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JohninTexas Seaman Recruit
Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 21
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:10 am Post subject: Tanks don't float |
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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. _________________ John |
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baldeagl PO3
Joined: 07 Aug 2004 Posts: 260 Location: Texas
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:20 am Post subject: |
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You're wrong about the tanks. On D-Day, we sent floating tanks into the beaches to support the troops. _________________ antimedia
USN OST-6 68-74
http://antimedia.blogspot.com/ |
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Paul5388 Seaman Recruit
Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 36 Location: East Texas
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:46 am Post subject: |
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baldeagl,
They sure didn't seem to want to float in Cowhouse Creek!
Paul
19E20 _________________ "FLUSH THE JOHNS"
Bumper sticker seen at Shreveport VAMC
www.usslittlerock.com |
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LewWaters Admin
Joined: 18 May 2004 Posts: 4042 Location: Washington State
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:50 am Post subject: |
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Quote: | On D-Day, we sent floating tanks into the beaches to support the troops. |
Due to weather and manuevering, most of them sank and the idea was abandoned.
John, welcome. Tanks may not float, but they sure stood up to bullets better than boats and even the helicopters I was in. _________________ Clark County Conservative |
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jwb7605 Rear Admiral
Joined: 06 Aug 2004 Posts: 690 Location: Colorado
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Mustang0302 Seaman Recruit
Joined: 21 Aug 2004 Posts: 25
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 3:16 am Post subject: Re: Tanks don't float |
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I'm a poor dumb grunt, but in honor of all Marine Amtrackers: YATYAS! _________________ Semper Fidelis, and God Bless America! |
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blue9t3 Admiral
Joined: 23 Aug 2004 Posts: 1246 Location: oregon
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 3:25 am Post subject: tanks????? |
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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 _________________ MOPAR-BUYER |
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rb325th Admiral
Joined: 21 Aug 2004 Posts: 1334
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 3:27 am Post subject: |
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Come on the Tanks may not float, but the M-113 could! (for a little while anyhow )
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. _________________ U.S. Army 1983-1995, 11C1P/11H2P NBTDT |
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BuffaloJack Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
Joined: 10 Aug 2004 Posts: 1637 Location: Buffalo, New York
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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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. |
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redhawk34 Seaman Apprentice
Joined: 19 May 2004 Posts: 83 Location: Joisey, Ya gotta Problem Wit Dat?
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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There's a kit that allows a tank to float.
It's called an LCM-8.
Redhawk |
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U S Army EOD Seaman Recruit
Joined: 24 Jul 2004 Posts: 44 Location: Lincolnton, GA
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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LewWaters,
A moving foxhole attracts the eye. _________________ Wootten A. York
CO
8th Ord Det (EOD) ROK 68-69
542 Ord Det (EOD) CONUS 70-71
99th Ord Det (EOD) RVN 72-73 |
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LimaCharlie PO2
Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 386 Location: Oregon
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 7:24 pm Post subject: |
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BuffaloJack wrote: | 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. |
It was an Army Duster tank with 40mm guns on the turret and the 50cal that I manned. The Army had written it off as a war loss as they were leaving the area and the CO talked them into dropping it off at the Swift Base. An engineman got it running and a gunners mate got the guns working. It made the Navy Times. It was used it for base perimeter patrols and floated it on a LCM (Mike) boat. It was the heavy cruiser. _________________ I was going to become an anarchist, but they had too many rules.
Last edited by LimaCharlie on Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:37 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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JohninTexas Seaman Recruit
Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 21
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 8:03 pm Post subject: Maybe tanks do float . . . |
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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. _________________ John |
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LongKnife56 Seaman Recruit
Joined: 24 Aug 2004 Posts: 16 Location: Quincy, MA
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 8:39 pm Post subject: |
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The M551 Sheridanlight tank (armored recon vehcile) sort of floats floats and say limited service in Vietnam _________________ 1/9th Air Cav
Phuoc Vinh, RVN '69-70 |
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Old Horse Soldier Seaman Recruit
Joined: 21 Aug 2004 Posts: 5 Location: Taxachussetts
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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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? _________________ Never apologize, it's a sign of weakness |
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