1st Armored Division
Although the Desert Storm ground battle lasted only 100 hours, the 1st Armored Division preparations for its role began months earlier in Germany. When Iraq invaded Kuwait on Aug. 2, 1990, the division staff began to monitor intelligence reports and make contingency plans for duty in Southwest Asia.
With the Nov. 8 announcement that the 1st AD was headed for the Gulf, commanders and staff executed plans to get the division's soldiers and equipment to the desert. Transporting more than 17,000 soldiers to Saudi and have them combat ready when they arrived presented a challenge. As deployment neared, soldiers quickly integrated new equipment into their units. The division also accepted new units, such as 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division(PHANTOM)(c.o. HHC 3Bde 3ID, 1Bn 7INF, 4Bn 7INF, 4Bn 66AR, 26Support BN, 2Bn 41FA).
The division moved almost 2,000 track and 6,200 wheeled vehicles; 966 conex containers; and 17,400 soldiers to Saudi Arabia.
Units begin arriving
As units arrived, they. recovered their equipment and moved to assembly areas to continue their preparation for war. Gunnery, maneuver, and individual training refined skills that Ironland soldiers had mastered in Germany.
Joining in a rocket attack
The division's Battery A, 94th Field Artillery joined with the 1st Cavalry Division Artillery for a rocket attack on suspected enemy targets inside Iraq Feb. 23. After the barrage, the battery returned to the 1st AD to prepare for future operations.
On Feb. 23, commanders and key staff members held a sand-model exercise at the tactical operation center to rehearse the opening phase of the operation. The 19th Engineer Battalion moved 16 bulldozers to within six miles of the Saudi Arabia-Iraq border, ready to break through the earth berm separating the two countries. The division intelligence staff fixed enemy positions in the vicinity of Al Busayyah and fire support teams adjusted their target areas. AH-64 Apaches from 4th Brigade flew armed reconnaissance missions into Iraq and confirmed there would be very light resistance to the division's initial thrust into Iraq.
Engineers move up
At 6:30 a.m. Feb. 24, the 19th Engineers began to open the berm. By midafternoon, they had constructed more than 250 lanes eight meters wide along the division's 19 kilometer front.
At noon, VII Corps placed 1st AD on a two-hour alert to begin the attack - a full 18 hours ahead of schedule.
The 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry led the division across the border berm at 2:43 p.m. "Old Ironsides" now began a rapid march north through a sweeping sand and dust storm. The advance guard, 1st Brigade(3rd Brigade, 3rd ID), followed behind the 1/1 Cav. screen, with 2nd Brigade on the west and 3rd Brigade on the east. The division commander positioned the artillery behind the 1st Brigade(3rd Brigade, 3rd ID). The division support elements, with more than 1,000 vehicles, brought up the rear of the division's wedge formation.
Continuing the drive
The division captured its first enemy prisoners by 3 p.m. as it continued its drive into Iraq. When VII Corps halted the attack at dark, 1st AD used the break to refuel and plan for the next day.
The 1st Brigade(3rd Brigade, 3rd ID) made contact with parts of the Iraqi 26th Division at 6:30 a.m., handed the battle to the 3rd Brigade and shifted west and continued the attack. The 3rd Brigade quickly destroyed several Iraqi tanks and personnel carriers. The 1/1 Cav. and 1st Brigade followed on and mopped up.
While the close battle continued, the 4th Brigade Apaches launched deep attacks against Al Busayyah - site of the division's next fight.
In their first day of significant action, 1st AD soldiers destroyed several Iraqi tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery pieces, and captured many POWs.
Artillery pounds Iraqis
Throughout the night, artillery continued to pound the area around Al Busayyah. The artillery attack climaxed with a massive barrage by 155mm howitzers and MLRS rockets at 6:15 a.m. Feb. 26. A ground attack followed immediately.
Action around Al Busayyah was completed by noon. Other ground battles continued throughout the afternoon, as 1st AD prepared for its next mission - the attack to destroy the Republican Guard.
Turning east
After sweeping right on a turn that oriented the attack directly east, the 1st AD contacted the Tawakalna Republican Guard Armored Division and 52nd Mechanized Infantry Division. Close air support destroyed several more Iraqi vehicles, while the artillery fired MLRS barrages against the Adrian Division, forcing it to withdraw. Apaches attacked deep into the sector against the Medinah Division in hasty positions.
The fighting continued through darkness and the early hours of the morning.
Around 8 a.m. Feb. 27, 1st(3rd Brigade, 3rd ID) and 2nd brigades began destroying elements of the Medinah Division. About 30 minutes later, 3rd Brigade joined the fight.
By midday, 2nd Brigade had the Medinah Division's 2nd Brigade fully engaged. In the division's largest single battle, the 2nd Brigade destroyed 61 tanks, 34 APCs, and five air defense systems in one hour.
Heaviest day's action
In its heaviest day of fighting, the 1st AD destroyed 186 enemy tanks, 127 APCs, 38 artillery pieces, five air defense systems and 118 trucks. "Old Ironsides" soldiers captured 839 POWs.
Feb. 28 began with a 45-minute artillery barrage that began at 5:30 a.m. Apache attacks quickly followed, as the ground brigades attacked abreast against the remnants of the Medinah and other Iraqi divisions.
As the cease-fire was called at 8 a.m., a lieutenant summed up the feeling of many Iron soldiers as he saw an American flag flying over a tank in his armor company.
"At that time, no one had to tell me what it meant to be an American and a U.S. soldier, or how proud America was of us, or how much the people back home believed in us. There was no need for words. I knew," he said.
Campaign results
During 89 hours of sustained offensive combat and mopping up operations in the first several days after the cease-fire, the 1st AD destroyed 418 tanks, 447 armored personnel carriers, 116 artillery pieces, 1,211 trucks and 110 air defense systems.
Along its long march to victory, "Old Ironsides" soldiers destroyed units of more than 14 Iraqi divisions, including the Medinah and Tawakalna of the Republican Guard. Division losses were very light.
Playing a pivotal role
From the day of its call to duty in Southwest Asia, through its remarkable drive into the enemy's flank, to the victorious cease-fire, 1st AD played a pivotal role in the United Nations sanctioned allied liberation of Kuwait.
"It probably was the most powerful armored corps on the move in history. People were suggesting that our weapons were too high-tech. But, I'm telling you the Iraqi army is in ruin because of (those weapons) and soldiers who knew how to use them. I don't, think there's any doubt we destroyed the Republican Guard," said Maj. Gen. Ronald Griffith, the division commander.
"You had a high school team playing in the Super Bowl against the New York Giants and they got whipped."