Photo By Pfc. James Frazer | The Marines of gun 2, Battery L, 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine...... read more read more
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CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Artillerymen with Battery L, 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, recently took part in an annual training operation at an artillery range aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., while they refined their skills with the M777 Howitzers.
At each gun position, a group of Marines stood by waiting to receive the firing mission that would call them into action and begin a race against one another to be the first group to fire their weapon.
“The artillery [military occupational specialty] has always been one of the most competitive fields in the Marine Corps,” Sgt. David Fitzsimmons said, section chief, gun 2, Battery L. “The race to see who can send the most rounds down-range the fastest is one that artillerymen have been playing in since the MOS was first activated. The team of Marines at each gun position has to be perfectly coordinated and in sync in order to do well in the race.”
Seven Marines and a section chief man the gun positions, each with a unique role. The gunner and assistant gunner are responsible for aiming the massive weapon while a group of five cannoneers perform all the necessary functions for prepping the cannon to deliver its round.
“As the section chief it is my responsibility to ensure that the gun is set up safely and correctly during every firing mission,” Fitzsimmons said, an Ocala, Fla., native. “Right now I’m coordinating a team of just five Marines, which isn’t uncommon, but can cause a number of problems if the section chief doesn’t handle it correctly. Every station at a gun position is critical to getting the weapon operational. Because we’re a few Marines short, a couple of them are pulling double roles where possible.”
During the training event, Fitzsimmons’ gunner and assistant gunner positions were both being filled in by Sgt. Jeremiah Phillips, who was also working as the assistant section chief.
“At a gun position it’s the gunner’s job to set the appropriate up-and-down angle to the barrel while his assistant gunner adjusts the left-and-right angle to get the tube to point at the target,” Phillips said, a Cleveland native. “The howitzer is set up so it can be operated by either one or two gunners easily, but when there’s just one gunner it can sometimes slow the gun position down by a few seconds and moments, and that means everything in artillery.”
Phillips explained that to overcome obstacles like personnel shortages it’s ever-increasingly important the Marines at each position become personally and professionally familiar with their sections.
“We all know what one another is going to do during a firing mission,” Phillips said. “It’s a lesson that can be applied to more than just artillery. If you know how your coworkers are going to react and you know what their strengths, weaknesses, and norms are then it becomes much easier for the rest of the team to detect when something is off or where they need to put in the extra effort.”
Phillips and the other Marines often change duties in the gun position so they can keep practiced for when things like personnel shortages happen.
“When we have the time, the guys who have been in artillery for several years take the time to help teach everyone else all the tricks they’ve learned to streamline the whole process,” Pfc. Dwight Smith Jr. said, cannoneer, gun 2, Battery L, and Richmond, Va., native. “A gun section is the best example I can think of for Marine adaptation in action and we’re all proud to take part in the team.”
| Date Taken: | 05.21.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 05.21.2012 11:50 |
| Story ID: | 88735 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 271 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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