COMMAND CHRONOLOGY FOR THE PERIOD 1 JAN TO 13 APR 91

File: 100896_sep96_decls8_0008.txt
Page: 0008
Total Pages: 31

Subject: COMMAND CHRONOLOGY FOR THE PERIOD 1 JAN TO 13 APR 91            

Unit: 2ND MARDIV  

Parent Organization: 2 MEF       

Box ID: BX600014

Folder Title: COMMAND CHRONOLOGY 2ND MARINE DIVISION 1 OF 10  JAN - APRIL 1991                                

Document Number:          3

Folder SEQ  #:          4


                           6       UNCLASSIFIED 6

       obstacle belts themselves, the types and numbers of mines found
       there, and the possible danger caused by the presence of
       hydrogen-sulfide (H2S) gas in the breach and attack areas. To ensure
       that the division had the most up to date information on the anomy's
       defenses, the division engineer officer was dispatched to Washingtono
       D.C. on 5 February. There he met with representatives of the Defense
       Intelligence Agency and the Army Intelligence Agency. Armed with the
       division's essential elements of,information for the breach, he
       reviewed the products available, and gave guidance for the collection
       of additional information.(33)

           Command and control of the division's movement to and through the
       breach site was also a major concern. A system of marking the
       approach lanes was developed, a breach approach sequence table was
       formulated to regulate the traffic of the division and a breach
       control group was activated to ensure the orderly and timely flow of
       the division through the breach lanes. A fire support plan to attack
       the anemy's artillery and defenses before and during the assault was
       developed by the FSCC.(34)

           This work required continuous coordination among the staff
       sections, in addition to several commanders meetings at which the
       developing plan was discussed. All of this work continued in the
       midst of training, movement to the final defensive position in
       preparation for the attack, and while fulfilling the division's
       defensive mission.



       S. COMBAT OPERATIONS - ARTILLERY RAID OF 27 JANUARY

           With the move to the Kibrit area, the division was close enough
       to the Kuwaiti border to begin preliminary offensive operations. On
       27 January, only days after arriving at the new position, the
       division issued Frag order 007. This order planned for the conduct
      of an "artillery surface raid" which was intended to destroy selected
       targets across the border in what was known as the "agricultural
       area" of Al Wafrah, Kuwait. The raid was conducted on a battalion
       level. The unit chosen was 5/10, of which Q and R batteries would be
       firing. The 2d LAI Battalion provided screening and security.(35)

           The purpose of the raid was threefold. Firsto to begin to
       develop the disposition of the enemy units for the offensive.
       Second, to destroy designated targets: a logistics site and a truck
       park. Third, and perhaps most importantly, to measure the enemy's
       reactions to the raid and to gauge his abilities to detect and attack
       the division.(36) The raid task force was structured with the Cot 2d
       LAI Battalion as commander. The commander of the raid force was the
       CO, 5/10. The security force consisted of Companies Ao C, and Dp 2d
       LAI Battalion, and counterbattery protection was provided by the
       counterbattery radar platoon of 10th Marines, and Battery A, 92nd
       Field Artillery, a Multiple Launch Rocket System (14LRS) battery.

           At 2100 on 27 January, the batteries moved from their
         -sea to their firing positions. At 23S9 tiring commences and
       continued for 13 minutes.(37) When firing ceased, Battery Q had


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                                   UNCLASSIFIED

Document 31 f:/Week-35/BX600014/COMMAND CHRONOLOGY 2ND MARINE DIVISION 1 OF 10 JAN - APRIL 1991/command chronology for the period 1 jan to 13 ap:100196125355
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-35
Box ID = BX600014
Unit = 2ND MARDIV
Parent Organization = 2 MEF
Folder Title = COMMAND CHRONOLOGY 2ND MARINE DIVISION 1 OF 10 JAN - APRIL 1991
Folder Seq # = 4
Subject = COMMAND CHRONOLOGY FOR THE PERIOD 1 JAN TO 13 AP
Document Seq # =
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 = 01-OCT-1996