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Caution: Soldier persons speaking soldier talk, the way it is.

shock.military.com/Sho...511&page=1

I am not familiar with fire drills for mortars, but these guys appeared to be concerned with only one thing...putting rounds down range! I bet the safety Nazis would have had a stroke. Way to go Mortars!

Hey Doug, that's some great video and really makes me miss the gun line! The WP and HE mix, (shake and bake) was always my favorite mission. I counted 8rds at charge "0" and 8 rounds at charge "1". Minimum range for a 120mm was 200 meters so they were firing at targets pretty close.
They had pre-determined targets already. These were probably marked by aiming poles as well as marks inside the gun pit walls in case the poles got knocked down, for quick reference/aqusition. They moved the gun to 3 different firing points in rapid order. This means they had rehersed their pre-determined elevation and charges for those points. And more than likely had round "pre-cut" to those charges in case of attack. I doubt the were FPF's, (final protective fires) however.
The opening of the footage must have been taken from inside the FDC, (fire direction center) bunker.
The one soldier complained about his ears and thats no joke. A 120mm round going off at head level within 6 feet of you is on heck of a blast, even with ear plugs or your fingers in your ears at charge 1. We had pits like those in Korea when I was with 1/503rd in 97-98. I understand now that even mach units are doing much more ground-mount missions from FOB's and other bases than from thier tracks. It allows them to quickly fire 360 degree's easier than when they are mounted in tracks and can't fire over the front of the track due to "stop-blocks" in the turn-tables.
I'll have to save this tape for future reference.

char

- SFC_Jeff_Button

Hey Doug, that's some great video and really makes me miss the gun line! The WP and HE mix, (shake and bake) was always my favorite mission. I counted 8rds at charge "0" and 8 rounds at charge "1". Minimum range for a 120mm was 200 meters so they were firing at targets pretty close.
They had pre-determined targets already. These were probably marked by aiming poles as well as marks inside the gun pit walls in case the poles got knocked down, for quick reference/aqusition. They moved the gun to 3 different firing points in rapid order. This means they had rehersed their pre-determined elevation and charges for those points. And more than likely had round "pre-cut" to those charges in case of attack. I doubt the were FPF's, (final protective fires) however.
The opening of the footage must have been taken from inside the FDC, (fire direction center) bunker.
The one soldier complained about his ears and thats no joke. A 120mm round going off at head level within 6 feet of you is on heck of a blast, even with ear plugs or your fingers in your ears at charge 1. We had pits like those in Korea when I was with 1/503rd in 97-98. I understand now that even mach units are doing much more ground-mount missions from FOB's and other bases than from thier tracks. It allows them to quickly fire 360 degree's easier than when they are mounted in tracks and can't fire over the front of the track due to "stop-blocks" in the turn-tables.
I'll have to save this tape for future reference.

Jeff,
not being 11C myself, but having worked with closely, my impression is as yours...situation far less than ideal, but not hypercritical....yet. Had established registration on likely points of attack and were prepared to implement prepared fire positions quickly as needed. Lots of charge 0 and charge 1 for close in threats and had prepositioned likely directions of fire and probably pre-registered so getting steel on target was a rotation and an elevation setting. Not a lot of wasted action...turn, elevate (or depress) and start pumping rounds out until that threat abates. Then, onto the next threat. Seemed well controlled and nobody paniced. Close in threats were being engaged by riflemen so mortar team could execute their plan.

I love it when a plan comes together!