Re: [MV] Winches

Drinnon@aol.com
Mon, 6 Sep 1999 19:57:02 EDT

Years ago, I was a dumb young private crewing an M60 tank. A tank in our
platoon mired itself in a massive mud hole and had to be retrieved. We
hooked our tank up, our front end to his rear end, crossed our cables on hook
up, and as driver, I began to pull. Now, in my old age, I know full well the
dangers in assuming because we all know what assume means. . . But, I assumed
that since the stuck tank only had its front end mired, there would be no
problem, so I didn't button up the hatch as I was supposed to do for safety.
Well, as my 50 ton tank started to pull the other 50 ton tank, guess what
happened? The TOW PINTLE broke! not the cable. I felt the air displaced by
the hunk of steel as it passed within inches of my ear.

The moral of my story relates to winches as well, always expect the worst to
happen in any kind of recovery, and usually not the way you expect it. Be
safe.

Thanks,
George

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