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Lewistown in Fergus County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
 

240 mm Howitzer M1

 
 
240 mm Howitzer M1 Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 17, 2019
1. 240 mm Howitzer M1 Marker
Inscription. The 240 was designed and first built in 1941. It was used extensively in WWII in Europe and in the Pacific. It was also used in Korea until the ammo supply ran out. More recently, the 240 was in service in the Republic of China. None are now known to be in the active Army inventory. The 240 was the largest field piece used by the US except for Naval ordinance. The only larger howitzer built for the US Army was the 280 atomic cannon which was never put into action.
In the late 1950's, the Department of Army established Army Reserve units nationwide. Lewistown had one of those units. The 743rd Field Artillery was a Regular Army unit and included the local reserve unit which consisted of about 50 to 60 local young men. Training was conducted on a 240 mm howitzer but the gun was never fired locally. After a short time of having the 240 as a training aid, the Montana Army Reserve units received 155mm howitzers to replace the 240. This 240 was donated to the City of Lewistown in 1957 and was placed on display here in 1959.

Specificatons:
240 millimeter (9.4") bore • 360 pound projectile • 22 man crew including the drivers of the two wagons (The barrel came off for moving and was carried on its own wagon). • Six men on the loading tray (this is for lifting and placing the projectile to the breech of the gun). Four
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men on the rammer staff to shove the round into the breech. • Range of about 14 miles • Muzzle velocity - 2300 feet per second. • Weight - 64,700 pounds. • Barrel length - 27'6"

The loading operation was somewhat similar to a muzzle loading rifle except that it was loaded from the breech. The projectile was loaded followed by the powder bags. The fuse to ignite the powder was a blank cartridge screwed into the breech.

"Someday, not too distant, there can come streaking out of somewhere-we won't be able to hear it, it will come so fast-some kind of gadget with an explosive so powerful that one projectile will be able to wipe out completely this city of Washington."
General H.H. Arnold.
 
Erected by Lewistown Historic Resources Commission.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: MilitaryWar, World II.
 
Location. 47° 4.251′ N, 109° 24.919′ W. Marker is in Lewistown, Montana, in Fergus County. Marker is on East Main Street (U.S. 87) near Ridgelawn Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 408 East Main Street, Lewistown MT 59457, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. LGM-30A Minuteman I (within shouting distance of this marker); Statue of Liberty (within shouting distance
240 mm Howitzer M1 and Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 17, 2019
2. 240 mm Howitzer M1 and Marker
The marker is on the right.
of this marker); Viet Nam Service Appreciation Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); 108 Hawthorne Avenue (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Lewistown Mercantile Company (approx. 0.4 miles away); Knerr-Tubb Block / Armory Hall (approx. half a mile away); Hopkins Grocery (approx. half a mile away); Saint Leo's Catholic Church (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lewistown.
 
More about this marker. The Howitzer is in Symmes Park.
 
Regarding 240 mm Howitzer M1. "ordinance" should be "ordnance" (no "i").
 
240 mm Howitzer M1 image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 17, 2019
3. 240 mm Howitzer M1
The monument in front of the howitzer reads:
In Grateful Memory of the Veterans of All Wars
V.F.W.
Post 1703
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on March 15, 2021. It was originally submitted on December 9, 2019, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 387 times since then and 24 times this year. Last updated on March 14, 2021, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos:   1, 2, 3. submitted on December 9, 2019, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 29, 2024