Editor’s note: This article ran in the March 26, 1982, issue.
Story and photos by Ernest Mills
FORT CARSON, Colo. — “Zero … load …. Fire.”
That was the idea behind the 4-40th Armor’s live tank fire exercise which was conducted Monday at range 109.
The exercise gave soldiers in the armor unit a chance to train with a new system. “We’re using the new calibration system that zeroes a tank in fewer rounds,” said master gunner Sgt. David Holcomb.
The new system requires crew members to zero a tank. The tank can be zeroed using an average of two rounds compared to the old way which used up to six rounds.
According to SSgt. Steven Hicks, “the old way took about 45 minutes to zero a tank. With this new way, it only takes about five minutes. It also saves a lot of ammunition and time.”
The new calibration system requires one soldier to calibrate the gun tube while another soldier sights and aligns.
According to Webster’s New world Dictionary, calibrate is defined as follows: “To determine the correct range for an artillery gun or mortar by observing where the fired projectile hits.”
“I didn’t really think that it was going to work. We’re so used to the old way. This new way is much faster than the old system,” said SSgt. Andrew Gonzales of C Company.
“I knew that it would work. I had used it at Fort Knox when I went through AIT. I’d say it’s more accurate than the old way,” said PFC Richard Clouse.
While C Company zeroed their M-1 tanks, B Company was firing at moving objects, testing the new system. Tankers were given orders to move up to the firing line, aim and fire at the moving objects as rapidly and accurately as possible.
“Their mission is to hit moving targets,” said Company Commander Capt. Donald Nichols. “The exercise is going very well. We have three platoons to go through the firing exercise today,” he commented.
A brief field fire brought the tanks to a temporary halt. While the crews waited for the fire to be put out, they conducted maintenance on their M-1 tanks. They also reloaded and loaded tanks for their next live fire exercise using the new calibration system.
“It’s going to do what it was designed to do — save money and time,” said 1st Sgt. Henry Bowman.