Spotting in America

[Captain Canada]

Had to do a 'hotshot' at work toady, which means transporting tools from our base here in Sarnia to our base in Mount Pleasant, MI. The first part of the I69 highway is named after PFC Dewayne T. Williams. There is a plaque at the first rest area. There is also a USNS ship in his name. All these pics were taken during the trip, at Legions and Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts and American Veterans Posts.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewayne_T._Williams



First stop Davison VFW Post 4087





Next stop Flint VFW Post 8236 to see this M60A3



Birch Run VFW Post 7542 also has an M60A3

[Captain Canada]

Saint Louis VFW Post 3055 has an earlier M60



Don't forget to stop and smell the roses.



Elsie, American Legion Post 502 has another M60





Had to stop at Dean's for our old buddy Anthony Pakizer.

[Captain Canada]

Corunna VFW Post 4005 M60A3



Swartz Creek VFW Post 3720 has this cool M47 Patton.



Burton VFW Post 2777 M60A3



Berville VFW Post 203 another M60A3. Must have been a sale at one point lol



Is that tank laughing at me ?

[Captain Canada]

Armada AMVET Post 93 has this cool M48 with a Shillelagh turret

[Captain Canada]

New Haven AMVET Post 72 has this old M42A1 Duster.

[NARSES2]

What's the (presumably) anti-tank gun ?

One thing I've noticed is that the American Legion has a stricter door policy than it's British counterpart  I just can't imagine that sort of stuff being on display anywhere near public land in the UK let alone outside a club serving beer. I assume the American Legion is licensed ?

Great pics btw Capt 

[loupgarou]

What's the (presumably) anti-tank gun ?

One thing I've noticed is that the American Legion has a stricter door policy than it's British counterpart  I just can't imagine that sort of stuff being on display anywhere near public land in the UK let alone outside a club serving beer. I assume the American Legion is licensed ?

Great pics btw Capt 

It's an 3-inch Gun M5
See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3-inch_Gun_M5

Why should there be problems displaying old tanks near beer-serving clubs? I suppose the tanks aren't filled up, and anyway I doubt their engines would start.

[rickshaw]

Returned Servicespeoples' League clubs downunder usually have a gun or a tank or an aircraft or all three (and occasionally a submarine!) outside their premises.   It is one way for the ADF to get rid of old tat, its another way for the old Diggers to remember their glory days.   All the equipment is disabled and locked up tight (welded shut).  I've seen 25 Pdrs, 105mm guns, Centurion tanks, Leopard 1 tanks, UH-1 helicopters and Oberon class submarines.

[Captain Canada]

Which gub Chris ? I was hoping somebody would know what the first one was 

[Martin H]

Why should there be problems displaying old tanks near beer-serving clubs? I suppose the tanks aren't filled up, and anyway I doubt their engines would start.

Sevicibilty of hardware isnt the issue, its the attitude of a majorty of the British public to current and ex service men. Which tends to be quite negative.
Rudyard Kipling's poem Tommy sums it up quite well.

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
    O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
    But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
    The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
    O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
    For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
    But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
    The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
    O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
    Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
    But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
    The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
    O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
    While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
    But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
    There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
    O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
    For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
    But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
    An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
    An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!

Its very unlikley that a service man/woman in the UK will be thanked for his or her service by a stranger. Their more likely to be compleatly ignored at best or at worst, abused. The only time you normaly see major support for our service people is remembrance sunday, and then many only pay lip service to it.
There have been big changes to attitudes in the last 20 years or so but still a long way to go.

[Old Wombat]

Which gub Chris ? I was hoping somebody would know what the first one was 

The first gun (under the M7 Priest) is a 75mm Pack Howitzer M1 (redesignated the M116 in 1962): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M116_howitzer

[kitnut617]

What's the (presumably) anti-tank gun ?

One thing I've noticed is that the American Legion has a stricter door policy than it's British counterpart  I just can't imagine that sort of stuff being on display anywhere near public land in the UK let alone outside a club serving beer. I assume the American Legion is licensed ?

Great pics btw Capt 

Most Canadian Legions have something outside each building Chris, the Legion in Olds has Sherman which has the cast turret, then the Legion in Innisfail just up the road has an F-104 on a stand pointing it straight upwards. Both these towns are near where I live.

[Rheged]

I don't think that leaving any sort of military hardware outside British Legion or similar centres in the UK would be wise.  Just turn your back for a moment and you would find that some "naughty people"* would have it taken away and sold for scrap.


*Insert here the phrase you consider most appropriate

[PR19_Kit]

I don't think that leaving any sort of military hardware outside British Legion or similar centres in the UK would be wise.  Just turn your back for a moment and you would find that some "naughty people"* would have it taken away and sold for scrap.


*Insert here the phrase you consider most appropriate

Or it would be covered in graffiti by some yob who has the freedom to do that BECAUSE of the actions of the people who's club it is...........

[Captain Canada]

The first gun (under the M7 Priest) is a 75mm Pack Howitzer M1 (redesignated the M116 in 1962): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M116_howitzer

That's the one ! Cheers.