Cold War US Army tank gunner serves with a Bundeswehr Panzer unit (311)

Mark joined the US Army on January 6th, 1981, and went to Ft Knox KY for Basic and Armor training. He graduated in April 1981 and was selected as Instructor Tank commander and trained the next cycle of recruits till August 1981. Mark was posted to West Germany in September 1981 and was assigned to 1st 37th Armor 1st Armored Div based in Katterbach. When he arrived they were just turning in their M60A2s for the M60A3s. Mark was made a gunner on C-22 as an E-2 private which is rare. He was also picked to serve with a 1st 304th Bundeswehr PZ unit in Leopard 1A4s in 1982 and describes some fascinating details of the differences between the Bundeswehr and the US Army. In 1982 his friend Dean McCoy was killed in a military accident and Mark experienced PTSD for the last 30 years as a result. We dedicate this episode to the memory of Sammy Dean McCoy who died on March 18th 1982 aged 21.  0:00 Introduction and Background of Mark 3:11 Mark's experiences in West Germany 9:59 Life expectations and preparations in case of a Soviet Invasion 14:44 Comparison Between Leopard and M60 A3 Tanks, and German and American Tank Training 20:18 Interactions with other national armies and demonstrations of West German firepower 25:36 Escape, Evasion, and Gunnery training 30:42 Naming of tanks and preparation for chemical Warfare 36:24 Differences between Army Life in West Germany and Fort Knox 39:15 Memorable and tragic incidents during service in West Germany 47:34 Discussion on the Book "Red Army" by Ralph Peters and Mark's PTSD 54:12 Podcast Closing Remarks Table of contents powered by PodcastAI✨ The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Love history? Check out Into History at this link https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Award-winning real stories of the Cold War told by those who were there. Every week we interview an eyewitness of the Cold War. Across soldiers, spies, civilians, and others, we aim to cover the whole range of Cold War experiences. Hosts Ian Sanders, James Chilcott, and Peter Ryan bring your ears into the heart of the Cold War. Reading a history book is one thing, but hearing a human voice, with every breath, hesitation and intonation brings a whole new dimension to understanding what it was like to be there. We cover subjects such as spies, spying, the Iron Curtain, nuclear weapons, warfare, tanks, jet aircraft, fighters, bombers, transport aircraft, aviation, culture, and politics. We also cover personalities such as Fidel Castro, JFK, Ronald Reagan, Nikita Khrushchev, Leonid Brezhnev, Yuri Andropov, Mikhail Gorbachev, Konstantin Chernenko, Margaret Thatcher, John F. Kennedy, Josef Stalin, Richard Nixon, Lech Walesa, General Jaruzelski, Nicolae Ceaușescu. Other subjects include Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Romania, Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin, West Berlin, East Berlin, Cuban missile Crisis, Berlin Airlift, Bay of Pigs, SALT, Perestroika, Space Race, superpower, USSR, Soviet Union, DDR, GDR, East Germany, SDI, Vietnam War, Korean War, Solidarność, Fall of the Wall, Berliner Mauer, Trabant, Communist, Capitalist, Able Archer, KGB, Stasi, STB, SB, Securitate, CIA, NSA, MI5, MI6, Berlin Wall, escape, defection, Cuba, Albania, football, sport, Bulgaria, Soviet Union, Poland, China, Taiwan, Austria, West Germany, Solidarity, espionage, HUMINT, SIGINT, OSINT, IMINT, GEOINT, RAF, USAF, British Army, US Army, Red Army, Soviet Army, Afghanistan, NVA, East German Army, KAL007, T-72, T-64, Chieftain, M60 The podcast is for military veterans, school teachers, university lecturers, students and those interested in Cold War history, museums, bunkers, weapons, AFVs, wargaming, planes, A Level, GCSE students