moi'jngraph captaji'j roger h. palmateer · 2018-11-09 · maintenance p~irl off when no...
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TA~:;K FORCE IR(Jf'.j ll-JR FERRlJARY l99J
MOI'JnGRAPH
CAPTAJI'J ROGER H. PALMATEER
USa IS liBRARy· ET BENNING GA "-.,.,y " Jlfl .,MAn'
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T hi;:; i ll\/A_:::; i () n did t l.AIO t r·, i ng:=:
g Pi \I P A h 0 S t i .J P 9 Cl \I P 1· 1l m P. 1l ~~ 0 \/ P. r ? 0 ~~ () f t h 8 t () t A J IA.l 0 ~- ) rl '"' 1. ! p p J Y
Over thP next three months, the United Nations passPd
f' om Kt.J.v..ta it ..
committed one Armored, one mech;:;ni?Prl inf;:;ntry, nnP ;:;Jr
assault, and one airborne division to the Gulf defense. With
the passage of United Nat.inns mPa:-:;u,-Ps '"'hich could mean using
force against ~raq, PrPsident GeorgP Rush ordPred more trnnps
to the Gulf region In a surprise mnvs, the United States VIT
Corps, tAJhich included the lst and 3d Armored Divisions, J,,,as
ordered to move to the Gulf. To !ound out the VIT Corp) the l<.::t
Tnf.:::;nt:y Di,;isinn Mechanized, from Fn-rt Riley, Ka.nsa!":, ,,,a_cc~ aic::o
sent. The 1st Infant!y Division was not at fttl] strength; onP
of its brigades was permanently st;:;t ionPd in Furope.
To g}\/A thic:
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J<lln t:hA ist Tnf.snt·ry :·)1\/j~c:;ion
c:;,:wdi ;~nrl arri\JAd At. TA<-t·i<-Al Ac::=-~embly ArPA Ro0se,1elt, JocAtArl
near the SAurl; 'JillagA of Ad Dibrlib;::, IAihich is fort/ miles from
t~he b0rrler beti..JAen Ku1 ... 1ait, SAudi Arabi.a, and Iraq .. (see map
one .. )
During the peri0rl fr0m 24 December 1990 untiJ. 24 January
199J, T was part of t:hA advAnce party from Germany, then from
the port arP;:;. I held the S-4 position, but on 24 Janu.sry, I
1 ..... 1a.s sent tr .. c: Company, t:;;;t Ra.ttalion, 41.st Infantry, to A.S:"-~urne
the duties of FxectJti\/e Officer The pre11ious Fxecuti\JP
Officer had been p1-ornoted and 1"1as no1"J the batta.lion l..iaison
Officer with brigade I HAS chosPn because T had been the
Fxecutive Officer of F Company for 1.8 months t;ntil its
deactivation. While at Assembly Area Ro0sevelt, the batt.slion
task organized into a balanced Task Force .. The Task Force had
two tank companies and two Bradley eq11ipped infantry companies.
Also, a c0mpany of engtneers anrl a plAtoon of Air Defense
Artillery .srriverl to finish 0ur combRt organization This lAIMS
the organization thAt became known AS TAsk Force Iron
No long after thA .srrival, the 1st Rattalion, 41st
Inf.sntry RegimPnt, WAS chosen to move A<-ross the Iraqi-Saudi
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l.?.RQ
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The movement w~s over a two day period and covered over 100
miles. The rommanrlers were on the border on a leaders recon;
the first riA/. The rommanders rejoined the unit on the
movement, by using helicopter transport, the evening of the
f .i rst rlay. The movement was more than successfr1l; the hours of
maintenance p~irl off when no vehicles were Jost to maintenance
problems. In r Company, J can only thank m/ new MAintenance
SergeAnt StAff SergeAnt Mor·tor¢'1
!Aiho harl ·:ecentl y tAken ""he
position His dedication Anrl drive is what drove the
maintenance program, and his great knowledge of the systems
v.Jould fix things almo:3t as fast A.S 11..1e could break them. ()n 1 4
Februa.1y 1991, the Task Fo!ce re!5e-.;ed the screening battAlion
on the borde!. Task Force Iron faced Iraq, only four
ki1omete!s a1;.~ay.
