It was raining heavily, and one M1 managed to get stuck in a mud hole. As they were waiting for a recovery vehicle, three Iraqi T-72 tanks came over a hill and charged the mud-bogged tank. One T-72 fired a high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) round that hit the frontal turret armor of the M1, but did no damage. The crew of the M1, though still stuck, fired a 120mm armor-piercing round at the attacking tank. The round penetrated the T-72s turret, blowing it off into the air. By this time, the second T-72 also fired a HEAT round at the M1. That also hit the front of the turret, and did no damage. The M1 immediately dispatched this T-72 with another 120mm round. After that the third and last T-72 fired a 125mm armor-piercing round at the M1 from a range of 400 meters. This only grooved the front armor plate. Seeing that continued action did not have much of a future, the crew of the last T-72 decided to run for cover. Spying a nearby sand berm, the Iraqis darted behind it, thinking they would be safe there. Back in the M1, the crew saw through their Thermal Imaging Sight the hot plume of the T-72's engine exhaust spewing up from behind the berm. Aiming carefully the M1's crew fired a third 120mm round through the berm, into the tank, destroying it.
At the Battle of Medina Ridge, the U.S 1st Armored Division, defeated the 2nd Republican Guard Brigade in a 2 hour massive tank battle. 186 Iraqi tanks and 127 armored vehicles were destroyed. 38 of the tanks were eliminated by 6 U.S. Apache helicopters from 3 miles away at night and in the rain. The Americans suffered only one KIA.
This tank commander wears a special nomex fire resistant suit, much like what a pilot would wear. The DH132 combat vehicle crew helmet was issued to to all crewmen of armored fighting vehicles. It includes a vehicle intercom and radio microphone.
He wears a pair of German made tanker boots. The idea is that the lack of laces prevent potential snags while exiting the vehicle which is a quite likely, particularly in an emergancy. Instead of laces, they have 2 straps one of which wraps around several times taking the place of the laces. It is considered "high fashion" in armor units to wear these and frowned upon by tankers if worn by non-tankers. |
