Camp Lejeune, N.C. Field Time. Nov. 1984.
C Company, 2d Tank Bn. Out in the field with the good ole M60. We had been training with the new tows on the old jeeps. We had some down time, of course theres never down time if theres a NCO around. So we were directed to apply a good coat of white paint to the inside of our tanks. Easier to see the leaks. Good ole PFC "Mo" headed over to our green camoflauge tank with a gallon of white paint. We nicked him "Mo" the more he did, the mo he F*# it up. lol. So, "Mo" opens the can of paint. Sits on the fender. Smartly climbs up, grabs the can, sits on the lip of the loaders hatch. Which is about an width of 3 inches. "Mo" Climbs down the TC's hatch, gets inside. Reaches up and out to the can of paint.
While all this is going on, im in a NCO meeting. and all i hear from our cranky old Gunny is "Millerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr". Even the woodpeckers left the woods. Of course I knew right away something had happened. I got up feeling the eyeballs from the other Cpls and Sgts. Dang Marine Peer Pressure, burn holes through your hide. As i strolled over to the area where our tank was sitting. I mumbled to myself. "please dont let it be bad. Please dont let it be bad". I stepped through the clearing of the pine trees and wanted to go awol. "Mo" and the gunny are standing next to the tank. of course everyone else tagged along behind me a short distance. That's when the company roar of everyone started laughing. "Mo" was covered in white paint. And a nice wide streak of white paint moved with ease down the outside of our tank begining from the loaders hatch all the way to the deck. I just groaned from the inside. We didnt carry camo paint with us. It was a long hike back to the Tank Park on foot with "Mo" to scrounge up some green paint. Sometime ill tell ya the time i got called into the 1stSgts office about "Mo" thinking as long as he had checks he had money. Great times!!