The plan for Task Force Iron was simple: move forward,
cross the border, anrl then cleA•- in sector to within three
kilometers of the Iraqi main defensive bel.t. (See map two)
This required A three phase operation.
Phase One'®__:AJ;::;s to mo\;e tn .=Jnd ;:;cross t.he Sau.di berm. In
with Iraq to keep rhe neser~ peoples from crossing thP hoy-rler
\
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Dt!e tn it:-:-~ height, thi~~ building p1ovirled
observation of the desert for many miles around, so its seizure
was ke/ to the plan. After this, the vehicles would move to the
berm and dismount the infantry. The dismounts would cross the
berm, clea1ing 2,000 meters into Iraq. This IA'ould ;::;.11 he
accomplished by 1200 hours. At 1200 hours, six armored combat
e;::;r t hmo\ler s L•Jnu l d cut t h; aug h t hF! berm ;::; t t:AJe l ve points The
Rradleys would then join the dismo11nted soldiers~ ThR r rompany
;,Jot) l d rno\1e S<)tJ t h, ;::; nri 8 Cornpa ny ;AIOt.:l d move nor !' 1--, 8 (:nrnpa ny ,
Tank, would then move into the gap created by the movement.
When the three companies were on line, Phase I was complete.
IAI h i 1 e '·A' e c' o :sse d i n to I r- a q , l s t ~:; ~ u a. d r on , 4 t h C a \J a. 11- y , 1 :s t
Infantry Oivision, was to cross to the no;th of ou1 battalion.
To the sotJth} 1st S~uadron, 7th C;::;,;aJr-y, 1st Ca\/Alry D5 v.i.:=::;_i.r1n
l.-\.18.8 t.o cross,. ( SPP mA.P ~-.}-~~-- ·)
During PhAse Ti..-JO, the TAsk Fo;ce 1 . ..-JOtJld mo,;e fon,fATd by t~A.IO
:rt- ~rn Wn we1e to move 1~ kilomete;s
forwArd, to within only 2 kilometers of the Iraqi mAin
defensive line Ou; intelligenc:A told us that, in :·he R.::;tta1ion
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nur-ing Phas(~ Th~·ee, IA_IA IA_IOIJ_]d hnld niJ~- pnsit·ions fo~- ?4 t_o
n~n1ai ned fon"IATd, the Angi nAers HOU 1 rl An] ;:q-gA the cuts in the
berm so thAt e.sch cut !AJOIJld allo!AI a pl."ltoon to pass in battle
formation .. AftAr the engineers werA complete, we would
withdraw to Saudi Arabia. Another battalion would assume
picket duty frorn the Saurli side.
In addition to our attachments given in the Task
On 15 Febn1ary, at 0700 hou_r-s, I ;:;n-ived 1"!5 th the Armored
rombat: F.srthmo\Jerc:: aJ}ott0rl to ot_Jy comp;:;ny; five kilornete1s
from the berm, I stopped to await the word to bring them
forward. We waited here for the next th1ee hours. During this 7
time, our company moved forward to within two berm.· The 1st
--------------------------Platoon suppressed and then captured the three sto1y houc::e on
the Saudi side of the berm. Berause of the fJ;:;tness of the -2. ~ <.. ~b'fY' ~ -
l;::; nd, from the r onf of the housA y(\u cou 1 d see tor ?0 t ,:) 30
miles with gno~ binoculars. ThA hotJse ;,.,lA:::; bobbytn:;ped anrl had
weapons, ammunition, anti-tank rockets, 1adios, ;:;nd othAr
eqr1jpment in it-, btJi- the Ir-aqis h,3d left long ;:;gn. The
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Sergeant and directed him to his position
first pJatoon to reach the herm J ... Jas .?d Platoon, under ?! t .Jim
SJ ... JP.nty, He I...Ji3.s quite shock(~ri tn find a tAnk ditch otq- side nf
the herm. This had nnt been noted by any rec::on of the area and
looked like a road from the air·.. It l.Na.s 10 fX~t?J ... Jide a.nd six
~~~t~ deep, f:o 1 .... 1e moved the armnred combat earthmmlers al J the
way to the berm early. They immediately began to fill in the
ditch 1...1here J.,..Je JAJere going to CtJt the berm T n t: he compB. ny
in charge of t~e armored combat earthmover to cut the center
two breaches. The First Sergeant, on the left, had an Armored
Combat Earthmover to cut two more breaches The Fire S11pport
Team (FIST), on the right, had the third armored combat
earthmnver to cut the last two breaches. The Commander needed
the FIST that morning, so the 3d Platoon Leader, ?Lt Minot
Crews, was put in charge of the right vehicle. •
Tnfantry covering it They moved forward three kiJ.ometers and
stopped It I....Ja.s ahout 1 ?00~J ... Jhen the !;..J(wd JAJAs gJ\len t() \:lJ.t.
