From: Steve Grammont (islander@midmaine.com)
Date: Fri Sep 05 2003 - 08:09:38 PDT
>IF? the M151 is truly a bad vehicle, then they should all be taken out of
>service and destroyed or at the very least modified to make them reasonably
>safe.
How many are still in service? I was under the impression that actively
very few are still used even in the reserves.
>The GIs shouldn't be using them.
My understanding from the conversation here is that they should have been
withdrawn or modified, but weren't because sometimes the safety of our
troops is not the top concern for the decision makers. Look at the
Osprey program if you have any doubts of that. Looking further back, you
could also make a very good argument against the Shermans once the Army
realized in 1942 and early very early 1943 that its prewar doctrine
required a different tank and a different tank destroyer designs than
planned. They eventually modified the designs, but not as quickly or to
the extent they could have (practically) done if they chose to. In the
latter case, quantity rode superior over quality.
Just pointing out that one should NEVER assume something is in service
because it is safe, the most suitable for the job asked of it, and/or
cost effective. The military doesn't quuuuuuuuuuuuuuite work that way
all the time. Therefore, it is not correct logic to assume:
In Military service = It must be safe
Steve
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