Instructions for Gunners' Examination in the Field Artillery

Hammond, John S., and Olmstead, Dawson

Published by E. P. Dutton & Company, New York, 1917

About this Item

142, [1] pages. Illustrations. Maps. Nomenclatures of the most important parts of the gun, carriage limber and caisson. Abbreviations and Conventional Signs. Statement inside front cover in pencil "From the author JSH" Name and associated information for former owner in pencil on fep. Pencil notations on pages and on rep and inside back cover. Small portion at bottom of page 141/142 missing. The Field Artillery Branch of the United States Army was founded on 17 November 1775 by the Continental Congress, which unanimously elected Henry Knox "Colonel of the Regiment of Artillery". The regiment formally entered service on 1 January 1776. Artillery of all types was part of the Artillery Corps until 1901, when the Corps was split into battery-sized units, called companies at the time, of Field Artillery and Coast Artillery. In 1907 the Artillery Corps was reorganized into the Field Artillery and the Coast Artillery Corps. Although presently Field Artillery and Air Defense Artillery are separate branches, both inherit the traditions of the Artillery branch. This handbook was prepared for use in the instruction of candidates for rating as gunners under the provisions of Special Regulations No. 53, War Department, dated May 7, 1917. This publication was intended to assist candidates taking the Field Artillery Gunners' Examination. It is indicative of the state of knowledge and perspective as the United States entered the First World War. The mission of the Field Artillery is to destroy, defeat, or disrupt the enemy with integrated fires to enable maneuver commanders to dominate in unified land operations. The Field Artillery is one of the Army's combat arms, traditionally one of the three major branches (with Infantry and Armor). It refers to those units that use artillery weapons systems to deliver surface-to-surface long range indirect fire. Indirect fire means that the projectile does not follow the line of sight to the target. Mortars are not field artillery weapons; they are organic to infantry units and are manned by infantry personnel. The term field artillery is to distinguish from the Air Defense Artillery, and historically, from the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps (or Coastal Defense Artillery), a branch which existed from 1901-1950. In 1950, the two branches were unified and called simply Artillery, until Air Defense Artillery was made into a separate branch in 1968. The insignia of the Field Artillery branch is a pair of crossed field guns (19th-century-style cannons) in gold, and dates back to 1834. The home of the Field Artillery and the Field Artillery School are at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Field artillery is called the "King of Battle". Conflicts in the 20th century saw artillery become exponentially more effective as indirect fire methods were introduced immediately prior to World War I. During World War I and World War II, field artillery was the single highest casualty-producing weapons system on any battlefield.

Seller Inventory # 73027

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Instructions for Gunners' Examination in the Field Artillery
• Publisher: E. P. Dutton & Company, New York
• Publication Date: 1917
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Good
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)