Tag Archives: 4th Tank Battalion

The more things change, Devil 155 edition, with Idaho tanker bonus

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A 155mm howitzer is fired by artillery crewmen of the 11th Marines, Guadalcanal

Marines work a 155mm gun position on Guadalcanal in 1942.

A Marine M777-A2 155mm howitzer at night using tactical red lighting as part of Marine Rotational Force Darwin, 2020

Of course, as Plan 2030 gets underway to “lighten” the Marines and trade assets like tanks, Engineer ABVs, bridging companies, and heavy-lift helo squadrons for things like rockets and UAV squadrons, the number of cannon batteries in the Corps is set to drop from the current 21 to just 5 in the next decade, so USMC-manned 155s will be few and far between in the future.

Marines loss, National Guard’s gain

In related news, 39 former Marine reservists in a recently disbanded M1A1 Abrams tank company of the (C coy, 4th Tanks) have switched teams and were sworn in at a joint ceremony into the Idaho National Guard’s 116th Brigade Combat Team.

In line with a storied Marine tradition, they will be using better mounts after shifting from Devils to Joes, as the Guard operates updated M1A2s.

The Marine Corps Reserve’s Company C, 4th Tank Battalion deactivates at Idaho National Guard Base Gowen Field, Aug. 14, 2020. More than three dozen of the former Marines enlisted in the Idaho Army National Guard on Sept. 13, 2020. THOMAS ALVAREZ/U.S. ARMY

Tiger roar

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In a follow-up on the Leopard jump yesterday, let us show a little love to some Detriot muscle with a bit of Tiger roar.

1st Marine Division photo by Sgt. Tayler P. Schwamb

Official caption: An M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank with the 1st Marine Division fires during the Tank Gunnery Competition (TIGERCOMP) on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, August 29. TIGERCOMP is an annual force competition that determines the Marine Corps’ most lethal tank crew. The winning crew from 4th Tank Battalion, 4th Marine Division, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve, will have the opportunity to represent the Marine Corps in the Sullivan Cup, which is the Army’s total force tank gunnery competition.