RE: http://tech.military.com/equipment/view/146534/m198-155...er.html?eq_id=146534

The towed howitzer is not the way to go.In vitenam We had towed howitzers And theyn were to had to set up in a short time. They were not mobile. They could not change dirction fast enough.

I used them for a bit. They were a pain if you had to do a fast shift fire. Having to have the whole crew lift and turn it....Good times. But a damn good weapon.Not as good as the Paladin but you know.

I was Exec of M-4-11 in Korea, using M114. M198 is certainly slimmer, different recoil system, and M114 didn't have muzzle muffler. Ranges seem to be a bit longer with new weapon. M114 was a dependable weapon however. SP and towed weapons both have their strong and weak points. Biggest change, however, is what GPS brings to the table. Our old system required the batteries and FDC to be surveyed, in which was often a challenge.

I would agree. the 155 was something else. Sometimes we put them on trains but mostly shipped them. Never used one but I did transport them for the fleet and the ARMY. They are not very flexible as they are hardly being used in new conventional warfare. The new warfare is unconventional.

For one thing, this weapon is NOT fired on its wheels. The first picture you see of it, the guys up front just let it down onto the base plate. Now they're jacking the wheels up. And an 11 man crew? Over my First Sgt's dead body. We use 8 man sections. To anyone who says you can't move it fast enough, it's not flexible, or 'mobile', you've never seen the 1/321st Airborne Field Artillery emplace and fire these things. We're the ONLY Airborne 155mm gun unit in the world. We work with these things just as fast as the 82nd works with their m119s. Semper Gumby. Always Flexible.

As brave as it will ever get. Thank you.

I was on the 155 LONG TOM SPLIT TRAIL HOWITZER THAT HAD DUEL BOGIE WHEELS. CAN YOU FIND A PICTURE OF ONE??

I not only helped fire and place the howitizers but I actually was a Artillery Mech anf I remeber the M198 and the M114. The M114 or "pig" as we called it in the corps was a hell of a weapon. Although the M198 had pretty much repalced the pigs by the time I got to the fleet I do remeber they were retireing the pigs in 1986-87. The guys use to tell me the pigs were more fun to fire the The M198. I miss the days of working on the guns and spending time with the guys.