Field ArTillery - US Army Center Of Military History

The rOad TO fleXiBle resPOnse
Chart 2—Airborne Division Artillery Organization, 1956–1963
HHB
DIV ARTY
105-mm.
HOW BTRY
762-mm.
ROCKET BTRY
(Honest John)
251
and head quarters battery, a 105-mm. howitzer battalion, and a composite artillery
battalion. The howitzer battalion of five batteries was to provide direct support to
each battle group with one six-howitzer battery. The composite battalion was to
provide general support, with its two six-howitzer batteries of 155-mm. howitzers
(rather than the usual three batteries) furnishing the bulk of conventional fire support.
The battalion was also to include one battery of four 8-inch howitzers and
one bat tery of two Honest John launchers. The 8-inch howitzer was to furnish not
only con ventional fire but also, with its new atomic shell, extremely accurate closesupport
atomic fire. The Honest John battery would provide an economi cal atomic
delivery capability with an increased range. In combination with other weapons,
this capability ensured that the division had the strong fire support it needed for
atomic warfare operations.
The artillery organization reflected the belief that atomic weapons had to be
integrated with other weapons to the greatest extent possible. As in the ATFA
and PENTANA studies, the antiaircraft artillery automatic weapons battalion was
eliminated from the division. Such support was to come from area-type weapons
or from pooled resources at higher echelons. The organization of the divisional
field artil lery was also to be flexible. For example, for an attack on a wide front,
one battalion could control three 105-mm. howitzer batteries, a 155-mm. howitzer
battery, and the 8-inch howitzer battery, while the other battalion could control the
remaining firing batteries of the division artillery. The divi sion artillery commander
could also reinforce the fires of one of the mor tar batteries organic to the infantry
battle group by placing one or more of the 105-mm. howitzer batteries in a direct
support role. 16
16 Ltr ATTNG–D&R 322/44 (Div), HQ, CONARC, to Chief Sig Off et al., 2 Oct 1956, sub: Reorganization
of Current Infantry Division, copy in CMH files; John H. Cushman, “Pentomic Infantry Division
in Combat,” Military Review 37 (January 1958): 19–30.