Historic Howitzer at Barstow Destined for National Museum

Photo By Cynthia McIntyre | Peter Garcia, left, heavy equipment mechanic for contractor URS, and Barton Brown, heavy mobile equipment mechanic for contractor SFS/Tiburon, work on the M-198 howitzer.  

BARSTOW, CA, UNITED STATES

11.25.2014

Story by Cynthia McIntyre 

Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow

BARSTOW, Calif. - The weapon that fired the first documented shot of the ground engagement during the 1991 Persian Gulf War is being refurbished at Production Plant Barstow (PPB), Marine Depot Maintenance Command.

The M-198 howitzer, destined for the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Va., had undergone several modifications before it was tracked down by museum staff.

Stefan Rohal, museum registrar, said of the historic weapon, “It was identified as historic, lost due to inventory requirements, but has found a permanent home at the museum.”

The medium artillery piece was operated by Battery F, 2nd Battalion, 12th Marines during the Battle of Al Khafji that began as part of Operation Desert Storm. Nicknamed “Damn Yankee,” the howitzer was documented by field historians during the war as the weapon that fired the opening shot in support of Marine and coalition forces near the border of Saudi Arabia.

Doug Van Dyke, artillery repair supervisor at PPB, has overseen the restoration since the weapon’s arrival in February 2014. During a visit to the repair facility, he pointed out the various modifications that corrected one problem or another over the years. Those changes are being undone to return the howitzer to its original state. Pointing to the trails (the tow bar legs), he showed where shields had been welded over parts that were often sheared off during transport over rough terrain. That modification was removed and the trail sanded.

Although final assembly should take two days, waiting for the parts is another matter. Once completed, the howitzer will be sent to the paint shop to change its current green color to the tan markings used during the Gulf War. Then it will be shipped to the Quantico museum and put on display.

There was no archived manual showing the original “one-niner-eight” composition. Nor were there photographs showing it being used during Desert Storm. So how did the restoration team know what belonged and what didn’t?

“We had to find people who experienced the gun in its original form,” said Van Dyke. “We also had some of the modification instructions so we knew which widget needed to come off.”

David Jones, a former Marine who now works in the Trades Division on PPB as turret shop supervisor, manned an M-198 during his time in service. Although a nine-man crew is recommended, Jones said they often made do with fewer Marines.

Rohal said he tried to find the crew members who manned the howitzer on Jan. 21, 1991, but historical records were not that detailed. He said the museum requested the howitzer following its use in Desert Storm, but it remained active.

“In 2009, I knew the M-198s were coming out of service,” he said.

Using the serial number, he tracked it to the Ordnance Maintenance Company (-), 4th Maintenance Battalion, 4th Marine Logistics Group, Marine Forces Reserve in Waco, Texas.

Built at the Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois in 1984, the howitzer was overhauled at MCLB Barstow in October 1994. The M-198 can fire 155mm conventional ammunition up to 14 miles. It has since been replaced by the lighter-weight M-777 howitzer.

• Date Taken: 11.25.2014
• Date Posted: 12.22.2014 18:44
• Story ID: 150965
• Location: BARSTOW, CA, US