European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 5, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday apri 5, 1986 the stars and stripes Page 9 yes it s an american tank but it s flying the Flag of Germany As a Crew from in Olstadt takes Over for six weeks in an unusual Experiment in partnership. Whose Fank is if depends on which numbers you read Story and photos by Tony Nauroth Nuernberg Bureau Tenne Lohe Germany one . Army 1st army div tank is going through a six week identity crisis. It carries two sets of bumper numbers and flies a German Flag. The numbers identify which unit owns the m60a3 tank. On the left rear Are the numbers 1a, 2-81 2nd in 81st Armor stationed in Erlanger. On the right rear Are the numbers. Khz 10 10th auf Klaung Panzer in reconnaissance tank battalion stationed in in Olstadt. Four German tankers led by an officer candidate Are living eating working firing and qualifying on the . Tank during a six week partnership Experiment. Co b commander capt. Mel Labrador said the tank is their tank. They Are pull ing Crew level maintenance on it. They re responsible for  the tank was a spare being used in a local training simulator. The German Crew normally assigned to a Leopard i tank in their army made adjustments to the m 60a3, and assessed its strengths and weak Nesses during machine gun practice wednesday at the Tenne Lohe local train ing area North of Nuernberg. It s a Good tank said officer candidate and tank commander Guido Batz. The Turret is better than our Leopard but the track is not so  both units Are in line to receive their army s newest tank. The my Abrams is replacing the m60a3, and German Crews Are switching to the Leopard ii. Batz said his Crew is learning . Tac tics which he said differ from German methods. For example  tankers Are trained to hide behind Hills drive up so the gun peeks Over the top fire then scoot Back. We stand in one place fire then move to a new place Batz said. Another difference is that German tank ers use All weapons systems to engage one target he said. Americans often fire on Sev eral targets at once. The expected dividend of this program Labrador said is an increased understand ing of what German tankers can expect from american tankers during Battle. The six week period allows a deeper study of these methods not usually possible in exchanges of Shorter duration. If this unit were on my flank in combat i would know More about their capabilities and i would know which tactics to expect them to use Batz said. Labrador said that this knowledge would make the German tank commander More comfortable and confident of the Crew Cov ering his flank even though it s carrying a different army s bumper number. He said the German Crew will top off its training during gunnery tests on Grafen Woehr ranges. They re the same tests . Tankers on their flanks will face during qualification runs april 15. I Hope they come in first Labrador said. Germans climb out of their borrowed american tank at the training area