" if fragments open up the ammunition on board and spill the powder, the tank
won't burn. It will blow up."
I recall at least two incidents on M-60's (during the late '70's for those of you
keeping count of such things!) where main gun ammo (105 mm SABOT and HEAT) were
detonated in the ready racks located in the turret of a fully loaded M-60 that did
not detonate the entire ammo load on board.
In one incident a heavy electrical charge was introduced into the turret by the
radio antennas from an electric railroad power line that detonated 3 of the 63
main gun rounds on board the tank. It left the gunner dead, and badly burned the
gunner. The remaining members of the crew survived with minor injuries. The
interior of the tank was badly burned, but 60 rounds of ammo were still in the
ready rack unexploded.
The second incident involved a crew member who intentionally completed an
electrical circuit with a main gun round for the purpose of killing himself. All
he managed to do was scorch the inside of the tank and burn all of his hair off.
We section eighted the guy and cleaned the tank up. It also had all 63 main gun
rounds on board at the time of the incident.
It is my opinion that had the fuel cells been inside of the crew compartment on
either of these vehicles the final outcome would have been substantially
different.
I also had the misfortune to have my M551 Sheridain in late '78 have the fan tower
assembly come apart and rupture both fuel cells spilling their contents into the
engine compartment (more gallons of diesel than I care to think about). I am sure
that had it been a gas powered tank, I would have been the commander of a
bonfire. As it was we ended up with a nice fuel spill and a stalled vehicle and
no fire.
I'll stand by my opinion that diesel is far safer than gas...
Joe Baker
Major, Infantry, USAR
formerly of the 2nd ACR
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