Carl Hatchell

If I remember correctly, you were in an 8" Bn?
You might find this interesting; I did.
My Bn CO in the 60s was in an 8" bn in the Pacific for over 3 years,
ending in the Philipines.
His bn was occupying a road on both sides near Manilla, when they got
word that a Jap armored group was coming down the road trying to escape.
They let them get so close that he was lying beside a tank (in the dark)
waiting for them to move again.
When they did, the guns fired shells without a fuze because they were so
close. The shell turned some tanks over, knocked the tops off others and
tore the troops to shreds. He said he thought that was his last night on
earth.
Can you imagine an 8" shell hitting a tank less than 100 yards away?
I had never heard of this in my arty career, probably because engaging
tanks in this manner was definitely against doctrine.

Regards Ralph

" The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any
war, no matter how justified, shall be directly Proportional to how they
perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their
Nation"
George Washington

Ralph,
It wasn't me, must have been two other guys.

Carl Hatchell

buddyb@yippi.ti.ye> wrote in message news:rpg5ivgde5ea5l6bhb1lihdq5g8n7k3b1m@4ax.com...
> If I remember correctly, you were in an 8" Bn?
> You might find this interesting; I did.
> My Bn CO in the 60s was in an 8" bn in the Pacific for over 3 years,
> ending in the Philipines.
> His bn was occupying a road on both sides near Manilla, when they got
> word that a Jap armored group was coming down the road trying to escape.
> They let them get so close that he was lying beside a tank (in the dark)
> waiting for them to move again.
> When they did, the guns fired shells without a fuze because they were so
> close. The shell turned some tanks over, knocked the tops off others and
> tore the troops to shreds. He said he thought that was his last night on
> earth.
> Can you imagine an 8" shell hitting a tank less than 100 yards away?
> I had never heard of this in my arty career, probably because engaging
> tanks in this manner was definitely against doctrine.
>
> Regards Ralph
>
> " The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any
> war, no matter how justified, shall be directly Proportional to how they
> perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their
> Nation"
> George Washington

buddyb@yippi.ti.ye> wrote in message
news:rpg5ivgde5ea5l6bhb1lihdq5g8n7k3b1m@4ax.com...
> If I remember correctly, you were in an 8" Bn?
> You might find this interesting; I did.
> My Bn CO in the 60s was in an 8" bn in the Pacific for over 3 years,
> ending in the Philipines.
> His bn was occupying a road on both sides near Manilla, when they got
> word that a Jap armored group was coming down the road trying to escape.
> They let them get so close that he was lying beside a tank (in the dark)
> waiting for them to move again.
> When they did, the guns fired shells without a fuze because they were so
> close. The shell turned some tanks over, knocked the tops off others and
> tore the troops to shreds. He said he thought that was his last night on
> earth.
> Can you imagine an 8" shell hitting a tank less than 100 yards away?
> I had never heard of this in my arty career, probably because engaging
> tanks in this manner was definitely against doctrine.
>
> Regards Ralph

I wish I had some good references handy. The above story has set off
several BS detectors, but all I have to go on are instincts.

Such as:

A Japanese armored column was trying to escape? To where? There were damn
all other places for them to go to, in the Philippines. Most Japanese
forces there died where they stood, or retreated into the mountains, IIRC.
How is it that this bunch was trying to escape through American lines?

How could artillery pieces, shooting direct fire, hit anything at night?

How did unfused shells "tear troops to shreds?"

Of course, the story may have lost something in the translation.
And no doubt I have become a bit cynical in my old age.

ted
>
> " The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any
> war, no matter how justified, shall be directly Proportional to how they
> perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by
their
> Nation"
> George Washington