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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




                                   UNCLASSIFIED

            As G-Day approached it became time to physically inspect the
         berm, designate the precise coordinates at which the cuts would be
         made, and make a physical inspection of the ground selected for the
         assembly areas. On 17 February, a party of officers from the
         division's G-3 section went forward to perform this work. A visual
         check of the six assembly areas revealed that they would be ample in
         size for the purpose. There were no obstacles to impede the movement
         of units from the assembly areas up to the cuts in the berm.(69)
         Using GPS, they confirmed and marked each Cut point. Through visual
         inspection of the forward areas, and by coordinating with the
         reconnaissance teams and LAI sections stationed along the bermp they
         ensured that there were no obvious problems along any of the routes
         selected for the approach lanes. The most significant feature
         evident was the numerous oil fires in the vicinity of Umm Gudair. At
         least eighteen of these could be seen, and the smoke and hydrogen
         sulfide fumes from these oil wells could well be factors in the
         assault.

            The next task to be accomplished was to begin the cuts in the
         berm. "The berm", as it was familiarly knownf was the most obvious
         physical feature on all the broad expanse of desert to the division's
         f"@@&         1.. a Japanese firm for the Saudi Government several
         years before, it was made by bulldozing the deb.zt sand into a
         continuous wall, attaining a height of three to four meters in
         places. It followed the Saudi-Kuwaiti border, situated between one
         and five kilometers on the Saudi side, and was visible from up to ten
         kilometers away. The berm provided excellent concealment to forces
         just behind it, and a good vantage point from which to observe
Kuwait. It was obvious that to make six wide cuts
         through the berm would be a "tip-off" to the enemy of the exact
         location of the division's assault. However, these cuts had to be
         completed prior to G-Day. In order to mask the intended place of
         attack, the division made a total of eighteen cuts along the
         division's front. Work began on 20 February, with nine cuts on the
         northwestern flank in front of the Tiger Brigade, and three in front
         of the 8th Marines to the southeast. The remaining six cuts were
         accomplished in front of the 6th Marines on G-Day-2, 22 February.(70)
             Although G-Day was set for 24 February, the division's offensive
         operations began several days before that. The 2d Reconnaissance
         Battalion moved its teams up to insertion points on the Saudi berm,
         under cover of darkness on the night of the 17th, in preparation for
         entering Kuwait.(71) This was done to fulfill the division's mission
         of conducting "reconnaissance and surveillance of the area forward of
         current defensive positions in preparation for offensive operations.11
         Specifically, the Commanding Generalls intent was to "identify any
         enemy units south of the breach site, and any gaps/weaknesses in the
         enemy defenses that we can exploit in order to enhance our breaching
         operation."(72) Having moved up to the berm, the battalion reported
         that all of its units were in their assigned positions by llS4 on 18
         February.(73) Over the next four days, the battalion made several
         reports of enemy movements, concentrations and activities. A portion
         of the frag order tasked 6th Marines with providing an extraction
         force for the reconnaissance teams. This proved fortuitous. In the
         early morning of 20 February, Recon Team 6 was apparently discovered


                                            II-13


 UNCLASSIFIED

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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