OPERATIONS LOG, 37TH ENGINEERING BATTALION, FROM 24/FEB/91 TO 10/MAR/91
DESTRUCTION OF KAMISIYAH BUNKER COMPLEX/PIT AREAS
TIME ZONE USED THROUGHOUT: CHARLIE
DATE ACTIVITY
230400 FEB91 UNIT LOCATED AT ASSEMBLY AREA (LT 777888) WITH FRENCH DISCOM.
H-24
240400 FEB91 H-HOUR
H + 0
241330 FEB91 BEGAN MOVEMENT NORTH ON MSR TEXAS WITH FRENCH DISCOM.
H + 14:30
242330 FEB91 UNIT CROSSED LINE OF DEPARTURE.
H + 19:30
250200 FEB91 ESTABLISHED BIVOUAC WITH FRENCH DISCOM VIC LU 969047.
H + 22
251430 FEB91 BEGAN MOVEMENT NORTH ON MSR TEXAS WITH FRENCH DISCOM.
H + 34:30
251830 FEB91 RECON SENT FORWARD TO FIND BIVOUAC SITE.
H + 38:30
252000 FEB91 ESTABLISHED BIVOUAC VIC MU 360528, ALONG MSR TEXAS.
H + 40
26O630 FEB91 RECEIVED PERMISSION FROM GROUP TO MOVE TO LOGBASE ROMEO.
H + 50:30
260730 FEB91 BEGAN MOVEMENT NORTH ON MSR TEXAS TO LOGBASE ROMEO.
H + 51:30
261130 FEB91 UNIT REACHES MSR VIRGINIA AND PROCEEDS EAST TO LOGBASE ROMEO.
H + 55:30
261845 FEB91 ESTABLISHED BIVOUAC WEST OF LOGBASE ROMEO VIC NU 065635.
H + 62:45
262045 FEB91 MISSION TO BUILD FLS AT LOFBASE ROMEO IS CANCELLED. GIVEN THE
H + 64:45 MISSION TO CONSTRUCT FLS AT LOGBASE SATURN VIC PU 482516.
270300 FEB91 BEGAN MOVEMENT EAST ON MSR VIRGINIA TO LOGBASE SATURN.
H + 76
271930 FEB91 RECON SECTION REACHES AL BASAYYAH AND REPORTS BACK THAT TOWN
H + 87:30 IS SECURED BUT HAS UXO'S SCATTERED THROUGHOUT.
272200 FEB91 ESTABLISHED BIVOUAC WEST OF AL BASAYYAH VIC NU 933289.
H + 90
280630 FEB91 RECEIVED MESSAGE OF A CEASE FIRE EFFECTIVE 280800 C FEB91.
H + 98:30
280900 FEB91 BEGAN MOVEMENT EAST ON MSR VIRGINIA.
H + 101
281100 TO 1500 FEB91 ATTEMPTED MOVEMENT THROUGH AL BASAYYAH FOUND SEVERAL EPW'S
H + 103 TO 109 THAT WERE RELEASED EARLIER BY THE MILITARY POLICE. ROADS
WEST AND SOUTH OF THE TOWN WERE MINED WITH SCATTERABLE
MINES WHICH REQUIRED CLEARING. A CLEAR PATH THROUGH AL
BASAYYAH COULD NOT BE FOUND SO A BYPASS ROAD SOUTH OF THE
TOWN WAS CONSTRUCTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A/27 ENGR. BN.
281500 FEB CONSTRUCTION OF MSR GREEN BEGUN EAST OF BASAYYAH TO LOGBASE
H + 109 SATURN. CONSTRUCTING CREWS ENCOUNTERED NUMEROUS SOFT
UNTRAFFICABLE SPOTS. RECON SECTION ENCOUNTERS LOOSE SAND
VIC PU 29850.
281700 FEB91 ESTABLISHED BIVOUAC VIC PU 284501.
H + 111
010700 MAR91 LOGBASE SATURN FLS CANCELLED. TOLD TO KEEP WORKING ON MSR
H + 125 GREEN TO LOGBASE SATURN. REMAINED AT BIVOUAC SITE.
021730 MAR91 RECEIVED MISSION TO SUPPORT 307 ENGR BN VIC OBJ GOLD IN THE
H + 159:30 DESTRUCTION OF ENEMY EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES.
