TF 2 16TH INF VUA NOMINATION APPLICATION ENEMY SITREP

File: 970107_jul96_decls10_0007.txt
Page: 0007
Total Pages: 17

Subject: TF 2 16TH INF VUA NOMINATION APPLICATION ENEMY SITREP           

Unit: 1ST ID      

Parent Organization: VII  CORPS  

Box  ID: BX001043

Folder Title: DECENTRALIZED INST BACKGROUND FILES 91                                                          

Document Number:         18

Folder Seq  #:         94



                                    UNCLASSIFIED






          4.    PHASE III - 24 FEB 91 to 28 FEB 91
                TF 2-16 Location: Breach Area, PL Colorado, and
          Unaccompanied Journey through Southern Iraq to Kuwait and Safwan
          Airstrip.
       (u)a. Disposition and composition: 48 ID continued to de-Fend in
          their relatively unimproved trenchwork along the 3E3 N/S grid
          line.
        (Up. Strength: Brigade S2 continued to assess enemy division
          strength (based on armor and artillery destroyed at 55% or
          lower. No reinforcement of men'or materiel appeared to have
          occurred.
        (Ut. Significant activities: As the    task force moved north across
           he Saudi-Iraq border, the first enemy personnel were captured at
          0850 by the Scout platoon. Initially, small groups of enemy
          soldiers surrendered as the task force moved nor@ to PL Birch by
          1130 hrs.
                The enemy placed sporadic, moderate fires on the task      force,
       (U)including occasional unspotted artillery fire and 7.62mm
          machinegun fire. At 1150, the 127 man remnant of the Iraqi
          infantry battalion on the west front flank of the 48 ID
          surrendered en




                Enemy resistance during the breach plowing and flanking
         (L&eration was uncoordinated. Most enemy troops were defending
          from bunkers. Typically made of sandbags and plywood, the bunkers
          rose about two feet above ground level and held 2 - 15 soldiers..
          Some Iraqis returned fire on the Bradleys and Abrams, but RPS-7
          and MG fire was inaccurate and poorly massed. Recoilless rifle
          and ATSM fires were not reported. Long range pinpoint 25mm, TOW,
          i<.)5mm, and Vulcan fires destroyed many of the bunkers, forcing
          the enemy soldiers to flight. The enemy employed ineffective,
          limited amounts a+ small caliber mortar fire, but was completely
by the task force advance.
          (U)   By 1900y over 600 Iraqis had surrendered to 2-16. Although
          enemy forces to the east of the task force position still had the
          equipment and men to conduct small scale operations, enemy
          activity during the night of 24 - 25 FEB 9i was marked only by
          limited movement and occasional small groups of soldiers
          surrendering.
                On 25 FEB 91, enemy activity was again largely reactive. As
          @Ve"'t'ast, -Force slowly cleared bunker and trench systems east to
          PL Colorado, enemy soldiers surrendered en masse. Iraqi bunkers,
          tanks and other vehicles were destroyed by long range fires if
          the occupants refused to surrender. No organized MG, RPS,
          anti-tanlt, or artillery fires were directed against the task
          -Force. MinefiL-lds were not encountered, and Iraqi obstacle wart,
          was destroyed when encountered. During the course of the day,
          approximately SoCr Iraqis surrendered, abandoning equipment and
          documents in their positions. The enemy forces were completely
          destroyed or captured. A minimal number of Iraqis still cowered
          in bunkers. Over the period of 26 and 27 FEB 1?1, the task force
          destroyed approximately 13 vehicles, including T-55s, BRDM-2s,
          trucks, and an EE-9 scout car.


                                            -IFn
                                 UNCLASSIF

Document 17 f:/Week-27/BX001043/DECENTRALIZED INST BACKGROUND FILES 91/tf 2 16th inf vua nomination application enemy s:01029718422939
Control Fields 17
File Room = jul96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-27
Box ID = BX001043
Unit = 1ST ID
Parent Organization = VII CORPS
Folder Title = DECENTRALIZED INST BACKGROUND FILES 91
Folder Seq # = 94
Subject = TF 2 16TH INF VUA NOMINATION APPLICATION ENEMY S
Document Seq # = 18
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 = 02-JAN-1997