Field ArTillery - US Army Center Of Military History

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276 The OrganizaTiOnal hisTOry Of field arTillery The far-reaching mobility of most Army field artillery units allowed them to be widely deployed and thinly dispersed, yet still operate effec tively. Just after its arrival in South Vietnam, the 1st Cavalry Division moved north to Pleiku Province and saw combat in the Ia Drang Valley, popularly known as the battle of the Ia Drang. The fighting between October and November 1965 was noteworthy, validating two aspects of the airmobility concept—the use of helicopters to move and supply cannon artillery, and the use of aerial rocket artillery at night and in extremely close support of ground troops. A prolonged pursuit of the enemy by a large unit operating continuously over difficult terrain and relying primarily on aircraft in every aspect of the opera tion was a first. The helicopters, primarily CH–47s, made it possible to position and supply the artillery units, thus allowing the infantry to have almost con tinuous coverage in support of their ground operations. 20 During the 35-day battle, the 1st Cavalry Division Artillery fired 33,108 rounds of 105-mm. ammuni tion and 7,356 rockets (2.75-inch). The concept of displacing and supplying artillery by air proved valid, and during the cam paign, the artillery made seventy-nine tactical moves, of which sixty-seven were by air. 21 The aerial rocket artillery battalion was particularly responsive and effective in augmenting ground artillery fire, especially when it was needed beyond the range of the divi sion’s conventional artillery. Aerial rocket fire was also inval u able during the most critical phase of the airmobile opera tion—just after the unit’s arrival in a landing zone. The aerial rocket artillery battalion was best employed in a reinforcing role, with one of its three batteries habitually attached to one of the division’s three direct-support artillery battal ions. The main armament of the battalion consisted of 2.75-inch folding-fin rockets, mounted first on UH–1 and later on AH–1 helicopters. Subsequently, some helicopters were equipped with SS–11 antitank wire-guided missiles, which were extremely effective against both enemy tanks and such point targets as bunkers and other fortifications. 22 While Army planners had designed the 1st Cavalry Division, and later the 101st Airborne Division, to make maximum use of helicopters, the other maneuver units that followed also employed them extensively to move their troops, weapons, and supplies, getting them from the corps-level aviation groups. Thus almost all infantry units in Vietnam operated as airmobile infantry, and their supporting artillery served in an airmobile role alongside them. The airmobility concept allowed the artillery to travel deep into roadless areas in support of the infantry; the firebases, which were established, supplied, and evacuated by air, were the key for mobile large-unit operations deep into enemy territory. 20 AAR, Pleiku Campaign, 1st Cav Div (Ambl), 4 Mar 1966, pp. 4–5, 12, 18, 21, 24, 28, 60, 78, 84, 87–88, 90, 102, 123, 127–128, copy in CMH files. 21 Ibid., pp. 4–5, copy in CMH files. 22 Picou, “Aerial Fire Support,” pp. 46–48, 53–54; William F. Brand, Jr., E. K. Johnson, and Morris J. Brady, “Airmobility Firepower—Hallmark of the 1st Cavalry Division,” United States Army Aviation Digest, March 1967, pp. 18–23; Hay, Tactical and Materiel Innovations, pp. 28, 33; Elizabeth C. Jolliff, “History of the U.S. Army Missile Command, 1962–1977,” Historical Monograph Project no. DAR- COM–84M, 20 July 1979, pp. 117, 122–24, 127–39, AMCOM files and copy in CMH files.
CH–47 Chinook transporting the M102 105-mm. howitzer; below, UH–1B Iroquois firing 2.75-inch rockets
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The Organizational History of Field
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Civil War Flag (nonregulation), wit
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-P
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FOREWORD The Organizational History
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used to defend fixed positions. Thi
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CONTENTS Chapter Page 1. THE BEGINN
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Chapter xv Page ABBREVIATIONS AND A
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Chapter xvii Page Sound-ranging equ
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Field Artillery 1775-2003
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4 The OrganizaTiOnal hisTOry Of fie
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10 The OrganizaTiOnal hisTOry Of fi
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Regimental Staff Table 3—Artiller
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Battle of Palo Alto by Klauprecht &
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Table 6—Standard Field Pieces Use
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Table 8—Artillery Organization, A
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Table 9—Artillery Organization, A
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CHAPTER 4 Diverging Missions Betwee
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diverging missiOns tactics for infa
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diverging missiOns possibili ties o
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diverging missiOns The Gatling Guns
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diverging missiOns of War William C
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diverging missiOns high-angle fire
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Table 10—Artillery Organization,
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diverging missiOns Artillery in act
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diverging missiOns Artillery in act
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diverging missiOns Although neglect
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Direct Fire Gun A Aiming Point Diag
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100 The OrganizaTiOnal hisTOry Of f
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126 THE ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY OF F
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Table 11—Field Artillery Pieces R
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Table 12—Field Artillery Transpor
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CHAPTER 7 World War II Developments
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wOrld war ii 159 blow, and the thir
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wOrld war ii L-4 from the 29th Infa
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wOrld war ii 163 authorized six 105
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wOrld war ii Airborne troops loadin
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wOrld war ii 167 artillery battalio
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wOrld war ii Table 16—Principal A
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wOrld war ii Table 17—Nondivision
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wOrld war ii Destroyer Training Cen
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Firing 4.5-inch rockets in the Hür
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wOrld war ii 177 of division artil
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wOrld war ii 179 the for mer was pr
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wOrld war ii 15th Field Artillery O
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wOrld war ii as well, passed missio
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wOrld war ii 185 photographs), and
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wOrld war ii 187 After nearly six y
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CHAPTER 9 The Nuclear Arena The Kor
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The nUclear arena 211 time that rad
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The nUclear arena Honest John rocke
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The nUclear arena Corporal missile
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The nUclear arena 217 and firepower
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The nUclear arena 219 In light of n
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The nUclear arena 221 the missile c
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The nUclear arena Lacrosse missile
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aPPendiX Maj. Gen. John A. Dubia 15
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Field ArTillery - US Army Center Of Military History

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