030545 MAR91 BEGAN MOVEMENT OF BATTALION (-) EAST ON MSR GREEN TO OBJ
H +169:45 GOLD. LE ASSETS TO REMAIN AT PRESENT BIVOUAC SITE WITH
HHC (-).
031115 MAR91 ARRIVED AT MISSION SITE VIC PU 362071 AND COORDINATES WITH
H + 175:15 THE 82D AIRBORNE DIVISION TO DESTROY 100 AMMUNITON BUNKERS
AND 43 WAREHOUSES.
031540 MAR91 DESTROYED BUNKERS #98 AND 99 TO DETERMINE BEST METHOD OF
H + 179:40 EXPLOSIVE DESTRUCTION AND THE AMOUNT OF COLLATERAL DAMAGE
PRODUCED.
031700 MAR91 ESTABLISHED BIVOUAC VIC PU 333067.
H + 181
040700-1400 MAR91 EMPLACED CHARGES ON 33 BUNKERS.
H + 195 TO 202
041405 MAR91 CHARGES INITIATED.
H + 202:05
041550 MAR91 MOVED OUT OF BIVOUAC SITE DUE TO THE DANGER OF COOK-OFFS.
H + 203:50
041800 MAR91 ESTABLISHED BIVOUAC AT PU 259116.
H + 206
050645 MAR91 EOD TO AITE TO CHECK PREVIOUS DAYS DEMOLITION. BUNKER
H + 218:45 BUNKER # 92 DIDN'T INITIATE.
051400 MAR91 TWO SQUADS SENT INTO ASP TO CLEAR ROADS OF DEBRIS.
H + 226
051615 MAR91 CHARGES ON BUNKER #92 INITIATED.
H + 228:15
051800 MOVED TO NEW BIVOUAC SITE PU 333973.
H + 230
051830 MAR91 DESTRUCTION OF ASP PUT ON HOLD UNTIL 82D AIRBORNE DIVISION
H + 230:30 CLEARS AREA DUE TO COLLATERAL DAMAGE.
060815-1230 MAR91 BUNKERS # 28, 29, 58, AND 59 RIGGED WITH EXPLOSIVE TO TEST
H + 244:15 TO 248:30 THE COLLAPSE OF THE BUNKERS ROOF ON THE CONTENTS.
061500 MAR91 LE PLTS AND HHC (-) BEGAN MOVEMENT BACK TO AA ELM.
H + 251
061645 MAR91 A/307 ENGR BN DESTROYS 19 CACHES OF AMMUNITION AND
H + 252:45 EQUIPMENT IN THE AREA.
070900 MAR91 A/37 ENGR BN DESTROYS EQUIPMENT AROUND ASP.
H + 269
071600 MAR91 LE PLTS AND HHC (-) CLOSE ON AA ELM.
H + 276
0900 MAR91 S-3/2 CELLS LEAVES FOR AA ELM FROM OBJ GOLD.
H + 317
100700 - 1600 MAR91 REMAINING BUNKERS AND WAREHOUSES ARE RIGGED WITH
H + 339 TO 346 DEMOLITIONS FOR DESTRUCTION.
101600 MAR91 CHARGES ON BUNKERS AND WAREHOUSES INITIATED. BN (-)
H + 346 CLEANS AREA MOVING TOWARD AA ELM.
102100 MAR91 BN (-) ESTABLISHED BIVOUAC AT NU 941291.
H + 353
110700 MAR91 BEGAN MOVEMENT TO AA ELM ALONG MSR VIGINIA.
H + 363
111730 MAR91 BN (-) CLOSES ON AA ELM.
H + 373:30 ALL ELEMENTS AT AA ELM.
MISSION: ASSIST THE 82D AIRBORNE DIVISION WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF ENEMY SUPPLIES
AND EQUIPMENT IN THE VICINITY OF OBJECTIVE GOLD PV 348047 IN SOUTHERN IRAQ.
START DTG: 03110 C MAR91
COMPLETION DTG: 101600 C MAR91
RESOURCES USED: HHC <-> CONSISTING OF THE COMMAND SECTION, THE S-2/S-3 SECTION
A S-1 AND S-4 REPRESENTATIVE AND A FIRE TRUCK WITH CREW.
EACH COMPANY USED ITS COMPANY HQ <-> AND ALL COMBAT ENGINEERS.
PLATOONS: A/307 ENGINEER BN WAS ATTACHED TO THE BATTALION FOR THE MISSION.
