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At a glance at Google Earth's most recent view of the front gate at Ft. Pickett, VA, apparently the M60A0 MBT is gone from there. Anyone from the area know where it went to?
Also, I tried to find out a few years ago where the M60A0 "training tank only" at Thurmont, MD VFW went to, no luck there. Thanks, Rick

- Rick_Eshleman

At a glance at Google Earth's most recent view of the front gate at Ft. Pickett, VA, apparently the M60A0 MBT is gone from there. Anyone from the area know where it went to?
Also, I tried to find out a few years ago where the M60A0 "training tank only" at Thurmont, MD VFW went to, no luck there. Thanks, Rick

Rick I thought I posted a couple times what I eventually found out about Thurmont. Here is the posting I made recently in the thread about the new register:

The M60 in Thurmont MD is no longer there. It has been hard to find details of what was done with it. I was told that it was 'sent' to another veterans group in Pennsylvania. When I was last at the site there was a very cold feeling towards outsiders coming to look at the tank.

There had been several people who were very vocal about the tank needing maintenance. Some of the visitors threatened to have the tank 'repossessed' by the army if it wasn't given a thorough painting INCLUDING A COMPLETE STRIPPING OF THE LEAD BASED PAINT. I was told that they attempted to get a quote on doing the job and it was over $50,000 and that did not include transporting the tank to the shop that could do the job and meet environmental standards. The person I talked to said they did not know where the tank went and suggested that even if they knew they wouldn't tell an outsider. SO someone poisoned the well there. They really did not like armor enthusiasts up there. That was a couple years ago, hopefully the bad feelings have mellowed but unless I find I know someone in the post I'm not pushing my luck up there again.

I recently talked to someone who knows some members up there. There is still al lot bad feelings towards 'damn tank spotters' up there. I hope it was not someone associated with this forum who made the threats up there

- bsmart

- Rick_Eshleman

At a glance at Google Earth's most recent view of the front gate at Ft. Pickett, VA, apparently the M60A0 MBT is gone from there. Anyone from the area know where it went to?
Also, I tried to find out a few years ago where the M60A0 "training tank only" at Thurmont, MD VFW went to, no luck there. Thanks, Rick

Rick I thought I posted a couple times what I eventually found out about Thurmont. Here is the posting I made recently in the thread about the new register:

The M60 in Thurmont MD is no longer there. It has been hard to find details of what was done with it. I was told that it was 'sent' to another veterans group in Pennsylvania. When I was last at the site there was a very cold feeling towards outsiders coming to look at the tank.

There had been several people who were very vocal about the tank needing maintenance. Some of the visitors threatened to have the tank 'repossessed' by the army if it wasn't given a thorough painting INCLUDING A COMPLETE STRIPPING OF THE LEAD BASED PAINT. I was told that they attempted to get a quote on doing the job and it was over $50,000 and that did not include transporting the tank to the shop that could do the job and meet environmental standards. The person I talked to said they did not know where the tank went and suggested that even if they knew they wouldn't tell an outsider. SO someone poisoned the well there. They really did not like armor enthusiasts up there. That was a couple years ago, hopefully the bad feelings have mellowed but unless I find I know someone in the post I'm not pushing my luck up there again.

I recently talked to someone who knows some members up there. There is still al lot bad feelings towards 'damn tank spotters' up there. I hope it was not someone associated with this forum who made the threats up there

Pretty much begs the question(s), just what is an "outsider" to certain veterans groups and have they ever troubled themselves to find out who the "damn tank spotters" are? I think they'd be surprised, possibly even embarrassed, to find out what the backgrounds of some of those "tank spotters" are.

In Thurmont some folks consider an outsider someone whose ancestors moved there after the Civil War. I think the outsider term was in that vein

In their defence I can understand a reluctance to talk about it after someone coming in and mouthing off with threats about having the tank 'repossesed' by the Army.

I'm just hoping that what they did was legal and documented with the Army so there is a record of where the tank went and that it didn't go into a private collection somewhere

Bob,
Thanks for the update on the Thurmont, MD tank. It's unfortunate that "outsiders" "tank spotters" or whoever threatened them did so. That makes it harder for us "spotters" who don't make threats, to find out where the item went to. I do remember You saying it was sent to PA, which they are fully justified in doing, considering the costs of stripping/repainting are high for such a small VFW post. Rick