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nn '( A~:po nsP . T ht J'( r i Hd rny \/A t"!ic:: l e rloJ"I n the bFn· rn t n f i nd t hA
1 . ..JA.i1~.1 ng and gnt ~st .. "'l·t.Hd
r-:tJtt:}ng his t1."1n holes
Platoon to use the next closest cut to reinforce their
dismounts; it was now 1115, and the nther two platoons had
fully crossed. By 1400, the last two cuts were completed, and
I was returning the armored combat earthmover. The Jd Platoon
Tt was nearly 1430 before I was in
position. My commFJnder hF>rl not tAJaited for me but h0rl stF>rterl
the company movement without me. T easily caught up because the
movement was slow and deliher8tP..
We only moved forward six kil.ometers during the day, not
the fifteen I.A.1e had planed on. I,.Je found out ; .... thy later .: .. n the
The lst Squadron, 7th Ca] vary, IAL"!S to cross to n1y
r.ompany 's right, and the 1st SqtJarlron, 4th (:;~)\Jary, IAJA.S to
cross to left of the Task Force. This would cover the flanks of
The problem was that the 1st Squadron, 7th
Calvary did not cross at all, and the 1st Squadron, 4th
Calvary, was rlelayed by dismoLtnted infantry resistance So, as
night feJl, we were mostly aJone across the berm.
:si ng.J..e t!<)0P c)f t: h~~ Tst ~,qljA_rl'f~()n;. 4th CA . .l\JA.!Y ;. c~o\'e:ec1 OtJ.r J..pft
7
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fell
~anuary JA began great; we prepared t.o move forwarrl t.o
clear ~he area to the Iraqi trenches. However, the ]s~
Squadron, 7th Calvary, refused to cross the berm or even to put
its cuts into it. The fact t ha.t the l st Ca ]\tAry Divis ion '"1a.s
under control of the XVTIIth Airborne Corps, while we were
under the VTith Corps, meant that it wasn't just trying to get
a Rrigade or Division Commander t.o coordinate the movement but
difficult. To my knowledge, the two commanders never cooperated
nere. We were still able to move forward some three kilometers.
However, we were able to move by adding the Rrigade Scouts to
ou1 right f)ank screen,. This gavA t:he screen the extra three
ki Jnmeters. l"le a.lso received t1"1o Gn)und StJrveillance k'adar
vehicles on the flank for ~he night nne was set up at the
right angle corner, the intersection of the company anrl scot;ts
~t...·
j ; !.~ .. s
can tell the exact range of a target up ~o six miles away.
