What a interesting piece of American tank design

I was aturret mech with toop c 4th cav 1961-64...

Forgot one of many tanks in VN, was named " Here comes the Judge" A tank has been equated to a Company of Marines. We kicked ass, and didn't take names, ...........

My tank in VN was an M48A3 Mod B; the mod b, allowed for a ring under the tank commanders cupola to has windows, several layers of glass in a pattern around the cupola this let tank commander see in a nearly 360, still. limited We wired and 50 caliber machine gun to the cupola on a tripod. No internal aircraft style 50. We added spare track to the hand rails, in hopes of the RPG's hitting those and dissipating the energy into the track before the turret. If an RPG hits the turret, you'll meet your maker. If it hits the hull in front the driver will meet the maker and given the position of the turret on the hull so will the crew. I never did thunder runs and never heard of them until now.........however on a road too well traveled we the second tank hit a 250lb mine, [first tank was suppose to hit it and cause us to go in front and hit another] we were done, I was loader, Drivers back was broken, gunners elbow was "chipped nearly off" the tank commander a true Marine was not suppose to be in VN but he was old school and never in combat, that bothered him so he figured a way to VN, he got third degree burns on his right arm directly above the explosion, it broke several ribs and punctured his lung. His ulcers erupted [remember not suppose to be there, loved this guy, semper fi]. The explosion blew off the right side road wheels. Look at picuture above it blew off 4 road wheels [wheels at the bottom, no trivial] and a couple support rollers, [look and small ones on top] it folded up the fender, straight up and "WASTED" marines and S.VN army. Sent pieces into the air and rice patty. I was the loader and no injury at the time, [later, hearing, feet, back, PTS] Look at that tank those bolts and nuts are massive. It left a hole in the ground you could almost hide a jeep. When I came out of the turret "I knew I would never go to hell, because I already spent my time" The NVA hit us hard and the only thing that stopped the screaming was death. I have many other experiences but that one haunts me. I don't even know the condition of my crew, other than I saw the driver in Guam, on the way home and he was driving a jeep for MP's . He spotted me and I him, and we cried together. Others ? Sorry but this vid. got me... USMC Semper Fi Quote by me: Bob " I'd rather be lucky than trained" Its a derivative of the 'lucky than talented' of the sport players. We were all trained and I was lucky If you ever get to Camp Robert's on the CA coast stop by and look inside, I lived there for 14 months; heat, humidity, monsoon......snakes bugs and BAD guys