Vietnam Tankers - Rick Lewis - The M48A3 Patton Tank

[@gogelgebenec5270]

Deutscher Komandant auf einen M48 bis 1981. Habe diesen Panzer geliebt. Erstschusstreffer auf 1200m mit der 90mm Kanone, später mit der 105mm Kanone. Guter Kommendar von Rick Lewis !

[@timdouglass6491]

Excellent video. I'm proud to say I was a 19 year old tank commander.A lot of responsibility for a kid. I was first trained in armor Amtraks at Del Mar. They then sent me to Las Flores and I was in M-48's. They then put me in heavy tanks. I joined April Fools day 1968 . I was standing on those yellow foot prints . I volunteered for Vietnam and My company got sent over, both times I was with in hours of being sent and they returned us. I did see a rpg hole straight thru the frontal armor of a M-48. Keep the Marine Corp strong because they will get it done. Semper Fi fellow Marines. Once a Marine always a Marine

[@Eirik36]

When you say heavy, did you ever have time in the m103?

[@duncanlee1882]

Thank you so very much for this video, Rick Lewis. Although I was Army in ‘66-69 and did not serve in Nam, I was trained as a tank crewman at Fort Knox, KY, on the M48. My best buddy went over to Nam in ‘67 and spent a year there, getting two Purple Hearts. He was blown off the tank twice by mines. One of the things he and his tank company improvised was the use of twelve gauge pump shot guns. Due to the intense heat, the loader and gunner during road traversing, would ride on top of the tank with the shotguns. Thanks again for the memories.

[@jeffreym.keilen1095]

As a 19Echo in the Army during the '80's on M60A3s, Rick, you did an out standing job on talking through the 48A3s. Semper Fi my older tanking brother.

[@ramal5708]

A relative of my grandfather was a M48 crewman during Vietnam War from 66-69, his tanks was disabled for a couple of times by mines (both only track damages) and then his first tank got destroyed by an RPG-2 hit from the side during an engagement in or around Hue City in 1968 that hit the space between engine bay and turret parts, luckily he escaped unscathed, but a couple of men suffered injuries from the flame and weeks later he got his second tank and luckily remained intact until he went home in 1969. He always emphasized on how great the M48 was in anti personel and anti structure duties or maybe in general infantry support tank, he said that the beehive and canister shot were the factors especially for house clearing in Hue City or clearing tree lines of enemy combatants in areas around DMZ or Dong Ha, like Rick said in this video he and his crew always got frustrated on how the tank usually gets bogged down during monsoon or heavy rain in the mud, also when they're in either convoy duty or infantry support duty the tanks have to drive offroad or half of the tank would be offroad to avoid mines that were placed in the mid section of the roads. He

[@rider660r]

Thanks for the description of the M48,been looking for a good description of a 48. My father was a mechanic on the 48,A1's,and A2's. Him and his buddy was the best ones in the whole battalion replacing the power pack.He was also the only one in the whole battalion qualified to calibrate the gun.Still have his grad pics on his Armor School and the other 15yrs in the service. Just listened to the Ma Duce scenario. May father was making and welding up .50 cal mounts on the A1 and A2's back in the later 50's early 60's for the Army in Germany.The A3 was not the 1st time the 48 had a .50 above the copula.Just actually was talking to him (15 min ago) about the 48,(he's 82 now).Love listening to his service stories of the mid 50's into the late 60's.

[@clarkeugene5727]

Pretty thorough compilation. Perhaps a mention of what the flame tank armament was. Diesel or napalm and a crew of 3 instead of 4. I was on a flame tank in 1968 as a driver for just 3 weeks. I hated the fact that we were always out of the propellant after only 90 seconds. I moved on to gunner on a blade tank at first chance. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[@rickrowell8465]

My Father William (Dick) Rowell retired in 1986 after 33 years service. He retired a Mgysgt/MOS 2191. He spent most of career in the 1st Marine Div. 1st Tanks. He also served with Amphibious trackers. He served two combat deployments in Vietnam at Chu Lia, The Rock Pile, Camp Carrol and Khe Sahn. He was a member of the USMC Tankers association. Did anyone know him? Thank you Rick for explaining the M48A3 so well. The tank my Father spent so much of his career fixing and modifying.

[@stanmans]

I was a tank commander between WWII and Korea. We were stationed at Ft. Knox, Ky. After listening to this gentleman I suddenly realized how much I had forgotten about the M48. Our model was an older tank without some of the updates. I was discharged right before the Korean War. The unit was very lucky because they were never called up to ship out. Although the Ft. Knox depository is 99.999% impossible to break in we had the pleasure of also guarding the building. One thing that sticks in my mind is the interior was painted white.

