AFTER ACTION REPORT ODS 14JUN91

File: 123096_sep96_decls21_0006.txt
Page: 0006
Total Pages: 14

Subject: AFTER ACTION REPORT ODS  14JUN91                                

Unit: 22D SUPCOM  

Parent Organization: ARCENT      

Box  ID: BX005555

Folder Title: 1ST EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL GROUP                                                           

Document Number:          2

Folder Seq  #:          1










             Conflict:

                    During the brief ground war the units supporting the Corps
             moved out with their respective divisions or regiments and were
             out of touch for the duration. The teams cleared areas of
             hazardous munitions and kept main supply routes open.

                       on the last night of the ground war Major zeugner was
             killed by small arms fire at an Iraqi checkpoint near As Samawah
             on the Euphrates River. He an4l had spoken that morning by phone
             and he intended to travel to the Airfield at As Salman to
             investigate the incident involving the deaths of seven combat
             engineers. This was the only fatality in lst EOD Group.

                       Engineers routinely displayed a lack of regard for safe
             and/or effective explosive demolition practices. The incident at
             As Salman Airfield was well documented in SSG Crick's log and
             notable because of the considerable loss of life but there were
             many other instances of similar dangerous behavior. In most
             situations engineers had the higher ranks present and were free
             to proceed as they wished despite on site EOD advice to the
             contrary.

                    Following the ground campaign EDO assets were committed to
             the destruction of enemy material in Iraq and restoration
             activities in Kuwait. For SOD this was the busiest portion of
             Desert Storn.



             Post-Conflict:

                    During the period March - April EOD frequently worked with
             Combat Engineers and found it to be a frustrating and dangerous
             experience. I discussed some of the problems encountered with
             one of the engineer staff officers and he remarked that he could
             not understand why they were having so many problems since they
r. The once a year is a big part
             of the problem as compared to the 40-50 times a year most EOD
             Technicians get to use explosives. When attempting to destroy
             ammunition engineers failed to unpack the ordnance and only
             succeeded in damaging the boxes and scattering the stack making
             it more difficult to complete the destruction. Engineers are not
             trained on munitions construction and failed to understand the
             complexity of proper destruct procedures. They should always
             request EOD assistance in this mission.

                       A group expected to use explosives but not permitted to
             were conventional ammo handlers. They are expected to destroy
             Code H ammunition as a part of their normal duties but are never
             allowed any experience. Assigning the mission.to EOD is probably
             a good move from a safety       point of view but places a time
             consuming mission on EOD.


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Document 14 f:/Week-46/BX005555/1ST EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL GROUP/after action report ods 14jun91:121796111636108
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-46
Box ID = BX005555
Unit = 22D SUPCOM
Parent Organization = ARCENT
Folder Title = 1ST EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL GROUP
Folder Seq # = 1
Subject = AFTER ACTION REPORT ODS 14JUN91
Document Seq # = 2
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 = 17-DEC-1996