KLAIPEDA, Lithuania- U.S. paratroopers from 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, and Lithuanian Soldiers with Romualdas Giedraitis Artillery Battalion, Iron Wolf Mechanized Infantry Brigade, conducted an artillery live fire training exercise over the Baltic Sea here Sept. 25.
U.S. and Lithuanian forces fired their own, and each other's 105mm Howitzer guns, hitting targets in the Baltic Sea from a range several miles inland. This live fire exercise culminated several weeks of training. This combined training was part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, an ongoing operation demonstrating U.S. and NATO commitment to Eastern Europe's security and stability.
"I think it was an awesome event, and being welcomed by our NATO brethren, by our artillery brethren here in Lithuania, this was a great way for us to finish off this exercise," said Capt. Erich Murray, Battery Commander, B Battery, 4th Bn., 319th AFAR and a Chattanooga, Tennessee native.
Several distinguished visitors and Lithuanian media outlets gathered on a dune on the Curonian Spit to watch the first two volleys of Howitzer shells destroy the three meter-wide targets in the Baltic Sea, then traveled inland to the range to see the next volley fired.
"Working with the Lithuanian Army, I've noticed some differences with their crew drills and the way they do their job compared to us, but across the board it's pretty similar," said Sgt. Joseph Street, a Howitzer gunner with B Battery and a Hephzibah, Georgia native."I could walk over there and shoot their Howitzers and they could come over here and shoot ours."
OAR is enhancing interoperability among NATO allies in Eastern Europe through combined training exercises. The 173rd Airborne has deployed approximately 600 paratroopers in the Baltic states and Poland. in support of Atlantic Resolve. This is the third rotation of paratroopers from the brigade that have deployed in support of OAR.
"During the last four weeks, we've trained a lot. ," said Capt. Vadimas Jeriominas, an artillery officer with Lithuanian Land Forces Headquarters, and a Vilnius, Lithuania native. "We got a lot of information from our friends, and I think they did as well from us."
The 173rd Airborne Brigade, based in Vicenza, Italy, is the Army Contingency Response Force in Europe, and is capable of projecting forces to conduct a full range of military operations across the United States, European, Central and Africa Commands' areas of responsibility.
"Overall I think this training has been a great statement for us," said Murray. "For one, that our NATO alliance is strong and we're here to train, and two, that the interoperability between U.S. and Lithuanian forces, especially in the artillery community, is strong."
This combined training builds the personal and professional relationships and skill sets among the NATO allies, which is essential to maintaining stability and security across Eastern Europe.
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