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Any tankers here?

The DutchmanThe Dutchman Member Posts: 811 ✭✭✭✭
edited September 2010 in US Military Veteran Forum
My uncle was a marine tanker. Did they use M41 Bulldogs or M48 Pattons?
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  • bobbyjimbobbyjim Member Posts: 4 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    We had M48A3's up to Jan '70 when we coverted to M551 Sheridans.

    B trp 1/1 U.S. Cav Regiment Aug '69 - 'Aug '70
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  • The DutchmanThe Dutchman Member Posts: 811 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks man. Did you see any M41 Walker Bulldogs?

    quote:Originally posted by bobbyjim
    We had M48A3's up to Jan '70 when we coverted to M551 Sheridans.

    B trp 1/1 U.S. Cav Regiment Aug '69 - 'Aug '70
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  • 11echo11echo Member Posts: 1,007 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I was trained on M60's ...but ended up serving on M551's ...the only M41's I saw were monuments at the front gate or V.I.P. hard targets at Graf. This was Feb.73 to Feb.76 "A" trp. 3 Sqd. 12th CAV
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  • The DutchmanThe Dutchman Member Posts: 811 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks man. Perhaps ARVN used them. My uncle spoke of them BUT I was not able to find out who used them.

    quote:Originally posted by 11echo
    I was trained on M60's ...but ended up serving on M551's ...the only M41's I saw were monuments at the front gate or V.I.P. hard targets at Graf. This was Feb.73 to Feb.76 "A" trp. 3 Sqd. 12th CAV
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  • timbromantimbroman Member Posts: 1,164 ✭
    edited November -1
    A very good friend of mine passed on last week - he was U.S. Army tank trooper - I am not a Viet Nam vet and he spoke little of his service in Viet Nam - his son asked me what I knew about that time in his Dad's life and I could not tell him much - after Viet Nam he remained Army Reserve and was a fine rifle shot - shot on his unit's team on Mississippi/Louisiana/Texas ranges - his Mom (not the soldier's widow at the time of his death) gave her son my friend's uniform but told him and me that she thought JH had destroyed or discarded all the ribbons, pins and medals years earlier. I wonder if there is any way this young man can find out more about his Dad - I'm fairly certain that there were relatively few tank units in VN - I know JH trained at Ft Knox after boot camp in Ft Polk Louisiana. All replies welcome. Thanks to all you vets for all you've done. Sincere regards.
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  • CapnMidnightCapnMidnight Member Posts: 8,038 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    There where alot of armored calvary units, I was with the 2 of the 1 Armored Cav 68-69. What unit whas this tanker in?
    W.D.
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  • timbromantimbroman Member Posts: 1,164 ✭
    edited November -1
    CM - Thanks for the reply - I didn't intend to hi-jack the thread - I'll do something new. Thanks all. Tim
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  • 11echo11echo Member Posts: 1,007 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    timbroman ...You can get the solider's 201 file from the DOD, it'll have all the vet.s service history.
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  • Captain 241Captain 241 Member Posts: 377 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    M48A3 66-67 USMC
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  • 27Tango27Tango Member Posts: 2 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I was with A Troop 3/5 Cav out of Dong Ha, north of Quang Tri. I arrived in country in January 1970 just in time for conversion to the Sheridan. That Alcoa stamp on the lid made everyone a little nervous. Spent many a night in the bush with dead batteries and no main gun. Glad the bad guys didn't know about that.
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  • nc huntrnc huntr Member Posts: 11 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I was with the 11th Arm Cav Reg 2nd Squad . I was on the 551 which was junk and the M-113 ACAV which you could depend on in a firefight.
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  • skytrooperskytrooper Member Posts: 1 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I am hearing a lot of bitching and ragging on the M-551, I served with A Company 4/68 Armor in the 82nd Airborne Division for 3 1/2 years. We had 48 Sheridans assigned and I never knew of any major problems. It took a lot of work as with amy machine, we air dropped them , lapsed them and ran their tracks off for months at a time. all it took was a little pride and hard work. The only major problem was when the vehicle was not used over a period of time. RThat is when things seem to go wrong. leaking seals and such
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  • 11echo11echo Member Posts: 1,007 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    skytrooper Posted - 02/02/2009 : 10:40:55 AM
    I am hearing a lot of bitching and ragging on the M-551, I served with A Company 4/68 Armor in the 82nd Airborne Division for 3 1/2 years. We had 48 Sheridans assigned and I never knew of any major problems. It took a lot of work as with amy machine, we air dropped them , lapsed them and ran their tracks off for months at a time. all it took was a little pride and hard work. The only major problem was when the vehicle was not used over a period of time. RThat is when things seem to go wrong. leaking seals and such

