The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1916-09-28
TRACTOR GUNS
FOR u. 5. ARMY
Heavy Guns and Ammunition
VIII Be Hauled By Cater
pillar Machine.

of a horseless regiment of heavy field
artillery-the first of its kind in the
world. To be more accurate, it will be
caterpillar tractor" regiment because
all p of its guns will be hauled from
point to point and then put upon the
firing line by means of caterpillar
tractors" similar to those which have
been converted into what have been de-
scribeG as land dreadnaughts on the
Somme front.
With this comes the further disclosure
that the army is to have fed guns of
9.5 cadOre, and is experimenting with
16-inch field guns. These great increases
in the csIIbre of field guns have been
made possible through the development
of this tractor.
The new regiment has been designat-
ed the Ninth Heavy Field Artillery and
is to be stationed permanently in the
Hawaiian Islands. The regiment has
been formed, but its colonel has not
been assigned It's one of the three
new regiments of field artillery authoriz-
ed by the Defense act of June 8. 1916,
all of which are now being organized.
The distinctive features of the Ninth
Heavy Field Artillery which will single
it out as the first of its kind in the
world is as follows:
1t Will be thoroughly an exclusive
motor traction regiment, motor tractors
of varying types taking the place Of
about 1000 horses.
It's colonel and other military officers
will ride in a military automobile in
stead of on horseback.
Its heavy field guns and their heavy
munit0n caissons will be hauled by
powerful caterpillar tractors similar to
the novel machines varously described
as tank cars. " land dreadnaughts"
and willy wagons. now being used
by the British in the battle OF the Som
me, The American tractors will not be
armed and will be armored only for the
protection of their machinery.
The battery and store wagons of the
regiment will also be able to follow the
tractor drawn field howitzers inaction
over rough country.
The artillerymen who heretofore have
ridden horses will hereafter ride on
motorcycles with "bathtub" attach
ments, each MOTORCYCLE carving three
men.
The regiment will be provided with
its own truck company of q motor
trucks, which will carry ammunition to
the firing line,
The reserve ammunition for the re-
giment will also be conveyed to the
front by motortruck companies.
Two of the six bate of the regi-
hent will be equipped with the new
model OF 6-inch heavy field howitzer
which have just been adopted by the
army after successful experimental
tests at Fort Sill.
All the plans have been thoroughly
perfected and the regiment will be ready
for tactical maneuvers with its motor
traction facilities within a year.
The General Staff of the Army is
looking forward to the introduction of
16-inch field and siege howitzers, similar
IN power to the famous 42-centimeter
guns Of the German Army and which
also VII. be drawn by motor tractors.
1t was learned definitely that the
Ordinance Department has already com
pleted in one of its arsenals a 9.5-inch
field howitzer. 1t is a "plIot gum
that is it is the first of its type and size
built for the American Army for field
purposes. Plans have already been
completed by the War Department for
the construction of a pilot" 16-inch
field and siege howitzer which will soon
be built for experimental test, The
German 42-centimeter gun is a 17-inch
gun.
This new howitzer will be virtually a
counterpart of the German 42-centi-
meter gun in battering power. Four
of these tractors will be required for
moving each l6-inch gun and its ammu-
milton, one tractor hauling the gun and
three others hauling its mount and am
munitions. This gun will be moved to
seacoast points for dropping shells on
batteships approaching the coast where
there are no defenses.
The Ninth Heavy Field Artillery will
use thirty tractors. In this regiment
there will be six batteries. and each
battery will use tractors. Four of the
batteries of the regiment will be equip
ped with Al inch guns and the other
two batteries will be equipped with g.
inch howitzers. On the basis of four
guns to the battery, there will be 16 of
the a. inch guns and of the 6-inch
howltzers assigned to the regiment.
Each of these "a guns will be moved by
tractor. Thus, each of the six bat
teries will require four tractors for the
movement of Its guns.
There will also be assigned to each of
the regiments batteries an additional,
or fifth tractor. In each instance this