Quote:
Originally Posted by chico20854
January 28, 1998
The 4th Virginia State Guard Regiment deploys a surplus Second World War-era M18 Hellcat tank destroyer, rearmed with unit machineguns and used by the regiment alongside three converted bank armored cars as a (completely unauthorized by command) so-called armored platoon.
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FWIW VMI maintained a cadet manned platoon of M48 tanks and a 105mm howitzer section for instructional purposes at least through the mid 80s. The Foreign Material Intelligence Battalion (Aberdeen Proving Ground) and NTC maintained “petting zoos” of primarily threat systems while JRTC and the ADA school operated hinds, hips, hoplites and colts. In addition a number of the vehicles on display at the APG’s “Mile of Tanks” and the Fort Knox Patton Museum were in good automotive order with some of the Patton museums vehicles being moved out of their display bays for special events. There were also some tanks stored in the back lots at Knox; I saw a Swedish S, Chieftain, and Leopard I parked in a motorpool off Main Range Road during the 90s.