What exactly would a Scout have done in a Field Artillery Battalion?

May I ask what unit your great uncle was with, and during what periods? That could impact what he would have exactly done. Ignore this portion, as I see by one of your previous posts that he was a member of the 731st Field Artillery Battalion (155 mm gun) for at least part of his service.

731st Field Artillery Bn (155mm Gun Trac-D). 18 Jan 43 Cp Maxey Tex / 26 Oct 45 Cp Patrick Henry Va. NYPE: 31 Mar 44. England: 6 Apr 44. France-ETO: 16 Jul 44. HRPE: 26 Oct 45. (nondiv).

Scouts (SSN 761), also referred to in tables of organization, among other names and specific roles, as "liaison," "agent," "agent liaison," or "reconnaissance," had several roles in the field artillery battalion (varying pieces):

SCOUT (761)

Intelligence Observer

Reconnaissance Agent

Liaison Agent

Reconnaissance NCO

Obtains information concerning strength, disposition, and probable intentions of enemy forces, route conditions, locations for bivouac, and terrain features in order to facilitate tactical employment and maneuver of friendly troops, and prevent surprise attack.

Applies scouting and patrolling principles in searching terrain for sign of enemy activity, operating from an observation post, on foot, or mounted. Records observations and transmits by the best available means of communication.

Based on observations of activity and disposition must be able to estimate strength of enemy detachments and arrive at a logical conclusion as to their probable intentions. Must be able to read maps and aerial photographs, make sketches, and use compass and field glasses. Must be able to determine, by observation and inspection, what load may be moved over bridges and roads on route of advance of friendly troops. Must be proficient in use of weapons with which armed. Must possess excellent visual memory. Must be able to remain oriented in unfamiliar territory.

At supervisory level, is responsible for control, coordination, and tactical employment of reconnaissance crew.

SUGGESTED SUBSTITUTES

604 Light Machine Gunner

605 Heavy Machine Gunner

607 Light Mortar Crewman

733 Reconnaissance Car Crewman

745 Rifleman

746 Automatic Rifleman

1607 Heavy Mortar Crewman

• Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Motorized, Field Artillery Battalion, 105-mm Howitzer, Truck-Drawn or Tractor Drawn (27 September 1944):

• 3 sergeants, liaison, in liaison sections (authorized only when battalion is part of division artillery)

• 1 corporal, agent, in the operations and fire direction section of the headquarters battery

• 3 privates or privates first class, liaison, in liaison sections (authorized only when battalion is part of division artillery)

• Field Artillery Battery, Motorized, 105-mm Howitzer, Truck-Drawn (27 September 1944):

• 1 sergeant, reconnaissance, in forward observer section (authorized only when battery is in battalion part of division artillery)

• 1 corporal, agent, in the battery detail

• 2 corporals, scouts, in the battery detail

• Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Motorized, Field Artillery Battalion, 155-mm Howitzer or 4.5-inch Gun, Truck-Drawn or Tractor Drawn (27 September 1944):

• 1 sergeant, reconnaissance, in forward observer section (authorized only when battalion is part of division artillery)

• 1 corporal, agent, in the operations and fire direction section of the operations platoon of the headquarters battery (drives 1/4-ton truck)

• Field Artillery Battery, Motorized, 155-mm Howitzer or 4.5-inch Gun, Tractor Drawn (27 September 1944):

• 2 corporals, scouts, in the battery detail

• Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Armored Field Artillery Battalion (22 November 1944):

• 1 sergeant, agent liaison, in the liaison section of the observation, reconnaissance, and liaison platoon

• 1 corporal, agent liaison, in the headquarters section of the battery headquarters

• 1 corporal, agent liaison, in the liaison section of the observation, reconnaissance, and liaison platoon

• Battery, Armored Field Artillery Battalion (22 November 1944):

• 1 staff sergeant, reconnaissance, in the reconnaissance section

• 1 corporal, agent liaison, in the headquarters section of the battery headquarters

• 1 corporal, reconnaissance, in the in the reconnaissance section

• 2 privates or privates first class, scouts, in the fire control section of the firing battery

I am not in possession of the T/O&Es for the 155 mm gun battalion, although paper copies can be ordered here. Small changes to existing T/O&Es were accomplished through "changes" (i.e., "change 1," "change 2," etc.), while if a substantial change to the structure of a unit was made, a completely new T/O&E would be issued, superseding the previous one (with or without changes). T/O&Es usually list on one of the pages which earlier ones they superseded with or without changes, if any.

• T/O&E 6-55, Field Artillery Battalion, Motorized, 155-mm Gun, Truck-Drawn (20 October 1944, with change 1)

• T/O&E 6-56, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Motorized, Field Artillery Battalion, 155-mm Gun, 8-inch Gun, 8-inch Howitzer, or 240-mm Howitzer, Truck-Drawn, or Tractor-Drawn, or Self-Propelled (20 October 1944, with change 1)

• T/O&E 6-57, Field Artillery Battery, Motorized, 155-mm Gun, Truck-Drawn (20 October 1944, with change 1)

• T/O&E 6-59, Service Battery, Motorized, Field Artillery Battalion, 155-mm Gun, 8-inch Howitzer, or 240-mm Howitzer, Truck-Drawn (20 October 1944)

Was he likely on the frontlines calling in artillery support from his battalion (hence being a radio operator)

Potentially. Radio operators were in the operations and fire direction sections and radio section of the communications platoon of the 105 mm and 155 mm/4.5-inch field artillery battalion, and also in the forward observer sections of the 105 mm field artillery batteries (each battery in an infantry division having a forward observer section made up of an observer, scout, and radio operator, equipped with a 1/4-ton truck and trailer) that worked directly with the units they were assigned to support.

OR was he simply a scout for where the unit was, and would simply be at the front of the unit's advance making sure things were safe for the artillery to setup?

That was the role of the scouts in the battery detail (equivalent to a company headquarters in an infantry organization), who would assist in selecting a proper position where the battery was to emplace, and scout out any enemy positions or booby traps in the vicinity.

From what I understand a First Sergeant is very high in the Enlisted ranks (based on my research it was the highest enlisted rank in the Army at that time). He would have been 23 or 24 when he was promoted to First Sergeant. To me this seems incredibly young? I realize there were casualties and promotions could happen, but he joined as a Private and ended the War as a First Sergeant. This seems kind of remarkable to me. Am I correct in thinking this?

It was not uncommon in infantry organizations due to heavy losses, but was much less common in the field artillery, which suffered comparatively very light casualties. Enlisted men were constantly monitored by their superiors for leadership potential.

Did he skip ranks? Was this even possible? Or do they only list his rank when his principal duty changed?

Yes, he was promoted directly from sergeant to first sergeant, skipping staff sergeant and technical sergeant. To conform to the rank and assignment distributions laid out in the table of organization of the unit, a man's role would often be changed when he was promoted or demoted to a different rank (whereupon he would be retrained), or vice versa. If identified for leadership potential, a man already in the organization could be promoted, rather than obtaining a replacement of the desired rank or role. The rank of first sergeant was, in many organizations, also the role of "first sergeant," the most senior noncommissioned officer in a company or battery and their representative to the commanding officer.