prPparerl -~n·r r:ornhat·. wP started to get
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f r c)n ~
t'r1 . .:~rl tn gRt .~1 f).x:- hl0 ~c=lt::.prnPnt i_-,·rn:--:t~ (1r)t ..... .ln; .;:::;nrl i'hF-: .~(·~ft·
ptJt. orJt ·r;::;ngA str>kes,. which lAter· pio\./Prl t:o be r>. ve1y h1g
mist.ske .. As night: wore on, T
.! let my crew s]eep whi]P I kept
My vehicle w.ss positionerl 300 meters to the re.sr of the
right most platoon. The platoon tn my front was Jst Platoon,
11nder 2Lt D.sn Stricklanrl. Dan hAs spent nine years, .ss
enlisted, in Special Operations, so he was not as nervous as
many of the othPr men who h.sd less time in service .. At about
2200, the commande1 gave permission for the 3d and 2d platoons
to open fire. It was estimated that the enemy w.ss 3,000 meters
aw;::;y, but we now know that the enemy was actually between 4,000
and 5,000 meters away. Neithe1 0111 25mm cannon nor the TOW anti
tank missile t ... tould fiTe that fa1· .. About mirlnight, t . .-Je started to
get 1eports fn-:>rn the 2rl .::;nd 3d pl0toon that they ha.rl rlismou.nted
Jnfant1·y tn theiY frnnt It wa.s .s]so reporterl that sever;::;]
Two vehicles fired TOWs at the t;::;rget.s
which disintegraterl nn impact These target.s we1e ve,·ified by
t . .::;r· 9<~ t:=; IAJer A ba ~-~- P J :'.: t h.s. j~ J it j- P \' t. h<"' de'":::;,;- y· t
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.. -_, , ... ·. ( ; .;:~
out of the vehicle and shot an azimuth with a compass. The
eight ~anks were the twn ?latoons of the Battalion Reserve tank
night movement and orientation
While this was going nn, hoth other companies had sighted
the enemy vehicles, to the north.
vehicles as best they could. Enemy di::=:mou.nts : ..... •ere reported as
far back as the Battalion TOC
At about 0100, 17 February, it was determined that the
dismot.Jnted infantry I.AJA.S otJr onJ.y 1 . .-..1nrry a.t this time Th~C,1·e wer(~
t.snks to our front, but they : ..... 1ere out of our range. It tAJas
then that the Battalion called upon the Divisional Attack
Helicopter Battalion to come and help. At 0?00, Apaches were
on hand. The Battalion Commander tal ked them to a position to
~ne rear of C Company Both Apaches ID'rl two tanks and an
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\
i] -<:>'\
\ I I .:-:.t>L::.-___:,f.!.~~;,,.L.._i ____ ---tf--------1--f ---H-----i-( _1 ____ ------------·-··- --------------+-~•·•~ I
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Radar Vehirle. At this time, nn nne nn ~he ground knew that the
by a. n RPG te""'ln' ..
Dan came onto the company net and said that the two
The Commander asked why he sho11ld gn help when we were
VF<hi(:les .. It was then that I came over the net and said that I
t~VliJ ld go help them .. A::=; t.-'\le rnoved to aid the dest l- oyed 1.1eh.i.c Jes
crews, I called the Mediral track to move as fast as possible
to the site of the destroyed vehicles. He asked where to go; J
told him to go to the fire By the time we reached the site,
the Bradley was starting to have serondary explosions from the
ammunition aboard. I stopped my vehicle some 300 meters from
the burning vehicles and tn]rl Specialist Gregory Bateham to
grab the First Aid box and come with me. I iA.ta.s A}!e;::;rly jurnping
Mf."$_r:I--~inegu.n;; the hF~A.\J.isst l.AiAr)pon (':·fi ;ny· \/Ah.i.c--:.1.e;. a.n(-1 SergeM.nt
fight.
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\/f~h.-i .. I, 1_ P ..
t __ j_rne=- sma.l . .l a.rn1s arnrntJn~;t:._j_()i' F{nc~ ;.;.J..J 1~hc ~ ... lAA\liP~~ A.!TifllL_Jnji-jc)n 1.'-.i . .;:::~:
exploding. 8;;-!::eh;;m Anrl T. nper:erl OtJr f1.'1k vest"': ..:;r:d, lifting the
two wounderl men to their feet, wrapped them insirle nur f]ak
We then moverl as f;;st ,.:;s we ~ouJrl ;;s far as
they ~auld go, only about S0 meters nnGe the soldie,-s were
vehicles attention. T fnt.J.nd nt.J.t t.hese \lPh;cles I..,Je:F" 8 ::::;e~t.ic>r,
from D;;n's platoon (two vehicles): Dan was try3ng to find any
st .. i.r\/_1..\1();-:3 a.nci gt __ Jp;y-cJ l.J.:~
t~me, my merlical vehicle w;;s on hanrl. My chief medic, Sergeant
Post, ca.me up and cheGke0 ou1- t.he L>,IOlJnde~d, A:::; h<"·: 1,,;;:.::'--~ ch<'-'c-.k5 ng
out SFr Miller, a piece of shrapnel from one of the many
explosions caught him nn the chin He felt his chin, saw that
it was still there, and continuerl to work SFC Miller. We had
gotten both men into the Aid vehi~le when the two other men
were brought in.
