diff --git a/code/ship/shiphit.cpp b/code/ship/shiphit.cpp
index 8a3647b00d..d73df398bf 100644
--- a/code/ship/shiphit.cpp
+++ b/code/ship/shiphit.cpp
@@ -2293,10 +2293,6 @@ void ship_apply_tag(int ship_num, int tag_level, float tag_time, object *target,
 		Assert(target);
 		Assert(start);
 
-		struct ssm_firing_info;
-
-		HUD_sourced_printf(HUD_SOURCE_HIDDEN, XSTR("Firing artillery", 1570));
-
 		ssm_create(target, start, ssm_index, NULL, ssm_team);
 	}
 }