I'm Baaaaaack!!!!!, and at Ft. Hood....

[SFC_Jeff_Button]

Hello gents, I'm finally at Ft Hood and have found a home and have moved in here in Killeen. Ft Irwin is in the past and Hood is the future. I've driven around quite a bit on post since getting here and have seen tons of armor. I found a field of M-60's, plus Shermans, CEV's, M-1, M-2, Vulcans, buldozers, and even an armored M-151 Jeep on display around the post. Not to mention the M-47 tank in the town square. I'll be quite busy taking pictures and recording serial numbers. I read that the 4th ID museum was just re-dedicated the first week of June, right before I got here. Both 1st Cav and 4th ID museums look very nice. Display armor and aircraft have clear canopies and nice paint jobs.
I'm still busy moving into the house and next week I'll report in and start in-processing. Just heard that the HQ element of 1st Cav and 2nd and 3rd Brigades are scheduled to deploy this late summer. I should find out my assignment and deployment future soon.
Give me a week or two, and I'll start posting some pictures of the armor here on post. I also hope to volunteer at the museum's if they'll have me. Take care all!!!

[Doug_Kibbey]

Get 'em straightened out down there, Jeff!

...and have I ever got a picture for you from the Dutch Cavalry museum...a mortarman's nightmare. Have to wait 'til I get home to post it, though....

[SFC_Jeff_Button]

GOOD to hear from you! The framed picture you sent me made it through the move in one piece. Once I get a place to hang it, I'll send a picture. I think one of my research priorities will be to hit the field of 10-12, M-60's I saw behind range control before they become targets, then the Shermans around the post are my next target.
How was your trip to Knox with "the boys"? Have you posted any pictures here that I haven't found? I have'nt been on here in weeks. Man did I miss Texas, as compared to the desolate, Ft Irwin. The wife and kids are real happy to be back and have even contacted a number of old friends. Roy lives in Texas, right? Gotta run, take care.

[Roy_A_Lingle]

Hi Jeff! Hi Folks!

- SFC_Jeff_Button

....Roy lives in Texas, right?

Roger that! Just barely, I am about three miles south of the New Mexico state line, about two miles north of the border with Mexico and almost as far west as one can go and still be in the state of Texas.

Here's a photo for your enjoyment:



That's a 120mm mortar with the 172nd SBCT in Iraq.

Enjoy Ft. Hood while you have time. Sounds like you have landed in the middle of a major field of AFVs.
Sgt, Scouts Out!

[SFC_Jeff_Button]

Thanks for the photo Roy, I miss the Mortars already! Once I figure out my computer / camera set-up after this move, I'll have LOTS of armor and aircraft pictures to post here and on Officers Club. If you're ever in the area, let me know and I'll show you around the post. Take care.

[Neil_Baumgardner]

Jeff, I could use your help in cataloging the armor on display at Fort Hood. Right now I have the following from a variety of sources. Would appreciate your help with confirming/denying what vehicles are present.

FORT HOOD

1st Cavalry Division Museum
pao.hood.army.mil/1CD_Museum/
2S1 SOV out
AMX-10P FRA/IRQ? out
BMP-1 SOV/IRQ? out
BTR-50PB SOV out Captured by Israel in 1967
EE-11 Urutu BRA out
M1E1 Abrams USA out
M3 Stuart USA/JPN? out Captured by IJA
M3A1 Stuart USA out RN 30851
M3A1 Half-Track USA out
M4(105) Sherman USA out
M4A1(75) Sherman USA out Painted RN 3015305
M4A3E8 Sherman Easy Eight USA out
M5A1 Stuart USA/CAN/PRT? out
M7 Priest USA out
M8 Greyhound USA out
M10 GMC USA out
M10 Achilles USA out
M20 USA out
M24 Chaffee USA out
M26 Pershing USA out
M36B1 USA/YUG/HRV out Post-war assembly?
M40 USA out?
M41 Walker Bulldog USA out
M44 USA out
M48A5 Patton USA out Painted RN 0718842
M59 USA out
M60 USA out SN 504
M60 USA out SN 1420
M60A1 RISE USA out SN 8800
M60A3 USA out SN 3079A; has reactive armor
M74 USA out
M113A2 USA out
M114 USA out
M163 USA out
M728 CEV USA out
PT-76 SOV out
T43 Heavy Tank USA out
T-54/55 SOV out
T-55 ARV SOV out
T-62 SOV out
T-72M SOV/IRQ out
Type 69 CHN out

