3AD HISTORY OF OPERATION DESERT STORM AND SPEAR

File: 081996_jul96_decls1_0067.txt
Page: 0067
Total Pages: 269

Subject: 3AD HISTORY OF OPERATION DESERT STORM AND SPEAR                 

Box  ID: BX001301

Document Number:          3

Folder Title: OPORDS AND  COMMAND AND CONTROL                                                                 

Folder Seq #:          4

Unit: 3D AD       

Parent Organzation: VII  CORPS  









        1. ACTIVITY/EVENT: PORT ACTIVITIES, ARRIVAL/TRAINING IN TAA HENRY, AND
        MOVEMENT TO FAA BUTTS


        2. DATE/TIME: I JAN 91 TO 192400CFES91


        3. DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY/EVENT:


             As the RFCT prepared to receive   their equipment at the port, the Bde XO
        with 190 soldiers departed on 31 Dec 90 to act as the Advance Party for
        Tactical Assembly Area (TAA) Henry approximately 65 kilometers south-southeast
        of the city of Hafar al Batin, qA. By 04 JAN 91, with the arrival of TF 4-34
        AR and TF 5-5 CAV, the vast maji3i-ity of the RFCT had been flown into the KTO.
        And that which remained in Germany were small cells to assist in handing over
        the facilities to the personnel remaining behind and tie up lob@ ends. By 06
        JAN-91 all- personnel had deployed to Saudi Arabia.
           The first of twentyfour ships carrying vehicles and equipment of the RFCT,
        the Cape Johnson, docked at the Part of Dammam on 26 Dec 90. On 04 Jan 91,
        the Sangerhausen docked and was quickly followed by the Nancy Lykes and the
        Cape Horn. The last ship carrying vehicles belonging to 3-5 CAV and 5-5 CAV,
        the Mangalia, arrived on 06 Feb 1991. As vehicles where off loaded$ all
        combat vehicles and selected armored vehicles were painted with carc sand
        colored paint and prepped for battle.
            Through the BDE S-4 and the Division Transportation Office, arrangements
        were made to HET the vehicles to TAA Henry as quickly as possible. Military
        HET's were the preferred means of transport, because once the air campaign
        started many civilian drivers re-Fused to drive. This in turn slowed the
        deployment of the division and the RFCT into TAA Henry. Consideration was
        given to having TF 5-5 CAV road march from the port to TAA Henry due to the
        lack of HET'S. The Advance Party which had departed for TAA Henry earlier,
locations were established and
        reconned by each TF representative: TF 3-5 CAV was PR 026679; TF 5-5 CAV PR
        O-q9606; TF 4-33 AR at PR 031585; TF 4-34 AR vicinity PR 042643. 2-3 FA at PR
        ')12659; 503 FSB was located at PR 014650; and the RFCT initially at PR 026659.
             The RFCT was at 100% combat systems with the closing of TF 3-5 CAV in TAA
        Henry on 10 Feb 1991. Tentage was a problem during the initial deployment -From
        the part. With 'the emphasis to move soldiers out of the port as quickly as
        possible, considerable effort was spent on ensuring soldiers had tents to use
        in the TAA (tents were still in containers at sea).
              On 1705OOCJAN91, the RFCT was informed that the air campaign had
        started. Having monitored BBC radio, the TOC was first aware that
        hostilities had started at approximately 0200 hours. This was quickly
        coll-zwed by. the brigade receiving it's first SCUD alert. On 2609OOCJAN91, the
        RFCT canduct@ a rehearsal for the Bde's movement from TAA Henry to the FAA
        BUTTS.
            As the soldiers assembled in TAA Henry, they calibrated their combat
        systems, fired tank and BFV gunnery tables and mortars, conducted land
        navigation, first aid, as well as other individual and crew level training.
        The Infantry company executive officer was given a M2 BFV in exchange for
        their M113AI series vehicle. This gave a pure infantry company fourteen M2's
        and permitted the XQ to have parity with the other vehicle in his company. On
        @ Fetz 91. @ Br-igadL-             a 180                      el @@ @@t irr @ch
        had each TF/BN participating with +ull-up TOC/TAC's while limiting Co/Tm
        representation to one vehicle. This provided the first opportunity for the
        RFCT to visualize the challenges of moving a brigade in a modified diamond


                                                 3

Document 269 f:/Week-28/BX001301/OPORDS AND COMMAND AND CONTROL/3ad history of operation desert storm and spear:0816961333481
Control Fields 17
File Room = jul96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-28
Box ID = BX001301
Unit = 3D AD
Parent Organization = VII CORPS
Folder Title = OPORDS AND COMMAND AND CONTROL
Folder Seq # = 4
Subject = 3AD HISTORY OF OPERATION DESERT STORM AND SPEAR
Document Seq # = 1
Document Date =
Scan Date = 18-JUL-1996
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 16-AUG-1996