Versus Match M1 vs. M2 vs. M3 vs. M4

Zachowon

The Army Life for me! The POG life for me!
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I'm going to relay a story that was infamous in Iraq when I was downrange. I've heard multiple versions of this story but they almost always play out the same way. But I think it was 3rd Infantry Division during their drive on Bagdad when they walked right into an ambush and an M1A1 (might have been an A2) was essentially mission killed when its tracks were taken out. The tank was cut off from reinforcements or any aid. The crew continued to fight and essentially went black on ammo (ammunition depletion). They were recovered safely but the tank couldn't be recovered before the enemy overan their position. They stripped the tank of what they could salvage (radios, maps and the BLUE-FOR Tracker) and then made the call to scuttle the tank. Several Bradley's with TOW missiles hit the tank and failed to penetrate the armor. I think they hit it with 3 or 4 of them. They then called in an Apache to hit it with Hellfire missiles. It emptied its entire remaining rack of 6 Hellfire missiles into the tank and called mission complete.

By this point the unit had to pull back where they rearmed and refitted and then counter attacked. They retook their position and reclaimed the tank. Post battle analysis showed that while the Hellfires trashed the armor, they absolutely failed to cause a catastrophic penetratrion kill. The tank was sent back to the states for more studies by the Pentagon but was then repaired and returned to its unit where it remains to this day.
And people wonder why I saw the Abrams os the best tank in the current military.
It couldn't even be killed by fucking Hellfires!
 

Airedale260

Well-known member
I'm going to relay a story that was infamous in Iraq when I was downrange. I've heard multiple versions of this story but they almost always play out the same way. But I think it was 3rd Infantry Division during their drive on Bagdad when they walked right into an ambush and an M1A1 (might have been an A2) was essentially mission killed when its tracks were taken out. The tank was cut off from reinforcements or any aid. The crew continued to fight and essentially went black on ammo (ammunition depletion). They were recovered safely but the tank couldn't be recovered before the enemy overan their position. They stripped the tank of what they could salvage (radios, maps and the BLUE-FOR Tracker) and then made the call to scuttle the tank. Several Bradley's with TOW missiles hit the tank and failed to penetrate the armor. I think they hit it with 3 or 4 of them. They then called in an Apache to hit it with Hellfire missiles. It emptied its entire remaining rack of 6 Hellfire missiles into the tank and called mission complete.

By this point the unit had to pull back where they rearmed and refitted and then counter attacked. They retook their position and reclaimed the tank. Post battle analysis showed that while the Hellfires trashed the armor, they absolutely failed to cause a catastrophic penetratrion kill. The tank was sent back to the states for more studies by the Pentagon but was then repaired and returned to its unit where it remains to this day.

I’ve seen that anecdote on TV Tropes. I *think* the story actually dates back to Desert Storm. Basically, it was trashed but the blowout hatches rendered the ammo detonation useless.

One story I remember from a guy who was in Iraq after 2003 was when their tank company was on patrol and came up on a bridge over a wadi (dry riverbed for the uninitiated) and, figuring (correctly) that it was mined, they instead chose to drive through the wadi...and got a nasty surprise when a giant propane tank (of the kind used to fill up one’s home tanks for grills and the like) was detonated beneath one of the tanks...sending it thirty feet straight up and the treads and exterior trashed.

So, of course the thing is now on fire, and some of the other crews dismount to put out the flames. They do so, then go to pop open the hatch, fearing what they’ll see inside...only for said hatch to pop open, with the crew, shaken but unhurt going “What the FUCK WAS THAT?”
 

Spartan303

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Osaul
I’ve seen that anecdote on TV Tropes. I *think* the story actually dates back to Desert Storm. Basically, it was trashed but the blowout hatches rendered the ammo detonation useless.

One story I remember from a guy who was in Iraq after 2003 was when their tank company was on patrol and came up on a bridge over a wadi (dry riverbed for the uninitiated) and, figuring (correctly) that it was mined, they instead chose to drive through the wadi...and got a nasty surprise when a giant propane tank (of the kind used to fill up one’s home tanks for grills and the like) was detonated beneath one of the tanks...sending it thirty feet straight up and the treads and exterior trashed.

So, of course the thing is now on fire, and some of the other crews dismount to put out the flames. They do so, then go to pop open the hatch, fearing what they’ll see inside...only for said hatch to pop open, with the crew, shaken but unhurt going “What the FUCK WAS THAT?”


This sounds like a different story. The one I distinctly recall is from the push to Bagdad. It may or may not have been 3rd ID. Most stories say that it is. But they're all fairly consistent with the Tank taking several TOW and Hellfire strikes and failing to kill the tank.
 

Zachowon

The Army Life for me! The POG life for me!
Founder
This sounds like a different story. The one I distinctly recall is from the push to Bagdad. It may or may not have been 3rd ID. Most stories say that it is. But they're all fairly consistent with the Tank taking several TOW and Hellfire strikes and failing to kill the tank.
Arnt Hwllfires and TOWS made to take put the heaviest our enemies have?
 

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