4th Infantry Division Museum
pao.hood.army.mil/4ID/...mmain.html
2S1 SOV out
BMP-1 SOV out
BRDM-2 SOV out
M2? Bradley USA out
M3 Lee USA out
M3 Stuart USA out
M3A1 Stuart USA out
M4A1(75) Sherman USA out
M4A3E8 Sherman Easy Eight USA out
M5A1 Stuart USA out
M7 Priest USA out
M7B2 Priest USA out
M8 Greyhound USA out
M40 USA out
M41 Walker Bulldog USA out
M42 Duster USA out
M43 USA out
M44 USA out
M47 Patton USA out
M48 Patton USA out
M59 USA out
M60 USA out
M75 USA out Painted RN 12K954
M84 USA out
M103 USA out
M114 USA out
MT-LB SOV out
T43 Heavy Tank USA out
T-55 SOV out
T-72 SOV out

Battalion Road
M60A3 USA out SN 3293A

MATES
M60A3 USA out SN 3631A

Range Control
M60 USA out SN 1128
M60 USA out SN 504

Target Range
M60A3 USA wre SN 2593A; Reactive armor model
M60A3 USA wre SN 2921A
M60A3 USA wre SN 3264A
M60A3 USA wre SN 3274A
M60A3 USA wre SN 3290A
M60A3 USA wre SN 6378

Elsewhere on Post
M52 USA out
T-72 SOV/IRQ out

Neil

[SFC_Jeff_Button]

Wow, quite a list, but I'll bet its pretty close to the real thing. After quickly glancing over the list, I believe I've seen much of it as driving around the post. I want to get with the museum director and see if he can give me a complete listing of all the pieces in the Hood collection. How did you get this list?, esspecially the ones from the ranges?

[Neil_Baumgardner]

Various sources. Here's one active website:
www.salt6.com/1st_cav.htm

One archived website (almost all of the pics dont come up):
web.archive.org/web/20...odmus.htm.

Joe D identified many of the vehicles, including the range items last month on this board: www.com-central.net/in...c&start=45

I am especially afraid there may be some mistaken duplication between the items at the 1st Cav & 4th ID museums...

Neil

[JWB2]

- Roy_A_Lingle

Hi Jeff! Hi Folks!

- SFC_Jeff_Button

....Roy lives in Texas, right?

Roger that! Just barely, I am about three miles south of the New Mexico state line, about two miles north of the border with Mexico and almost as far west as one can go and still be in the state of Texas.

Here's a photo for your enjoyment:



That's a 120mm mortar with the 172nd SBCT in Iraq.

Enjoy Ft. Hood while you have time. Sounds like you have landed in the middle of a major field of AFVs.
Sgt, Scouts Out!

Is that an illusion or is the muzzle on that mortar about to explode?

[bsmart]

I think the newer mortars have a flare at the muzzle

[Dontos]

Hey guys

Those 'range targets' M60's have been in the field behind Range Control for a number of years.

I remember those being there in my many trips to 'sign in' and then roadmarching (tanks) up to the Eastern Ranges back in 2000-2001.

Used the 'sync-ramps' near there a couple of times, prior to heading up to Brookhaven & Sugarloaf to shoot Tank Gunnery Tables up on East Range Road.

As a side note: My last official Tank Gunnery Qualification (Tank Table VIII) was shot on 'Sugarlaof' in May 01. As a Platoon Sgt/Tank Commander, Me & my crew fired a 785 (Qualified first run) on my M1A2. Not the best score, but with M1A2 gunnery, it don't come easy.

