INFORMAL INVESTIGATION OF THE NIGHT ATTACK CONDUCTED BY 3D BDE

File: 980717_aug97_decls2_0003.txt
Page: 0003
Total Pages: 31
Subject = INFORMAL INVESTIGATION OF THE NIGHT ATTACK CONDUCTED BY 3D BDE  

Box ID = BX001082

Folder title = 3D BDE 2ND AD-INVESTIGATION OF NIGHT ATTACK ON 26-27 FEB 91                                     

Unit = 1ST ID      

Parent = VII  CORPS  





           through the grill doors, which if hit by friendly +ire,       coul d
           only have come from the A Company trail platoon.      A14 received
           minimal damage which was reported to have been caused by a
           richochet.   A Company, because of the position it was in, could
           only be seen or engaged, if done so by friendly fire, from the
           tanks of TF 1-41. Because of what seemed to be erratic fire,
           the TF commander and subsequently, I on the brigade command net,
           ordered a cease fire to assess our situation, consolidatejf our
           position and evacuates our wounded.

                All throughout this battle, conversations on the brigade
           command net revolved around front line unit alignment, both by
           myself and through cross-talk of the battalion commanders.         At
           least twice, the lst Brigade Commander and I spoke to align our
           brigades in the fight Eastward. Unit control and positive enemy
           engagements were first and foremost in all commander's minds.
           Numerous conversations between myself and the 2-66 commander
           ensued over his C Company controlling their fires. Every effort
           was made by commanders to maintain control during what was very
           obvious, to those who were there, to be a very dangerous and
           potentially disasterous evening.

                The   soldiers of both brigades fought         valiantly     and
           accomplished   their mission with distinction        and    tenacity
           experienced by no other units in Desert Storm. The conduct of a
           night attack alone, without the long sleepless night prior spent
           pa sing the Ist UK Armoured Division, and extended movement to
           contact and a passage of lines, is a difficult mission to execute
           with three battalions abreast. I'm proud of my soldiers and have
           no intention of dragging them through this and tarnish the pride
           they feel for accomplishing this mission and the honor of those
           soldiers we lost in the seizure of this objective.

                If we did kill some of our own soldiers, then we need to
           learn from our mistakes so that we don't repeat them.           Three
           things emerged from the conversations in this investigation which
           deserve to be addressed.