UNCLAS//N08420//M109 SELF-PROPELLED HOW/SPOTREP

From: research66@MKTSurvey.net
Date: Thu May 09 2002 - 08:24:30 PDT


Mr. Grammont,

1. Which model was it? M109, M109A1-A5 or M109A6 (current U.S. Army
"Paladin")? Self-propelled howtizer, not gun (gun is something diff and we
have none that are mobile, all are static and only a few at that).
Descriptions can be ascertained if you go to:
 http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m109.htm

2. Possibilities:
        a. If Howitzer, Med, Self-propelled,155mm, M109 (short tube) -
obsolete, out of inventory - going north as memorial
        b. If Howitzer, Med, Self-propelled, 155mm, M109A1-A5 (long tube,
manual load) going north
                could be going to National Guard or reserve unit at a
reserve center (highest prob)
                could be memorial
                could be Canadian (do not know if Canada has them in their
inventory)
                could be going to Ft Drum in a roundabout way (N of Boston
?)
                could be exiting U.S. under FMS at a northern international
airport (prob not at IAP north of Boston)
        c. If Howitzer, Med, Self-propelled, 155mm, M109A6 (long tube,
"Paladin") prob not this model

3. We have been shipping most howitzers via commercial transportation for
years now.

S/F,
Stew Rayfield

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Grammont [mailto:islander@midmaine.com]
Sent: Thursday, May 09, 2002 9:39 AM
To: mil-veh@mil-veh.org
Subject: [MV] Ok, who bought a M109 155mm SPG?

I was on my way north from Boston when I spotted a BEAUTIFUL sight... a
very good looking M109 on a civilian transport. It had a cute and cudly
sign hung on the left side saying:

"Road Rage"... Equalizer

Nice touch :-) The driver pulled off into one of the rest stops I was at
shortly thereafter. I was prepared to nab the driver and get the info
out of him about where it was going. But, apparently he just had a road
weggie or something because I saw him squirm around in the cab, then hit
the highway again. I followed him for a little while, admiring the ugly
brute (gun was facing backwards), then decided 65mph stinks when you
still have 2.5 hours of travel remaining. And that was the last I saw of
it.

So... anybody know who in Maine would be taking delivery of such a huge
beast? I find it hard to believe the Army would spend the money to send
ONE of these via commercial flatbed all the way up to Maine. I mean what
would it do up here for the Army? Protect our borders from Canadian deer
poachers? :-) I have a hunch where it might be going, but wanted to ask
the list first.

Thanks,

Steve

P.S. After paying $800 (today) for a Weasel part shipped from CA, I
don't feel so bad. That M109 must have cost a BUNDLE to move.

===Mil-Veh is a member-supported mailing list===
To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: <mil-veh-off@mil-veh.org>
To switch to the DIGEST mode, send e-mail to <mil-veh-digest@mil-veh.org>
To reach a human, contact <ack@mil-veh.org>



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Fri Aug 16 2002 - 11:20:49 PDT