suport our troops
( M1A1 Tank Operation Iraqi Freedom)
The M1A1 is a massive peace of equipment weights out at almost 70 ton's. It has a 1500 hp multi-fuel turbine engine and a 120 mm cannon. U.S. Troops relay these tank to provide support during operations over seas they are the life blood of the modern military. But this monster of a vehicle requires constant maintenance by very skilled troops to keep it running in top condition in the harsh environment of the deserts of Iraq. When they do brake down it is a monumental task to recover them so repairs maybe made this task is given to the tank mechanics and recovery crews of the Army and Marines.
Based in the middle of the desert with minimal assets available these dedicated troops strive to keep these vehicles maintained. They work Day and night in temperatures sometimes reaching 130 degrees and almost daily sand storms in the Iraqi deserts to preform the task at hand.
One monster machine needs another monster machine to serve as it recovery vehicle that's why they use the M88A2 HECULES think of it as a massive tow truck with tracks. This vehicle like the M1A1 weighs 70 tons and has a hefty 1050 hp air cooled V12 engine. It is also equipped with a main wench that is rated at 70 tons for a single line pull / 140 ton for two part line it also includes a host wench that's capable of lifting 36 tons.
On the banks of the Tigris River just south of Baghdad in 2003 a tank had caught fire and was driven in to the river. A team of three Marine Corps M88A2 tank retrievers from 2nd maintenance battalion 2nd (FSSG) Force Service Support Group was tasked with the recovery. Upon arrival at the down tank they found it rested half way submerged in the river at the bottom of at 30 feet deep 45 degree embankment and heavely damaged.
M88A2 recovery crews worked all night to recover the downed vehicle from the river which was a task deemed imposable by the duty experts. Once the tank was recovered it was found to be in very bad condition due to the fire, the M1A1 was loaded on to a truck to be hauled back to camp.
Now 18 plus hours in to the recovery the disabled tank was now on a truck and ready to be taken back to camp but there day is no where even close to being done. The men and women of our military work very hard to do there jobs and keep our military the best in the world they deserve our support.
crew members: Ssgt. Nielsen, Cpl. Williams, Cpl. Pond, Cpl. Krebs, Cpl. Berry, Cpl. Turner, Cpl Bell, Lcpl Dixon
Thank you to all that have served
