American offer of M1's during Desert Shield

[EX COELIS]

I was a Dragoon at the time and working in Gunnery Sqn, CFB Gagetown.  During Desert Shield, the American's sent an Armoured elevation team up from Fort Hood, Texas.  Their task was to determine how long it would take Trained Cdn crewman to fully operate and deploy the M1 variant. (105mm British L-7 gun, same one we had in our Leo's)
The deal was the Americans would field a whole regiments worth (60 tanks, plus maintenance vehicles) if we joined the Gulf War effort.
Its was political all the way, and the Lib's F*** us again.  Took place in building K-19, CFB Gagetown.
I was there during their two week stay. Praying our government would take the deal. Our masters said no and I put my re-muster in after that.

 

[Lance Wiebe]

Gad, I hate getting older.  No, wait!  It's the mess tins fault!  That's it!

Our memories are playing tricks on us, it was Mr Mulroney in power at the time.......

 

[Shamrock]

I was a Dragoon at the time and working in Gunnery Sqn, CFB Gagetown.  During Desert Shield, the American's sent an Armoured elevation team up from Fort Hood, Texas.  Their task was to determine how long it would take Trained Cdn crewman to fully operate and deploy the M1 variant. (105mm British L-7 gun, same one we had in our Leo's)
The deal was the Americans would field a whole regiments worth (60 tanks, plus maintenance vehicles) if we joined the Gulf War effort.
Its was political all the way, and the Lib's F*** us again.  Took place in building K-19, CFB Gagetown.
I was there during their two week stay. Praying our government would take the deal. Our masters said no and I put my re-muster in after that.

I've heard this rumour (& others) enough to know that without a source...

 

[Michael OLeary]

That story kind of reminds me of this thread.

Maybe it was just an energetic staff check.

Just because you heard something on the parade square, doesn't mean it's true.

 

[Red 6]

I think it's a damn shame you guys didn't get to take part in Desert Storm. This is the first I ever heard that Canada was considering an armored unit for the Coalition forces. Considering we had a whole Syrian division in the Coalition that never fired a shot, we could've used some more tanks that would've actually contributed to the ground war. I was in the 1st Infantry Division, by the way.

 

[tomahawk6]

I wouldnt dismiss the notion that the US would loan M1's to the CF for Desert Shield/Storm. The Army gave M1A1's to the USMC, at least thats my recollection.

 

[Old Sweat]

I was in J3 Plans at the time and recall that at least one and probably more USMC tank battalions were converted from M60 to M1 during Desert Shield. (I can't recall which variant of the M1) It also seems to me that one of the Marine Corps battalions converted was a reserve unit.

 

[prom]

I'm confused..........how is it that the Lib's screwed the CF from fielding an M1 Reg. in GW1? To my brain the Tories were in power.... not tring to pick a fight at all.... just wondering

 

[kincanucks]

Armoured elevation team ??

Interesting story but not being Armoured I am having a hard time understanding these words.  Were they there to measure the elevation of the barrels or were they there to evaluate the soldiers?








Edit for script error.

 

[RangerRay]

The RUMOUR I had heard was that if we could get our personnel with 4 CMBG from Germany to Saudi, the Yanks would equip the entire brigade with M1's, Bradleys, Hummers, etc.

Again, to re-emphasise that these were RUMOURS I had heard after Desert Storm.

 

[Blackadder1916]

There is discussion re 4 CMBG and the Gulf War at this thread.
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/48832/post-427656.html#msg427656

 

[ExSarge]

Its was political all the way, and the Lib's F*** us again. 

Lets assume the rumours were all true, so what? Last time I looked the Military Forces of western democracies did not pick which wars they fight. That job belongs to the politicians. The soldier in a western democracy does not start wars or stop them. He and she just fights them, and when required or merely ordered to do so dies in them. Everything else belongs to their political masters to sort out. Like it or not, that’s what we signed up for. In the immortal words of my first drill Sergeant “Shouldn’t have joined if you can’t take a joke”.

 

[EX COELIS]

No better way of summing up this very topic!

Well said!

 

[Fishbone Jones]

No better way of summing up this very topic!

Well said!

Guess that ends this little jaunt into the rumour net then.