Gen Xers and elder millennials, rejoice! A picture of an American M1 Abrams tank named “Animaniacs” — named for the 90s cartoon beloved by many in those generations — has been spotted in Germany’s Grafenwoehr Training Area. Tank crews are known for creative names to adorn their main gun, but this may be the most nostalgic one we’ve seen.
Filled with skits of anthropomorphic cartoon characters, Animaniacs was mostly a goofy kids’ cartoon but sometimes slid into politics.
One episode recreated the Potsdam Conference, the World War II meeting of Soviet Union Premier Joseph Stalin, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill deciding the fate of post-war Europe. In one clip, Stalin asks Roosevelt if he can have Romania, to which Roosevelt replies “sure” while he gets just a begrudged “okay” from Churchill.
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The show was made up of cute and sometimes educational songs that named state capitals, U.S. Presidents, and nations around the world. Other episodes had slapstick comedy with Pinky and the Brain, who went on to star in their own series.
The eponymous M1 was photographed as American soldiers at the 7th Army Training Command’s Grafenwoehr Training Area showed off their vehicles and answered questions from German students during the German-American Partnership Week, which took place in late February. The Americans appeared proud to show off their beloved Abrams to the students, but of course, Germans know a good tank when they see one.
Naming tanks is a longstanding Army tradition so much so that it comes with its own rules and regulations.
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The Sierra Army Depot in California, the graveyard for retired M1 Abrams tanks, has kept a list of names from its stockpile of retired gun tubes. Some of the best included: “Bad Mama Jama,” “Ain’t Skeered,” “Cold Beer” and “Better Run and Hide.”
In 2020, the ‘Barbie Dreamhouse’ tank made a guest appearance in a 3rd Infantry Division tweet. For those who prefer ‘Just Ken,’ another M1 spotted in 2022 at Fort Riley, Kansas was named “Come on bro”.
One M1 Abrams tank sitting in Poland before heading to Ukraine was named the “ASVAB Waiver” for the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test recruits take before enlisting (those who score badly often seek a waiver.
Anyway, it’s time for Animaniacs, because they’re zany to the max. So just sit back and relax, you’ll probably laugh until you collapse.
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