FORWARD OBSERVERS
"The Kings of Battle"
2nd Bn, 9th Artillery

in direct support to units of:

LINE UNITS
1st Bn, 35th Infantry Regiment (Cacti Green)
2nd Bn, 35th Infantry Regiment (Cacti Blue)
1st Bn, 14th Infantry Regiment (Golden Dragons)

A salute to the men who served as Forward Observers with the 2/9th Artillery
 as part of their tour of duty in the Republic of Vietnam, 1966 - 1971.

WHAT IS AN FO?  An artillery observer is a soldier responsible for directing artillery fire and close air support (ground attack by aircraft) onto enemy positions. Because artillery is an indirect-fire weapon system, the guns are rarely in line-of-sight of their target, often located tens of miles away. The observer serves as the eyes of the artillery battery, calling in target locations and adjustments to the Fire Direction Center (FDC) via radio or (less commonly) landline. The FDC then translates the observer's orders into firing commands (deflection and quadrant elevation)  for the battery's cannons. Artillery observers are often deployed with combat arms maneuver units, typically infantry companies or armored squadrons.  NOTE!  "Wikipedia" omission:  ONLY the 105mm howitzer battalions, such as the 2/9th Arty, were tasked to provide Forward Observers.  Consequently, just a "privileged few" served with the "grunts".

Artillery observers are considered high-priority targets by enemy forces, as they control a great amount of firepower, are within visual range of the enemy, and are often located deep within enemy territory. The artillery observer must therefore be skilled not only in fire direction, but also in stealth and, when necessary, direct combat.

Forward Observers, due to their intelligence, adaptability, and broad range of combat skills are often superb candidates for many special operations units and training. FOs are also considered to be "crazy" and "eccentric" by their peers, due to their dangerous mission profiles and their usually innate strong sense of independence, dislike for rigid authority and protocol, and general proclivity towards sarcasm, grim humor, and general disregard for rules such as those concerning uniforms, saluting, etc., which many FOs do not believe apply to them in the field.  This famous streak of rebelliousness and their high esprit de corps make them a coveted, versatile and dangerous asset to many commanders' arsenals.  {Apocryphal notes here, but the FOs won't dispute it}

{Courtesy of Wikipedia, with omission corrected and amended}

THE FORWARD OBSERVERS

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