[snippy_about_it]

Free Republic Treadhead Ping





Freedom Poster;Delta 21;mostly cajun ;archy; Gringo1; Matthew James; Fred Mertz; Squantos; colorado tanker; The Shrew; SLB; Darksheare; BCR #226; IDontLikeToPayTaxes; Imacatfish; Tailback; DCBryan1; Eaker; Archangelsk; gatorbait; river rat; Lee'sGhost; Dionysius; BlueLancer; Frohickey; GregB; leadpenny; skepsel; Proud Legions; King Prout; Professional Engineer; alfa6; bluelancer; Cannoneer No.4; An Old Man; hookman; DMZFrank; in the Arena; Bethbg79; neverdem; NWU Army ROTC; ma bell; MoJo2001; The Sailor; dcwusmc; dts32041; spectr17; Rockpile; Theophilus;humblegunner


************Snippy, I bequeath to you the FR TH PL.

148 posted on 08/24/2004 11:39:45 AM PDT by Cannoneer No. 4 (I've lost turret power; I have my nods and my .50. Hooah. I will stay until relieved. White 2 out.)

Good morning, ON THE WAY!!!!. :-)

[alfa6]

From deep in the bowels of the night shift...ON THE WAY!!!

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[Iris7]

I read somewhere that the Panthers at Kursk had a gasket in the lubricating oil system that simply blew out by itself, no special reason, dumping the engine oil and likely starting a fire. The engine had to be shut down instantly, and the tank repaired before starting the engine. I mean, those machines were REALLY not ready for prime time. Guderian had to have been really angry.

Notice that the Panther had a starting hand crank. Like the Model T.

Speaking of 2.SS-Panzer-Division Das Reich, Wiki says that 2.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Das Reich (notice grenadier) and the 2.SS Panzer Regiment (Langanke's outfit) were put together to form the 2.SS-Panzer-Division. These were most elite units. Extremely high quality.

Das Reich had returned from Russia to take in replacements and equipment early in '44. Battle hardened as much as humans get.

Das Reich is infamous for the killings at Oradour-sur-Glane.

The Resistance tried to block the Division there, obstructing the Division's march to Normandy from southern France. The usual number is 642 - the number of French civilians hung in Oradour-sur-Glane after the Resistance ran away. Max Hastings has a book on this march of Das Reich.

War is a rough business.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

BOOM!
Target! Left tank.
Identified!
UP!
FIRE!
BOOM!
Target. Cease Fire. Mission complete. Driver, move out.

[DCBryan1]

Any of you guys want to meet at Ft. Knox (Patton Museum) for a little treadhead reunion? I think it would be a great idea. I can scrounge up some nomex suits and I can have an embroiderer make a FR Treadhead patch for us with handles instead of names on the nametapes, and FreeRepublic.com instead of service branch on the uniform.

Let me know if you guys are free to travel in the balance of 2005.

DCBryan1