702ND TRANS BATTALION OPER DIARY SAUDI ARABIA 1990 THRU 1991

File: 970815_sep96_decls24_0039.txt
Page: 0039
Total Pages: 43
Subject = 702ND TRANS BATTALION OPER DIARY SAUDI ARABIA 1990 THRU 1991    

Parent Organization = MISC        

Unit = MISC        

Folder Title = 702ND TRANS BN-PROVISIONAL-BATTALION OPERATIONS DIARY-SAUDI ARABIA 90-91                        

Document Number =          1

Box ID = BX005619









          23 June - MAJ Kern and CW2 Harville, opns officer, meet with
          COL Brown, 7th Gp Cdr concerning Bn opns. MAJ Kern meets
          with LTC Wentrcek, ACS Trans. Acting Bn Cdr, and Co Cdrs
          attend briefing on theatre retrograde and repositionaing
          briefing at Dhahran RSAF Base. Major unit commanders brief.
          LTG Pagonis gives guidance. The mission of redeploying the
          force and sustaining the theatre is a large one. The effort
          to obtain permission to store prepositioned theatre stocks
          here is critical to maintaining peace in the Middle East.
          The reality that America will deploy troops will not soon be
          forgotten by the dictators of this world. It took us fifty
          years to win without fighting in Europe, but we must have a
          creditable military deterrent to do this. Concerns of female
          soldiers are addressed. It is not an easy assignment, but we
          must be realistic. This is a traditional land. Bn XO,
          acting for the Bn Cdr presents decorations to departing
          troops including SFC Cotton, 390 Trans Det, and SGT
          Delaughter, 355 Trans Det.

          24 June - Cmd and staff mtg. Fifth redeployment serial of 13
          soldiers departs. Bn strength is now 78 soldiers. Acting Bn
          Cdr meets with 7th Gp Cdr. A and D Cos will be transferred
          with their HET and LB assets to the 1103rd's replacement Bn
          HQ. We will form an additional company in each Bn. LTC
          Kelley, of the Army Materiel Command's Ammunition Retrograde
          Team meets with acting Bn Cdr in the afternoon. Armored
          vehicles being redeployed to Dammam by our Sn show obvious
          signs of battle damage. This is not unusual. One MlAl
          Abrams tank has a hole from a RPG at the top of the skirt
          armor. The direction of attack was from the side, and the
          hit was probably inflicted by Iraqi infantry as a position
          was overrun. An M3 Bradley has had a large area of paint
          burned off the side of the turret. Both vehicles are
          operational.

          25 June - Acting Bn Cdr attends meeting with 7th Gp Cdr, AMC
          and MTMC representatives on the subject of ammunition
          retrograde. In the evening a meeting on border crossing
          problems encountered by convoys attempting to enter Kuwait
          and Bhahrain is attended by MAJ Kern. Proposed solutions are
          discussed. Convoy escort is still being pressed as a Bn
          responsibility. The Gp DCO/S3, KAJ Gula, and MAJ Kern fight
          this as the Bn is not resourced for anything more than
          limited escort. 6th Inf Div DISCOM acting SGM directs one of
          our people, who had signed in to his home unit while on
          leave, to return to SWA. Its nice to be supported.

          26 June - Bn Cdr returns from leave. other unit soldiers
          depart on leave. The Bn is attempting to allow as many of
          its soldiers as possible to return home for 2 weeks of
          ordinary leave. Full moon.

          27 June - Hajj ends. Advance party of the 1103rd is expected


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