3AD HISTORY OF OPERATION DESERT STORM AND SPEAR

File: 081996_jul96_decls1_0168.txt
Page: 0168
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  


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                      organic mechanized infantry companies and    a tank  company. All three battalions
                      had-si@ilar.internal'narch foe@itioni;:-   Scout@- fo@ard; one company uprl t'wo
                      #T'an@i' iFd 76iiEi'r;ompany isi rear."guard.;
                            Ina  v,c-
                         'rh@@mbat support elements of the      Brigade  had their  own movement
                      formafi'6'ns. The combat trains of each   task force traveled just a'few hundred
                      metL;ra@gi@d;the gattilibn. -All the -Bzittiilidn.-ftt?ld trainsij'and'Ohost of our
                      gervt'c4@t@r'y 'd6ftolidated'-into a,'Bri@dL,'Cbm@, Tflains'.rnaded th'g@.'R3 (Rearm,
                      Refit, R&Flleil). :lt:-:t@a4eled about 2 kilometers fiwhd the cdmtiatfwedges.of the
                      Brigade. Much 4aet6er to the'rlear of th'e' B@fg;adLilfaimation Wdt driorganization
                      named the Fat Lady. - It contained thei HbAvide el@s- of the 45ttf- F(3rward
                      Support Battalion. Our field kitchens traveled in,-thb Fat Lady.
                          The Firing Batteries traveled with the Maneuver Task Forces. The purpose
                      was to provide each maneuver task    force with immediate fire 'suoport7 '- in effect
                      -a dedicated battery   should they come-in-contact- with    thL- enemy. -Each
                      manul*ver battalion commander would determfne-'Wlidn -or if to e?KprlacL- the battery
                      moving with his task force. The 3rigade-Commander and our Battalion Commander
                      would decide when to emplace the other two batteries as the situation
                      developed. Once ordered to prepare for action, the Battalion Fire Direction
                      Center assumed control of all fires. Battery C moved with Task Force 4-8 in
 lead, Battery B with Task Force 4-18 an the left, and Battery A moved with
                      3-8 Cavalry on the right. Our Battalion Tactical Operations Center (TOC) and
                      Headquarters Battery moved to the right rear of the Brigade TOC behind Task
                      Force 4-8.

                          The Brigade prepared to depart TAA Henry on 14 February 1991. It was               a
                      clear and sunny day quite unlike the few days preceding it. The Brigade
                      established Assembly Area Start to marshall all the units into the movement
                      formation prior to our trek north. The last three vehicles painted sand color
                      were finished just that morning: The S3's HMMWV, TACFIRE SHELTER and trucks,
                      and a HMMWV ambulance from Headquarters Battery. The Firing Batteries formed
                      up with their task forces and moved to AA Start. Headquarters Battery linked
                      up with the Brigade TOC at 1600 hours. Sevice Battery had departed the
                      previous day to form up with the R3.
                          The Brigade planned to form into columns in AA Start. This would aid in
                      crossing three linear obstacles an our route of march: the road to King Khalid
                      Military City (KKMC) (MSR Sultan), the cultivated area in the Wadi Al Batin,
                      and the TAP Line road (MSR Dodge). But at 1305 hours the Division reported
                      multiple SCUD missile impacts at Hafar Al Batin. Shortly afterward we received
                      what later turned out to be a false report of a ground attack up on the border
                      in           Al Batin. The end result was the Brigade Commander's decision to
                      fa           gade,Wedge in AA.Start. All llnits.were set in AA Start by 1800
ll.

                                                     for mdqem6nt the   Dragon Battalion lost one of it's
                                                                     t--.arL @denti+ied.truck drove into
                      the R                                          Mi!rf.ry J. Sanders, Service Battery,
                      while@                                        sequbntly died of his injuries. His
                      Battery Commander, CPT Lawrence Abrams, discovered his body during stand-to at
                      0430 an 13 February. The dr-ive-r c& the truck was never identified.
                           We began moving at 0625 hours. The Brigade initially set the march rate
                      at



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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