had found out th;;t there were eight men in the two vehicles So
n·J.=,teJ-:3 u:sing hi:"': night \/JSJ.nn si.ghj~::::; to look out, 1.A.1hile T !.-'tent
: . .~.i.p iA_lfi flt.Ari t f)
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: £ I ~. •-
,;_:;'to:.! nc~
I • •, I
\/Ph.1 c.l ~~::. r1n(~
his rear, had tried to rlrop the ramp to th2 hack to let out the
t-J,..IO men in the re;:;_r ;;nd then jumped n::t. He harl founrl thP APC
driver laying on the ground and pulled him About 100 meters
away from the vehicle Dan had found the dyivers hirling
wounded mPn nn my vehicle.
directly to the berm. However, I did not realize that the
Scout line was Angled b;:;ck to the southwest This caused me to
go to the ~ront of the Scouts. Soon: on ~- R.s tta. .1. i f'>fl r.nrnrnA. nr1
~Jet , I J.._J;;;.s he,=; r -~ ng reports f~- orn the Senti t s that a. n ¢:PC I"Ja.s
going across their front. The Commander then put t;AJn ;;nd t~,.o.;o
together and knew it was me. He broke tn on their net and told
them that jt might be me.
(:.l } .1. f () l J I '_,,_; 0 I. J n d A (j : 11 h ) " \/ P h 1 C. : ·"' '"! .:=, .,. <": :~: ~- A_ h ) R ,. T '~' P t t f·. ,"';
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c; i dp of the :ght
to t he s i t A to pi r. k ': p t he hod i e <::
BrigadA CommandRr, Colonel Weisman already thPre .
. ;:;;bout picking up thP bnd1Rs.
During the day, we searched the are~ 1n whirh the fight
next 48 hnttiS, r T c.~t.J '(
~--.inlP:3;; l,...JF-: hA.Ci jt.JSt fi!0\/8(~; anc1 i ~- n;i_SSf-;r~ U:S" ThE~ ()thP'( t.~.fnE! 5 _,_
hit directly in front of the 2d and 3d platoons It did not
i. ':jur·e .3.nyone but d.id hit so c.~ nse to : .. t- c·r-e:At '::::: vehicle that he
1ost his hearing for +wo days.
By n i g h t , ~ ... ~ e h .3. d r t3 p l e n i :s he d o u r am m t J. n i t. i o n r~. n d set i n
;:::;irning stokes. At 1700, we got the mission ~o move ~orwarrl SJX
kilometers aftPr dark.
c~ornpA. ny ha.d lost .i. nc>f=·eJ a.t . .i \/8 ..
[,ihiJe R CompA..n¢ nP.l.y h,;irl nnv'/1:.'-.sd]P/.j.-;ghting \}ehir.le ~,Jjt·h c:·;.:·e-r-at·i.ona] t.hPrrn.0Y/Jof t:>-,p thi.:·t,=o-sn 8.""'"'';·;JnPci P.y t.'~~ing .3.
n.i_gt .... ~t s.i.g~--~t. c:c)nt..inl_JOU:~-:;}~,__.. fr)1- 0\JP;t~ :i0 hc)\! 1 -:~:::: t'"h(~~/ ~t-.Ji.1.1. :st-.. :--...:-1~ i·_.:)
,_ -.... ~- ~ 1 . - () ... h 1. u-. . , r • ... J () )l 1 . P
)
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c .. ,rnrn."l nde·1· J ....... '.I
0
8ne of the
bursts blew a hole jn the side of the medical vehjc]e About the
size of a man's fist
The rnc was not this ]ucky: just as it was
attempting to move to a new position, 82mm mort~~ fi~s came
1n. The people inside the HMMWVE's were very vulnerable; nne,
.1.1 ... ~ ::?)tA\JPn Nott l.A.IA~~: i.A./Ot.J_nrled; ou.r- f.i.f'st ::::::n.1rJ5r::~· >.iC·l ... :.nrler~ by-
\~~ n.:~rny f .i.r e ..
