Howitzer 'how to' PM.

Dear Editor,

We have learned these lessons the hard way--through experience. MII9A2 crews will save themselves grief if they remember these points:

* The M119A2 has 3G grease fittings, but you'll miss some if you just; go by the LO charts on Pages 0037 00-22 and 0037 00-28 in TM 9-1015-252-10. To hit; all the lube points you must; read the pages of notes that follow the charts, which marry crews don't do.

These are the fittings that are usually missed:

* Don't let the paint shop paint parts that need to move. If parts like the front stays, locking devices, equilibrator, and gear box are painted, they have trouble doing what they're supposed to. An equilibrator of gear box that can't function deadlines the howitzer. Before your howitzer goes to the paint shop, cover those part's that shouldn't be painted.

* When you change the knockoff hub on the right wheel, be sure to replace the backing plate, NSN 5365-01343-1783, and seal, NSN 5330-01-465-4538. They don't come with the hub. Otherwise the bearings won't be tight and the wheel can come off. Plus the hub will wear out Fast even if the wheel doesn't come off.

* The PMCS For the M119A2 doesn't pay much attention to the collimator, but if it doesn't work your accuracy suffers. When you do weekly PMCS, get the collimator out and make sure its knobs still work and the leveling bubble moves.

SGT Paul Fluharty

A Btry, 316 FA

Ft Drum, NY

(Editor's note: You do know the "how to" of howitzer PM. Thanks for sharing your experience.)