September-October - Air Defense Artillery

66 THE COAST ARTILLERY JOURNAL Sep te IIIber-Oc
METHOD OF MOUNTING
AZIMUTH AND RANGE DRUMS
AND INDEX POINTER
63~'US AAA AW BN 1M)
The above firing consumed the allotted ammunition for
the mission, and the units were preparing to move to their,
AAA positions when they received a special request from
the 30th Division for more fire on the Staats Forest and the
marshalling yards. (See Figure 2, Target Nos. 3 and 4.)
An additional 2,000 rounds of ammunition were obtained
and expended on these two targets with excellent results.
All firing was adjusted from the OP's by means of an
improvised range fan.
As a result of this action Lt. Col. Parrish, commanding
the 459th AAA A\\1 Battalion has submitted the following
comments:
"That 40mm AAA Automatic \Veapons can be used
effectively in a ground support mission by indirect fire.
"That very accurate fire can be delivered on target by
indirect methods (evidenced by the fact that a factory
smokestack, 20 feet in diameter at 4,350 vards could be hit
at will, directed by an OP). •
"That with careful reconnaissance (terrain permitting)
ground missions can be fired with a minimum of losses.
"It is felt that the following considerations must be taken
FIG. 5
into Iaccount for a successful ground firing mlSSI
a. Because of the tracer element of the 40mm ammu
tion, it would be easily spotted by the enemy if the 40n,
guns fired indepen.dent of the other artillery.
b. Assurance that our fire is coordinated with the ,
vance of the Infantry.
c. That missions must be fired during daylight hours,
d. Tracers must be observed by the OP.
"Definite targets should be assigned in advance, wh
permits selection of positions that will provide a SIT'
amount of defilade suitable for emplacing the guns. I
to the extreme flatness of the trajectory of the Bofors for f
first 1,500 yards, the defilade for this portion of the 1
jectory could not be more than three degrees and still all
for ground bursts. (In this mission the target was thi
meters lower than the guns.) Care must be taken not l
build the portion of the revetment toward the target
high; the remainder can be built high enough to give'
gun and crew maximum protection.
"During ground support missions the Bofors should :
be expected to carr)' out a normal AM role."
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