artillery support

[SuperScout]

Only time I couldn't get any arty support was during Tet '68, when it was denied due to collateral damage. Even our Bn 4.2" mortars had a "hold" placed on them, so it was just us Scouts and Chuck and his battalion.

Earlier, while still in a mech platoon, I was sent via air on a recon trip with five others to verify activity on a trail system spotted by our friendly FAC two days prior. My prior proper planning to prevent piss poor performance included a series of lines in the mud drawn by a series of Battery 6's, along my route of egress, on call. Sure enough, we had to do a rapid diddy mau, me dragging a injured troop, and my RTO calling for pre-numbered targets. It was such a comfort, and saving steel, to hear that lovely CRACK!, knowing full well that Chuck couldn't get through it while I was boarding the Huey. It is true when said that "Artillery lends dignity to what otherwise would be an unseemly affair!" Thanks to all the Redlegs everywhere!

[PHO127]

Several of us Arty guys got into a heated discussion at the O club. Shortly we ordered a case of champaign and started shooting the corks at the opposition. They charged with foaming beer bottles but we held them off with a direct spray of champaign at point blank range. It then broke out into individual combat with shots of tequila.

[ArtySgt]

We fired twice on troops that had called down fire on their own positions. That can be very hairy for every one involved. Only one resulted in a G.I. being wounded, the dude stuck his head up to see how we were doing, cought a piece of shell fragment in the fore head. His Officer reported it was his own fault and no invertigation would be coming.
In tube arty the shells were different colors, H.E. was O.D. Illum was Gray and so on. Can"t remenber a whole lot but you get the picture.

[82Rigger]

Another question...

...and I guess this will probably fall in the realm of the Navy folks...but anyone with comments, jump in.

How long did the 40mm Bofors stay in service after WW2?

Always was fascinated by WW2 film showing those units firing, and sailors feeding the 4-round clips into them.

Got to see them up close when I toured the battleship TEXAS several times.

They were used by BOTH sides during WW2.

I guess they were mainly an AA weapon.

Were they still in use during Vietnam?

[Chas H]

The M42 Duster mounted a pair of 40mm Bofors. We frequently had the company of a Duster and I gotta tell you, it is one pee bring MoFo.

[Chas H]

When was you at Ft Bragg? I did my entire stateside tour -including basic-there from '66 to'67. My Bn , 7/15 Arty, was out on the point between the 82nd and the JFK SF Center.

[sn-e3]

The thing I remember most about fire support missions was when we fired willie -peter rounds a great plume of white smoke would come up and it was neat to see. also at night we would fire alot of star burst shells and watch them float down. kind of eirie though. we tried to do our best though.

[Seascamp]

The 40 mm Borfors was gone from Destroyers and Cruisers by the VN War. The replacement and mainstay was the twin 3/50 and like the Borfors, was clip fed from the top. Don?t recall the exact number in a clip but it was five or six. I think Chris was a first or second loader on a 3/50 mount so he may remember.

Good gun for AA and if the right ammo was ready up, could really rip beach targets. But the wrong ammo was bad news so it was prudent sort prox fuse clips from contact HE in the gun tub and don?t mix m? up. If the gun lay was horizontal and prox fuse was fired, about 30 yards out the round would arm, sense the surface and kabooom, frag a zingin and a flyin all over the place. As a primary AA defense gun, there was usually prox fuse ammo in the tub or in a locker nearby and the contact HE was specially brought up from the magazine for an occasion.

As a pride kind of thing, the 3/50 gunners liked to pop the practice tow sock the first or second round, then start walking the shots up the tow cable. Somehow the tow aircraft crew never learned to appreciate such skill and accuracy and hauled buns off the gunnery range. Attitudes, always attitudes with those Airedales, and I never quite figured it out.

Scamp

[PHO127]

Was in the SF at Ft Bragg when I was there but from Sept 66 to Mar 67 I was in OCS at Ft Sill.

[LRP1]

FYI - the 40mm Borfors is still in use - MC130 Spectra Gunships.