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MarkHolloway · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 1:10 am Post subject: Major Malfuntion

This photo is labeled "cookoff in Graf". Note the cupola has been blown off! Wonder what happened? No doubt this resulted in 4 KIA's. Sad

Buq-Buq · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Mar 04, 2006 Posts: 86

Those look like M114s in the background, so it is before my time. I should be safely in the clear on this one!

It looks like the turret is sitting on the ground in a puddle of water. I wonder if the mantle cover burned off, or was just taken off by hand? I don't really see any evidence of a fire.

When I was in Germany, I remember a unit had an antenna on an M60A3 strike some overhead power lines while crossing some railroad tracks. Apparently it burned in place for hours. I don't think there were any injuries, however.

Not to long after I ETSed, there was an incident at railhead where one tank literally shot another with its main gun through the rear of the turret. I seem to recall that the fatality in the target tank was involved in an extra-martial relationship with the shooter's wife. I think that the tanks involved in that one were M60A3s also.

Mark

Doug_Kibbey · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 2:32 am Post subject: Re: Major Malfuntion

I was onboard an M48A3 as a loader in AIT when a trainee gunner was tracking a moving target at night and blew his night vision on a shot flash. Kept tracking right after I had reloaded until we could hear the most alarming screams from the tank next to us on the firing line. Our TC had been momentarily distracted and was suddenly pounding on the gunner in the red light of the fighting compartment.

When I popped my head out the loaders hatch, the main was pointed squarely at the enormous white star of our immediate neighbor. An important lesson was learned by all.

I'm not sure what TP-T would do to the side of a 48 turret, but at 10-15' nobody was keen to find out.

Dontos · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 2:35 am Post subject: Re: Major Malfuntion

- Buq-Buq

When I was in Germany, I remember a unit had an antenna on an M60A3 strike some overhead power lines while crossing some railroad tracks. Apparently it burned in place for hours. I don't think there were any injuries, however.

Sounds like Parsburg, the old railhead for Hohenfels.

Not to long after I ETSed, there was an incident at railhead where one tank literally shot another with its main gun through the rear of the turret. I seem to recall that the fatality in the target tank was involved in an extra-martial relationship with the shooter's wife. I think that the tanks involved in that one were M60A3s also.

That incident sounds like one that happened at 'The Rock' (Kirchgons). Tank was rigged to fire (Service ammo) when the crew turn on the master power. It worked and as I heard there were a number of fatalities.

It was way before my time, 1986-89) but it sounds the same.

Regards
Don

Joe_D · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 4:10 am Post subject: Re: Major Malfuntion

Looks like the results of a fire that set off the ammo.

You can still see some of the gun mantle shroud wires on the barrel after it burned off. Looks like that's where the turret landed after all the ammo cooked off in the hull. Wonder if this is the one that started with a Heater fire. Picture is before my time but sure looks like the Kasserine dirt motor pool.

Heard about the antenna accident, but only from the "Safety Stories" . Never seen any tank pictures of one actually brewing up after striking a wire. Usually it blows up the radios and they are insulated from the turret. We had an uploaded tank struck by lightning at Fort Riley during gunnery in '86 and that's all it did.

4 NOV 1980 at Parsburg was where a soldier uploaded Service Sabot and fired into the tank parked behind him at the rail head. Killed two and injured two. Was 3AD. Tanks had turrets over the rear and were in travel lock. Soldiers killed/injured were sleeping in their tank when it was hit. Was all over Stars and Stripes. Guy got 20 years. This is fact.

Don,

I heard of a similar incident to the one you mentioned at the "Rock". Except it was not successful. Main gun was rigged to go off when Master Power was turned on in drivers hole. Gun was aimed at some ones office or house, not sure. One of those third hand stories that your told by someone who knew someone that knew someone that was there. Take it for what it's worth.

Dontos · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 5:16 am Post subject: Re: Major Malfuntion

Damn

Just ruined a perfect Urban 'Rock' Legend......

How about this one....

attempting to gauge alert status, an unscheduled 'alert' drill was called. It was done in such a convincing manner (the alert orders) that everyone truely believed the 'balloon was going up'. The tank battalions were given 'bug out' orders (road clearence) but instead of an orderly exit from post, thru the usual exit gates, some unnerved tank crews stormed the fencelines, charging thru the kasernes boundry, and running for the cover of surrounding tree lines, 'locked & loaded' ,....every tank for itself. Shocked

Not the best type of event. Perhaps totally false, but a big part of 'Rock' lore.

There is also the entrenching tool battles on the parade field between tankers and grunts. Shocked

...ah the good ol days !!??

Don

Sabot · Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 12:49 pm Post subject: Re: Major Malfuntion

Just a guess, but the rupture looks to be about the place a loader would have a round ready between his legs to save an extra second or two during a gunnery engagement. Perhaps an electrical short set off the round in his lap and it went through the roof.

I'd heard the story of the tank firing through another at Parsberg. I had heard that the soldier (one of them) had been messing with the guy's wife.

During REFORGER 1988, I remember seeing a 2-68 AR M60A3TTS cooking off, fully emblazed. Apparently they did not do Q services as required and a diesel leak combined with leaf and limb debris in the engine compartment started a fire. The tanks had remained uploaded with service ammo in the hull during the exercises.

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