The FReeper Foxhole's TreadHead Tuesday - M4 Sherman Medium Tank - Feb 24th, 2004

www.sproe.com ^

[SAMWolf]

I'd wear it sideways

There's always one in every crowd, only normally it's me. We seem to have two at the Foxhole

[Professional Engineer]

I'm kinda fond of this style.

[SAMWolf]

Isreali "Super" Sherman - Sinai Desert

[Darksheare]

*LOL!*
YUP.
In my unit, we had 7 of us.
When the Smoke needed something *cough* 'other' done, he'd call us out to do the 'other' tasks.

Of course, EVERYONE knew we'd been called for the tasks due to this statement from the Smoke: "Where's my criminals?"

[Darksheare]

The flat flap goes in front with a skull and crossbones on it, right?

[SAMWolf]

"Where's my criminals?"

Heard that a few times. :-)

[Darksheare]

Only had to give our piratical hoard back once.

[SAMWolf]

When the Arabs armies had received new Soviet tanks during the early 1950's, Israeli Sherman tanks were rapidly outclassed, being insufficiently armed for dealing with T-34 and T-85 tanks. This situation led to development of new improved Sherman tanks. The solution were 75mm CN 75-50 French gun with 1000 m/sec.

The prototype turret was sent to Israel in 1955, This gun was fitted in M4A4 and M4A3 tanks, first 50 M-50 tanks had VVSS and in middle 1961 there were 300 M-50 tanks ready with HVSS.

One of the best kept secrets in the Sinai Campaign (1956) was the participation of US made Sherman M-50 tanks on which the French mounted a 75mm gun. When the Sinai Campaign (1956) war broke out, Israel had 180 Shermans ready for battle of total 205 Shermans. M-50s were active combatans in the Sinai Peninsula and in the daring battle on the Roeifa Dam under the command of Moshe Brill. After many tracks and engine modifications by the IDF, they were used in the Six Day War (1967) and Yom Kippur War (1973).

When the Six Day War (1967) war broke out, Israel had 515 Shermans ready for battle of total 520 Shermans, and when the Yom Kippur War (1973) war broke out, Israel had 340 Shermans.

In 1983 Chile acquired a number of M-50s from Israel

[SAMWolf]

I got left holding the bag on a "borrowed" Duece and half.

One of those "the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions" things.

Got an Article 15 for it, but only on my record. The CO never imposed the fine, extra duty or "restricted to barracks" part of it. Best he could cover for me.

[Darksheare]

LOL!

[SAMWolf]

LOL!

It kept me from getting my Good Conduct Medal when I mustered out though. There went my "Decorated War Hero" status. :-(

[Darksheare]

We "plausibly denied" 'bogarting' an M249 that had been left ungaurded at Ft Dix while doing weapons qualification.
I, being the Advance Party guy for my gun section, came upon the 'item' in my wanderings to snoop the area immediately surrounding the latrine.
(Never know when you might need to use the alternate latrine out of sight.)
Came upon a weapon pile, and in the midst of this impressive array of UNGUARDED weapons sat the 'item' complete with bolt.
Remember rule one of weapon piles?
Never leave a weapon without a weapons guard.

Long short of it, I took it upon myself to illustrate the rule, and wandered back to my unit with the 249... where it was in our possession for almst four hours before an extremely NERVOUS Captain wanders up to us and nervously asks if we'd seen a 249 wandering loose in our area.
*chuckle*
The ONLY time we had to give back our piratical take.

[Darksheare]

I was barred from such recognition, especially since I was 'tainted' by having been well liked by the previous Captain.
(He too was of a Piratical bend.)

[SAMWolf]

Obviously, I mean Stalin's refusal for American and British bombers to refuel on Soviet airfields, after supplying fighting Warsaw with weaponry.

My dad told me about how heartbreaking it was to see the American and British bombers flying over dropping supplies, that mostly fell into German hands. By the time Stalin allowed the flights the Germans had recaptured most of Warsaw. Also they were forced to fly too high because the Soviets wouldn't supress the German AA guns or provide escorts.

[SAMWolf]

We had a well liked LT. lose (Some low-lifes stole it when he was at a different base, Quon Loi, I think) a 3/4 ton truck, he was in deep doo doo, but he was a great guy so a few of us managaed a trip to Quon Loi and "found" the missing truck. The CO didn't seem to care that Bumper markings and serial number seemed newly painted, just glad to "see" thge truck again. We're just glad he didn't check the real serial number plaque.

Funny thing though, shortly after we found the truck it was lost to a mine and had to be scrapped. ;-)
(

[Darksheare]

Sounds like our acquiring of a Hemmet. (for about two weeks until someone noticed)
Then we had to give it back.
Even though it now said B-44 as it's bumper number.
*chuckle*
About a year after we gave it back, we were asked if we'd wanted our Hemmet back.
The Smoke said no, hung up politely, and THEN thought about it.
He looked over at my brother and I, and asks, "I should've said YES, shouldn't I?"
As far as I know, it's still sitting where we'd last parked it after giving it back, marked with my unit's bumper number and unit ID.

[SAMWolf]

About a year after we gave it back, we were asked if we'd wanted our Hemmet back.
The Smoke said no, hung up politely, and THEN thought about it.
He looked over at my brother and I, and asks, "I should've said YES, shouldn't I?"

ROTFL

[Darksheare]

A little while after that, our unit went to Camp Blanding near Jacksonville Florida to do live fire.
The Smoke walked up to the remaining "Criminals" (4 of us) and says, "Wouldn't it be nice to go down with 10 vehicles and come back with 11? I'm not saying, but I'm just saying, wouldn't it be nice?"
We asked him if he'd like a Hemmet.
He said that he wasn't saying such.
Then he asked about how well the Hemmet rode.

We DID try to get our hands on a Florida Guard Hemmet, especially since to return it someone would've had to DRIVE it back...
(Did ALMOST got my hands on an Avenger system.. was sitting in it when it's owners returned and chuckled over my drooling over the weaponry.)