Anti-Tank Mines Destroy M1A1 in Iraq - Photos

StrategyPage.com ^ | 8 Nov 03 | StrategyPage.com

[11B3]

I hadn't seen these posted, and I hadn't even heard about this incident until finding these photos. In Iraq, a US 4th Infantry Division tank was destroyed (and two of the four man crew killed) when they rolled over three anti-tank mines, buried in the road, one on top of another. It sounds to me just like the method the Palis used to knock out a Merkava - so either the Palis have come to Iraq, or they have trained someone who is there.

These photos are a little hard to look at, but unfortunately it needs to be done. I can only hope that the two KIA died instantly, and that the other two crewmen will recover fully. (Plus I hope that the rest of the company/platoon gets some payback.) Anyway, here's the photos.

Turret upside down, some distance from the hull.

The remains of the hull.

More detail of the hull.

Yes, that looks like a kevlar helmet.

Turret being recovered.

[archy]

I wonder if we'll ever see the test of the deer rifle army in this country.

You're aware that it was activated in Alaska during WWII? Nothing spectacular, and there efforts were only those among many others required to accomplish that monumental undertaking, but they got the job done.

-archy-/-

[Held_to_Ransom]

As a medic, I've served with light infantry, mech. infantry, and armor. A good Armor Company CO informed me the shell of an M1A1 "Will go through 15,400 layers of poncho and liner."

LOL. I wonder who tried it, and how much it cost the gubbermint.

[Walkingfeather]

what's a sten gun?

[Walkingfeather]

what's a sten gun?

[Delta 21]

Take it from a former Tanker, Thats no way to see a piece of heavy armor!

Definatly time for some Payback!

[archy]

what's a sten gun?,P> The standard British 9mm submachinegun of the WWII period, replaced by the Sterling/Patchett design circa 1955, dirt-cheap to manufacture [some Canadian production versions were priced at $9 each to manufacture, less the 7 magazines issued with each one] and simple enough to operate and maintain.

Though the Finns had their own kp/31 *Suomi* and kp/44-46 *Pelti-Heikki* [*tin-Henry*] 9mm machinepistol designs, offering the helpful 71-round drum magazine, among other features, the deal they got on the leftover British surplus was a good one. In exchange for a few tons of obsolete weapons and cast-offs chambered for nonstanfdard calibers, leavened with a few pristine collector's deseribilia thrown in and a few odd machineguns and other oddities for amusements' sake, the Finns got a tool that if not quite ideal, was at least sufficient, and any man, woman and teenager could handle one without excessive difficulty.

The Sten is reasonably reliable in Winter's cold, and is easily adaptable to a silencer/ sound suppressor, a matter of some interest at latitudes where the winter nights can run 18-20 hours long.

[squidly]

It's hard to imagine any well armed population being successfully occupied against it's will.

That's an important point. In fact, the will is even more important than how well armed they are.

[Thunder 6]

"Michael Wittman and his Tiger tank..."

Now, there was a tanker!

regards,

[archy]

For those who don't know: Hauptsturmfuhrer Wittman received the Knights cross- Ritterskreuz of the Iron Cross with oak leaves, swords, and diamonds, approximately the equivalent of the US Medal of Honor...if only 27 MOH's had been so designated and issued.

Lieutenant Michael Wittman.

On the 13th June 1944 Wittman attacked the leading brigade of the 7th Armoured Division at Villiers Bocage. On the outskirts of the village he destroyed many of the tanks and armoured cars of the 4th County of London Yeomanry. He then entered the village and attacked and destroyed several more Shermans and Cromwells. He had effectively single handed stopped the British advance. He was killed in action on August 8th.

Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillianten
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds

[Criminal Number 18F]

You're aware that it was activated in Alaska during WWII?

There was a great novel about that, about 15 or 20 years ago. More like 20 cause I seem to remember reading it when I was in 10th SF in Fort Devens. Can't recall the name... had an American and a Japanese sniper facing off, I want to say on the North Slope but that makes no sense because there was nada on the north slope in those years.

Very good, imaginative book. Can't recall the name for my life.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[Cannoneer No. 4]

ping

[Screaming_Gerbil]

What would cause a tank to get into this kind of situation?

From: http://www.iraqwar.ru/

US "Abrams" tank stuck in an irrigation canal near Tikrit.

[RandallFlagg]

I noticed the stencil, "Bush and co." on the turret.
I wonder when the left will use this pic against Bush.
It'd be their mistake. The tank might have been slowed down, but is still a highly effective terrorist killing machine...

[archy]

What would cause a tank to get into this kind of situation?

Getting stuck a little, and trying to grind themselves out of it, rather than calling for the HQ company M88 VTRs or at least a couple of other tanks from their own platoon [2nd platoon, Bravo Company] to hook on the tow cables before they'd made it worse.

I'd say two other things are likely, too: that probably happened at night, and they waited until daylight to commence recovery operations for safety's sake, and the boss in Bravo 26 is not happy with somebody.

Could be worse.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Casey Jones was a sonofapitch

[Matthew James]

Looks like they drove a bit too close to the edge of the canal. They either slid into it (the M1 can slide on wet grass without tearing it up!), or part of the bank collapsed under its weight.

[Travis McGee]

Don't you have some "tanks in funny places" pics?

[archy]

Depends a lot on what sort of pics you consider to be *funny.* But some such situations are really nothing new.

[Matthew James]

I find most of mine on here!

[Travis McGee]

Those WW1 tanks went what, 5 mph? And they changed everything on the ground!