Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-04-08

IN DuDllNt VI NFNii '"'NNN
For months. even It's existence
was a secret
This time. however, the army
let US ride IN ~, from the CadiI-
lac plant TO the Union Guardian
Building, where it was exhibited
for the umpty-thOuSand work
ers at the Tank Automotlve
Center.
Riding IN a tank is 50 noisy
that YOU can't even shout 10 the
man two feet from you when
the tank is galiumplng along
bat lis not bad otherwise.
Kortkamp came Clanking
through the gate and let US
climb IN, Photographer Arnold
Freeman IN the machine gun
ners seat beside kortkamp,
while ! got up in the revolving
turret with the breach of 81
nm. gun in my lap. Later we
changed places. but II your legs
are as long as mine. stay up IN
Lhe turret. You can stretch
easier.
Nobody paid any attention IN
us at the factory. Tanks are no
novelty 10 the girls who build
them-except, As one girl re-
marked 10 supervisor, while
she was inside one Of the tur-
rets. working.
III ever catch you inside
one OF these things, I'm sure go
ing 10 smooth you.
He's n good looking guy, and
the impression around the plant
10 that she'll do IL, all right, n
she ever catches him In a turret.
Out on Michigan avenue. peo-
ple started 10 crane their neckS,
and pedestrians looked around,
startled. when they heard Us.
You can't tiptoe with tank.
Everybody knows you're com
ing.
Most motorists give a tank n
very wide berth, which Is wise,
and Kortkamp said he never
heard Of a tank brushing fsnd-
ers with car. although quite
few tanks have been driven
around town.
"One driver cut corner too
close, once," he said. and
knocked over telephone pole,
and another left his in gear in
side a shop and II went through
the wall. hut those are the only
accidents / know of"
Xortkamp admits that in the
past. he has wished he had a
tank 70 take care of some Of
the Sunday drivers he has mot,
but, once you really get inside
one. YOU are so gosh awful
afraid Of hurting somebody, or
denung somebody 5 car, that
.Teu forget all about -
The police. nv the way. arc
very courteous 10 tanks. and Il
Il said among tank drivers Mat
"Vou can even make left turns
oft Grand River and got away
with it," hut kortkamp obeys
traffic laws.
Downtown. We intended 20
take the tank half way UP the
city hall steps and photograph
il. but changed our minds and
went over 10 the L s s. Nc
Kecver. the wooden ship that
the navy bullt as a recruiting
station
We didn't bother 10 knock We
Clunkcd up over the curb Larry
parked the Ms neatly beside
the ship and, from the top Of
our turret Il was easy to climb
onto the top deck.
Petty Officer FIRST class
Harry +. Mathews came topSlde.
blnked and then leaned over
and gave Larry a light Maybe
II was the first time that a ship
was boarded by 2 tank crew
Freeman noticed that motor
lists tended TO line up behind us,
instead Of passing. evidently
Just for the fun Of watching a
tank go down the street. People
who had a minute 10 spare
would stop and look whenever
the tank paused somewhere.
But I guess the novelty Of
tanks Is beginning TO wear Oft.
Because, a. we were going
along Michigan. a harried man
with a high collar and Tapping
overcoat was running for
street car.
He looked like the kind Of
man who Is always hurrying for
fear the boss will get 10 the
office first, and bawl him out.
He had the browbeaten but
family defiant look Of the spe-
cieS.
Then. he saw us bearing down
on him, lie started 10 Jump
back. Then. he changed his mind
and darted forward.
Run over by tank" he
seemed TO he saying. EFT can't
be-but II Is. But I've got to
get to work. no matter what
happens"
Then. he scuttled across IN
front of us, without even
backward glance TO see whether
we ran over his coattails.
lie caught his car.