3AD HISTORY OF OPERATION DESERT STORM AND SPEAR

File: 081996_jul96_decls1_0077.txt
Page: 0077
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  










           The original OPERATION DESERT STORM timeline called for a 14-30 day
        air war keyed to the destruction of 50% of the RGFC combat power. D-day
        was to be 160001 JAN91. The brigade activities upon occupation of IAA
        HENRY were oriente'd towards the conduct of training +or combat at the
        platoon and company/battery level, gunnery at the crew and platoon level,
        rehearsals from attack plans at the battalion, brigade, and division
        level, and refinement of the plan.

                            III. Actions in TAA Henry

            The brigade occupied TAA HENRY using company fire support base
        ,=--incept oriented for all around defense. This concept was designed to
        allow the brigade to defend in dispersed fashion but yet be close enough
        to reinforce each other if the,need arose. All units vehicle positions,
        fighting positions, and sleeping positions were dug in. This set the tone
        early -For the brigade and provided protection against a possible Iraq).
        ground attack or SCUD attack.
            Daily activities for units included a 0600 and 1800 staff update to
        the brigade commander, stand-to at 0500, coordinated staff and command
        actions a'nd unit training activities. The ration cycle was generally A or
        8 ration breakfast and dinner with MRE lunch.
             At the brigade level the activities of the air campaign were almost
        transparent as our deception locations were 9OKM -From the border. A part
        from the occasional -Flashes of light from B-52 bombings, warlike
        activities were unobserved. However, the brigade staff spent much time
        and effort tracking the movement and battle damage assessment of the air
        =ampaign effects on the RGFC and other frontline units. These effort
        provided valuable once the brigade made contact and was able to accurately
        template the enemy forces it -Faced in battle.
 conduct of the gunnery required that the
        brigade create ranges in the desert with little material but alot of
        imagination. A great deal of commander's time was spent emphasizing the
        construction of these ranges and firing a modified tank table XII. Due to
        a shortage of 120mm TPT much of the gunnery was dry runs and rehearsals a+
        crew/platoon/ and company battle drills. This effort was headed by
        CPT(P)Ralph Zimmerman and SFC Fortune. The brigade commander's intent was
        to provide each crew with confidence and a comfort level of their
        equipment prior to crossing the LD.
            On 7 February a major change in the brigade staff occurred. MAJ (P)
        Chip Wentz departed Saudi Arabia to attend the Pre-Command Course and
        assume command'of a battalion in the US. Major Edward Martinez assumed
        the duties as-@ brigade S-3. The brigade staff accepted the change in a
        competent an&..--. sional manner as did the subordinate battalions,
        producino minim#A.disruptions. On 9 February the division conducted its
        threat and +irt@rehearsal of the movement from the LD to OBJ COLLINS.
        This rehearsal concluded with one a-F the three standard action drills--an
        "Action Front". The lessons learned from this rehearsal by the battalion
        commanders and staff provided to be the key to subsequent success of the
        Iron brigade in battle.
              The Brigade had deployed to Saudi Arabia without any engineer assets
        as previously mentioned. Once the brigade closed in TAA HENRY engineer
        support was provided to the Brigade. The engineer support came from TF 2Z:
        -Engineers TF '-Z Eng was composite battalion consisting of the 23rd
        Engineer BN headquarters, A/23rd EN, A/12th EN, and 0/23rd EN.

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