INVESTIGATION OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE COMBAT DAMAGE

File: 980717_aug97_decls4_0007.txt
Page: 0007
Total Pages: 10
Subject = INVESTIGATION OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE COMBAT DAMAGE

Box ID = BX002451

Folder title = INFORMAL INVES OF NIGHT ATTACK CONDUCTED BY 2D BDE 26-27 FEB 91                                 

Unit = TRADOC      

Parent = TRADOC      


                         5 U.S.C. 552 (b)(6)


          said they had to wait for 4/34  Armor to pass through before they
          could get to A-24. I believe the turret was toward the enemy.
          A-36 was the next track hit.   It was off to the right fr
                                                                    ont a
          little bit, my track and another moved in to be sure everyone    was
          off.  A-31 was hit but continued to move.    The driver was injured."@@;
          The                                                  was A-24, 2d
          A-33, 3d A-36, 4th A-31 and last was A-22.    A-33 only sustained
              track was traveling west. The first track hit

          small arms damage. The visibility was 200 to 400 meters, the sand
          was blowing, it was very windy, it was dusk. First contact was
          made around 1530 and it was all over by 1745. Yes sir, it took
          place between 1530 and 1730. The time of death reported for one of
          the soldiers was 1600. We were using thermal sights. We switched
          to day sights but went right back to thermal because visibility was
          so poor. Identifying vehicles was very difficult. visibility was
          decreasing. There was lots of dust, TOWs being fired, small arms
          fire and Iraqi vehicles burning. Lots of smoke. We were operating
          between the 10 to 12 east west grid. We were trying to close up
          into the 10 to 11 east west grid. I was surprised to see 4/34
          Armor where they were. A-24 was oriented north east, A-22, A-31
          and 'A-36 were oriented east. The BMP line had infantry positions
          with foxholes. As we were pulling back to reassemble, 4/34 Armor
          was passing through the sector. 4/34 never went beyond the BMP
          line. 5 tracks sustained damage, but A-33 only sustained small
          arms damage and the TC was wounded. We fired around 14 TOW rounds.
          I flew over the battle area the next day to take photos and 4 tanks
          had been destroyed, two looked abandoned and 18 BMPs were knocked
          out. I can say that we can at least share responsibility for the
          tank kills. Some I'm sure had multiple hits.
                 Unquestioned                                          Commander
          Ist Brigade, 3d Armored Division and he made the followi@g
          statement in substance as follows:

                     What were the boundaries between the Brigade and the
          Cavalry line?

                    The boundary that the Ist Brigade was given was several
          kilometers at various points below the 10 line in the initial
          order. The contact points with second squadron 2d ACR were all
                     0 east-west grid line. We coordinated with
         "Niijklas we moved north before we turned east and made the 10
          east-west grid line the Brigade southern boundary. This had the
          effect of squeezing the Brigade and squeezing the 4/7 screen
          between the two lines. The screen is not a player yet. This is
          the Brigade southern boundary which was given to me initially on
          the 08, 09 line. At one point it was even 07 as you came west to
          east. The contact points varied along the points and I have all
          those points given. All the contact points with the 2d Regiment
          that I was charged to make contact with were along the 10 line.
          Therefore, I changed the southern boundary of the Brigade to the 10
          east-west line until we passed phase line Bullet and then it
          slanted SoUth-east, out of the area of concern for this discussion.

                                  C'nD RICC' T f- T A I _j ll;F nNi Y


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                                       5 U.S.C. 552 (b)(6)