1st Infantry Division (Mech)
"...and the 1st Infantry Division, The Big Red One, from Fort Riley Kansas."
With that Nov. 8 announcement made by Defense Secretary Dick Cheney, soldiers and family members at Fort Riley knew that for the fourth time in its storied history, the Big Red One would deploy overseas in answer to our nation's call.
The normally tranquil midwestern post became a bustle of activity as the division set a hectic pace to prepare for the massive movement of soldiers and equipment. Soldiers painted wheeled and tracked vehicles a new sand color and loaded them on trains bound for ports in Texas. From there, vehicles and equipment moved overseas on huge cargo ships. Meanwhile, Big Red One soldiers received new Desert Camouflage Uniforms, as the extensive job of screening personal and medical records began.
As the frigid winds of winter signaled the end of fall, the extensive planning and preparation came to a climax as the first division soldiers climbed aboard planes headed for the Persian Gulf. It would be mid-January before the entire division was on the ground in Saudi Arabia.
Arriving in port
Upon arrival in their new temporary duty station, soldiers moved to the Port of Dammam where they got their first taste of the life in Saudi Arabia while waiting for their equipment to arrive by sea. Living in warehouses on the docks at the port and in unoccupied apartment buildings in Al Khobar, the soldiers adjusted from Kansas' sub-zero temperatures to temperatures in the mid-60s. They also adjusted to doing laundry by hand and got used to the cold showers.
Equipment began to arrive, and as soldiers collected it they headed off into the desert to Tactical Assembly Area Roosevelt. TAA Roosevelt provided the Big Red One with its first taste of life in the Saudi Arabian desert. It also provided them with their first glimpse of the kamikaze driving habits on Tapline Road. In some respects, the desert came "as advertised." However, in others, it was a rude awakening. Immediately, the call went out for heaters, and plenty of them. Soldiers also dove into their duffel bags for something they never thought they would need, wet weather gear.
Receiving reinforcements
During this time period, the 2nd Armored Division (Fwd.), from Garlstedt, Germany joined the Big Red One to become its 3rd Brigade. The 2nd AD (Fwd) soldiers quickly earned the respect of the division, and in the coming weeks would prove that it could hold its own in any fight as part of the newly formed team.
During the early morning hours of Jan. 17, the division learned what it felt like to be at war. The air campaign began at 2 a.m. in the saudi desert, and whatever hope anyone held of a peaceful settlement dissipated instantly with the suddenness of an incoming MLRS rocket.
For the next 38 days, the division trained and rehearsed for a mission stated in deceivingly simple terms:
"On order, 1st Infantry Division(M) attacks as the VII Corps main effort to penetrate Iraqi defensive positions, and conduct the forward passage of VII Corps forces. On order, follow main attack in zone to destroy the Republican Guard."
The Big Red One would lead the charge into Iraq to punch a hole in the enemy's defenses for the rest of VII Corps to follow through. They called it a "Breach," and it would be conducted on the morning of Feb. 24.
Kicking off the ground offensive that morning, the 1st Infantry Division (Mech) left behind a trail of smoldering fragments of armor, burned out armored personnel carriers and crumpled artillery pieces.
Clearing the breach lanes
Led by a massive 11,000-round artillery preparation, the division made the initial penetration into southeastern Iraq, breaching their defenses.
During the breach, the division smashed the Iraqi 26th Infantry Division, taking over 2,500 prisoners while keeping its own casualties low.
M1A1 battle tanks opened lanes that allowed the safe movement of the rest of the division. The division then secured a breachhead line allowing Britain's 1st Armoured Division and the 2nd AD (Fwd.) to advance and pass through.
The flawless maneuver allowed the heavily armored units to take the momentum the Big Red One had started.
Having completed their initial mission, the division received orders to turn east and continue to attack deep into enemy territory.
Meeting the Republican Guard
After passing through the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, the division's brigades collided head-on with the Tawakalna Division of Iraq's elite Republican Guard and the 37th Brigade of Iraq's 12th Tank Division.
The ensuing battle (later named the battle of Norfolk) lasted through the night and ended with the destruction of both enemy units, more than 40 tanks and 40 infantry fighting vehicles. The price of victory was five MI tanks.
Division tankers used thermal sights to identify the enemy and direct fire outside the range of enemy weapons. With that advantage, the division owned the night.
Overwhelming firepower
The division overwhelmed the Iraqis with firepower and destroyed their will. The division knew it was fighting a defeated enemy, and it rapidly exploited its success.
From there, the division raced ahead to cut off the main Iraqi escape route north of Kuwait City. The 1st ID (M) took thousands of enemy prisoners and destroyed scores of enemy vehicles as it continued its move to the northeast.
By 8 p.m. on Feb. 27, the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry had already seized and cut the major highway leading north out of Kuwait, closing the lid on the enemy. During the next few hours, the cav squadron took more than 1,500 prisoners.
Early the next morning, just prior to the cease fire, the rest of the division moved up to take positions along the Basrah-Kuwait City Highway. By 8 a.m. the war was over.
During the 260-kilometer campaign, the division destroyed more than 500 tanks, 436 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, 170 pieces of artillery, 205 pieces of air defense weaponry and capture more than 11,400 enemy soldiers while suffering very few losses. An attack over that distance in such a short time shows the division's ruthless combat power.
Securing the Peace Talks
Early on March 1, the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry secured the Safwan Airfield in Iraq for the peace negotiation site. The division's 2nd Brigade handled security for the negotiations. There were a few tense moments before the negotiations got underway when an Iraqi tank brigade was discovered near the site. After refusing to clear the zone, they were told they would be forced back. The enemy brigade immediately left the area, thus avoiding additional conflict.
On March 3, the Big Red One hosted the historic negotiation between the allied coalition and the defeated Iraqi Army. The division provided a visible, overwhelming show of force to the Iraqi delegation, and was proud to be part of the historic event. The following three weeks saw the division continue to clear enemy equipment in zone, assist in the repatriation of Kuwaiti citizens who were abducted from their country, and establish a border link-up point for use in further discussions with the Iraqi Army.
The accomplishments of The Big Red One during the "100-Hour War" serve as a lasting tribute to the heritage of this great division, and to its fallen comrades-in-arms.