(as taken from Military History Magazine - July August 2007)
Tensions are truly explosive in tiny Nitro, W.Va., after a local family sold its heirloom tank to an Indiana-based armor museum. Patriarch Jack Moody acquired the WWI-era tank (modeled after a Renault FT-17) from a Virginia VFW post in 1987 and put it on public display. But when Moody passed away two years ago, his family removed the tank. According to Nitro Mayor Rusty Casto, the Moodys told him that the tank was being refurbished. As time passed however, Casto became suspicious. Months later he turned up the late-model Renault at the Ropkey Armor Museum (http://www.ropkeyarmormuseum.com) in Crawfordsville, Ind. Now hizzoner wants "Nitro's tank" back.
Nothing doing, says museum owner Fred Ropkey, himself a former tanker. Ropkey, who had refurbished armored vehicles for the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, Va., spent $100,000 renovating this tank and won't let it go without a fight. Word of advice: The guy with the tank wins.
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"