copy 3 __ FM 17-63 / ' r ,;AR DEPARTMENT ARMORED FORCE FIELD MANUAL SERVICE OF E PIECE 105-MM H0WITZER SELF-PROPELLED August 18, 1942 FM 17-63 ARMORED FORCE FIELD MANUAL SERVICE OF THE PIECE 105-MM HOWITZER SELF-PROPELLED UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1942 WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, August 18, 1942. FM 17-63, Armored Force Field Manual, Service of the Piece, 105-mm Howitzer, Self-Propelled, is published for the information and guidance of all concerned. [A.G. 062.11 (7-24h-42).] BY ORDER OP THE SECRETARY OF WAR: ,"..._ G. C. MARSHALL, Chief of Staff. , "^OFFICIAL: " ^ : J. A. ULIO, .^ 3- JMajor General, -'- _1 —The Adjutant General. ~ B2,:?, Ofr); D 17 415); IBn 17 (5); 1C 17 (10). -(For explanation^ symbols see FM 21-6.) - <x ii ..-,->;*s/ u fn TABLE OF CONTENTS Paragraphs Page SECTION I. General____________________ 1-3 1 II. Organization_ _______________ 4,5 2 III. Posts; mounting and dismounting__ 6 9 3 IV. Prepare for action and march order, 105-mm howitzer motor carriage, T-19_______________________ 10,11 11 V. Prepare for action and march order, 105-mm howitzer motor carriage, M-7______________________ 12,13 16 VI. Duties in firing________________ 14-24 22 VII. Additional information on the service of the piece_______________ 25-35 40 VIII. Care and maintenance of materiel____ 36-46 44 INDEX___________ _________________ 63 III FM 17-63 1-3 ARMORED FORCE FIELD MANUAL SERVICE OF THE PIECE 105-MM HOWITZEK, SELF-PKOPELLED SECTION I GENERAL 1. PURPOSE AND SCOPE. This manual prescribes the duties to be performed in the service of the piece by the personnel normally assigned to one self-propelled howitzer section of the firing battery. B 2. REFERENCES. a. Description, operation, functioning, and care of materiel.—TM 9-325; SNL C~21. b. Description and operation of fire-control and sighting equipment.—TM 9-325; SNL F-l. c. Ammunition.—TM 9-325; TM 9-1900; SNL R-l. d. Cleaning and preserving materials.—TM 9-850; SNL K-l. e. Automotive driver.—PM 25-10. /. Maneuvers of battery.—Part Two, FM 6-5. g. Safety precautions in firing.—AR 750-10; FM 6-40. h. Firing battery.—FM 6-40. i. Gunnery.—FM 6-40. j. Reconnaissance, occupation, and organization of posi tion.—FM 6-20. fc. Vehicle maintenance.—TM 9-710 and 9-750. 3. DEFINITIONS AND TERMS. a. Section.—Tables of Organi zation prescribe the personnel and materiel comprising a section of a battery. In this manual the term is frequently used to designate a section of the firing battery. In this restricted sense, a howitzer section is composed of one piece and the additional materiel and the personnel required to serve that piece. b. Front.—The front in a section, is the direction in which the muzzle of a piece points. c. Right (left). The direction right (left) is the right (left) of one facing the front. 3-5 ARMORED FORCE FIELD MANUAL d. In battery.—A. howitzer is said to be in battery when it is in its normal firing position. SECTION II ORGANIZATION 4. COMPOSITION. a. A howitzer section consists of the following: 1 chief of section. 1 gunner corporal. 3 cannoneers (Nos. 1, 2, and 3). 1 basic (cannoneer No. 4). 2 ammunition servers (cannoneers Nos. 5 and 6). 1 driver of the howitzer. 1 driver of ammunition carrier. b. Any additional cannoneers act as reliefs or are assigned to other duties as the chief of section may direct. When the section goes into position for drill or for firing, the chief of section remains at the position of the piece and commands the howitzer squad. Often the ammunition carrier-will not accompany the self-propelled howitzer when occupying a firing position. Therefore, Nos. 5 and 6 will be used at the firing point only when available. 5. FORMATION. a. Order of formation.—A howitzer sec tion is formed as shown in figure 1. b. To form. (1) The place of formation is indicated and the command given, for example: 1. IN FRONT (REAR) OF YOUR PIECES, 2. PALL IN. Each gunner repeats the command FALL IN and hastens to place himself, faced in the proper direction, at the point where the right of his section is to rest. The remainder of the section moves at the double time and assemblies at attention in their proper places. For the first formation of the howitzer section for any drill or exercise, the caution "As howitzer sections" precedes the command. The chief of section, if present, supervises the formation. (2) To execute IN FRONT (REAR) OF VEHICLES the section falls in at its posts as shown in figure 2 or 3. 105-MM HOWITZER, SELF-PROPELLED 5—8 C. To call off.—(1) The command is: CALL OFF. The cannoneer on the left of the gunner calls off, "One"; the can noneer on the left of No. 1, "Two," and so on. (2) After having called off, if a subsequent formation is ordered, the cannoneers fall in at once in their projper order. SECTION III POSTS; MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING H 6. POSTS OF HOWITZER SECTION. a. Dismounted.—The howitzer section is posted as shown in figures 4 and 5. b. Mounted.—See figures 6 and 7. c. Prepared for action.—The piece having been halted in position and prepared for action, posts are taken as shown in figures 8 and 9. 7. To POST SECTION. a. The command is: 1. DRIVERS AND CANNONEERS, 2. POSTS. Each gunner repeats the command POSTS. The drivers and cannoneers move at the double time to their posts. b. For preliminary instruction the section on entering the park is first posted with its vehicle, and the section is then sent to its posts by the foregoing command. The command is general, however, and is applicable when the section is in or out of ranks, and at a halt or marching. B 8. To MOUNT. a. The command is: 1. PREPARE TO MOUNT, 2. MOUNT. At the first command, the section moves at the double time to positions shown in figures 4 and 5. At the second command, both columns mount in the order shown. Each cannoneer is assisted by the one directly be hind (or in front, in the case of the last cannoneer in col umn) to insure promptness and prevention of injuries. If only the cannoneers are to be included in the movement, the command is: 1. CANNONEERS PREPARE TO MOUNT, 2. MOUNT, b. If the command is: 1. MOUNT, the section executes, at the command MOUNT, all that has been prescribed for the commands 1. PREPARE TO MOUNT, 2. MOUNT. If only the cannoneers are to be included in this movement, the com mand is: 1. CANNONEERS, 2. MOUNT. CO C OF S o a 2 "PACES DRIVER AMM H/T DRIVER S P HOW 6 S 4 3 2 1 6 a oB f O g FIGURE 1.—Formation of howitzer section. 105-MM HOWITZER, SELF-PROPELLED T- FIGURE 2.—Section in front of vehicles, 105-mm howitzer motor carriage, T-19. 475786°——42———2 ARMORED FORCE FIELD MANUAL [01 f«) (5J o O 0 FIGURE 3.—Section in front of vehicles, 105-mm howitzer motor carriage, M-7.