Posted on Feb 9, 2019
What kind of M60 tanks are these and what is the main gun size?
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I belonged to an Idaho ANG Cav Brigade and two California ARNG armored battalions but we used Abrams Tanks back then. I noticed these tanks parked near The Joint Lewis-McChord Range Control office. I would like to know a little bit more about these tank models and if the main guns are different. Fort Lewis has had an exceptionally cold winter week with 8 inches of snow falling in the last 24 hours and a state of emergency declared by the Washington State Governor. The forecast calls for dropping temperatures. The temperature currently is 29° but it's supposed to drop to near-zero F tomorrow.
p.s. I was stranded at the USO in Seattle for 3 days since most flights were cancelled due to snow shutting down Vancouver, Seattle and Portland airports.
p.s. I was stranded at the USO in Seattle for 3 days since most flights were cancelled due to snow shutting down Vancouver, Seattle and Portland airports.
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Tanks
19K: Armor Crew Member
Edited 6 y ago
Posted 7 y ago
Responses: 37
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The close one does look like the early M60. I was on one in the 80’s for a weekend when my unit trained with some NG’s at fort bragg. The essentially looked like a M48 turret on a M60 chassis. I am not sure how long they served but the turret changed with the A1-A3 to the turret you mostly see as museum pieces. I started on the M60A1, went to the A3, then M1IP then retired in on a M1A1. I told my soldiers that I knew it was time to retire when the tank I started on is now on display in front of the Burger King on post at fort carson.
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I’m not too familiar with this series of tanks but I have had experience with Diesel engine vehicles. I hope they run them often in that cold.
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Seeing anything with a 90mm on it causes me to look at my umbrella holder, a spent case from one. I was doing some varied reading on it. Like the German 88, it started out as an AA gun. There are articles out there saying it's comparable to the 88. It could have been better but the Germans were better with metallurgy and our penetrator steel was inferior to it. A number of examples can be found at various installations and museums. I enjoy my piece of history on the front porch. Pretty impressive AA throwing a HE pill up to 60K feet where nobody was flying at the time.
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Looks like the M60 Patton main battle tank. If it is then it mechanically supports a rifled 105 mm (4.1 in) main gun and a 50 caliber BMG. It is a formidable weapon though it does need American ground Crews to sustain its March.
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Brad Powers
Capt Gregory Prickett i could see where having to use motor oil would quickly become a mess. Interesting share sir, thank you.
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Brad Powers
Capt Gregory Prickett I guess sometimes it just takes everybody to speak up in order to make positive change.
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SP5 Ralph Arvizu
We had a .50 Cal. on our M48-A3 in Vietnam and it worked Perfectly! As long as it was set with the Time and Space Gauge, clean and oiled up it always worked. One other thing, I might add, our Sgt. taught us to clean the Main Gun, .50 Cal, Co-Ax, Grease Guns and our 45s with Diesel. It worked perfect because it cleaned AND oiled at the same time. With a rag and a little Diesel he would smear some on the 50 ammo belt too.
When we were in the middle of the Iron Triangle we didn't have time for any specialty Dept. of Defense solvents or cleaners. We used what we had since we carried 3 or 4 five gallon cans of Diesel, regular oil for the engine (and drinking water) strapped to the tank.
When we were in the middle of the Iron Triangle we didn't have time for any specialty Dept. of Defense solvents or cleaners. We used what we had since we carried 3 or 4 five gallon cans of Diesel, regular oil for the engine (and drinking water) strapped to the tank.
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Snow happens there, when I was there in 1984-1985 it snowed and got bitterly cold. My X went to Augusta to visit friend and had a picnic at Clark Hill Lake! No idea concerning the tanks.
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LTC Stephen Conway
Yes, I asked a sergeant major and she does not remember snow in the last 3 years happening on a drill weekend.
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I can't say for absolute certain, but I believe the tank in the background could be an M26 Pershing, likely of the 72d Tank Battalion, 2d Infantry Division. After coming home in 1947 from WW II and occupation duty in Europe, my dad was stationed at Ft. Lewis with the 717th Tank Battalion, 2d Infantry Division. The battalion was equipped with the M26. In 1948, the 717th was inactivated and reflagged 72d Tank Battalion. The battalion went to Korea with the 2d ID in 1950, and dad went with them as the battalion motor sergeant. He likely serviced that tank in the photo. One of dad's best friends in the 72d at the time, Ernie Kouma, received the Medal of Honor for actions in Korea shortly after they arrived.
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The could be M60 or M60A1, same armaments in wither variant, 105MM main gun, 7.62MM coaxially mount machine gun and a M85 .50 caliber machine gun for the tank commander. They do noy appears t be M48s to me the snow on the front slope is hinting a curve in the fron but i think it is an optical illusion. The TCs cupola is right for an m60 series. I crewed on M60A1s for my 1st 3-1/2 years back in the day
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SSG Tom Montgomery
LTC Conway. The 155mm main gun is a shell fed. A Howitzer may have the same size ammo.
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SFC Dave Nutter
SSG Tom Montgomery - Hey SSG, take it from a very old 11E M60 crewman, than main gun is a 105MM, I humped and fired a god awful amount of that ammo. The Sheridan light tank had a 155mm
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