[Lone Sentry: FM 17-76: Crew Drill and Service of the Piece, Medium Tank, M4 Series (105-mm Howitzer)]
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FM 17-76: Crew Drill and Service of the Piece, Medium Tank, M4 Series (105-mm Howitzer)
Field Manual, War Department, September 15, 1944
[DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from a WWII U.S. War Department Field Manual. As with all field manuals, the text may be incomplete or inaccurate. No attempt has been made to update or correct the contents of the field manual. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the website.]


Section IV
CREW DRILL

7. DISMOUNTED DRILL. a. To form crew. Being dismounted, the crew takes dismounted posts at the command FALL IN.

b. To break ranks. Crew being at dismounted posts, at the command FALL OUT, the crew breaks ranks. Crew members habitually fall out to the right of the tank.

c. To call off. Crew being at dismounted posts, at the command CALL OFF, the members of the crew call off in turn as follows:

(1) Tank commander _ _ _ _ _ "SERGEANT" (or "LIEUTENANT")

(2) Gunner _ _ _ _ _ "GUNNER"

(3) Bow gunner _ _ _ _ _ "BOG"

(4) Driver _ _ _ _ _ "DRIVER"

(5) Cannoneer _ _ _ _ _ "LOADER"

d. To change designation and duties. (1) Crew being at dismounted posts, at the command FALL OUT SERGEANT (GUNNER) (DRIVER)—

(a) The man designated to fall out moves by the rear to the left flank position and becomes cannoneer.

(b) The crew members on the left of the vacated post move smartly to the right one position and prepare to call off their new designations.

(c) The acting tank commander starts calling off as soon as the crew is re-formed in line.

(2) The movement may be executed by having any member of the crew fall out except the cannoneer.

(3) All movements should be executed with snap and precision and at double time.

8. TO MOUNT. Crew being at dismounted posts.

 Tank Commander   Gunner   Bow Gunner   Driver   Cannoneer 
Command: PREPARE TO MOUNT.        
About face. About face. About face. About face. About face.
Command: MOUNT.        
Stand fast. Mount right fender. Stand fast. Stand fast. Mount left fender.
Mount right fender. Mount right sponson.   Mount right fender. Mount left sponson.
Mount right sponson. Enter turret and take post. Mount right fender. Enter driver's seat. Enter turret and take post.
Enter turret and take post.   Enter bog's seat. Close battery master switches. Turn on radio.
Connect breakaway plugs. Connect breakaway plugs. Connect breakaway plugs. Connect breakaway plugs. Connect breakaway plugs.
Command: REPORT.  
Report "Gunner ready".
 
 
Report "Bog ready".
 
 
 
Report "Driver ready".
 
 
 
 
Report "Loader ready".

9. TO CLOSE AND OPEN HATCHES. a. To close hatches. Crew being at mounted posts.

 Tank Commander   Gunner   Bow Gunner   Driver   Cannoneer 
Command: CLOSE HATCHES.        
  Release turret traversing lock and insure that turret weapons do not block hatches.      
Close hatch.   Close hatch. Close hatch. Close hatch.
    Raise periscope. Raise periscope.  
Command: REPORT.  
Report "Gunner ready".
 
 
Report "Bog ready".
 
 
 
Report "Driver ready".
 
 
 
 
Report "Loader ready".

b. To open hatches. Crew being at mounted posts.

 Tank Commander   Gunner   Bow Gunner   Driver   Cannoneer 
Command: OPEN HATCHES.        
  Release turret traversing lock and insure that turret weapons do not block hatches. Lower periscope. Lower periscope.  
Open hatch.   Open hatch. Open hatch. Open hatch.
Command: REPORT.  
Report "Gunner ready".
 
 
Report "Bog ready".
 
 
 
Report "Driver ready".
 
 
 
 
Report "Loader ready".

10. TO DISMOUNT. Crew being at mounted posts, turret straight ahead.

 Tank Commander   Gunner   Bow Gunner   Driver   Cannoneer 
Command: PREPARE TO DISMOUNT.        
Disconnect breakaway plugs. Disconnect breakaway plugs. Disconnect breakaway plugs. Disconnect breakaway plugs. Disconnect breakaway plugs.
      Open battery master switches. Turn off radio.
Command: DISMOUNT.        
Emerge from turret. Stand fast. Emerge from hatch. Emerge from hatch. Emerge from turret.
Move to right sponson. Emerge from turret. Move to right fender. Move to left fender. Move to left sponson.
Move to right fender. Move to right sponson. Take dismounted post. Take dismounted post. Move to left fender.
Take dismounted post. Move to right fender.     Take dismounted post.
  Take dismounted post.      

11. TO DISMOUNT THROUGH ESCAPE HATCH. Without weapons, crew being at mounted posts.

 Tank Commander   Gunner   Bow Gunner   Driver   Cannoneer 
Command: THROUGH ESCAPE HATCH, PREPARE TO DISMOUNT.        
Disconnect breakaway plugs. Disconnect breakaway plugs. Disconnect breakaway plugs. Disconnect breakaway plugs. Disconnect breakaway plugs.
  Traverse turret to give access from loader's to bog's compartment. Open escape hatch. Help bog open hatch if necessary. Turn radio off.
      Open battery master switches.  
Command: DISMOUNT.        
Stand fast. Stand fast. Dismount through escape hatch. Stand fast. Stand fast.
  Move to left side of turret. Crawl from under tank and take dismounted post.   Move into bog's compartment and dismount.
Move to left side of turret. Enter bog's compartment and dismount.     Crawl from under tank and take dismounted post.
Enter bog's compartment and dismount. Crawl from under tank and take dismounted post.      
Crawl from under tank and take dismounted post.     Move to bog's compartment and dismount.  
      Crawl from under tank and take dismounted post.  

12. PEP DRILL. To vary the drill routine and to keep the interest of the crew members, unexpected periods of pep drill are introduced into the training. Pep drill is a series of precision movements executed at high speed and terminating at the position of attention either mounted or dismounted. For example, the crews being dismounted, the platoon commander may command, IN FRONT OF YOUR TANKS, FALL IN; MOUNT; DISMOUNT; FALL OUT SERGEANT; ON THE LEFT OF YOUR TANKS, FALL IN; FORWARD; MARCH; BY THE RIGHT FLANK, MARCH; TO THE REAR, MARCH; MOUNT. Preparatory commands for mounting and dismounting are normally omitted from this type of drill. Posts of all crew members are changed frequently.

 


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