Jump to content

XM1 Abrams Tank


Brian Keith
 Share

Recommended Posts

Brian Keith

 

Neat photo, speaks for itself. I have to imagine it was taken at Lima, OH.

Thanks for looking,

BKW

 

XM1 001.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think Thunderbolt might of been sent down to the Cav at Ft Hood, when I was there in early 1981, the 2nd Battalion 5th Cavalry was theee first unit given the tank, and that's exactly what they and we called them, the XM1, they all had that Dark Green paint job, not like our Tracks in the 2nd Battalion 12th Cavalry (Mech Infantry) which were Camo. We shared our motor pool with one of the battalions of the 8th Cavalry, I always forget which one, the 1st or the 2nd Battalion, which was also a Tank Battalion, but they had the Camo painted M60s and Tracks, however the 2nd Battalion 5th Cavalry's motor pool was across the way from ours, separated by a large grass field, so we could see them now and again, they would drive past our motor pool on the hard ball road that runs the length behind of all the motor pools, it was something to see in those early days, fast as hell, making this kind of humming buzzing sound as they went past.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Rooster

I was a crunchie but I did spend a few days on an M55 Sheridan and some APC's M113's.

I never rode in one but got the opportunity at NTC in Jan 1990 to crawl all over and inside an Abrams.

Its really a big tank when you are next to it.. I think the M-60 sits higher. But its wide and long and huge outside standing next to it.

But you get inside and for all that huge tank..... Its a comparatively tenny little space.

And yea Patches that turbine sound is awesome !

Tanks always always scared the dog snot outta me when they came around when we were in the field.

Too big too fast loud and the ground shook when they went by....

Scary things in the wild when you are on the ground not in a tank... lol

Anything that shakes the ground as it passes by... you just end up having to respect that.

The M-60 was a much louder tank running.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's a photo (Me on the right) taken in like early April 1981 in my motor pool where the big field I mentioned that separates the 2nd Battalion 5th Cavalry's motor pool from ours is seen, see those vehicles off in the distance, that's them, the 2/5th Cav. So somewhere in there are all those new XM1s 1018122355_emoticonsmile.png.8a8269de60d3d33845c1a39ce6266ae4.png

 

field.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did indeed took a photo once of one of the new XM1 Tanks, Dark Green paint job and all, it was parked near by our battalion area on the grass off a hard ball road, a rather blurry one as it turned out when it got back to me after the roll was developed at the PX Annex LOL, I went looking for it but can't find it regrettably.

 

So instead here's a Scan of one from the Cav from the exact same time period, a photo in the 1982 ARMY GREEN BOOK I have, note the Dark Green paint job, would be interested to know just when they finally painted them all Cmoflage.

xm1.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Brian Keith said:

Neat Photo! That one's going to have to have some serious wash rack time!

BKW

You bet ya.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Back to the top... I'm late to the party but a google search pulled up this thread and I have some things to add.

 

My first tank was an XM1 that I was assigned  in Feb 1987.   Delta Co. 3/66AR 2AD at Ft. Hood Texas.   My Battalion had a bunch that had serial numbers below 100.  I didn't know the significance at the time or I would have taken better pictures and notes...  they were all just M1s to me.

 

They were pretty beat up by the time we got our hands on them, but they got the job done.   We moved to Germany in mid-'88 where we pulled brand new M1A1's ....  BII still in crates bolted to the back deck.

 

I have a few photos I took in Texas:

 

 

Pictures0008.JPG.85691ad542d79fa9ed86eef557eab50a.JPG

 

105 canisters on the turret floor.  They bounce around pretty good... and are permanent scar hot.

Pictures0010.JPG.0ed19db1a364ad2ce22b90ccef2d43c3.JPG

 

Sheared the bolts on a rear sprocket... we didn't laugh too hard as we drove by.

z-7Pictures.jpg.2df3fe8baba01ca3e6f882a6db296ca5.jpg

 

Early morning on the range.

z-6Pictures.jpg.c874a67f76e5f26c615318996244f6ba.jpg

 

Finest sleeping accommodations..

z-5Pictures.jpg.7933022bac6fde7f7d1bb08b02380b36.jpg

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't take these.. a buddy in a facebook group posted them up.  3/66AR '87-'88  Ft. Hood.

 

 

Motorpool.. my platoon in the foreground.  I was on D-14, that may be D-11 in foreground.  After 35 years, my memory is not reliable...LOL

 

285203_10200208753596528_1849035530_n.jpg.ebe90c4b8c652c2e6c742bc009d57d3e.jpg

 

382296_10200208238663655_1841780302_n.jpg.1f56a162010ab141ecd7a4879de90145.jpg

520_n.jpg.046c01920a80a1fd82c26eb5860324d8.jpg

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...