GREENVILLE – The Greenville American Legion Post 140 is preparing for the arrival of a significant addition to its grounds—a 60-ton Vietnam-era M60 tank that will serve as a permanent static display honoring military service and history.
“Receiving the M60 Tank is very special,” said Post 140 Commander Ken Wombold. “We’ve been trying to get something in Greenville for four years now. We ended up with a pretty good piece to display at Greenville’s Post 140.”
The M60, a proven piece of American military equipment equipped with a powerful 105mm gun, brings both historical significance and visual impact.
“The tank is battle weary,” Wombold said. “It saw some action, but that just adds character to it.”
Preparations for the tank’s arrival were already underway Friday, as Daniel Myers of Myers Excavating worked to ready the site in front of the Greenville American Legion.
“I thought it was important to do the best we can as inexpensively as possible to help the Legion,” Myers said. “We do a lot for the girls’ softball diamonds and the boys also, and the American Legion is a great sponsor of both GGSA and GCBL.”
The tank will be transported from an armory in Marion, Indiana, with plans to have it installed and ready for public viewing by Memorial Day 2026.
“There is an armory over in Marion that has been closed down,” Wombold explained. “It’s an M60 Vietnam War tank—this one replaced the Patton tank. It takes a big crane to pick it up and move it.”
Static displays like the one planned 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 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.
Once installed, the M60 tank 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.
