OPERATION DESERT SHIELD STORM 16 MAY 92

File: 970815_sep96_decls20_0004.txt
Page: 0004
Total Pages: 30
Subject = OPERATION DESERT SHIELD  STORM   16 MAY 92                      

Parent Organization = ARCENT      

Unit = VII CORPS   

Folder Title = SPREAD SHEET SUMMARY-MAP AND HISTORY OF 82 ENG BN TRAVELS 16 MAY 92                             

Document Number =          6

Box ID = BX000301





      To facilitate the engineering operation in support of the assault, the 82nd
      Engineer Battalion assigned the breach of the western sector (2/2's) to A and
      D companies under control of the Battalion XO. C and B companies were in the
      eastern sector (3/2's) under the Battalion Commander's control.     Because of
      the nc)--Fail nature of this mission, the Battalion planned for all  possible
      contingencies: landmines, indirect and direct fires, unknown soil    conditions,
      and equipment failures.  Two of D Company's D7F dozers were protected with a
      special metal box (adding three tons of metal to the dozers), engineer recons
      were done of the berms, and Regimental rehearsals were conducted to ensure the
      success of the breach.


          Three days prior to Ground Day (G-3), SFC Rivera and SSG Potter of C
      Company accompanied V" Troop during berm recons.  Subsequent berm recons were
      conducted by ILT Mead and SSG Marshall, c)-F C Company, with L Troop and on 20
      Feb. SGT Wallace and SST Harrion of A Company accompanied E and 6 Troop on
      their respective recons on 21 Feb.

          On 23 Feb 91, the day before the ground offensive started (G-1), A Company
      and C Company breached the berms. Both companies were reinforced with the
      three M-9 ACE each, from the 84th Engineer Company. It took A Company a mere
      seven minutes to complete the first assault breach. 2LT Adams led his platoon
      to recon a route intersection near a Saudi Arabian police station reportedly
      blocked by dragons teeth, but found none. At the same time, C Company
      breached the berm with M-9 ACE, at three sites - one in each troop sector
      then proceeded ten kilometers into Iraq. After the initial assault breaches,
      the berm mission was passed off to 8 Company and D Company. In all, 43 lanes
      were constructed with six main supply route (MSR) lanes. D Company was
      responsible for 25 of them. The berm breaches were completed and marked by
      f;)7,:50 on 6-day, 24 Feb 91, finishing twelve hours early. The only hitch to an,
      otherwise flawless mission was that lane #24 had to be closed due to
      unexploded ordnance from the artillery preparation fired on G-1. D Company
      moved -Forward with eight M916/920, four D7F and two bucket loaders. The
      remaining Battalion heavy equipment was sent back to Saudi Arabia under the
      control of SFC Williams and SFC SchnorbLtsch, in order to increase the speed
      and mobility of the force.

          The morning of 24 Feb, A and C Company took up offensive positions behind
      Phase Line (PL) Bud, while the rest of the Battalion crossed the berm and
      border into Iraq and occupied a position just north of the border. At 1315
      hrs, the 2ACR received a FRAGO to attack into the Iraqi 26th Infantry Division
      sector. The attack commenced at 1500 hrs. The Battalion(-) moved with the
      2ACR which only encountered light resistance in sector. Because of poor
      trafficability, the Battalion(-) moved late into the night and set at 25013C@,
      Feb at NT 5866--',6. A Company and C Company set at PL Dixie. At first light 8n
      the 25th, the Battalion(-) again moved out, paralleling the 2ACR RSS. B
      Company collected the first of many EPW (enemy prisoners of war) at C4730, two
      hours later five more, then they received 50 EPW from a C Company squad.
      Minutes later, ten more EPW were added.

          Meanwhile, the forward squadrons met enemy resistance vicinity Objective
      Merrill. A Company came under artillery fire. As the fighting diminished,
      the large number of EPW became the next problem. A Company's lst platoon, led
      by lLT Ketchum, collected 72 EPW, including seven officers. Ist platoon then
      went on to destroy Iraqi arms and equipment. C Company assisted 3/2 squadron
      in guarding and transporting over 7,00 EPW. A Company's 3rd platoon had the
      mission of guarding EPW along the screen line. As night falls, A Company and
      C Company were with their respective squadrons on PL Miller, while the rest of
      the Battalion is set at PT 166895. B Company collected three EPW at 2OJ45.
                                                                      4