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                           FIRE SUPPORT

    TOPIC:   Direct Visual Observation.

    OBSERVATION:   Direct observation will detect and direct
counterbattery fire on our artillery faster and in more
quantity than any other technique.   The Allies in North Africa
found that observers could see the flash from artillery pieces
at distances of 2(3 miles and the dust from firing pinpointed
the artillery positions.   Flash defilade positions and
flash reducers were used almost all of the time.   The artillery
also constructed blast aprons in front of each piece by pouring
oil on the ground in front of the gun and laying a steel mesh
about 1 inch over the oiled ground.   Unless the enemy
counterbattery radar capability has increased
dramatically, the greatest enemy acquisition threat remains
flash/sound ranging and HUMINT/observer acquisition.   The North
African techniques remain valid.

    LESSON LEARNED:   Artillery units should receive flash
reducers with the basic ammunition load and use them in all
missions.   The units must practice digging in the howitzers
(more bulldozers would help) and building blast aprons.

    VIEWER NOTES:


    TOPIC:   Place more forward observers in infantry and armor
units for more effective fire support.

    OBSERVATION:   Because of the relatively flat terrain and
the advantage small incr~ases in altitude give a unit,  the
Allies in North Africa found that the forward observer with the
company commander often cou~d see nothing and could not
influence the battle.   Their solution was to add another
observer to the company.   The additional observer was to occupy
-an observation post to the rear of the company (many times a
tower on a tracked vehicle) where he could see the overall
battle and have good communications with the artillery unit.
This arrangement gave the Allies a good communication link to
the artillery and still kept a responsive observer with the
company commander; the two teams were in constant
communication.   Additionally, the general support artiLlery
units received more observer teams which set up in a particular
sector to "weight" a given area and to "back up" the direct
support observers.

    lESSON LEARNED:   The COLT parties can act as did the
general support observer teams in 1942, but we should add one
more observer team and vehicle to each maneuver company and
scout pLatoon.

    VIEWER NOTES:


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