[@0321man1]

It's so good to see my old 1st Sgt again!

[@10actual]

Thank you! I was a 3rd Tanks, 1964, superb group of "Brothers" I was in Nam but not with Tanks. Did have the good fortune (from hill) to see a platoon of 1st Bn Tanks "Running & Gunning" across the battlefield. Operation Desoto. I was Comm Chief TV Co, Quantico 65. Fully qualified (beginner) crewman during float to Camp Fuji. Tankers are the very most "tight" Marines I had the privilege to serve with. Great American Patriots!!

[@devildoc492]

Thank you Rick for this....really enjoyed your review. I was a Doc with Bravo Co. 3rd Tanks on Hwy. 9 1968-69. We were on a hill next to a SeaBee unit just east of Cam Lo. We were always short on personnel so I was trained to ride as a loader for various ops so that if I had to leave, the gunner could take my spot etc. We had a great group of brothers, Lt. Ralston, Ssgt Ritchie (Silver Star), Jewel, Sgt. Long, Lt. Riche, Cpl. Mex and others. I hope I got the names spelled correctly. Semper Fi to all who served, are serving and will serve.

[@michaelhemphill8575]

This is a Damn Fine Dissertation".."of the capabilities ".."of the M48A3.."made by those three Companies.."American Ingenuity"!!

[@Dr.Pepper001]

I was in the 2nd Tank Battalion at Camp LeJeune back in 1966. I was a radio repairman. We had the M48 and M-60 tanks. I remember when the tanks lined up side by side and fired at moving targets mounted on flatbed rail cars. I'm 73 now and my memory is going fast, so I don't remember any names of guys I served with. I believe the Battalion Commander was Lt. Colonel Lewis.

[@viettanker]

I was with 1stPlt, BCo, 2/34th Armor, 1st Inf Div 1966-67 in M48A3's. It was a great, lifesaving, vehicle that sure beat walking!

[@tom7601]

I was in the California National Guard for seven years, 1963-1969, 1976. We were in North San Diego County so our M-48A3s were stored and used onboard Camp Pendleton. We switched to M-48A5s, M-60 power-pack and 105MM main gun.

[@dalea1691]

My father was a M-48 tank commander in Vietnam. 1966 1st infantry. Rest in peace Dad. 1933-2018

[@1959ize]

My husband also he died of agent orange

[@bluetrue6062]

Thanks! I was a M60A1 tanker 1977-80 1st Armor Division. Was always curious about the M48 but never saw one.

[@danalangley1634]

‘72 at Los Floras on 48A3 ModB’s OJT ‘d we received tanks from C Co. 1st Marines. Still had some body parts in “clean tanks “. C Co. was destroyed 3 times while in country one of survivors joined our unit in ‘73. My heart goes out to their families even today. Good video

[@billwhite1603]

Very nice. This is old and I'm sure no one is around anymore or keeps this up. I have been messing around as an enthusiast of armor as a kid since 1968. I never understood or paid much attention to the armor protection, like thickness, material strength, etc. However I just got curious of armor thickness and quality of M-48 and M-60 due to comments around and events of the war in Ukraine. Unfortunately no one will ever include the quality or even thickness of the M-48. All I have heard is that it was just basic homogeneous rolled steel. That it was not even hardened armor like WWII German tanks. So I was in my early 20s when the Abrams came out and the big deal was choblam ceramic mixed armor. I mostly was into WWII armor but included modern or current armor. I never realized that the comparative performance of the M-48 armor was probably lacking of peer armor or more importantly, weaponry. Even in the 1973 Israeli war what is mentioned is the Sagger missiles you referenced but NOT how the M-48 did against Russian 100mm and 115mm tank fire? I can then only imaging that the front of the chassis and turret were too large and under armored compared to Soviet models? In 1993 I did build a 1/35th scale M-48A3 based off a mixture of different pictures from vietnam. I had welded irong beams protruding out in front that held sand bags and was used to wrap barbed wire when moving that was then used to "box" around tank during stationary times. I had a Browning .30 cal in front of loaders hatch. That was something I had seen in one picture, as opposed to most having a M60 either mounted or just available to loader. I never saw a picture where a .30 was mounted at commanders station.

[@lancecowan8891]

I was a Sgt. E5 Tank Commander ,3/68 Armor 8 th Inf. 66-69

[@londonsigns5053]

in army of turkey have over 500 in their inventory as they received m48 a5 model. and modify it with the remove petrol engine (both) add 2 powerful diesel engine speed up 40mhp remove pzb night vision camera with a thermal camera and 90mm main gun replaced with 105 mm main gun all that be said spent almost 2 years on it what a great machine by the way you don't need tail light for m48 when the engine on the exhaust firing enough light at the back :)

[@NgaHoang-re3ec]

I remember 1st Tank in my Hometown in Da Nang. You guys on the hill by Highway 1

[@albearusmc]

What a great video! I was with Alpha Co. 3rd tanks at that time. I remember the radio upgrade and the Xeon added!