I,.,Je found
out, as we moved, that we were not to be replaced after all.-
We withdrew to assemb]y points prior to crossing the berm.
When we arrived at these points arti]let·y hit the tank company
np, )< t. to thp F.xec:ut i\/e Officer·::.~ 1~r;.>c:k.
Tl-'-~p f:YPC:t.rti\/~~ C:ffi.cp;-"::::: .. ,..._:..:h: .. --:··- _;;;_;-:-;() ~r)::::~t
~ c i .)
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Cavalry Regiment.
During the mission, ~he battalion had lost two vehicles
a.nd two men killed, pltJS nine men l.":ntJnded
a~raid of artillery or th~ enemy
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~=ght sights for so long
~nntinuously for
worked out a solution: only nne hal+ of the people wn1lri have
them on unless in contact.
2. Ranges in the desert are nearly impossible to guess T , _ _, } 1!
the desert, you can see for extremely long ranges. You need t.o
have one of two things: Either a laser range finder or range
.~ .(.: ~ ·' ; n:;··
C~:ot .. Jnd St_j_:-\'Pi . .l ; __ ,snce Ra.d.s_;-; 0-.JR h.~_c1 f1() r..:-jngP f5_-;-:.:J.i.ng
capa.bilities .. YotJ mu:st alt ... JF,.y:s ptJt 5 n t-Ange stakes, r-egR..:·d]e::::::::;
the thermal night sights, we were lost Using a compass to
move in pitch black darkness is not easy, nor lS it safe. In /
the morning, we found that we had only moved a hundred meters, ./
bt Jt two eng 5 llf"!Pr veh i c J es had made CJ0 degree turns .. You mtJSt ------~
lack nf maintaining procedure.
instead of missi].es first
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I,'
r:: •. J .,
~n my company, the commanrler of the vehicle next to ~he
destroyerl scout vehicle froze ~Jhen a. :~n.1.c{5. f--~~- freA7PS =- y()t_J
shou.ld get him help 1rnmed5 i'lteJ y .. We a)lowerl the solrlier ~o go
he finally s&w a rloctor
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ncr.:
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{~ ~ c~ ~ T ; '] -l:-' •j r. t ~- '/ q (:': ·.; ~ !YI (-.:.:· ~--: -~
41~-.t- T.,--if··.=-int·:>~ ~ffJPl·lt
66th Armn~ Regime~~ ~nmpany R, 3d Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment ~omp."lny· [.', 3l7th Fn9inep;- G..::•t:t-.3) ion
~~ _., .- :
3rl Platoon, Battery C, ?rl Battalion, 3rl Ai~ ~eFense Artillery Regiment
Fil-e '?-uppcn-t Fiernent Regiment
·syst.Pn·, Su.pport. Te0.rn :- 498t.h ~)u_ppc;rt 8.s.t~.r~ . .J.: nn
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(~ !. J -t- h () l i t )'' : p A I M g I rl_ p h ·~ w. '"!_ (~J .. (~ F< f~) 7 _--:, -- .r:) ·· 1.
