DEROS comes after 12 months of back-breaking work for an artilleryman and he takes home memories of an endless parade of firebases that he has helped build and stories of the times they "got hit." But he also carries a sense of pride in having done this job well and the unspoken thanks of many infantrymen whose lives he has saved. He remembers the names of the firebases--proud names like Ike, Eagle, Jay, Vivian, Fort Compton, Jamie, Granite--and some that were named after his fallen friends.

Three battalions of 105mm howitzers--1st Bn, 21st Artillery; 1st Bn, 77th Artillery; and 2nd Bn, 19th Artillery--and one battalion of 155mm howitzers--the 1st Bn, 30th Artillery--are assigned to the 1st Air Cav. One battery of the smaller guns, the 105s, works with each infantry battalion. The 155mm batteries are split in half and deployed to several firebases and basecamps. Bigger guns, the 175mm and eight inch, are operationally controlled by the 1st Air Cav Division from II Field Force.

The firebase concept is the key to the airmobile 1st Cav and the batteries of 105mm and 155mm howitzers are the cornerstone of any firebase--its very reason for existence.

Whenever infantry moves in to an area, artillery follows a few minutes behind. While the artillery battery sets up its guns and an infantry company provides security, the other companies from the battalion combat assault in to the surrounding territory to search for the enemy. If few Communists are found, the base is abandoned and the process starts all over again in another jungle clearing.

"We've moved 15 times in four months plus three artillery raids where half the battery moved. The days just keep going on and we keep on moving. I'm sure that pretty soon they'll run out of places to move us and we'll finally get to a permanent firebase," said 1st Lieutenant Meauman Coleman, acting commander of Bravo Battery, 2nd Bn, 19th Artillery.

Less than an hour later the artillerymen at Fire Support Base Wainwright heard the rumors, which soon became fact. "We're moving again tomorrow--back to Hannas." The wandering Redlegs had expected it. They'd been at Wainwright five days already.

Once the battery is told it's moving, usually only hours before the move is to take place, activity begins at a furious pace. The artillerymen get up before dawn and begin packing their extra ammunition into boxes. Duffle bags, flak jackets, rifles, special ammunition and water cans are neatly stored in huge bags to be slung out under a Chinook. A big three point sling is broken out of storage and hooked to the howitzer after the baseplate is pulled out of the ground. The furious activity increases as everyone from cooks to fire direction center specialists to the ammo haulers begins to tear their areas down and prepare to move. Last to go are the radio and antenna that may still carry orders for a last minute fire mission.