US Army's last tanks depart from Germany

Started by GDS_Starfury, April 04, 2013, 11:59:58 PM

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GDS_Starfury

one of those headlines I really never expected to read.

John Vandiver, Stars and Stripes, April 4, 2013

http://www.stripes.com/news/us-army-...rmany-1.214977


STUTTGART, Germany — The U.S. Army's 69-year history of basing main battle tanks on German soil quietly ended last month when 22 Abrams tanks, a main feature of armored combat units throughout the Cold War, embarked for the U.S.

The departure of the last M-1 Abrams tanks coincides with the inactivation of two of the Army's Germany-based heavy brigades. Last year, the 170th Infantry out of Baumholder disbanded. And the 172nd Separate Infantry Brigade at Grafenwöhr is in the process of doing the same.

On March 18, the remaining tanks were loaded up at the 21st Theater Sustainment Command's railhead in Kaiserslautern where they then made the journey to the shipping port in Bremerhaven, Germany. There they boarded a ship bound for South Carolina.

The tanks belonged to the 172nd along with a mix that were leftover from other units, according to the 21st TSC.

"It is an honor to be one of the soldiers escorting the last battle tanks out of Germany," said Sgt. Jeremy Jordan of the 529th Military Police Company, in an Army story about the journey. "As these tanks sail back to the U.S., we are closing a chapter in history."

From World War II on through the Cold War, tanker units were a heavy presence in Germany. At its peak, Germany was home to 20 NATO armored divisions, or about 6,000 tanks, according to the 21st TSC.

"There is no [U.S.] tank on German soil. It's a historic moment," said Lt. Col. Wayne Marotto, 21st TSC spokesman.
Toonces - Don't ask me, I just close my eyes and take it.

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Mirth - We learned long ago that they key isn't to outrun Star, it's to outrun Gus.

Martok - I don't know if it's possible to have an "anti-boner"...but I now have one.

Gus - Celery is vile and has no reason to exist. Like underwear on Star.


mirth

That's surprising. I didn't realize we had drawn down to that extent. Here's hoping we never have to base tanks in Germany again.
"45 minutes of pooping Tribbles being juggled by a drunken Horta would be better than Season 1 of TNG." - SirAndrewD

"you don't look at the mantelpiece when you're poking the fire" - Bawb

"Can't 'un' until you 'pre', son." - Gus

Gusington

Hmm...makes me wonder who, if anyone, is planning on replacing them. Are the germans fielding more of their own now? Are the Russians eyeing everything with a greedy Cold War mentality? Are the French looking across the border and.quietly whispering "finally...no we can plan our revenge, again."


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

mirth

It may just be a sign of the times. Do we really need to be a major player in Western Europe anymore? I'm sure the Germans are capable of taking care of their own defense. Hell they economically dominate Europe now anyway. Our focus going forward is going to be Africa, Asia and the Pac Rim.
"45 minutes of pooping Tribbles being juggled by a drunken Horta would be better than Season 1 of TNG." - SirAndrewD

"you don't look at the mantelpiece when you're poking the fire" - Bawb

"Can't 'un' until you 'pre', son." - Gus

MIGMaster

Quote from: Gusington on April 05, 2013, 07:53:26 AM
Are the French looking across the border and.quietly whispering "finally...no we can plan our revenge, again."

They're probably reading their monthly edition of Girlie Men Magazine and preparing a generic surrender treaty....

mirth

Quote from: MIGMaster on April 05, 2013, 08:29:12 AM
Quote from: Gusington on April 05, 2013, 07:53:26 AM
Are the French looking across the border and.quietly whispering "finally...no we can plan our revenge, again."

They're probably reading their monthly edition of Girlie Men Magazine and preparing a generic surrender treaty....

And eating cheese. Don't forget the cheese eating.
"45 minutes of pooping Tribbles being juggled by a drunken Horta would be better than Season 1 of TNG." - SirAndrewD

"you don't look at the mantelpiece when you're poking the fire" - Bawb

"Can't 'un' until you 'pre', son." - Gus

Longdan

Quote from: MIGMaster on April 05, 2013, 08:29:12 AM
Quote from: Gusington on April 05, 2013, 07:53:26 AM
Are the French looking across the border and.quietly whispering "finally...no we can plan our revenge, again."

