THE COAST ARTILLERY JOURNAL - Air Defense Artillery

204 THE COAST ARTILLERY JOURNAL
The preparation of the personnel has been discussed under the caption
"av'oidsurprise." An airplane does not materialize out of space. It fliesto the
point where it is discovered, and its physical progress may be noted. In addition
to its normal watchmen in the battery command post, there must be the
outposts mentioned before, to guard against surprise from low-flying planes.
Each battery serves as an outpost for all batteries to the rear and for air units
as well. The entire antiaircraft service should be organized so that, in the
normal course of events,the approach of a target is known long before it comes
within sight or hearing. Clouds render this ideal situation difficult of attainment,
but they make the work of the antiaircraft intelligence service even more
important, since only a fraction of the reports possible in clear weather can be
made and each report is enhanced in value, relatively.
The consideration of this question is particularly interesting with reference
to the defense of troops on the march. It is to be supposed that troops on the
march will not normally be penetrating a zone of well-organized antiaircraft
defense,but rather will be marching with their own defending units accompanying
them. Surprise from the air might be disastrous to the marching troops.
Is it not logically a function of the antiaircraft units, trained in the identification
of aircraft, to prevent such surprise? The advance, flank, and rear security
units of the marching body must have their counterparts in antiaircraft security
units who, by pyrotechnic or other signals, afford to the troops time for self
protection and to the defenseunits time for alerting the various batteries.
(5) on the proper targets
To be able to fire on the proper target entails that the personnel of the
battery can see it, can recognize it for what it is, and that, of several possible
choices,the battery commander shall know which target to engage.
It is unnecessary to dwell long on the subject of identification of aircraft.
It is an art which must be practiced assiduously before a man may qualify as
an observer. Gunners' instruction furnishes the foundation, but how many
qualified gunners can identify correctly even the more common types of aircraft?
Not only must the battery observers be capable of naming the nationality,
type, and model of any plane at a glance, in time of war, but they must
be able, as well, to determine the nationality and type from sound alone. In
times of peace it should be routine in a battery that a corps of observers be
available for use in-tactical problems. Without qualified observers it may be
impossible to obtain the maximum benefit from maneuvers embodying the use
of different types of planes.
Selection of the target to engage is usually a function of the battery commander.
In the normal situation he must act on his own initiative because of
the lack of time in which to refer questions to the higher commander who may
have a better grasp of the situation as a whole. For the exercise of this initiative
the battery commander must be prepared by training in the principles of
fire tactics. In time of action, or assumed action, he must be given a definite
mission and his course of action thereafter must be first of all toward the successful
accomplishment of that mission. Without attempting to lay down a