Fort Sill in Comanche County, Oklahoma — The American South (West South Central)

U.S. 4.7-Inch Gun, Model of 1906

Photographed by James Hulse, September 9, 2021

1. U.S. 4.7-Inch Gun, Model of 1906 Marker

Inscription. This was the heavy field gun of U.S. Field Artillery at the beginning of World War I. The M1906 used two spring cylinders plus a hydraulic cylinder to absorb the recoil and to return the tube to the in-battery position. This dual recoil system, assisted by wheel brakes and the spade at the end of the trail, kept the gun stable, requiring only minor adjustments for the next round. Only 60 guns were available when America entered the war in 1917, far fewer than required to support the massive expansion of the U.S. Army. A total of only 48 arrived in France during the war, making it the only American designed gun to be used by the U.S. Field Artillery in World War I. Ammunition was the primary problem with the use of the M1906 in the war, because the Allies did not use the same ammunition. This meant that every round had to be shipped across the Atlantic. An additional 320 carriages and 149 guns were manufactured by the end of the war. The 4.7-in. Gun was used as a long range counter-battery and anti-balloon gun in World War I. This gun was made at Rock Island Arsenal in 1918.

Caliber - 4.7 in. - 119.4 mm
Weight - 8,069

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lb. - 3,660 kg
Range - 11,000 yds. - 10,060 m
Shell Weight - 45 lb. - 20.4 kg
Muzzle Velocity - 1,700 ft/sec. - 518 m/sec.
Elevation - (0 to + 15 degrees) - (0 to +267 mils)
Traverse - 7.8 degrees - 140 mils
Rate of Fire - 2-4 rpm
CCN# 110220

Erected by U.S. Army Field Artillery Museum. (Marker Number 021.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, World I. A significant historical year for this entry is 1917.

Location. 34° 39.976′ N, 98° 23.074′ W. Marker is in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in Comanche County. It is at the intersection of Corral Road and Randolph Road, on the right when traveling west on Corral Road. The marker is located in the eastern section of Artillery Park at the U.S. Army Field Artillery Museum. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Fort Sill OK 73503, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Oklahoma’s Kiowa Tribe,

in the Comanche Nation,

and in Southwest Oklahoma.

It is also in the American South,

specifically on the prairies,

and on the Southern Plains.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the

The U.S. 4.7-Inch Gun, Model of 1906 and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, September 9, 2021

2. The U.S. 4.7-Inch Gun, Model of 1906 and Marker

Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Comanchería,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: U.S. 3-Inch Field Gun, Model of 1902 (here, next to this marker); U.S. 6-Inch Siege Howitzer, Model of 1908/1908M1 (a few steps from this marker); Czechoslovakian VZ 37 149mm Howitzer (a few steps from this marker); German 77mm Field Gun, M1896 (new pattern) (a few steps from this marker); German 105mm Field Howitzer, M1898/1909 (a few steps from this marker); British 25-Pounder Field Gun/Howitzer (within shouting distance of this marker); German K-18 170mm Gun (within shouting distance of this marker); German 15cm Rocket Launcher 41 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Sill.

More about this marker. Marker and Museum are located on Fort Sill, an active U.S. military installation. The museum is open to the public, but appropriate identification is required for access for Fort Sill.

Related markers.

The U.S. 4.7-Inch Gun, Model of 1906 is the gun on the right of the two guns image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, September 9, 2021

3. The U.S. 4.7-Inch Gun, Model of 1906 is the gun on the right of the two guns

Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.

Also see . . . 4.7-inch gun M1906.

The 4.7-inch gun M1906 (initially the M1904) was designed and issued by the US Army Ordnance Department beginning in 1906, with the first units receiving the weapon in 1911. It was of the field gun type. It was one of very few pre-war US artillery designs selected for wartime production in World War I, although (as with most of these projects) few of these weapons were delivered to France and used in action. A combination of a limited pre-war munitions industry, the short (19-month) US participation in the war, technical problems with large-scale production, and the ready availability of munitions overseas led to this. Source: Wikipedia

(Submitted on February 10, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

Credits. This page was last revised on June 9, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 10, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 1,012 times since then and 85 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 10, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.