2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment
When Saddam Hussein directed his forces to invade Kuwait, the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment was deeply involved at gunnery training at Grafenwoehr. The regimental staff planned for a possible move to Saudi Arabia, but otherwise training went on. With the Nov. 8 presidential announcement the regiment prepared to move.
On Nov. 12, the regimental commander, COL L. D. Holder got a call from the corps chief of staff telling the regiment to begin movement to the ports the next day.
Arriving in Saudi Arabia
The Dragoons began arriving in Saudi Arabia in early December, moving into the intermediate staging area at Jubail. There soldiers received their equipment and painted their combat vehicles in desert colors. Beginning Dec. 18, the regiment moved to the desert, setting up in TAA Seminole. There, the regiment acclimated to the desert and concentrated on individual training.
Between Christmas an New Year's, the 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 82nd Engineer Battalion, and a number of other corps-level units joined the regimental force.
As the air war began, the regiment began to trade its M3 cavalry Bradleys for M2A2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.
In late January, the regiment moved to forward assembly area Richardson, southwest of Hafar Al Batin. Here, it held a regimental command post exercise, a war game and combined arms rehearsals.
The regiment moved forward to its attack position Feb. 17 and covered the corps as other units moved up. The regiment stood by to execute its order.
The plan for 2nd ACR centered on moving around enemy defenses and aiming for the Republican Guard dug in 130 kilometers north east of the regiment's start point. The regiment was to cover two divisions moving up behind it.
Going into action
On Feb. 23, regimental nets opened at 1:10 p.m. after a week of radio listening silence. The 210th FA Brigade and the regimental artillery fired a nine minute preparation fire. The fire covered the engineers from the 82nd Engineer Battalion and the 84th Engineer Company as they cleared holes through the border berm.
The regiment crossed the border through the 43 lanes the engineers cut, with the 4th Squadron (aviation) in the lead. Two ground squadrons, the 2nd and 3rd, followed closely behind. The regiment advanced 30 kilometers, then stopped at Phase Line Bud for the night.
Accelerated timetable
The success coalition forces enjoyed accelerated the regimental timetable. G-Day, Feb. 24, saw the regiment's 2nd and 3rd Squadrons begin their advance at 2:30 p.m., after putting on chemical protective suits. The 4th Squadron moved up to take the lead shortly after. The regiment moved more than 40 kilometers in two hours, taking in hundreds of prisoners. By early evening, the regiment had reached its objectives. The 3rd and 4th Squadrons each reported receiving small-arms fire, but generally no resistance materialized.
The regiment stopped to refuel and assess the situation. Air Force close air support and Army Apache helicopters attacked enemy positions on Objective Merrell. The 2nd Squadron captured an Iraqi lieutenant colonel, the assistant division artillery commander, 26th Infantry Division, who provided significant intelligence.
Weather worsens
The next day dawned gray and windy. The regiment continued its attack at 6:40 a.m. The third squadron fired artillery at enemy positions to its front, and air scouts reported another sector was free of enemy units.
By late morning, the regiment had elements on Phase Line Smash. The support squadron continued to move up, closing a gap between the combat units and the support trains. As the regiment moved to contact, it became apparent the enemy intended to fight north of Phase Line Smash. Reports came in of Iraqi tanks, including T-72s which would indicate the presence of Republican Guard units.
At this point, the regiment had one squadron facing north, another northeast while the 1st Squadron guarded the regimental boundary with the 1st (UK) Armoured Division, which had passed through 1st Infantry Division (Mech) to take over the front to the southeast.
Blocking a supply route
All the squadrons were in contact with the enemy and formed a large horseshoe across an enemy main supply route. Action developed all along the front as Iraqi units attempted to use their road. Just after midnight the 3rd Squadron met and pounded an Iraqi mechanized company.
At 3:30 a.m. Feb. 26, the regiment received the formal corps order sending them east for a meeting with the Republican Guard. The Dragoon battle group would hold the Guard's "nose" while the corps' heavier divisions came around to kick the Guard in the rear.
The weather dried out from the previous evening's storms, but a heavy sandstorm came up about midmorning. The winds hid the battlefield from the enemy, giving the regiment the edge with its thermal sights and laser rangefinders.
The regiment headed east, three squadrons abreast. A tank fight soon developed as the 2nd and 3rd Squadrons hit a defending brigade from the Tawalkana Division. Other Iraqi forces fled north, only to find the 1st Squadron blocking their path. Bad weather initially kept the aviators from the fray.
As the day wore on, the M1A1 Abrams and Bradley proved effective. Some tank gunners reported firing at ranges up to 3,800 meters. (Later Iraqi POWs told interrogators they could hear U.S. tanks, but couldn't see them or know they were under fire until the turret of the T-72 next to them blew off.) Several fights raged across the desert as seven troops reported heavy contact.
The regiment continued to push east in the afternoon. The Regimental Support Squadron had a hairy brush with the enemy as an enemy element of 10 armored vehicles moved up from the south, behind the regiment's lead elements. The squadron sent the tanks its usually holds in reserve to replace combat losses against the foe, along with MPs and Cobras.
Handing over the battle
That evening, the 1st Infantry Division (Mech) came up and took over the regiment's battle positions. As the 1st ID moved through, the regiment took up position as the corps reserve. It remained in reserve until the cease-fire brought combat operations to a halt Feb. 28.
The cease fire didn't end the regiment's work. The regiment moved into Iraq to pull its share of occupation duties, guarding an 85mile sector of front along the Euphrates River for two weeks. The regiment observed the cease-fire line and gave humanitarian aid to thousands of refugees. The regiment had lived up to its motto "Toujours Pret!"