INVESTIGATION INTO THE M1 TANK FIRE IN 3D BATTALION

File: 100896_may96_decls1_0003.txt
Page: 0003
Total Pages: 5

Subject: INVESTIGATION INTO THE M1 TANK FIRE IN 3D BATTALION             

Unit: 24TH ID     

Parent Organization: XVIII CORPS 

Box ID: BX001415

Folder Title: INVESTIGATIONS                                                                                  

Document Number:          5

Folder SEQ  #:         53








          15-6 Investigation:


          Investigating Officer: Diehl, James G.,                 Maj. Ar, S-3,
                                   Ist Bn, 64th Ar.

          FIKDIMGS:

          1. The suspected cause of the fire, the overheated transmission, had
          displayed mechanical difficulty early in the exercise. The previous
          day 4 Dec -the vehicle had displayed engine oil temperature and
          transmission oil temperature warning lights during operations (Exhibits
          A,B, and C). A mechanic examined the vehicle and appeared to correct
          the problem by cleaning and unclogging the transmission oil coolers
          (Exhibit D).    Overnight the warning lights went off and the tank
          continued normal operations for several hours. It then experienced
          additional difficulty when it would not shift into forward while the
          crew was inspecting the track and suspension (Exhibit B,C,). The
          mechanic returned and diagnosed the problem in the transmission
          thermal relief valves (Exhibit D). It was decided that the crew would
          let the tank cool down and then attempt to return t-o the company
          assembly area with the return convoy departing at 1500 5 Dec (Exhibits
          B, and D). In the course of the road march, a 30 minute maintenance
          halt was conducted. The mechanic returned and once again cleaned and
          unclogged the transmission oil coolers to allow the transmission to
          cool down (Exhibit D). The roadmarch continued and within 800 meters of
          the company assembly area, the warning light came back on and the tank
          began to lose power (Exhibit A,B, and C). It finally aborted and as
     4@@th                    dismounted to seek maintenance assistance, @e t,-Prk
                                The driver fired both balon bottle fire
          extinguishers and others attempted to extinguish the fire with portable
nie continued to burn and
          was completely destroyed.

          2.
                                                 It appears that crewmen and
          mechanics reacted properly to the warning lights and indicators
          presented to them and performed the maintenance checks and
          troubleshooting techniques IAW associated,-10/-20 manuals,

Document 5 f:/Week-20/BX001415/INVESTIGATIONS/investigation into the m1 tank fire in 3d battal:1004961330192
Control Fields 17
File Room = may96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-20
Box ID = BX001415
Unit = 24TH ID
Parent Organization = XVIII CORPS
Folder Title = INVESTIGATIONS
Folder Seq # = 53
Subject = INVESTIGATION INTO THE M1 TANK FIRE IN 3D BATTAL
Document Seq # = 5
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 04-OCT-1996