2003 Year in Review

Howitzer in New Veteran's Park

Morrison Blacktop volunteered to pick up the canon at Rock Island Arsenal, then after it was painted they moved into it's new home.

New retaining wall built by J.C. Associates of Sterling, Illinois.

Morrison is not going to war with Sterling, even though the City put a cannon in place in the Veteran’s Park pointing east on September 30. Sterling is in no danger, first because it only has a range of 6-7 miles but mainly because it has been decommissioned so it cannot be fired. Dick Groharing of City’s Preservation Commission commented, “we’re a day early”. The Commission told the Rock Island Arsenal it would be in place by October 1.

Early Tuesday morning Morrison Blacktop backed the M101A1, 105 mm Howitzer onto new red brick pad prepared by Al and Randy’s Construction Co. The City workers and Blacktop employees physically moved the cannon into place. Randy Betts immediately drilled the holes to make the move permanent while Phil Benson of Morrison Machine Shop welded the plates and stands into place.

Commission members remembered the poor shape the cannon arrived in and were impressed at the transformation that took place with Hunter Body Shop’s painting and Benson’s addition of a missing guard. “It probably looks better than it did off the assembly line,” commented member Roger Grau. This howitzer came to the Arsenal from Pennsylvania to be partially decommissioned. Artillery technicians from Springfield finished the details and Benson welded the brake so it could not be moved. The Howitzer, originally assembled in 1988 at the Rock Island Arsenal, was requested by Morrison’s Mayor Roger Drey, and was donated with the help of Senator Fitzgerald to the Veteran’s Park.

Veteran’s gathered less than three hours after the canon was moved into place to start reminiscing about their service behind the 105 mm Howitzer. This is obviously a fitting memorial to members of the armed forces.

The retaining wall is in place, the flagpoles have arrived and Al and Randy will be putting in the concrete for the three poles yet Tuesday. Morrison Blacktop will distribute the remaining dirt fill to level off the area. Then the commission will be finished for the 2003 year, but look forward to donations for 2004 to add the sidewalks, landscaping, and memorials.

Germany was the first makers of the 105 mm howitzers. After World War 1 the United States captured many of them and brought them to the U.S. to study. The first U.S. designed M2A1 was produced in March 1940. The almost 5,000 pound cannon has a range of 12,325 yards (7 miles) depending on the temperature. It fires a 33-pound projectile, which came in many different varieties from high explosive to smoke at a rate of ten rounds per minute. A good crew of six-to-eight artillerymen could fire nearly 100 rounds in an hour. The M101A1 is light and easy to tow. The replacement cost according to the USMC is $196,341. But Sterling doesn’t have to worry.

For more facts on the M101A1 Howitzer visit:

USMC

West Mifflin’s Veteran’s Park

by Barb Benson, theCity1.com
September 30, 2003