[@bucknertarsney7674]

Great video. Thanks for your service.

[@F4Wildcat]

This was a great video. Thank you Rick. greetings from Belgium

[@markhonerbaum6988]

An education and I thank you.

[@bwwwbb7904]

Need another video, other than this guy;, before we RVN vets die...> These guys did a lot of convoy escorting (tail-lites added)....Armored Cavalry units had M-48a3 tanks and ACAVS (M-113s), with 3- machineguns and gun-shields,,,,,,We in the Arm/Cav did little convoy work?? Our missions were to search for the enemy , everywhere, and take them on!!...A Trp, 1/1 Cav, 68=69....bh

[@alantoon5708]

Excellent explanation.

[@michaelhemphill8575]

"When American Forces pulled out.." it was over".." the south didn't have the balls.." to continue.."especially after .."carrying the load, .all those years.."after force withdrawal"!!

[@TREE_man326]

I can't believe people say "there were tanks there?" Why wouldn't there be tanks. Not trying to judge but holy crap have these people never seen one documentary or Vietnam movie sorry for the rant thank you for your service.

[@48bigblast]

I was in a bar in Florida when a women asked me what that pin was on the side of my cover as it was a plain cover just the pin. I stated it was a tank, she then asked what war and I told her Vietnam - her Ass H***e reply was to laugh and tell me that there were no tanks in Vietnam - scary part is that she can breed and vote at the same time.

[@alfredconqueror4422]

I really liked this video! Thanks a lot! I would have liked a couple more photos of the modded m48s

[@MrFrankturbo1]

very well done !

[@abehatt7887]

My Dad drove tank 1/77th attached to 1/5th Army

[@JMark-zk5pj]

My uncle was in Wpns plt. E 2/3 Marines during operation Buffalo, the hill battles etc. Were you guys part of Buffalo? I see quite a few M48's, with one photo my uncle is on one.

[@Boz_-st4jt]

Egyptian forces used the Russian 'sagger' anti tank missel against Israeli M-48's in the Sinai during the 73 war. Caught Israeli tankers completely by surprise. G/2/5 An Hoa 68-69

[@wiljuare150]

HI Rick, my name is Guillermo (Wil) Juare and I was assigned to Charlie Company at Camp Pendleton. I was the platoon radio repairman for 2nd Plt, C Co while deployed with BLT 3/5 aboard the USS Alamo out of San Diego. Did some amphib ops with the infantry. Then I was dispatched to Da Nang to join the rest of Charlie Company at Marble Mountain in Da Nang in what was affectionally called Camp Charles due to the monsoon rains. At the end of my first tour I was sent to HS Co in DaNange to await return to California. I have tried to contact anyone who might be familiar with this experience but to no avail. Do you happen to have any memory of these events of mine?

[@MrWiggo91]

Great video but the M48 hasn't been in more wars than any other tank. Both the T-34 and T-55 have been employed in more conflicts.

[@andyfriederichsen]

Maybe he meant more conflicts than any other US tank.

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

Was camouflage used on US tanks in Vietnam? Most pictures show them uncovered and just green painted. Seems to me to be easier to aim at, to make an easier target to hit accurately. Not criticism just interested. Best wishes to all vets.

[@benniehazelwood9276]

Is. There one that I can buy? I know where there one at but u can't get in side to look at all of the tech's are wielded shut to keep the people out of it long story

[@HangNguyen-bz5le]

Tank vietnam cua chung toi do ha

[@lonniedotson7558]

Try looking into our FaceBook site Brotherhood of Tankers...we have plenty of Marines alongside of US Army Tankers past and present

[@johnmoorhousedecorated-nam899]

Percentage wise more Tankers got killed then any other MOS'S

[@jeffreybarkey56]

I was a tanker in Vietnam 1/10 Cavalry Buffalo Soldier. 1970-1971 Sp-5 Barkey, Jeffrey.

[@nicholasciraulo3718]

l was with 2/34th armor 67 to 69 27% kia. everybody else was hit at least once, call sign dreadnaught

[@Sakura-ew5lr]

Việt nam đây bác hồ muôn năm 😂

[@user-nn7qf1nt8q]

Судя по тому ,что вы сидите и читаете из какого то источника,а не рассказываете без шпаргалки,мы русские знаем больше об американских танках ,чем вы