PLATOON HRS USED 216 HRS.
C-4 EQUIVALENTS USED: 19,000 LBS.
SCOPE OF WORK: THE DESTRUCTION OF 100 BUNKERS AND 43 WAREHOUSES CONTAINING ENEMY
AMMUNITION WAS ASSIGNED TO THE BATTALION. THE BATTALION WAS IN DIRECT SUPPORT TO
THE 82D ABN DIV AND RECEIVED MISSIONS TO DESTROY SMALLER CACHES AND EQUIPMENT IN
THE VICINITY OF OBJ GOLD. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE MISSION SITE (PV 333 067), TWO
BUNKERS WERE RIGGED FOR DEMOLITIONS AND INITIATED TO DETERMINE THE BEST
DESTRUCTION METHODS AND COLLATERAL DAMAGE. JUDGING BY THE DAMAGE CAUSED TO THE
BUNKERS AND SHORTAGE OF DET CORD, BLOCKS OF BUNKERS WERE TO BE BLOWN. ON 4 MARCH
91, THIRTY THREE BUNKERS WERE SIMULTANEOUSLY DESTROYED BUT NUMEROUS MUNITIONS
COOKED-OFF SENDING PROJECTIVES ALMOST 10KM'S FROM THE SITE. THE COMMANDER FOR
THE 82D ABN DIV DETERMINED THAT NO MORE BUNKERS WERE TO BE BLOWN UNTIL THE 82D HAD CLEARED THE AREA. THIS WAS TO HAPPEN ON 10 MARCH 91. ON 6 MARCH 91, FOUR BUNKERS WERE RIGGED TO DETERMINE IF THE ROOFS OF THE BUNKERS COULD BE COLLAPSED ON THE CONTENTS, DENYING ITS USE. THE RESULTS WERE NOT SATISFACTORY AND IT WAS
DETERMINED THAT ONLY A HIG-ORDER EXPLOSION WOULD BE USED FOR DESTRUCTION. ON 6 MARCH 91, A/307 DESTROYED 19 CACHES OF AMMUNITION AND EQUIPMENT. ON 10 MARCH 91, ALL REMAINING BUNKERS AND WAREHOUSES WERE RIGGED WITH EXPLOSIVES AND DETONATED AT 1600 C HRS. DESPITE CAREFUL PLACEMENT OF CHARGES, THERE WERE NUMEROUS COOK-OFFS
EJECTING ROUNDS AS FAR AWAY AS 16KM'S. THE BATTALION LEFT THE AO IMMEDIATELY
AFTER INITIATION AND ARRIVED AT AA ELM (LT 819 672) ON 11 MAR 91.
LESSONS LEARNED:
A. CONTROL OF CIVILIANS IN THE AREA WAS DIFFICULT. DESPITE THE USE OF
PSYOPS ASSETS TO WARN CIVILIANS OF THE EXPLOSIVE DESTRUCTION OF THE BUNKERS, THE
CROWDS WERE NOT EASILY CONTROLLED. AN INFANTRY COMPANY OR LARGER, WITH
TRANSPORTATION ASSETS WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL IN CROWD CONTROL AND WORKSITE
SECURITY.
B. IRAQI WAREHOUSE PROCEDURES WERE EVER CAUSING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. THE
MIXING OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF AMMUNITION LENT TO COOK-OFFS AND UNDETONATED ROUNDS.
EVEN WITH A HIGH-ORDER EXPLOSION, NUMEROUS ROCKETS AND MISSILES WERE EJECTED OUT
OF THE ASP. CAREFUL PLACEMENT OF CHARGES ON EACH PILE OF MUNITIONS IS ESSENTIAL
IN THEIR IMMEDIATE DESTRUCTION. THIS METHOD OF DESTROYING AMMUNITIONS IS BOTH
LABOR AND MATERIAL INTENSIVE BUT PRECLUDES THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE OF COOK-OFFS.
(FOR THE 100 BUNKERS AND 43 WAREHOUSES, AN ESTIMATED EQUIVALENT OF 4,000 TONS OF TNT (4 KILOTONS) OF ENEMY MUNITIONS OF A MYRIAD OF TYPES AND SOURCES WAS DETONATED DURING THE DEMOLITIONS ON 4 MARCH AND 10 MARCH 1991.)
| First Page | Prev Page | Next Page | Back to Text |