Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Crewman (601) Enlisted Personnel
As a member of a gun crew, performs one or more of the following duties incident to firing and maintenance of a mobile 40-mm gun, a self-propelled 37-mm gun, or similar pieces used for protection of combat elements or strategic areas from enemy aircraft or mechanized vehicles.
Unlimbers gun from prime mover, mounts piece on jacks, extends outriggers to provide balance, and obtains equilibrium by adjusting jack levelling bubbles, and digs emplacement. Assists in maintenance and service of the piece. Passes ammunition from prime mover or cache to loader, or loads clips and places them around gun position. Inserts clips into autoloader, adjusts firing lever, and if firing with director control fires by pressing on foot pedal. When firing without electrical director control, operates azimuth or elevation forward area sights, tracking target by sighting through direct fire sights and manipulating cranks rotating gun. As elevation tracker, fires pieces by pressing on foot pedal. Sets up and operates machine gun or acts as ammunition man for machine gunner covering with fire dead space immediately over gun position. Acts as lookout, reporting approach of enemy planes.
May drive prime mover as gunner, supervises crew going into and out of action, and in the emplacement of the piece. When firing without director control, indicates targets, gives or repeats commands to fire, and adjusts fire by verbal order. When firing with director control, roughly aligns gun and director, and throws gun into automatic control by operating gun sleeving clutch and elevation switch. Checks bore sighting, and pulls rope tied around foot of firer when command to cease firing is given. Tracks target, using direct fire sights, operates deflection handle, estimating lateral and vertical leads and applying them to sighting system, loads automatic loader, or drives half-track. May operate 37-mm gun and two machine guns mounted on a half-track, tracking, loading, and firing.
At supervisory level, commands gun and range section specialists and is responsible for emplacement, conduct of fire, and fire adjustment while engaging targets.
Should be acquainted with mechanical functioning and tactical use of gun and the reduction of stoppages. Should be familiar with duties of all members of the crew.
Unlimbers gun from prime mover, mounts piece on jacks, extends outriggers to provide balance, and obtains equilibrium by adjusting jack levelling bubbles, and digs emplacement. Assists in maintenance and service of the piece. Passes ammunition from prime mover or cache to loader, or loads clips and places them around gun position. Inserts clips into autoloader, adjusts firing lever, and if firing with director control fires by pressing on foot pedal. When firing without electrical director control, operates azimuth or elevation forward area sights, tracking target by sighting through direct fire sights and manipulating cranks rotating gun. As elevation tracker, fires pieces by pressing on foot pedal. Sets up and operates machine gun or acts as ammunition man for machine gunner covering with fire dead space immediately over gun position. Acts as lookout, reporting approach of enemy planes.
May drive prime mover as gunner, supervises crew going into and out of action, and in the emplacement of the piece. When firing without director control, indicates targets, gives or repeats commands to fire, and adjusts fire by verbal order. When firing with director control, roughly aligns gun and director, and throws gun into automatic control by operating gun sleeving clutch and elevation switch. Checks bore sighting, and pulls rope tied around foot of firer when command to cease firing is given. Tracks target, using direct fire sights, operates deflection handle, estimating lateral and vertical leads and applying them to sighting system, loads automatic loader, or drives half-track. May operate 37-mm gun and two machine guns mounted on a half-track, tracking, loading, and firing.
At supervisory level, commands gun and range section specialists and is responsible for emplacement, conduct of fire, and fire adjustment while engaging targets.
Should be acquainted with mechanical functioning and tactical use of gun and the reduction of stoppages. Should be familiar with duties of all members of the crew.
Alternate nomenclatures:
- Ammunition Handler
- Antiaircraft Artillery NCO, Automatic Weapons
- Cannoneer
- Gunner, Antiaircraft
- Gunner, Machine, Antiaircraft