“That group, Iron Horse Tankers, will adopt tanks across the nation and refurbish them, and that’s what happened with this one,” said Fred Lindley, a Darrtown native and a chronicler of the village’s history.
Lindley said the group found the tank through a series of connections stemming from Hamilton’s AmVet post. In October, four Iron Horse volunteers came to Darrtown to powerwash the tank and apply a fresh coat of paint to its exterior, including John Winters, the group’s commander.
Winters wrote that the Iron Horse Tankers started as an Ohio-based Facebook Page where retired tankers could connect with one another, but its membership quickly grew into the thousands.
Now, as a non-profit organization, the Iron Horse Tankers have 13 groups across the country, with members from all 50 states — and Winter’s Ohio chapter has worked to restore display tanks across the state.
Paul Gillespie, a Milford Twp. Trustee and veteran who was integral in bringing the tank to Darrtown, arranged for the tank’s dedication this Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Darrtown Village Square, where he and Winters will speak.
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