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Show Pershing firing set next week By CHUCK POISALL GILSON BUTTE, UTAH, -Two batteries of the Seventh U. S. Army's 56th Artillery Group, based in Europe, arrived at Gilson Butte, Utah, this week to begin preparation for annual service practice (ASP) of Pershing artillery missiles. Two rounds will be fired next week. The two - stage ballistic missiles will impact on White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico, some 400 nautical miles from this launch site southwest of Green River, Utah. The firing troops, who , will operate under simulated tactical conditions, were welcomed- to the bivouac area, on a sandy mesa near Gilson Butte, by members ofthe2ndBattalioii 44th Artillery. This Pershing unit from Ft. Sill, Okla., provides support for all off-range Pershing firings in Utah. The 2nd Battalion of the 44th Artillery was the Army's first Pershing unit activated in March 63 when the Pershing became operational. Commander of the battalion is Lieutenant Colonel Richard D. Boyle. Executive officer is Captain Thomas Fitzgerald. Only three ASP rounds will be fired in the abbreviated fall series of Pershings from Gil-son Butte. A unit from the Federal Republic of Germany (West German) Air Force will arrive next week to prepare for £>**.&•'••*;'' *••«••*- --.- ' •-"•'_ Pershing firirVg * (Continued from Page 1) one round to be fired during the week of Nov. 11. That round will wind up the Pershing off-range program for the calendar year 1968. The 2nd battalion will return to Ft Sill and other support agencies will return to their home stations. These agencies include the Field Artillery Missile Systems Evaluation Group (FAMESG) of Ft Sill, the Pershing Program Managers Office (PPMO) of the Army Missile Command at Ked-stone Arsenal, Ala., and various elements from White Sands Missile Range. Newly assigned commander of FAMSEG, now on his first trip to Gilson Butte is Lieutenant Colonel Harold Bennett The PPMO Field unit in Utah is headed by James E. Connor. WSMR operations in Utah are directed by A. Muray Maughan. |