MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, North Carolina -- 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Marines sent a hail of heavy rounds down onto the Piney
Island bombing range, North Carolina, Sept. 15, 2015 raking targets on land and in the bay in roaring
demonstrations of gunnery prowess.
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365
conducted the training to enhance the crew chief’s ability to be more proficient
tail gunners, providing fire support for Marines on the ground from the
advantageous sky.
Capt. Jacob R. Dyer, an MV-22B Osprey pilot with the
squadron, explained how tail gunnery is a major aspect of a crew chief’s job.
Their skill with the aircraft’s GAU-16 .50 caliber machine gun is vital to their
performance in an operational environment.
“Our training and readiness
standards list out everything we could be tasked with, and tail gunnery is one
of the more important qualifications a crew chief can have,” Dyer
said.
Overseeing the gunners on the rear of the aircraft were tail gunner
instructors, one for each of the two aircraft. After assembling their weapon
system, they made their way to Bombing Target 11, a training site east of Marine
Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. From there, the Marines rained
down fire to engage targets in and out of the water that represented a convoy,
barge and landing craft, at altitudes between 200 and 500 feet.
Firing
the weapon system from a moving aircraft presents a challenge different from an
engagement on the ground. There are several factors for the gunner to consider,
such as the speed and direction of the aircraft and the wind resistance from a
higher altitude.
“We have to look at it from a different perspective as
aerial gunners,” said Staff Sgt. Anthony Knight, a crew chief and tail gunner
instructor with the squadron. “We don’t have a range-finder or a sight. It’s
more on seeing the target and how you have shot before and what you understand
about the weapon system.”
The gunners overcame the scope of their
engagement and left their targets riddled with holes, then with rounds spent,
proceeded to oversee the lift back to the air station.
“It’s very
important that crew chiefs are current and proficient in tail gunnery,” Dyer
said. “Having qualified crew chiefs that have trained on the aircraft allow us
to [efficiently] put a crew together to go on a mission.”