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0200hours,26February1991:Wevedoneourjob.Itsnowthemissionofthedivisionstopass throughandtakeontheRepublicanGuardEngineerswoulddigusin.WR,page103. Itwas2AMinthemorningof26February 1991whenJohnHillenaskedmewhat Rommelwouldhavedone. John,youcanbeGoddamnsurethere wouldhavebeennohaltfromthetimewe crossedintoIraq,Igrumbled. Hell,weprobablywouldbeinBasraby now,becauseRommelwouldlongagohave shownupatthefrontwithustoseefor himself.Thatissomethingourgeneralsjust dontdo. WarriorsRage:TheGreatTankBattleof73 Easting,page104.
TheAdvanceintoIraq23 24February1991:
Note:Distancefrom SaudiBordertoedge ofRepublicanGuard SecurityZonewas roughlyequaltothe distancefrom Washington,DCto Philadelphia,PAor123 miles.
OBJ GATES OBJ MERREL
RedfoxForward Reconnaissance Element
Republican GuardCorps
OBJ MAY
Kuwait
LimitofAdvanceon24Feb. 1991at1700hours
Iraq
CougarBattlegroup(Main Body)
Saudi Arabia
PLBECKS
LimitofAdvanceon24Feb.1991 at1000hours
LimitofAdvanceon23Feb.1991 at1500hours
PLHARPS
TheBattleBegins:26February1991:
XX TenKilometer Zoneofattack. BoxFormation wasten kilometers deep.
FoxTroop
GhostTroop Versus
HawkCompany
EagleTroop
II 2ArmoredCavalryTroopsledbyCougar 3sTankandBradleyCommandPost attackedat2030MPH(19Tanks,27 BradleyFightingVehicles,four4.2 mortarsand300soldiers). Oncehaltedonthe73Easting,Cavalry Troopsaresupportedby8155mmSelf propelledHowitzers,oneMLRSplatoon andanairstrikebytwoA10s. RepublicanGuardBrigade(CombatPower) Soldiers 2,100to2,300(estimated) T72Tanks 70(plustanksfromretreating unitsmixedinduringfighting) 50ArmoredFightingVehicles(BMPsand assortedtrackedarmor) ArtillerySystems(alltypes) 20+ Trucks 4050
Versus
First11then,15IraqiT72tanksexplodedintoflametankturretsflippedlikebottletops20, 30feetintotheairwhileburningdebrispinwheeledinalldirectionsWR,page141.
The(GhostTroop)tankcommandersandgunnerscouldnotdepresstheirgunslowenoughto killtheIraqiinfantrythatwasnowdangercloseWR,page161.
Cougar3
TellDragoon6thatCougar3saysweareinastrongposition;thereisnoreasontofallback. StronglyrecommendwestaywhereweareWR,page173.
Cougar3
The Outcome:
Expectationsin19901991:
ThirdU.S.ArmyPersonnelCommandestimatesVIICorps willtake20,000casualtiesinthefirstfivedaysoffighting theIraqiArmy.
RichardSwain,LuckyWar.ThirdArmyinDesertStorm,
NobodywantedanotherVietnam.
GeneralNormanSchwarzkopf,ItDoesntTakeaHero
IfSaddamwithdrawswithmostofhisforcesintact,we haventreallywon.
BrentScowcroft,NationalSecurityAdvisor,1991
Franks(LTG,VIICorpsCDR)couldntmakeadecisionto peeifhispantswereonfire.
UnnamedofficerquotedbyRickAtkinsonin Crusade:TheUntoldStoryoftheGulfWar
Results:Astunningtacticalvictory. Why?
Gettherightpeopleintotherightleadership positionsandtherestwilltakecareofitself. (Leadersareborn,notmade) Armoredformationsareled,notpushedinto action.(Officersmustleadfromthefront) ArmoredCavalryunitsarelikedeepseasharks thathavetoswimtoeatandlive.Once launchedintoaction,theymustnotstop! Waitingfororderscanbedeadly.Armored warfareishairtriggerfast,lethal,and unforgiving. Inthefastpacedactionofmobilecombat, disciplinemustbeaformofhabit(BattleDrill). Relentlesspreparationforoffensiveoperations suppressesthesoldiersnaturalinclinationto fearandhomesickness.
Morelessonsobserved, butnotlearned:
Thedistantrearofanarmyengagedinbattleisnotthebestplacefrom whichtojudgecorrectlywhatisgoingoninfront.
GeneralU.S.Grant,1863