    Well let's look at the "Sheridan":
    ALUMINUM ARMOR ...wouldn't stop a .50 cal! Also now VERY susceptible to mines ...so much so they added 1 1/2" of steel armor on the bottoms! ...called "chicken plates"! Never mind it blocked the drives escape hatch!

    WEAPONS ...fired both a 152mm ceaseless round and the Shillelagh anti-tank guided missile. The recoil shooting the 152mm was so sever it kicked the key-rap out of the electronics so the missile system didn't work half the time. As I remember it would hold a whole 20 rd.s of 152mm & 8 ea missiles. I do remember trying to swing that 3'-9" long missile around in the real small turret and then trying to line up the keyway in the barrel! The real eye-opener for me was driving the grader during live fire at Graf ...M60's would get a 105mm round out every 7 seconds ...M551 was 20 seconds. And that "rainbow" trajectory of the main round wasn't very inspiring! The missile was! They say if you could see it (enemy) you could kill it! I've seen some long shots with that the range and it was impressive .but only when it worked (a bout 50% of the time) But dealing with caseless ammo had its own hazards! I've heard of a few tracks lost to that round cooking off before it was fully loaded in the breach!

    AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS ...This is the ONLY thing that worked semi well on a Sheridan! V-6 turbo charge diesel could really get that track moving! I personally had one doing 55 mph on a slight down hill grade, and "walked away" from a couple of "enemy" M60's in one of the war games we did during my time with the 12th CAV in the 3rd Armor Div (73-76)
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  • 27Tango27Tango Member Posts: 2 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    skytrooper, we stood down for maintenance on a regular basis and were well aware that in taking care of our weapon system, that our weapon would take care of us. Unfortunately, the Delco battery system was definitely a weak link and true for most of Sheridans in our troop. Not good when the main gun is electronic. This was probably resolved later, so may be why you didn't have the same experience. I will say that when functional, that 152MM cannister round was a devastaing weapon that would clear a path of humanity for half a klick. Slow and cumbersome but awesomely wicked downrange.

    I ran over two mines in the 551, one while driving. Fortunately it was a small 40 pounder with no injury other than having my bell rung pretty soundly. 35 years later, my ears are still ringing 24/7.
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  • 11echo11echo Member Posts: 1,007 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Our problem was we were the only unit in the 3rd Armor Div that had Sheridans! We had real problems getting parts. But each year we would go over to the border to temporarily replace the 11th ACR so they could go play "war games" and they had alot of M551s and a much better supply line, so if possible we saved our request till then.
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  • GREASYGREASY Member Posts: 19 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    NOW WERE TALKING: Im a tanker, I was a TC with 2ND/11TH/ACR 70-71 CAMBODIA AND VIETNAM. The 551 was junk as said it wouldnt take a mine and because the rounds were packed in around the driver no one smoked on that P.O.S. You could fire one round and then nothing, packing around that 152mm gun was like going to a whoar house for a kiss, and the TC was sitting up so high that he was a sitting duck for any gook who thought he was lucky. I would ride in an ACAV better then a 551 any day.Thank god I was in a 48, heavy. 11TH CAV...ALLONS.[V]
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  • Tanker JimTanker Jim Member Posts: 3 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Tank Commander, A Troop, 2/1 Cav 67-68
    Jim
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  • CapnMidnightCapnMidnight Member Posts: 8,038 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Tanker Jim,
    I was in HHQ 2/1 Cav 68-69, friend of mine, Lloyd Wirkkala was in HHQ Squadron Maint, drove the wrecker in 67-68.
    Just had the 2/1 reunion in DC, I didn't go, but Lloyd sent some good pictures. Do you rember Sgt Stickel? VTR TC.
    Welcome home.
    W.D.
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  • psychologistpsychologist Member Posts: 11 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I was first TDY (temp Duty) assigned from B 2/2/1st div and was then transferred permanently to B 2nd of 34th 25 div that later became part of 1st div. we were out of Lhe Khe.
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