Many years ago when I was serving in an armor unit we were practicing nightime fire on illuminated targets. An incoming target was reported, the searchlight tank found and illuminated the target. The tank that was supposed to engage then followed the searchlight beam in the wrong direction (to its source) and fired.
Now, mind you, we were, of course, employing nice, blue, inert training rounds. Even so, nobody, not even people inside a tank, wants to be shot by a tank. Especially since, for an operation like that you weren't typically sitting there buttoned up.
Those of us observing from the "sidelines" were speechless and breathless, especially as the range controller repeatedly tried to contact the searchlight tank. After a few moments the searchlight tank responded with the TC answering, (as I recall it), "Uhh... uhh... roger... it just took a minute there for us to clean out the turret and change uniforms. Round splashed about 10 mikes in front of us. We're OK."
We had a short round in my 155 M109 battery. We called it the mystery round the guy ramming the round into the breech let up on the hydraulic ramrod too early and failed to make a seal with the ring. When he pulled the tail the powder charge burned for a few seconds before it pushed the round forward and fired. It flew lazily over some trees and set everyone outside the gun to the dirt for cover. Luckily the the round didn't go far enough or spin enough to arm the fuse.
They never did find that round though it buried itself good somewhere.
I notice the guy in the tank hunkering down when he sees the rocket tun back!
ReplyDeleteYeah, that would be the least of it.
DeleteMany years ago when I was serving in an armor unit we were practicing nightime fire on illuminated targets. An incoming target was reported, the searchlight tank found and illuminated the target. The tank that was supposed to engage then followed the searchlight beam in the wrong direction (to its source) and fired.
ReplyDeleteNow, mind you, we were, of course, employing nice, blue, inert training rounds. Even so, nobody, not even people inside a tank, wants to be shot by a tank. Especially since, for an operation like that you weren't typically sitting there buttoned up.
Those of us observing from the "sidelines" were speechless and breathless, especially as the range controller repeatedly tried to contact the searchlight tank. After a few moments the searchlight tank responded with the TC answering, (as I recall it), "Uhh... uhh... roger... it just took a minute there for us to clean out the turret and change uniforms. Round splashed about 10 mikes in front of us. We're OK."
I swear this blog is my equivalent of exchanging beer for stories, thankyou for sharing that one.
DeleteWe had a short round in my 155 M109 battery. We called it the mystery round the guy ramming the round into the breech let up on the hydraulic ramrod too early and failed to make a seal with the ring. When he pulled the tail the powder charge burned for a few seconds before it pushed the round forward and fired. It flew lazily over some trees and set everyone outside the gun to the dirt for cover. Luckily the the round didn't go far enough or spin enough to arm the fuse.
ReplyDeleteThey never did find that round though it buried itself good somewhere.
So in 50 years some breathless news reporter is going to be talking about unexploded ordnance found in a new subdivision lot.
Delete