This gun is based on the British 15lb. Erhardt gun and was manufactured prior to World War I (1914-1918). Since the gun trail is one piece it could not be elevated easily. It could fire between 20 and 30 rounds of 75mm shells per minute. The 75mm fired mainly explosive and shrapnel shells. Each 75mm shrapnel shell had a time fuse that could be set to explode while still in the air. The shrapnel shell time fuse could be set to fly for 21 seconds. In the event that the time fuse did not work on the shrapnel shells, they were equipped with a back up percussion device so that they would go off on contact with the ground. The effective range of a shrapnel shell was 6,500 yards. This range was shorter than that of British and French guns used in World War I. This type of gun did not see action overseas in World War I. The model was probably used for artillery training by soldiers at nearby Camp Sevier (1917-1918) during World War I. An artillery range was located in the area of present day Highway 11 near Cleveland, S.C. The French provided all of our artillery needs in exchanged for us getting as many Doughboys across the Atlantic Ocean as soon as possible. A gun similar to this was used by Battery D, 129th Field Artillery Regiment, 35th Division, U.S. 1st Army in 1918. Battery D was commanded by future U.S. President - Captain Harry S. Truman. The 75mm Field Gun was used as late as 1941 against the Japanese in the Philippines.

This gun was donated by the family of Charlie Crenshaw.

Marker is on North Academy Street.

Courtesy hmdb.org

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