I departed Ft. Hood in June 01 satisified with my final Tank Gunnery Qualification, and really proud of my Platoon. (4 first run qualified tanks, 2-'Table X' qualified sections, & Superior ranked 'Table XII' Platoon score).

Satisifaction in knowing that perhaps I made a difference.

Don

[SFC_Jeff_Button]

The end of that 120mm Mortar is a "BAD" devise, otherwise known as the Blast Attenuator Devise, (probably spelled wrong). This "flared devise is used in the carrier mounted role to deflect the concussion and flash away from the interior and immediate top surface of the M1064 Mortar Carrier. In the ground mounted role it is seldom if ever used. It is a pain in the butt for the AG (assistant gunner) to lift the 120rd up and over the BAD, esspecially if he has to hold it there for a while for a TOT (time on target) mission. As a squad leader, I was always up sitting in the TC hatch cover during missions. This enabled me to watch the gunner and AG manipulate the system and ensure they had the correct data on the gun before firing. I had one ear on the TA312 listening to the FDC (fire direction center) and writing down their data while repeating the info to the crew. The other ear had an ear plug in it. During firing, I would just squeeze the 312's headset tight against my ear. That blast from both the 120 and the old 4.2 inch was just kick-_ss! Man I miss that. Night fire with illum rds was awsome as well, however night vision was ruined from the flash.
Dontos, I was here from 98-02 before with 3-66th Armor, 4th ID. I remember those tanks there then as well but there were more of them. You dont have any plans to come this way again do you? Your more than welcome in my home if you happen this way.

[JWB2]

- SFC_Jeff_Button

The end of that 120mm Mortar is a "BAD" devise, otherwise known as the Blast Attenuator Devise, (probably spelled wrong). This "flared devise is used in the carrier mounted role to deflect the concussion and flash away from the interior and immediate top surface of the M1064 Mortar Carrier. In the ground mounted role it is seldom if ever used. It is a pain in the butt for the AG (assistant gunner) to lift the 120rd up and over the BAD, esspecially if he has to hold it there for a while for a TOT (time on target) mission. As a squad leader, I was always up sitting in the TC hatch cover during missions. This enabled me to watch the gunner and AG manipulate the system and ensure they had the correct data on the gun before firing. I had one ear on the TA312 listening to the FDC (fire direction center) and writing down their data while repeating the info to the crew. The other ear had an ear plug in it. During firing, I would just squeeze the 312's headset tight against my ear. That blast from both the 120 and the old 4.2 inch was just kick-_ss! Man I miss that. Night fire with illum rds was awsome as well, however night vision was ruined from the flash.
Dontos, I was here from 98-02 before with 3-66th Armor, 4th ID. I remember those tanks there then as well but there were more of them. You dont have any plans to come this way again do you? Your more than welcome in my home if you happen this way.

Thanks for the explanation.

[Joe_D]

Howdy everyone,
Neil, your list has a few minor flaws as far as M60's go.

M60 #1420 is at the 4ID Museum, there is only one M60, #504, at the 1CD museum. It is not at Range Control, only one is there, #1128. This was in FEB 06.

Jeff,
The hard targets behind Range Control should be the ones listed by Neil, but there is a fenced in lot behind them with at least 15 M728 CEV's that were de-milled for hard target duty along with a complete M60A3 that was destined for some display elsewhere. I could not gain access to the lot, the contractors demilling the tanks wouldn't let me in and I didn't have much time there. If you do go to photo them, I need a good picture of the suspension of #3290A if she still is there. Thanks.

I have been trying to post some pictures but I keep getting blocked, Bob, it didn't work, Dontos, be prepared to receive some pictures to you e-mail soon to share.

Joe D

[bsmart]

Joe - did you ask to join the group? I don't remember seeing a request for membership. I'll go out and look right now (I just looked and there are none pending). I saw Don join right after I mentioned it but he was the last one. PM me with your yahoo id and I'll look at the member list or see if I can send you an invite

Or you could always start your own yahoo group