The FDC produces two other records critical to safe firing. One is a map overlay that can be used to determine if the observers are calling in safe targets. This is usually drawn in map pens on acetate overlays, and kept outside. Because of this, it can easily get faded or otherwise destroyed, especially in bad weather. The other is a safety T. This is a simple end product that can quickly determine if firing data is safe. They are kept by the FDC and the guns to allow multiple independent checks at both levels. This means they can be checked against stored firing data to see if the FDC or the guns fired data that was unsafe according to the safety T’s they had. However, the T’s are the product of a complicated math procedure with lots of potential for errors. Ideally, multiple people perform this procedure then compare answers to ensure it was done correctly. Each performance generates a record which needs to be kept in case a round impacts unsafely. This way they can be checked to see if the FDC performed the calculations correctly. Firing data could’ve been safe according to the safety T’s, but if the T’s were calculated incorrectly, then that data obviously might not have been safe after all. These records are often kept after the training for reference in future training. They should also be kept organized in case the unit returns to the same firing point so they can then be reused. The safety procedure can also be done digitally with a special computer, but this computer can only store the most recent set of safety T’s, so it is only useful for one firing point at a time unless the FDC records somewhere else what it calculated for other firing points.
None of this data is worth archiving, except perhaps a few copies for some future historian interested in how artillery functioned in the early 21st century. However, from a records management standpoint this data is critical, and without any records managers it’s up to us to see the importance of these records and preserve them ourselves.
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The FDC is the biggest record creator of the artillery. The FDC’s firing computer automatically stores incoming data from the observers, and all outgoing data to the guns. It also contains a database of information relating to all the other units in the area of operations, all targets fired and planned targets, detailed meteorological information, detailed information on all the guns, and many other things. Each piece of information has its own retention schedule—for example, meteorological information needs to be updated fairly often because weather changes often and that affects ballistic trajectories. The database also contains a ton of information critical to being able to establish digital communications. This creates a huge preservation challenge for the artillery—we need that database to operate, and we need to all be running on similar databases. As a result, we save databases from each training event, hoping they will work for the next event. If not, we have to go into a time-consuming process of creating a new database. Because of this, there is often one copy of the newest database floating around, and when we can’t get the computer working we find that copy, copy it for ourselves, load it into our computer, and hope it works.
The firing data stored in the computer is also useful if a round impacts in the wrong place. Like on the guns, it can clear or convict the FDC of sending the wrong data or processing the mission incorrectly. It can also clear or convict the observers of sending incorrect data, although that would likely also convict the FDC of processing data they should’ve detected was wrong. This data is replicated on a standard Army form that is used both when running digital operations and when running by voice. The form records all the data sent by the observers as well as the data sent from the FDC to the guns. It can fulfill the same role as the computer data in clearing or convicting the FDC, although with varying degrees in accuracy. Sometimes, the FDC sends digital data to the guns but over the radio tells them to fire slightly different, slightly safer data. The FDC computer would not record this, but the paper copy would. On the other hand, fire missions move fast, and the recorder does not always get all the information for the paper copy, or because of human error might record the wrong data. If the gunline is up digital, then the gun’s computer will preserve records of all the firing data that the guns have fired. This is preserved, at least until the guns move to a new firing point. If digital isn’t working, the guns receive their fire commands by voice, and the radio operator writes them down on a standard form. This is preserved generally until the end of the training, when it is thrown away. These records need to be kept at least until the guns leave the firing point. If a round impacts somewhere other than the intended target, these records can prove the guns fired the correct data and clear the gun crew—but on the other hand, they could prove the guns fired the wrong data and convict the gun crew. Digital records are better for this, because they record what data the gun actually fired. The paper records what the gun was supposed to fire. If the gunner messed up and fired the wrong data, there will be a discrepancy in the gun and paper record, which also could implicate the gunners and clear the FDC.
These records are technically legal documents. This means they must be filled out in black ink. If someone copies down the wrong information, they then must strike it out, write down the right data, and date and initial the change. This can make for very messy and hard to read records, especially because artillery moves fast and recorders don't usually have time to write in neat, careful handwriting. Our conversations and readings about records have got me thinking about how archives relate to my job in the US Army. The army has a historical branch which of course maintains several archives, and army documents are also stored in other places, such as NARA. The army also encourages soldiers to keep records of their deployments, in some cases handing out cameras. However, in the artillery we are very prolific records creators, and most of our records never make it to an archives. So my title is a bit misleading as I’ll really be talking about records management.
The first thing to know about artillery is there are three parts: the eyes, or observers, who see and call in targets, the brawn, or the gunline, which loads and fires the rounds, and the brain, or fire direction center (FDC) which calculates firing data for the guns so they hit their target and determines how many and what type of projectiles to use. We create records in each part. Ideally, we have digital communication between all three parts. If this is the case, then the observers create a digital record for each fire mission of the information they send to the FDC, which includes target type (tanks, building, etc) and target location (grid coordinates). If digital is down, they usually write down that information and call it to the FDC over the radio. These records are not preserved. The digital might survive on the device for a while, but unintentionally. The written records are usually written on scrap paper and thrown away or lost. Given that observers move around the battlefield, often by walking or running, it’s no surprise these records aren’t kept. They can’t lug filing cabinets around. |