GREENVILLE – After four years of planning, the long-awaited Vietnam-era M60 tank arrived at Greenville American Legion Post 140 Monday afternoon with a large convoy of semis, a heavy crane,and security vehicles. The Greenville Police Department met the convoy and escorted the tank to its new home.
The new addition to Post 140 will serve as a permanent static display honoring military service and history.
“For us to get this tank here in Greenville is a great tribute to all the veterans who live here, and to have it parked right out in front of the Greenville American Legion Post 140, right in front of the flags, is very special,” said Greenville Mayor Jeff Whitaker. “It is very easily seen as you drive by on Ohio Street. What a great thing for the City of Greenville, an awesome sight in plain view for everyone to see.”
The M60, a proven piece of American military equipment equipped with a powerful 105mm gun, brings both historical significance and visual impact. The tank was transported from an armory in Marion, Indiana, in time for public viewing by Memorial Day 2026.
Mideast Machinery Movers of New Paris and jCRANE, Inc. of Covington made the trip to Marion to bring the tank to Greenville.
“It took three semis to carry all the counterweights for the crane,” said Brad Gordon, Mideast Machinery Movers chief operating officer.
The large tank, along with the semi and trailer, was over the permitted weight limit for Indiana and Ohio roadways.
“We get permits through each state we travel for the overweight and over-width,” Gordon said. “Each state that we travel through issues us a permit that allows us to carry that amount of weight through their state.”
“We are well over 140,000 pounds, including truck, trailer, and the tank,” Gordon added. “We are well over the allowable weight.”
Static displays such as the one now making its home in Greenville are part of a broader effort to preserve military history and educate the public. These non-operational exhibits, ranging from tanks to aircraft, are distributed through the U.S. Army’s donations program, allowing qualified organizations such as veterans groups to receive retired or obsolete military equipment.
The program is administered through the Army Donations Program Office within the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command in Detroit and operates under federal guidelines established in Title 10 of the United States Code.
The M60 itself represents a key chapter in the evolution of the American military. Officially standardized in 1959, it became the United States’ primary main battle tank during the Cold War, with more than 15,000 units produced. Though developed from the earlier M48 design, it marked a transition into modern armored warfare and was widely used by U.S. forces and allied nations.
“It’s here,” said Greenville American Legion Post 140 Commander Ken Wombold. “It’s a special moment for our community and veterans.”
“This is still a current model tank, and they are still using this tank,” Wombold said. “We have some Legion members right here at this post that operated this tank.”
“A version of this tank is still being used today,” Wombold added. “It’s what they call the Patton tank. It has never officially been recognized that way, but it is a Patton tank.”
The M60 tank now rests proudly at Greenville American Legion Post 140 and will stand as both a tribute to those who served and a lasting educational display for the Greenville community — connecting past military service to present-day appreciation.
