Jerry Cans On Tanks

[dgsselkirk]

Bahaha... Much better! LOL!

[Norton1]

Hi-test gasoline in vehicles was a bane. Especially for the M-113s. They burned quite handily when hit with a B-40. And the gas tank was in the floor. That's why you rarely see troops riding inside as to be inside meant you were going to be a crispy critter right quick. I've not seen a regular round ignite anything. A tracer round is a whole different ball game. It creates the gas fumes and lights them up on the way out. It was how Gunnery Sergeant Hathcock was medically retired from service. The 113 he was riding on top of was hit with an RPG and the resulting explosion burned him rather badly.

I think that most of the cans we see on tanks and other combat rigs are water. To my mind it would be insane to put a giant pile of potentially superheated fuel on, and around, the turret. I sure as heck wouldn't do it. It would burn all the oxygen up quite quickly and dying of a lack of air has never been an easy way to go. Probably why the Brits referred to burning tanks as "brewing up". Gotta have your tea right???

Be well,
Steve

[Packy]

In Viet Nam I was in 3rd. Amtracs USMC, we had LVTP5A1's, with 480 gal. of gas in 12 fuel bladders inside.
We often carried two 55 gal. drums of gas outside tied down over the fan wells.
The Lord watches over the weak of mind....

[Norton1]

In Viet Nam I was in 3rd. Amtracs USMC, we had LVTP5A1's, with 480 gal. of gas in 12 fuel bladders inside.
We often carried two 55 gal. drums of gas outside tied down over the fan wells.
The Lord watches over the weak of mind....

I joined 3rd Tracks in February of 64 and left them in April of 65 to go to Vietnam. I went ashore at Quang Ngai with them on Double Eagle I. My best buddy in the Corps was Vilis "Willy" Lisments. He was killed in a river crossing accident in November of 65. I found out about him dying when I ran into Terry "Cookie" Cooke after that beach assault. It was heartbreaking several years later when I talked with his mom and dad about his loss. I still have Indianapolis on my bucket list to visit his grave. Another of my Brothers was Al Brown who transferred to 3rd Tracs while in country in 66.

As long as you didn't eat or carry apricots you were safe. Welcome back to the world Brother - I still have pics of my trac at DelMar hanging in my shop. I'll make some copies and post them here.

Semper Fi Mac
Steve "Eliot" Neff
USMC 1962-70
Viet Nam 65-66