Practice Exercise cont'd

Conventional Ammunition Malfunction Investigation
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6. For how long after the malfunction occurs should any fragments and residue be kept?

Until the report is complete.

For 90 days.

For 30 days.

Until the investigation is complete.

7. When will a detailed report be submitted?

After pictorial evidence is obtained.

Not required if the malfunction is not due to defective ammunition.

Within 10 days of the reported malfunction.

Within 5 working days of the malfunction.

8. When a malfunction occurs, the affected lot of ammunition will be locally suspended from issue.

For how long will the suspension remain in effect?

For 90 days after the malfunction.

For 15 working days after the malfunction occurs.

Until the onsite investigation is complete and DAITM reports.

Until disposition instruction are received from AMCCOM or MICOM.

9. Use the extracts from AR 75-1 and TM 43-0001-28 contained in the Appendix to fill out the

blank DA Form 4379-R. Use the following data on a hypothetical ammunition malfunction.

You are the Ammunition Officer/Operations Officer at ASP-1, operated by the 41st Ordnance

Company (DS) at Fort Comanche, Arizona 29917 (DODAAC WG75AA). The unit that

experienced the ammunition malfunction is the 1st Platoon, Company A, 2d Tank Battalion, 5th

Armored Division (DODAAC WG73AA). The platoon leader is 1LT Rommel H. Klank.

The ammunition malfunction is a premature detonation in the bore of a tank cannon. The

malfunction occurred at 1430 on 12 August 1991, at Range 9, training area Bravo, during a

tactical combat fire exercise for Operation Desert Push. The gunner and the loader were killed,

and the commander and the driver were badly burned.

The malfunctioning round was a 105mm HEAT-T, C508. The tank had already fired five rounds

of APFSDS-T, C521, with no problem. The rounds were drawn this morning at about 0625,

transported to the staging area, unpacked, and placed in the tank ready racks at 0830. Each

round was visually inspected. No deficiencies were noted. The tanks were loaded on

transporters at about 1100, and were transported to the exercise rally points. They were

unloaded by 1300 hours. The exercise began at 1345, with temperatures over 100€F.

The weapon involved was an M60A1 tank with a 105mm cannon. The tank's serial number is

2261785. The cannon's serial number is 161371. It was manufactured by Brown Engineering

Corporation after August 1967. The gun tube blew out about two feet behind the muzzle brake,

the breech block blew out, and the interior of the tank was extensively damaged by heat

generated by the propellant. The other ammunition on board did not detonate, but several

rounds were extensively damaged before the fire was brought under control.

All firing has been terminated. The battalion commander and the DAO have been notified. The

damaged tank remains in place under security.

MM0159

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