CHAPTER SEVEN DEFENSE OF THE WADI AL BATIN

File: 120396_aug96_decls15_0006.txt
Page: 0006
Total Pages: 13

Subject: CHAPTER SEVEN  DEFENSE OF THE WADI AL BATIN                     

Unit: ARCENT      

Parent Organization: CENTCOM     

Box ID: BX000461

Folder Title: COMMAND REPORTS - ARCENT AARS- G6-HQCMDT-OTHER MISC                                             

Document Number:         62

Folder SEQ  #:          6





                                       UNCLASSIFIED






              The corps deep operations cell took air interdiction (PI)
              nominations at 0800 hours daily.

                   January 18th began with a bang. At 0327 hours, nine
              SCUD missiles were launched toward Israel. Five SCUDs
              impacted. VII Corps called a 100% alert at 0402. By
              0446, VII Corps           a total of 16 to 17 launches, and
              confirme    e use of che-iii-@al             Tilelli
              directed the               o MOPPI. At 0546v ARCENT
              reported three large explosions in Dhahran and a large red
              cloud visible over the airbase. U.S. personnel there were
              in MOPP4. For twenty minutes, everyone feared the worst.
              Finally, at M&(D7, the ARCENT LNO called to say that only
              one SCUD missile had been launched at Dhahran, and it had
              been intercepted by a Patriot missile. He also reported
              that chemical munitions had not been used against Israel,
                                                                 m           cn
              While everyone breathed a sigh of relief, lst Cay stayed       0
              in MOPP1 until 1000 hours anyway, just to be certain.

                   As the sun rose over the Wadi Al Satin later that
              morning, the Iraqis faced a handful of U.S. and Saudi
              Special Forces outposts, two Egyptian mechanized companies
              on a screen line, and an Egyptian Airborne Battalion in
              reserve. Twenty kilometers behind this meager defense,
              Ist Cav's new defensive positions blocked the Wadi Al
              Batin approach. lst Bde and Pnd Bde stood abreast in the
              division's sector, with 1-7 Cav screening forward and 2nd
              Bde, 101st Abn (AIR ASSLT) defending the Al Gaysumah
              airfield behind 2nd Bde.

 SCUD missile
              launches lingered into the afternoon. At 1410, the lst
              Ede XO reported an explosion in the 2-5 Cav area, followed
              by the sounding of an Mg chemical alarm. P-5 Cav was in
              MOPP4. Twenty minutes later, DIVARTY reported three
              explosions in their area, and also went to MOPP4.
              Chemical agent tests detected no hazards, and an hour's
              search revealed no evidence of explosion. After 115 FSB
              heard explosions and went to MOPP4 the following morning,
              19 Jan, DTAC released a message to all units explaining
              that a nearby coalition engineer training site was the
              source of these explosions. This message also reminded
              units that the only Iraqi surface system capable of
              ranging lst Cay was the SCUD missile.


   40                               UNCLASSIFIED
                                     qi

Document 13 f:/Week-31/BX000461/COMMAND REPORTS - ARCENT AARS- G6-HQCMDT-OTHER MISC/chapter seven defense of the wadi al batin:11229616374244
Control Fields 17
File Room = aug96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-31
Box ID = BX000461
Unit = ARCENT
Parent Organization = CENTCOM
Folder Title = COMMAND REPORTS - ARCENT AARS- G6-HQCMDT-OTHER MISC
Folder Seq # = 6
Subject = CHAPTER SEVEN DEFENSE OF THE WADI AL BATIN
Document Seq # = 62
Document Date =
Scan Date =
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 = 22-NOV-1996