Use Of Self Propelled Artillery For Direct Fire - NWE -1944 & 1945

[Richard Stone]

The attached reports discuss the successful and unsuccessful results of using US self propelled artillery for direct fire missions against pillboxes during the NWE 1944 and 1945 campaign. The primary gun used for these missions was the US M-12 155mm howitzer.

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[Richard Stone]

The 2 attached reports discuss the successful results obtained by using US self propelled artillery for direct fire missions against pillboxes during the NWE 1944 and 1945 campaign. The gun used in the first report is the US M-12 155mm howitzer.

The second short report (Attachment #3) discusses use of a M7B1 105mm SPG for direct fire.

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[Carl Schwamberger]

Some of that looks familiar. Direct fires with large heavy cannon on the battlefield are problematic. Over the years I've run across more than a few descriptions of this going badly for the gun crews.