SALISBURY, MD — There's a saying about watching paint dry being a tedious task, but for volunteers at American Legion Wicomico County Post 64, it was a labor of love as they spent the morning re-painting their M60-A3 tank.
The decision to restore the M60-A3 tank came after the American Legion received it last year. Post First Vice Commander Joe Bender says they've been itching all winter to get started on the project,
“It’s been burning us - every time we drive by seeing it in this condition, and she deserves more than this - we need to get her back to where she was," he said.
The tank, which saw action during the Gulf War in 1991, holds significant historical value. Built in the 1960s, M60 tanks served generations of soldiers, including those who fought in Vietnam.
For Mark Behan, a former Marine who participated in the restoration, painting the tank was not just a task but a tribute to military service.
“It's a memory, for me, it’s history - I spent three years in the marine core and that’s what I did, my 17, 18, and 19, and that’s what I’m here for, to paint a piece of my memory,” Behan remarked.
Volunteers, like Behan, recognized the weight of history associated with the tank, acknowledging its role in supporting troops during times of conflict.
“The people I served with, the guys that died in Vietnam. I didn’t go in Vietnam, I went in at 75 and it was over. Anybody that was in, mainly the army and marine corps, dealt with tanks - it’s an infantry support, so a lot of the infantry guys - this was their hero when things got tough,” said Behan.
After a long day of priming, the battle-scarred tank began to resemble its former self.
American Legion Post 64 plans to continue the restoration next Saturday, aiming to finish painting the tank in its original shade of green. You can find more information here.
