Four Tank Soldiers Buried

Israel National News ^

[yonif]

Funerals for the four IDF soldiers who were killed yesterday morning in a bomb attack against their Patton M-7 tank were held this afternoon. A bomb containing over 100 kg (220 lbs) of explosives was detonated against the tank near the northern Gaza community of Dugit. The tank burst into flames as the ammunition inside exploded, and it took rescue forces three hours to extricate the bodies of the soldiers.

The four fallen soldiers are: Sgt. Alexei Blitzky, 21, and St. Sgt. Doron Cohen, 21, both of Rishon LeTzion; Corp. Noam Bahagon, 20, from Elkanah; and Sgt. Itai Mizrachi, 20, of Be'er Sheva. Individual identification of the bodies was completed only this afternoon. The Izzadin el-Kassam military arm of Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack.

[cricket]

So sad. . .real war, real people. . .real heroes.

[onedoug]

Casualties that might not be, had Israel already kicked its Islamists out.

[latrans]

So sad. And an even bigger bomb was just uncovered today.

[friendly]

How is it possible for a battle tank to be destroyed? I thought that was the whole point of these tanks, to easily withstand this sort of partisan attack.

Is there some technical flaw in the Patton M-7 tank which the guerillas have discovered?

[Catspaw]

The bomb they found today was 130 kg.

[friendly]

Let me see if I understand this: You don't need A-10 Warthogs firing spent thosands of uranium massive armored piercing bullets to destroy an Israeli tank? Some Palestineans can simply place a bomb near the tank can destroy it, killing the entire crew?

[friendly]

IDF Southern District Commander Maj.-Gen. Doron Almog stated ...there is no way to increase the armored protection on tanks. Procedures were in place, however, for armored bulldozers to clear the area ahead of the tanks. It appears that for as yet unexplained reasons, yesterday's tank veered to the side, off the path checked seconds earlier by the D-9 armored bulldozer.

[Catspaw]

I wonder if there was a reason the tank veered--like having a small child run across the road, for example.

[SoCal Pubbie]

I think that must be a M-47, unless the M-7 designation is an IDF number. The M-47 is an old tank, a post WWII design and among the first of the Patton line. I would have thought that it would have been an M-60 model, although the IDF recycles vehicles, including their old Shermans.

[Johnny Gage]

Sgt. Alexei Blitzky, 21
St. Sgt. Doron Cohen, 21
Corp. Noam Bahagon, 20
Sgt. Itai Mizrachi, 20

[Johnny Gage]

Forgot the ping list

[SAMWolf]

Bump

[SAMWolf]

Palestinian militants have blown up three Merkava-3 tanks -- a symbol of the Jewish state's military prowess -- with homemade mines in Gaza during the revolt, killing seven soldiers. But the army said the tank hit on Saturday was an older U.S.-built M-60.

[John H K]

It's a heavily modified M-60.

If a tank were built that were invulnerable to an enormous command-detonated mine like this, it would be so heavy it wouldn't be able to move.

Set off hundreds of pounds of high explosive UNDER any tank ever built, and it is toast. This would have destroyed an M-1.

[Redleg Duke]

"Is there some technical flaw in the Patton M-7 tank which the guerillas have discovered?"

If it is a Patton, that tank is thiry years old or more. The only flaw is that it was not built with "unobtainium" which is impervious to everything, light as a feather and redirects the attacking energy right back to the attacker.

[SJackson]

It's a very old tank, a "updated" Sherman, lightly armored underneath, though I suspeck this would have taken out newer Merkvas as well.

It's thought the problem was tactical, that the driver didn't follow in the tracks of the armored bulldozer clearing a path for him.

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IDF Commander Said Fatal Attack Was Avoidable

(IsraelNN.com) IDF brigade commander, Colonel Yoel Strick stated on Sunday that Saturday morning's fatal attack against a tank was avoidable. While Strick would not detail findings of the ongoing investigation, he stated with certainty that the detonation of the 150kg bomb that claimed the lives of the four-man tank crew was avoidable.

It was announced earlier on Sunday that the tank veered to the left, failing to follow the tracks of the D9 armored bulldozer escort, leading to the detonation of the powerful bomb.

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Kahalani Explains More About 'Magach 7' Tank

(IsraelNN.com) According to Avigdor Kahalani, a retired IDF brigadier-general and former Tank Corps division commander, the 'Magach 7' tank is basically a US-built Patton tank overhauled to Israeli specifications. While the tank is over 50 years old, the former senior officer explained that unfortunately, during the past year, even the more modern and advanced Merkavah tanks did not hold up to the powerful roadside bombs containing over 100kg of explosives.

Kahalani detailed that the tanks are designed for conventional warfare – to stand up against tank and light weapons fire, as well as fire from helicopter gunships. The underside of the tanks he explained is definitely the most vulnerable area.

[The Mayor]

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[MeekOneGOP]

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[friendly]

I read into this issue. Another homemade mine did take out a more substantial Mehkava last year, killing the crew of 4 as well.