They're probably reading their monthly edition of Girlie Men Magazine and preparing a generic surrender treaty....

I really like France.  You know what you rarely see in France?  You rarely see a fat French woman. And they always dress up to go out.  Even wretched old crones
going out to block the aisles of grocery stores dress up to go out.  No WalMart beauties, hillbilly obesetrons with a pack of lard assed, snot nosed trailer park bastards in trail.
The food is good too.  France is a beautiful country even if it is an all washed up prosperous socialist hell with good living and beautiful women.  In other words
a failed nation.  Ripe for the next invasion.  They think Americans are provincial, ignorant and rude but they are more than willing to take your money.
Best health care in the civilised world.  In the places where the fighting was heaviest in 1944 there are monument to allied troops everywhere.  Almost all of them are
put up and maintained by the local people.  They are usually dedicated to the particular battalion which liberated or blew the sh*t out of their town.
More French civilians were killed in the Normandy fighting than allied soldiers.
digni enim sunt interdicunt

Martok

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Gusington

After the last 100 years, Germany got what it wanted in the first place...eco-domination of Western Europe.


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

Longdan

I am sure the Germans are deeply regretting the passing of the last of the occupation armies.
In some places the local NATO establishments were a big part of the economy.
Although they sometime resented us being around to protect them.
Many Canadian soldiers used their posting to Germany to make a small fortune in automobile trading.
For a long time they could ship over a family vehicle.  So before going to Lahr... buy a top of the line North AM style SUV
with borrowed money.  Sell for much dollars in West Germany.  Buy a beat up used car for family.
Before coming home borrow from the bank and buy a nice BMW or Mercedes to ship back.
Sell for much money.  Buy beat up used car for family.  When a private was making 110 bux a month this
could pay for University.
digni enim sunt interdicunt

LongBlade

Quote from: mirth on April 05, 2013, 08:32:54 AM
And eating cheese. Don't forget the cheese eating.

I eat cheese sometimes. So it's not like it's got a strong correlation to anything. Except for folks who are lactose intolerant. Personally, I don't like intolerant people, but what do I know?
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Longdan

Do you know the vast majority of the people in the world are lactose intolerant/deficient?  Somewhere on the order of 75%.  That is a lot of people to not like.
I like to eat cheese.  Cheese makes some people fart.  I do not like these people.  I do not like people who eat cheese and fart in elevators, tents or Hondas.
digni enim sunt interdicunt

Staggerwing

I recall reading somewhere that folks of Northern European decent have lower incidence of Lactose Intolerance than folk from other parts of the world. Must be from those long neolithic winters eating Aurochs jerky and drinking milk fresh from the cow or as hard cheese that can survive longer before spoiling,as opposed to a more plant-based diet in warmer climes with longer growing seasons.
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LongBlade

Quote from: Longdan on April 05, 2013, 03:51:21 PM
Do you know the vast majority of the people in the world are lactose intolerant/deficient?  Somewhere on the order of 75%.  That is a lot of people to not like.
I like to eat cheese.  Cheese makes some people fart.  I do not like these people. 

In fairness, 100% of real people fart. Though I'm not sure about Windy. Something about zero emissions but I've never enquired as to the details. Presumably it's from a renewable resource. Like cork.
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

besilarius

About twenty years ago, ran into a former army tech sergeant who kept the dozen or so tanks of the Berlin garrison working.  His name was Jay Sager and was a distributor for the Washington Post newspaper at the time.
While in West Berlin, it always irked him to see the Russian monument of the first JSII into Berlin.  Was a really big thing for the Soviets and they were always getting it into the newspapers.  It just got under his skin and burned him.
On a Reforger exercise, he went to a base in Bavaria and found they had about eight working Sherman M4s there.
Somehow, he got one of those onto a railroad car to Berlin.
The East German vopos inspected the train, but were easily bought off with a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black.
This was the first Sherman tank into Berlin. 
At the annual parade celebrating the end of the war, he got it into the line and drove it.
Now, the Soviets knew exactly how many tanks were allowed in the West Berlin garrison by treaty and immediately saw that the US had snuck in one over the limit.
A rocket went up and then down the chain of command, landing on Jay.  His commanding officer didn't care how he got it there, it just couldn't work.  So Jay took a welding torch and burned the transmission into slag.
And for all he knew, it was still on base, lauded as the first american Sherman tank into Berlin.
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