CRACK THAT TANK

[Music] [Music] Those tanks. look kind of tough, don't they? I guess you think you wouldn't have much of a chance up against those babies. Well, you're wrong. See, now get me straight. They're tough. All right. I'm a tanker myself and I ought to know. But don't get the idea you can't handle those blitz buggies just because they're big and they make a lot of noise. Actually, you guys got the edge on them if you know how to play your cards. I guess I shouldn't be telling you this because I'm a tank man. But what the hell? We're all playing on the same team, ain't we? I figure a tanker knows more about tanks than anybody else. We know where they're strong. And brother, they are strong. But we know where they're weak, too. That's what I think you guys ought to know about. Even if I do give away some trade secrets. Okay. What is a tank? Well, you might say it's a GI can on tracks that carries a lot of firepower. Its job is to smash through you guys, rip you up so you'll be duck soup for the enemy infantry that's coming on behind the tanks. Your job is to smash that infantry. Now, you're not out there to fight tanks. You're out there to fight foot soldiers like yourself. So, you have to roll with the punch when those tanks power down on you. Meanwhile, if you knock out a few tanks on the way, no one's going to ball you out for doing it. Now, this is about the way the job lines up. You knock out as many tanks as you can and at the same time protect yourself so you can mow down that enemy infantry. Tanks got weak points like anything else. The track is one of them. A mine or a shell or a lucky hit with a grenade can blast off the track. And to the guys inside, a busted track and battle is usually good for a $10,000 check to the folks back home. Sure. Sure they still got firepower left, but they can't move. And when they're standing still, they make a target that's hard to miss. Now, here's another weak point. We don't see too good out of these rolling pill boxes. So, we keep the flaps open down here for the driver and the hatch open for the tank commander. That is, we keep molting if the enemy's dumb enough to let us. If he's half smart, he'll turn a stream of rifle or machine gun fire at us. Then we got to button up. And we don't like that because that leaves us practically blind. Take a look for yourself. You see what I mean? Okay. Now, we got a weak point in our tracks. Now, we're 3/4 blind when we're buttoned up. Here's another weak point. We're big and we can't hide. So, we got to plow through and take whatever they heave at us. And believe you me, it's no fun sitting in one of those hot boxes with that stuff pouring at you. Listen to that. That's enough to make a man nervous, brother. They ain't cream puffs. We're a hell of a good outfit. Just as tough as they come in any army, but we don't like being shot at any more than you do. And figure it this way, we're a lot easier to hit than you are. But getting back to you for a minute, here's what a tanker sees when he bears down on you. If you're the kind of foot troops you ought to be, nothing. That's what he sees. Absolutely nothing. Just a lot of real estate. You're there all right, but you're tucked away in a foxhole. And brother, that's the place to be. They can't see you. He can't get at you. Hell, they can't even hurt you when they run over you. Of course, there's one way you can get in trouble. That's if you get yourself in a lather and start to hightail users. And that's just what those Nazi gunners are waiting for. Take a look for yourself. Now remember that picture when you get itchy feet. Make a break for it and you're a dead duck. Not only that, you open up a hole for the enemy infantry and those rats know what to do about holes. Okay, that's what not to do. You stick with me and I'll give you the real dope and what you ought to do. Now take a look at this German tank outfit. They're coming your way. So you got a job to do before you get back to that game in Brooklyn. They're still two or three miles away. You can't even see him yet. But remember, you're playing on a big team, soldier, and you got lots of stuff working for you. Stuff that reaches out and hits hard. That's how dive bombers going into action. [Music] They're kind of tough on rats, ain't they? Well, that's our heavy artillery. They're just getting the range. There goes one of our mines. And there goes one of his tanks. Look at that flat tire. Yep. Our gang's going to knock out plenty of those tanks before you ever see them. The enemy knows that. So, he sends over enough to be sure that some of them will get through. Now, here's your first sight of them. They look harmless that far away, don't they? They're just getting in good range of our anti-tankers now. They sure laid it into that baby. You guys got a lot of stuff pitching for you. All right. But you notice some of them are still coming. Okay, now you can start working on them. You see those lugs sticking up out of the hatches, don't you? Well, make them button up. They're close enough now. 400 yd. Well, suppose they are 500. That's the idea. See them ducking in now. Make them putting up those flaps. There they go. See them slow down right away. They got to. They can't see worth a damn. Wait a minute, soldier. Keep that rifle up there. See these things? Those are what he looks through. The periscope and the vision slits. Get enough small stuff bearing on those places and you blind them almost 100%. Okay, that's your first job. Button him up, then work on his vision devices. Now he's getting plenty close. Plenty. Where's that rifle grenadier? Oh yeah, there he is. Now these rifle grenades are nasty damn things. As far as a tanker is concerned, they just plain stink. I'd rather be in a straight jacket with a wild cat than be inside the box with those things coming at me. They bore through and splash hot metal all over the place. And they'll do that to any damn tank they've dreamed up so far. You guys have got a grenadier in every squad. That's a lot of grenaders, if anybody should ask you. You grenaders, wait until you see the whites of his eyes, like the guy said. Then pour it into him. That'll knock out plenty of them. But there's still plenty left. Look out there, soldier. Thought that guy was a goner, didn't he? He wasn't worried. He knew he had a good foxhole, but he's mad now. See what he's got there? A Molotov cocktail. Light the rag. Heave the bottle so it busts on top of the tank. And this is what you get. A little piece of hell on the outside and on the inside, a lot of barbecued Heidies. You see, the burning gas pours through cracks and crevices in the tank. Nine times out of 10, it'll find oil or grease or more gas inside. And if it does, well, you want to take a look inside. Okay, now you know how to crack a tank. Remember, you're not Superman. You can't stop a tank with your bare chest, no matter how much hair you got on it. It takes good common sense and it takes guts. The one thing not to do is to run. Because if you do, brother, I'm telling you, you're a dead duck. Now, get this because I'm not going to say it again. First, make that tank button up just as far away as you can reach them with your small stuff. Rifles and machine guns. Keep working on the vision slits and the periscopes. That's all he's got left to see with. And if you smear these, he's going to be as blind as a bat. Third, when he gets within range, pour your anti-tank rifle grenades into him. Don't waste them. Don't let him have them until you're sure you got them. His armor is thinnest on the sides, so try and get them there. But these grenades will bore through them no matter where they hit. Fourth, when he comes within throwing distance, buy him a drink. Sure, a Molotov cocktail. And last of all, get this. A battlefield is a hell of a big place, and you can't see the whole thing. Maybe all you'll see are the guys right around you. Riflemen just like you. Don't get the idea that you're out there all alone fighting this war by yourself. You got a lot of stuff pitching for you. Big stuff. Just because you're playing the line and can't see the backfield doesn't mean it isn't there. It's there, brother. And it's fighting for you all the time. Artillery, anti-tank guns, mines, planes, and don't forget, you've got tanks on your side, too. In case I forgot to tell you, we're a hell of a good outfit. You do your job. Take it from me. The rest of us are going to do ours. Your job is to knock out any tanks you can to keep yourself from getting killed. Then when that goostepping infantry comes up, give them hell. Don't forget that your big job is to tear that infantry apart. Well, if you don't mind, I think I'll have another beer. See you guys in Berlin if you can keep up with the armored force. 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