An Army tank crew appears to have named their M1 Abrams ‘Dahmer’s Fridge’

There’s not necessarily a wrong way to name a tank, at least from the crew’s perspective. This one, though, might have the heads of a few officers and sergeants major spinning.

Seen on the popular “U.S. Army WTF! Moments” page, it appears that an Army tank crew named their M1 Abrams main battle tank “Dahmer’s Fridge.”

Tankers love to come up with creative names for their tanks, and Task & Purpose loves finding some of the best ones soldiers have come up with. There are the belligerent, aggressive names, like “Come And Take It.” There are plenty of irreverent names as well, like “Barbie Dreamhouse,” “All You Can Eat,” or “A Thicc Boi.” And there are  cultural references, like “A Horse With No Name,” or, because Star Wars is inescapable, something like “Baby Yoda” or “Chewbacca.”

Then there are names that tap into some darker humor. Like “Article 15,” or  “Dropped As A Baby” or “Daddy’s Belt.” But this might be the darkest tank name yet. 

For anyone in need of a brief history lesson, Jeffrey Dahmer was a notorious serial killer of the 1980s and early 1990s. He kept parts of his victims in his refrigerator. His life has always been the subject of lurid interest, from the graphic novel, My Friend Dahmer, and a recent Netflix miniseries, Dahmer, all of which have raised the question of just how appropriate it is to talk about or even reference the man’s name. But, soldiers can be known for their pitch black sense of humor, and now there’s a tank dubbed “Dahmer’s Fridge.”

Since the first tanks debuted on the battlefields of World War I, tankers have been giving them names. Traditionally,  tank crews are allowed quite a bit of latitude. As long as the first letter of the name corresponds to the first letter of the unit — say, A for Alpha Company, or B for Bravo Troop — and it’s approved by the chain of command, the tank’s name is good to go. 

Better to ask forgiveness than permission, though, when it comes to naming your tank. 

The latest on Task & Purpose

• The Army’s futuristic new goggles actually make soldiers less lethal, Pentagon weapons tester says
• Marines outwitted an AI security camera by hiding in a cardboard box and pretending to be trees
• Watch a German Leopard 2 tank carry a beer and not spill a drop
• The Air Force is moving forward with a replacement for its decades-old long-range radar
• India rolls out mortar-toting camo camels for military parade

Want to write for Task & Purpose? Click here.