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File: 120396_aug96_decls15_0007.txt
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
6
While Iraqi SCUD missile launches initially put lst
Cav soldiers on edge, it soon became apparent that only
densely populated cities were targeted, not troops
dispersed in the desert. Knowing that nerve agent
pretreatment tablets could only be used for three weeks
before consumption must be discontinued, BG Tilelli
ordered Ist Cav to stop NAP tablet use on 19 Jan to save
them for a period of higher risk during the ground phase.
On 20 Jan, the 9th (Syrian) Armored Division began
movement across the division's front to new locations in
the JFCN sector. The Syrians manned the same equipment as
the Iraqi enemy, including T-62 tanks, BMP2s, and BRDMS.
To preven@ potential fratricide between allies, lst Bde
and 2nd Ede were ordered to pull back in sector to form
tight unit battle positions. 1-7 Cav pulled its screen
line back into the brigades' sectors, staying south of the
PS55 east-west grid line. The division G3, Ist Ede S3,
and 1-7 Cay S-3 met with the Syrian representatives and
maintained contact throughout the move. As a further
precaution, movement only took place during daylight
hours. By sunset on 21 Jan, all Syrian combat equipment
was out of the Ist Cav's sector, without incident.
The Syrians left behind a logistics support area,
which was placed off limits to lst Cav soldiers and
guarded by Syrians. The equipment left there was hauled
out by truck a week later.
The FSE continued to deconflict laser codes and
tat-get designations which had been previously issued by
XVIII Abn Corps. Since lst Cav was now under VII Corps
control, new codes and numbers were needed. Confusion
arose when other VII Corps units used the same laser codes
and target numbers that lst Cav's subordinate units were
using. To further confuse the situation, VII Corps did
not initially assign enough laser codes to support all the
division's laser designation equipment (FISTVS, BVLLD7 AH-
64s, OH-58Ds, etc). VII Corps issued additional laser
codes to cover the Ist Cav's equipment, but the new
numbers were too high. Users complained that lower laser
designation code numbers were more effective, providing
better designation effects an the target. On Pi Jan, the
FSE went back to VII FSE and acquired sufficient lower
numbered laser codes to service the division's equipment.
The instructions for disposition of EA materials,
requested on IP NOV 90, were received on PP Jan 91. All
UNCLASSIFIED
92
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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