Military Vehicles, May 1997,: [MV] Gas Cap Locks?
[MV] Gas Cap Locks?
David C. Decker (campdeck@infomagic.com)
Sun, 18 May 1997 00:39:02 -0700
As most of you who own mil veh know, the large gas filler tube and fuel
cap are there so the fuel tank can be readily filled at a high rate of
gallons per minute. Then why do many of the mil veh have 'field rigged'
locks on them. Two very big reasons at least. The lessor reason is that
in non-USA countries, fuel, be it gasoline or diesal is expensive and the
poor underpaid GI who was raised on free enterprise and the inherent
waste of war, MIGHT make a few extra bucks by selling some on the
'market', or it is stolen from the rig. The other reason for a lock is
much more sinister. During my orientation in-country (Vietnam), it was
stessed to always lock your fuel cap. Why? The enemy would wrap a few
rubber bands around the handle of a grenade, pull the pin and drop it
into a locked tank, the rubber would time-delay soften, the handle would
release and, well........BOOM! Something to think about when you
realize that the fuel tank of M38s and M151s are right under the driver's
seat!! The trick could be used on any unlocked and unsecured fuel cap.
While awaiting a helicopter ride to the field at Lai Khe in 69, I saw the
results of a grenade in a M37, thankfully, the truck had been parked and
the driver and no one else was near it. There was not much left of the
truck. Just a little useless tidbit of history for you all, personnally,
I lock my cap on my M715 to keep the neighbor kids from siphoning gas for
their dirt bikes!!! A question comes out of all of this. Did the military
ever come out with an approved retrofit kit to lock the caps?
Dave in Flagstaff,USA.
M715
M274
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