With the new M777 and HIMARS being fielded the face of Marine Artillery is changing. The M777 still has it's problems but it brings new capabilities too. HIMARS is taking cannon units out of the rotation and not returning much in the way of fire support (yet) in Iraq. I think maybe the Marine Corps may have decided to change the face of Artillery too soon.

You ask some might good questions. Honestly I think that the M777 gave Arty about 10-15 more years before it is all but done away with and the HIMAR is a piece of junk. Unless we can come up with some better "smart munitions" we are liable to go the way of the dino.

I really feel old I was an 05 gunner back in the 80's maybe the first sergeant saw one of those in action served with D 2/10 and G 3/14



Semper Fi!

Then you should remember the 155 pigs too.

0811 school was down the road from us at 2/10, I think it was behind 1/10.

My name is Duncan. I was in India 3/10. I joined I 3/10 November 3rd of 1982 I stayed with them until March of 1985 where I went to Bravo 1/10 till November of 1985 then I went to C 1/10 until I was discharged. A while back some Marines were asking about a battery shooting out and Killing a Lieutenant Colonels wife. Well here is the scoop. When I got to I 3/10 it really did happen. A young Marine named Parrish was the powder man and put the wrong charge on the 105 he was powder man on. Causing the gun to shoot out. I think this happend in October of 1982. I knew all the Marines involved. The section chief was Cpl Brown he was busted to L/cpl and got a bad attitude and did not go on float with India and BLT 2/6. 22ND MAU. The Platoon CMDR was Lieutenant Lewis. He was relieved of his platoon and transfered elsewhere. The C.O. was Captain Thomas Nielson he remained in command. Parrish had not gone to BCS Basic Canoneering School at that time. He was not properly trained. He went to school with me and we graduated before Xmas so we could go on a fiblex in preperation for going to Beruit. He was not demoted or anything but he was later discharged for having about 7 office hours around Decemberof 1983 I was a charecter witnes at one of his Battalian office hours in December of 1983.

Just an idea of what was going on in the early 1980's Parrish, Cpl Brown and Lieutenant Lewis were all black. Captain Nielson got away with it even though it may have been standard procedure to send Marines to the field with On the job training.