Brig Posted January 9, 2015 #1 Posted January 9, 2015 I have! Alright, full story...for a couple of years, I've heard the story of an old tank rusting away in the woods of the MCT training area, but was never able to find it. We got to talking about it today, having heard of the general area it was allegedly in, and decided to go for a walk. We all figured by this point, having been here for a couple years, that it was a myth since few claimed to have seen it, and those that did couldn't produce photos or lead us to it. First thing we found was an axle, nearby an old, crushed Jeep. And not far from this, we located this thing... Just the turret, with '2nd EOD Plt' carved long ago into the metal, with a tree growing up out of the center. Very cool!! Can anyone ID the type of tank for me?
Brig Posted January 9, 2015 Author #4 Posted January 9, 2015 I peered in and pulled out an 81mm mortar, it was inside the turret. Primer struck, completely empty. We've heard the area was an impact area way back when, I've found 1950's expended brass, and UXO is occasionally found from time to time. I don't know if this was a direct hit inside, perhaps a round with no charge, just propellant, or if it was placed there, or what.
CNY Militaria Posted January 9, 2015 #6 Posted January 9, 2015 Well you certainly don't find that everyday!
36-tex Posted January 9, 2015 #7 Posted January 9, 2015 Yep, I would place that turret in my front yard!
jkash23686 Posted January 9, 2015 #8 Posted January 9, 2015 Nope, but I found a WWII glider while snowmobiling in PA growing up . Apparently after WWII they were towing them back to store near where General Dynamics in Scranton is now and a tow rope broke. Its remains were in the woods behind a golf course where I grew up.
David D Posted January 9, 2015 #9 Posted January 9, 2015 Very cool find, and I cant say I have ever found a tank while going for a walk. -Dave
Brig Posted January 9, 2015 Author #10 Posted January 9, 2015 Yep, I would place that turret in my front yard! I was thinking the same thing
jkash23686 Posted January 9, 2015 #12 Posted January 9, 2015 I was thinking the same thing I think you should! Time to cut down a tree!
doyler Posted January 9, 2015 #13 Posted January 9, 2015 Thats way cool. Also the charge in the mortar base was made by Winchester.Not sure how many years they made them but u ts definately old...possible WW2 manufacture and used at some point Thanks for posting
Brig Posted January 9, 2015 Author #14 Posted January 9, 2015 Trying to figure out when EOD starting being known as EOD, that would give me a better timeframe for when it was deposited. The Jeeps are too wrecked to get much info off of, I'm assuming the entire area was an impact site for mortars decades ago. Without charges likely, as parts aren't scattered everywhere but are smashed up
mattsmilitary Posted January 9, 2015 #15 Posted January 9, 2015 AWESOME! I would love to go for a walk and find that!
doyler Posted January 9, 2015 #16 Posted January 9, 2015 now you just need to get that Sherman turret back to the man cave and make a coffee table or TV stand out of it.
blinky Posted January 9, 2015 #18 Posted January 9, 2015 Trying to figure out when EOD starting being known as EOD, that would give me a better timeframe for when it was deposited. The Jeeps are too wrecked to get much info off of, I'm assuming the entire area was an impact site for mortars decades ago. Without charges likely, as parts aren't scattered everywhere but are smashed up I suspect the EOD team marked the turret well after it was deposited, most likely sometime when they were doing a range cleanup there. I know of a pristine bunker built in the 1920s in an area used briefly as an impact range. A couple of years ago EOD did a survey of the site and left their "calling card" in bright orange paint. When I was a kid I heard a story from a friend about an old Sherman turret in the woods near where he lived. A logger bought an old Sherman as a tractor and dumped the turret in the woods. Seeing this makes me want to go out there and see if I could find it after all these years!
Brig Posted January 9, 2015 Author #19 Posted January 9, 2015 Any pictures of the crushed Jeep? Not currently. My buddy snapped this photo with his phone, we plan on going back to the site and poking around more next week, maybe with the metal detector, and I'll bring my camera and get more images
mvmhm Posted January 9, 2015 #21 Posted January 9, 2015 Send me a map of where it is, and I'll get my hand truck........ Mark sends
B229 Posted January 9, 2015 #23 Posted January 9, 2015 It's a late production, 105mm Howitzer armed turret as fitted to both the M4 and M4A3 Medium Tanks, as well as both versions equipped with HVSS. There are lots of interesting things residing in the weeds of most impact areas, but I'd be real careful exploring them. EOD can only deal with what happened to be above ground when they did thier UXO sweep. You never know what might surface and when.
KurtA Posted January 9, 2015 #24 Posted January 9, 2015 List it on Ebay (local pickup only) using that photo. If it sells, give the buyer the GPS coordinates.
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