25
25
0
Major General George S. Patton, Jr. had no patience for soldiers disobeying the rules of combat at his Desert Training Center in Southern California. During one maneuver, he spotted Lieutenant James Craig riding in a scout car with its side armor folded down. “Looootenant!” he bellowed out in his high-pitched voice, “Get that damn side armor up!”
Craig was not about to disobey the order. “So, of course, we closed that up,” Craig recalled. It was the summer of 1942, and the U.S. Army was preparing to fight the Germans and Italians in North Africa.
Lieutenant James Craig of Shelbyville, Kentucky, commanded General Patton’s headquarters tanks in North Africa and Sicily.
Craig was not about to disobey the order. “So, of course, we closed that up,” Craig recalled. It was the summer of 1942, and the U.S. Army was preparing to fight the Germans and Italians in North Africa.
Lieutenant James Craig of Shelbyville, Kentucky, commanded General Patton’s headquarters tanks in North Africa and Sicily.
Commanding Patton’s Personal Tanks
Posted from warfarehistorynetwork.com
WWII World War Two
Tanks
Fort Knox
American History
Military History
Edited 11 mo ago
Posted 11 mo ago
Responses: 5
12
12
0
Lt Col Charlie Brown I recall a BDE CDR having his OH 58 descend when he saw a LT riding in the hatch cover of a 113 PC. As he screamingly exited the helicopter, the LT in one motion, assumed the position of Attention in front of the PC! Cpl Vic Burk SGT Philip Roncari SFC William Farrell PO1 H Gene Lawrence MSG Joseph Cristofaro LTC Stephen Conway LTC Stephen C. ]Lt Col Charlie Brown SPC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SSG Warren Swan
(12)
(0)
MSG Thomas Currie
SGT Philip Roncari - I never worked with 4ID, we were in different parts of the country. We worked mostly around 1ID, 25ID and occasionally 1CD.
Each Infantry division generally had one tank battalion (M48A3 tanks) and one divisional Cavalry Squadron (M113's and either M48A3 tanks before 1969, or M551 Sheridans after 1969). My casual observation in III Corps mid-1968 to mid-1969 was that the Infantry Division tank battalions tended to guard the perimeter of the division base camp while the divisional cavalry squadrons actually got out in the jungle.
I was with 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment which was a regimental cavalry unit with a very different TO&E from the divisional cavalry squadrons. A divisional cavalry squadron had their tanks and M113s mixed down to the platoon level (each platoon had 3 tanks or Sheridans together with about 8 M113s). As a Cavalry Regiment each of our three squadrons had three cavalry troops (with the usual mix of M113s and either tanks or Sheridans) plus one tank company (17 M48A3 tanks), and one artillery battery of M109 155mm self-propelled howitzers. That concentration of mobility and firepower encouraged some very aggressive employment.
Each Infantry division generally had one tank battalion (M48A3 tanks) and one divisional Cavalry Squadron (M113's and either M48A3 tanks before 1969, or M551 Sheridans after 1969). My casual observation in III Corps mid-1968 to mid-1969 was that the Infantry Division tank battalions tended to guard the perimeter of the division base camp while the divisional cavalry squadrons actually got out in the jungle.
I was with 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment which was a regimental cavalry unit with a very different TO&E from the divisional cavalry squadrons. A divisional cavalry squadron had their tanks and M113s mixed down to the platoon level (each platoon had 3 tanks or Sheridans together with about 8 M113s). As a Cavalry Regiment each of our three squadrons had three cavalry troops (with the usual mix of M113s and either tanks or Sheridans) plus one tank company (17 M48A3 tanks), and one artillery battery of M109 155mm self-propelled howitzers. That concentration of mobility and firepower encouraged some very aggressive employment.
(3)
(0)
SGT Philip Roncari
MSG Thomas Currie
Well,that brings up the question,where did those “Duster” and quad 50s come from? I remember clearly that they were implaced on several artillery fire bases,we used to fill in on perimeter security on our breaks from the boonies,doesn’t seem like your TO&E carried these weapon platforms,have to admit ,the amount of fire put out during a “Mad Minute “ was indeed impressive,Be Well Brother.
Well,that brings up the question,where did those “Duster” and quad 50s come from? I remember clearly that they were implaced on several artillery fire bases,we used to fill in on perimeter security on our breaks from the boonies,doesn’t seem like your TO&E carried these weapon platforms,have to admit ,the amount of fire put out during a “Mad Minute “ was indeed impressive,Be Well Brother.
(1)
(0)
LTC Matthew Schlosser
MSG Thomas Currie - Not so noisy anymore. The Abrams can get within 50m of a Humvee unheard if the Humvee's engine is running.
(0)
(0)
MSG Thomas Currie
SGT Philip Roncari - The Dusters and Quad-50's were in Artillery Branch -- specifically Air Defense Artillery. I'm no expert on the ADA TO&E but I think they were technically Corps assets.
(1)
(0)
6
6
0
A great tale of service!
I always wondered who and what Hugh Gaffey did to make General. I only knew his name because I stayed in the troop ship named for him while stationed at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
I always wondered who and what Hugh Gaffey did to make General. I only knew his name because I stayed in the troop ship named for him while stationed at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
(6)
(0)
5
5
0
My favorite Patton story was during maneuvers in Louisiana he surprised his opponents. Seems each unit only had so much gas. Patton exceeded his allowed gas allowance by personally paying to fuel up the tanks. His opposing commander thought he was out of reach of Patton. I wonder what the owner of the gas station thought when Patton pulled with some tanks and said, “ fill em up”!
(5)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google