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JohninTexas · Seaman Recruit Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 21

Sorry . . . Not a sailor here . . . I enlisted in the Army in 1974, just missing Vietnam. Attended ROTC at University of Florida, commissioned and retired as Armor officer in October 2002.
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John

baldeagl · PO3 Joined: 07 Aug 2004 Posts: 260 Location: Texas

You're wrong about the tanks. On D-Day, we sent floating tanks into the beaches to support the troops.
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USN OST-6 68-74
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Paul5388 · Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:46 am Post subject:

baldeagl,

They sure didn't seem to want to float in Cowhouse Creek!

Paul
19E20
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LewWaters · Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:50 am Post subject:

jwb7605 · Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:55 am Post subject:

Things that "look like tanks" float.
Marines call them tracks.
http://adams22.homeip.net/digitalpics/AFB_Marine/008_5b.jpg

Mustang0302 · Seaman Recruit Joined: 21 Aug 2004 Posts: 25

I'm a poor dumb grunt, but in honor of all Marine Amtrackers: YATYAS!
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blue9t3 · Admiral Joined: 23 Aug 2004 Posts: 1246 Location: oregon

Maybe I missed something?
You say tanks dont float. D-day people will argue with you, they floated like bowling balls , but they floated nonetheless!
I was on an LST and we shot them out like puppies, they were called LVT's . later
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MOPAR-BUYER

rb325th · Admiral Joined: 21 Aug 2004 Posts: 1334

Come on the Tanks may not float, but the M-113 could! (for a little while anyhow Rolling Eyes

)
Preffered a chute on my back and a good pair of boots on my feet!! Something about being closed inside a steel box was just a little disconcerting. Rolling Eyes

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U.S. Army 1983-1995, 11C1P/11H2P NBTDT

BuffaloJack · Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 1:56 pm Post subject:

I don't know whether or not tanks float, but the Naval base in Qui Nhon had the only Navy tank in Vietnam. I don't know where they got it, but it was WW2 vintage, it ran and was operated by a couple of the base boatswains. They even outfitted it with a bilge pump. They claimed it was for base defense, but I think they just used it a a place to sneak off to to have a few quiet beers.

redhawk34 · Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 3:10 pm Post subject:

There's a kit that allows a tank to float.
It's called an LCM-8.
Redhawk

U S Army EOD · Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 3:59 pm Post subject:

LewWaters,

A moving foxhole attracts the eye.
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CO
8th Ord Det (EOD) ROK 68-69
542 Ord Det (EOD) CONUS 70-71
99th Ord Det (EOD) RVN 72-73

LimaCharlie · PO2 Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 386 Location: Oregon

JohninTexas · Seaman Recruit Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 21

Thanks to all for the warm welcome.

I'm proud to support the Swiftvets For Truth and hope I can do my part to help.

I'm not sure where to post my thoughts about how to improve their delivery, so I will post on what I think is the "main thread" on this Forum.

Hope I'm still welcome after I do. I have no more tanks to climb into.
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John

LongKnife56 · Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 8:39 pm Post subject:

The M551 Sheridanlight tank (armored recon vehcile) sort of floats floats and say limited service in Vietnam
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Phuoc Vinh, RVN '69-70

Old Horse Soldier · Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 6:55 pm Post subject:

Let’s start with a Clinton construct: It depends on what your definition of “Tank” is.

No current Main Battle Tank is capable of swimming. During World War Two, both the Germans and the allies performed experiments with either swimming tanks or deep water fording kits. The motivation was less about amphibious warfare and more tactical mobility, dependence on bridges reduces maneuver and channels an armored forces lanes of attack.

Typically, a tank will be equipped with an inflatable ring to seal the turret-hull interface, a snorkel for its intake (exhaust pressure generally means you don’t put one the exhaust, just keep your foot on the gas!) a bilge pump, and some times a conning tower type of tube for the tank commander to stand in and direct the vehicle.

The only successful swimming main battle tank was the Duplex Drive Sherman. Successful in that it could work if the seas were not to rough. It had a skirt that provided a barrier to keep water out of the intakes and improve buoyancy. The vehicle was equipped with a propeller system, hence the name Duplex Drive. Most of the DD Tanks employed at Omaha Beach sank in the heavy surf with unacceptable loss of life.

Marine amtracks, such as the AAV7, the army’s M113, M2/M3 series A.P.C’s and Soviet era BMPs and PT76s are not tanks by definition, but they are swimmers.

The last tank like vehicle to consider is the M551 Sheridan. Some were used in Vietnam and while this vehicle resembles and is sometimes referred to as a tank, it’s official designation was Airborne Armored Recon Vehicle. Air Transportable and swim capable, it is aluminum armor disqualifies as a tank. We used to call them the Shanks, tank wannabes.

What brought this up, anyway?
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