Posted on Apr 20, 2016
CPT Joseph K Murdock
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It was my first field problem as an armor PL. It was TF on TF so half the brigade was out there. My platoon was responsible for guarding a large hill and I drew the sector sketch. I drew the primary, alternate, and supplementary positions but never labeled them as such. Somehow I lost the sector sketch and the red forces got a hold of it. They looked at my sketch and found 12 tanks on the hill by my drawings. It became great disinformation and caused the red force avenue of attack to change right into the teeth of our TF. It became comical as my platoon was moved from the hill. I suspect I never got an ass chewing because we did so well. lol
Edited >1 y ago
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MAJ Raúl Rovira
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I turned my tank into a naval vessel.

I drove my M1A1 on the river in Korea so the bad guys could not see us. Sounds brilliant when you are a Lieutenant and the PSG is far away. The tank hatches were on open protected. Since I noticed water splashing too close to the turret I figured I'm about to get fired. My gunner looked through the GAS and calmly said, "Sir, we are under water". I checked on the driver through the CVC but I could not hear him since he was screaming. I'm glad he could hear me and drove the tank "Hard Right" and off the river we went. Since it was winter it was like a submarine cracking on the arctic ice. All was fine and we laughed about it.

A week later during command maintenance my driver and loader asked me "Hey skipper, how deep do you think we were back on the river?" To be a smart ass I said "Periscope depth??!!" They showed me the pre-cleaner and it was full of fish.

The writing on my go away plac says, "To Red 1, FRAGO: Dive! Dive! Dive!"
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SFC Management
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Edited >1 y ago
Not so much goofy, but defenitely a oh shit moment. I've been 11B my entire career with Light or Mech. I've fired Gunnery off of every platform of the Bradley from the A0 up to the A3. That being said I have NEVER seen the inside of a M1. I've used the exhaust numerous times for warmth/drying off. I've seen them fire/maneuver etc, but never seen the inside of one let alone ride in it etc.

My last "major" training excersise we were doing combined arms(1 Tank Plt, and 1 Brad Plt). We were wrapping up the excersise, and had developed a pretty good relationship with the PL from the Tank Plt(I was filling in as acting PL due to mine being in BOLC). So I asked him if I could crawl in one and maybe catch a ride. Sure he says no problem. So I'm FINALLY inside a M1 after 28 yrs in the Army. His PSG is showing me all the bells and whistles. We go for a little ride thru the training area etc. we get back and he asks if I want to sit in the drivers seat. Why of course I do. I've heard great and wonderful things about the comfort of the drivers seat of a M1. Now here is where it gets funny. I'm 6'6" 230-240 ish. There is no way in hell is my old ass is crawling in thru the front deck. No problem he says. He swings turret around and I "wiggle" my way in thru the turret. So I'm finally sitting there all comfy enjoying it. The PSG is showing/talking me thru where all the controls are.

Here comes the oh shit moment. He then tells me to reach down on the LEFT side and grab the handle and I can adjust my seat etc. I look down and see handle. I grab and pull....wrong side/wrong handle. I activated the engine compartment Halon bottles....we all hear a pop, everyone's eyes light up and half the tankers take off. He tells me what I just did and off in the distance we see the Tank Company Motor Sergeant walking our way with a HUGE ass stick, and a very upset look on his face. Everyone is scattering and I'm stuck half in half out the drivers hatch trying to escape. Everyone laughs about it nowadays, but it cost me 3 cases of beer and helping them replace the bottle.
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CPT Joseph K Murdock
CPT Joseph K Murdock
>1 y
Hahahahaha that Halon bottle is wicked like an IED.
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SFC Management
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>1 y
In my defense. I did follow ALL of his instructions to the letter. And I have witnesses. Lol
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SSG Jeremy Kohlwes
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I got sent TDY prior to my first deployment to conduct port loading operations in Rotterdam. This basically consisted of sitting on our butts until a certain vehicle was needed and then driving several over to be loaded on the ships. I was on night shift with a bunch of tankers and we got super bored just waiting around so we started driving anything and everything they needed. I drove a Paladin, an MLRS, and a whole lot more that I don't even remember the names of. I even got to drive an M1 Abrams, best part of that was this really cute reservist said she wanted to ride in the tank so I told her to hop in. My first and only time driving a tank and I picked up a girl while doing it. The goofiest part was when one of the tankers and myself made a bet about who could pivot steer the fastest. I got in a Bradley and he jumped in a tank and then we had ourselves a little pivot steer race. I lost.
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CPT Joseph K Murdock
CPT Joseph K Murdock
>1 y
Is not the tank a Cadillac ride?
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SSG Jeremy Kohlwes
SSG Jeremy Kohlwes
>1 y
As I much as I hate to admit it as an Infantryman, the Abrams was a really nice ride. Nowhere near as clunky as a Bradley feels.
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CSM Charles Hayden
CSM Charles Hayden
>1 y
CPT Joseph K Murdock - The 6th Army CSM, (Airborne leg), once went on a M-1 ride with me. He exclaimed at how the dessert became a very calm ocean! CPT Joseph K Murdock
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CPT Joseph K Murdock
CPT Joseph K Murdock
>1 y
The M1 was a well kept secret for its Cadillac like ride. We floated over the desert! You burned 200 gallons for the CSM's joy ride hahaha. Ask me about taking my tank flying!
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