preservative lubricating oil. Maintain this protective
suitable targets and calling for and adjusting fire on these
film at all times. Clean and lightly oil the socket, socket
targets. He also has the mission of collecting intelligence
information that can be derived from surveillance of his
cap, and collar of the baseplate.
area of responsibility y. Such information is reported
through charnels to higher headquarters.
Cleaning Before Firing
To accomplish his primary mission, the FO must
select an observation post (OP) from which he can
Before firing, the mortar crews should complete the
obtain maximum observation of his area of
following actions:
responsibility and still have the necessary cover and
1. Inspect the three units of the mortar for
concealment. (It is also desirable for the approach to the
cleanliness.
OP to have more than one covered and concealed route,
so the FO cannot be observed by the enemy as he moves
2. Clean the bore and firing pin with a clean, dry
in or out of this OP.)
cloth. Do not apply oil to these parts before firing.
The forward observer, working as part of the
3. Do not leave any waste on the firing pin or in the
indirect-fire team, functions as an effective part of the
barrel. Do not use grease.
team if he understands and applies the procedures and
4. Clean thoroughly and oil lightly all metal
techniques discussed below.
moving parts with preservative lubricating oil.
Target-Grid Method of Adjustment
Cleaning After Firing
Clean the bore and all working parts of the mortar
Using the target-grid method of adjustment, anyone
immediately after you complete firing. When cleaning
with a means of communication to an infantry or
cannot be accomplished immediately, apply oil to
artillery fire direction center and who can read an
prevent corrosion. At the first opportunity, clean, oil, and
azimuth can adjust fire on the targets he can see. From
inspect the mortar. If necessary, have repairs and
the forward observer's viewpoint, this method is much
replacements made by the unit armorer.
simpler than previous methods because he does not have
Clean the bore with rifle-bore cleaner immediately
to know the location of the guns and he does not have
after you complete firing and 3 consecutive days
to compute as much data. It makes no difference how
thereafter (a minimum of four cleanings). The barrel
far he is off the gun-target line because the fire direction
should be cool enough to touch with your bare hand
center (FDC) makes adjustments to keep the burst on
before using bore cleaner on it. The cleaner evaporates
the observer-target line. To place fire on the target, the
at 150F, and such evaporation causes dark spots on the
forward observer follows three simple steps:
barrel. When rifle-bore cleaner is not available, use a hot
1. He establishes communication with the FDC.
soapy solution or plain hot water. Clean the vent and
firing pin, as described previously, using a liberal
2. He attempts to locate the target for the FDC.
quantity of soapy solution instead of rifle-bore cleaner.
3. If the initial round or rounds miss the target, he
Dry the parts by using clean rags and applying
sends corrections to the FDC that will cause subsequent
preservative lubricating oil. When cleaning the mount,
rounds to hit the target.
take care to remove dirt from all crevices. Clean all
moving parts with rifle-bore cleaner, dry them, and
A trained FO or a communications expert is not
apply preservative lubricating oil to all surfaces. To
necessary to observe and adjust fire for mortars;
distribute the oil over the working surfaces, operate the
however, it helps to know communication procedures
traversing and elevating cranks. Clean the socket on the
and the method of conducting fire as explained in this
baseplate, as discussed previously.
chapter.
The target-grid method of adjustment has the
following advantages:
FORWARD OBSERVER
1. The FO enjoys freedom of movement on the
The forward observer (FO), as the "eyes" of the
battlefield since he is not concerned with the location of
indirect-fire team, has the primary mission of locating
the mortar and the mortar-target line. This enables him
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