 1999).