MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- “Half load! Fire!” yelled Lance Cpl. Nathen Morris, a mortar section leader with weapons platoon, Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, as he and fellow mortarmen conducted live-fire mortar training during exercise Island Viper at Kaneohe Bay range training facility, June 6, 2013.
The Marines sighted in on their objective, two steel targets depicting tanks, which sat 600 meters away.
Lance Cpl. Jared Ninow, a mortarman with 2nd Bn., 3rd Marines, and native of Wheaton, Ill., explained how they sight in.
“We look through the sight and line up with the target and fire stakes,” Ninow said. “Fire stakes point the direction of fire, and the ammo man sets them as the gunner uses hand signals. Each hand signal depicts the type of movement we should make.”
Morris, a native of Loudonville, Ohio, performed the task of fire direct center, which calculates firing information such as range and trajectory.
“The FDC controls fire,” Morris said. “I receive the call from the forward observer, then relay the information to the gun line’s guns, who then fire the mission.”
Morris said the purpose of the training is to support a squad-sized element of 13 Marines with multiple lines of support.
“We conducted this training with snipers, Combined Anti-Armor Team 2, medium machine guns and assault men,” Morris said. “This benefits riflemen because they get accustomed to having support and coordinating allows individuals to comprehend support and the general mission as well.”
As the call for fire came in, the mortarmen loaded their weapon systems, a M224A1 60 mm lightweight mortar, and provided three minutes of suppression by firing 10 rounds per squad.
Ninow said their job as mortarmen is essential to the overall mission.
“Providing support for squads is important and hones our skills,” Ninow said. “When they need support quickly, it keeps us on our toes, and it’s nice to conduct this training. It’s more challenging, and a good steppingstone to move up to Pohakuloa Training Area next month. The more we work together during gun drills, the smoother everything becomes.”
Morris said live-fire training is beneficial, especially for him and the Marines of his section.
“This training evolution allows us to work better as a section,” Morris said. “We understand what we need to improve on. Coordinating with different elements brings everything into perspective.”
Lance Cpl. Paul Margeson, a mortarman with 2nd Bn., 3rd Marines and native of Springfield, Mass., said he is proud to be
a mortarman.
“I have a lot of pride in my job, I love it and it’s not something everybody can do,” Margeson said. “Some people look at a mortar system and get confused. I know exactly what I need to do to get rounds downrange and provide support. In future deployments, I’m looking forward to going to new countries to train and learn from each other. It’s nice to know no matter where we go, we have allies and people to work with.”