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Subject = 3D ARMORED DIVISION ARTILLERY HISTORICAL SUMMARY ODS PHASES III 

Parent Organization = ARCENT      

Unit = VII CORPS   

Folder Title = VII CORPS ARTY-BOOK 3-COMMANDER REPT-TAB I-3D AD ARTY HIST SUMM PHASES II-VI  VOL 17C           

Document Number =          3

Box ID = BX000313










            Combat action along the ARCENT front started at 0400 an the 24th of
         February. At 0140 hours, the Division TAC passed a new VII Corps Fire
         Support Coordination Line (FSCL) with an effective date time group (DTG)
         of 240300. The new FSCL wa's -From grid NT 242600 to grid PT 775600. At
         0424 hours, the DTAC passed information to the Divarty which con-Firmed
         that the 6th French Light Armor Division attacked at 0400 hours.

            At 1000 hrs, the Divarty HO received a warning order from Division:
          Be prepared to attack 241200 hours February 91". Slightly more than an
         hour ahead of it's planned movement, at 1054 hours on the 24th of
         February, the Divarty Headquarters departed from Forward Assembly Area
         BUTTS. Rather than stopping and occupying positions in FAA CONCORD as
         planned, the Division was ordered to attack north through FAA BUTTS and
         cross the Line of Departure (LD) in order to exploit the successes in   the
         MARCENT sector. Meanwhile, the 2D brigade and 4-82 FA rolled at 1000
         hours, conducted a refuel south of the LD and increased their Mission
         Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) level. 2-3 FA began movement from    FAA
         Butts with the 1ST Brigade at 1120 hours. At approximately 1300, the
         Divarty HO stopped short of the LD to assume an increase in Mission
         Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP). The Divarty went to MOPP level 2    and
         took Pyridostigmine Bromide (Nerve Agent Pre-treatment Tablets) in
         anticipation of possible Iraqi chemical weapons use. While waiting to
         cross the LD, the Divarty dispatched a liaison party to conduct link-up
         operations with the 1-27FA (MLRS), "Gridsmashers", a battalion from the
         42d Field Artillery Brigade.

             At 1448 hours, C Battery, 4-82 FA crossed the berm followed by A
         Battery at 1450 hours. A/40 FA crossed the border behind 4-8 CAV at 1455
         hours. The 4-82 FA HHB and their TOC crossed at lane number 26 (grid NT
         342241) at 1525 hours. B battery crossed at 1525 hours, and the Dragons
         had entered Iraq. At approximately 1600, the Divarty Tactical Operations
         Center (TOC) rolled forward and crossed into Iraq proceeding through the
         obstacle belt known as the Berm. The Divarty passed through berm lane
         number 27 at grid NT 35002299 and continued movement Northeast as part of
         the Division movement to contact. 2-3 FA crossed the berm at 1642 hours.
         By 1800 hours 4-82 FA had proceeded 25 kilometers iato Iraqi territory.

            The Division moved in a column of Brigades. The 4-7 Cavalry screened
         the Division right -Flank under the control of the Combat Aviation Brigade
         (CAB). The column a+ Brigades from north to south were 2D Brigade, IST
         Brigade, and 3D Brigade. The Divarty TOC moved behind the 2D Brigade
         trains. The Direct Support (DS) artillery battalions moved in formation
         with their supported brigades. Each DS battalion was provided a 0-36
         Mortar Locating Radar from the division Target Acquisition (TA) Battery,
         F/333 "Finder", to -Facilitate r-ounterfire operations. A/40 FA
         "Deepstrike", the division artillery MLRS battery had a General Support
         Reinforcing (GSR) mission to 4-82 FA. They traveled behind the 4-8 Cav,
         the lead battalion of 2 Bde in order to -Facilitate long range fires in
         support of the Division. Additionally, 4-E32 FA was provided with a 0-37
         Artillery Locating Radar and a Meteorological section to facilitate firing
         operations. The remaining 0-37 radar from the F/333 Target Acquisition
         (TA) Battery traveled with and under the control of the HHB Divarty, as
         did the second Divarty Meteorological section. HHB Divarty had the 2d
         platoon, C Battery, 5-3 Air Defense Artillery Battalion (Platoon Leader,
         LT Brandt), a Chapparal platoon with -Four weapon systems, attached to
         provide air defense coverage throughout the operation. The battery also
         had a signal SEN team (SSG Lopez, NCOIC) attached from the 143d Signal
         Battalion to provide Mobile Subscriber Equipment (MSE) support to the

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