BLUF: If your tank’s cannon tube strikes any object, let maintenance know right away so it can be inspected for damage.
Driving your M1-series tank fast across uneven terrain is a routine part of being a tank crewman.
But there’s always the risk of ditches, ruts or wadis. Driving over those can cause your tank’s cannon tube to strike the ground. Anytime the cannon tube strikes the ground, there’s the risk of damage. And that damage might not be apparent at first.
In addition to structural damage to the cannon tube and cradle, there’s the potential for dirt and other debris to get inside the tube. Catastrophic cannon tube damage can occur if a round is fired with anything inside the tube other than the round itself.
In fact, make it SOP that
all cannon tube strikes, whether it’s hitting the ground, a tree, another vehicle or a structure, must be reported to maintenance right away so the tube can be inspected for damage.