Oh, I was also a tanker in the military driving, gunning, and commanding a tank that was the first of it’s kind to shoot a guided missile back in the early 1970s.
For you information, the tankers have 0ne of the shortest life spans of any job in the military.
Plus, since I was also scout, my life span was considered even shorter.
MOS, 11D10R8
A Sheridan TC?
I was a Tank commander on an M48A3 MBT in Vietnam with the 77th Armor, Northern I Corp, DMZ. It was an excellent and reliable AFV, and in the infantry support role, it’s armor protection and firepower proved crucial in some of the stand up fights that our Mech Infantry units got into with NVA troops dug into bunker lines.
The total number of U.S. Army Tankers (enlisted men with MOS 11E10, 11E20, 11E40, and Officers with MOS 1203) killed in the Republic of Vietnam was 725. To put this in perspective it must be understood that only 2,720 men served as tankers on MBT’s in Vietnam from 1966 to 1971. This represents a loss rate of 27%, the highest loss-rate for any MOS in any branch during the war.
Yeah, tank crewman can be a pretty dangerous job, all right.
I trained on an M551 with the Shillelegh Missle. Automotively the vehicle was good, but it’s fire control system, electrically powered turret, and the propellant of the combustible case main gun ammo was problematic in tropical heat and humidity.
M551 I presume?