Rery ::-;;<) n: F () 1- (-:: ~< t..1· An;- c~ ~i n.4 ·~"" ~/ ht-~ y· c:. ~ ::::rn 1 ~-: ... l c. t- -; c) n .~ :_~ . .:::) _j 11~=: t· n ~-l .~-3 r- rni-::·c:
.:::nPrny .. T;:;.sk F\)'((:P "1,~4~ iJ..iA:.-::-: r:--l[-! f~i·r::::";t (~();..,"~-:-·inn ~r-_.:·-;-_p t-c:. h·(,~ ... ':JC:~-: 1-h~"' SAudi A1-AhiAn hnrc-Jr_,r- on 15 F~~bn;.o::;1·y ~<::)·?~ .-"lnd (-.n~idt;,_t ~.;;~-nt:'1.:-
r:ornt";Pit. n!=~P·:-;3_t.i()ns in T;·,.-:,q engA_g.ing ln rli_·r-.c:::(t ,;T";(i 1:--~""li·rr.::r.~ fi·r,::..~
f i g h t. :3 w 5_ t h t- h F~ P n ern ~/ r'> r: .1.. 7 F t? ~) r i ; .::::; 1- y 1 9 (_) ·; T }-~ P T .s s k F c. r .: ·: t=·: 1.~1.3 :~::
p0rt ()f t.hP \/TT CC·lp~; rnAin att ... :;r.k t)r:~gin~-~-;---~·:-; :/>1 r=:,~r)-r:Jnr;./ i..9gl .-~:-.
u- conducted A. fon .. J;::;nj pA:3sAge through 1st Tnf;:,n1::·y Di<.;j::::;inYr elements and begAn A mission to c]eAr a ?nne which again 1·esulted in enemy contact. On .26 Feb1-:J;;,-y, fed }o1,.,1i ng n (,(?;
kilometer roAd mArch, the TAsk Force immerllately engAged ~n ground combAt with armored and dismounted enemy of brigAde si?:e. For six horJ;:s i.t J...J.">~: i.m;o)\/ed in contintJous comb;::;t :.Ai~i·!---,
a tenacious and determined enemy occupying extremely well prepared and heavily fortified bunkers. Task Force infAntry elements dismounted And engaged the enemy in numerous short rAnge fire fights while methodicAlly clearing the extensive hunker complex. By Morning the Task Force had systematicAlly ,..educed the entrenchPrl eonemy po::=dtion:~~ in ?:one C:ont.in:Ji::g ,=<:"":
p.;;yt of the \!IT Co1·p::::: .sttAck the TAsk r(wc<=:, tL31/e1Jed s:::, k .i 1 om etA r f.~ 5. n .1. e s s t ~A. n ? 4. h () u -r s w h .i .1 e ·8 n g A g i. n g 8. t· s h () r t r a n g e multiple, dug in enemy tAnks Jn ambush pns'tinns the Task For c e : e a c he d i t s f i il a. _;__ o t:= j e c.~- .i. \; e ?. e cAl): t. _; 0. ·r y -~- 9 91 :.N 5 t h A p u. 2: h which continued the destructjnn of enemy Prmored vehicles. During the entire ground cAmpaign, invol.vi~g their at.t.Ack through Iraq into KuwAit, Task Force 1-41 travelled over 200 kilometers in 72 hours And destroyed 65 armored vehicles and 10 Artillery pieces, while cApturing over 300 enemy prisoners.
Thef~e tc.)ta.1.s d<) not. inc:.l.lJ.rl~ the rn.:.:~n>/ c-a.pt;:.rer: enern::/ .s·,...-;nor-r~rl
ve h 5. c J. es; v.;h i J. e the 300 p:·- .i. :sc)ner s is A. l CH/..: f .1 gt.n·- <-::
-·(7,1
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Arrr1/ TimP:'-~, "SI-JTFT I<Tr:K: ?d 1'~1-nH'H-"d Cn<.i.'lll·y nf u·,p Gtlriid." :-) (,llSJIISt ]C:91; pp 10-l'·l, 18
Reg i f'\){:o,ni· ':'··:
?8-<i0; {, ~ t .-1.rn i n9
?'\nny TirnP:':o: , "r:nM T NCo THROUG:---:: T hP F~ i ~~l !·:;·ed R n i d . " ~)r·, (~t 1 <_;:JL; :~~: 1001, pp .. :? u.:,-1n, 20.
Ar n1y Ti CfiPS, "HFI ! nr:tobPr 1991 , pp
I\ITGHT: Thp Rlnnd/ R;:;rt Jr, nf 1\ln-.-fcq· ,, R , 1 4 -· J {-, , 1. 8 , :? ti 6 q .
Thr, Wall StrAet Journal 1991, pp A1 and AS.
., /