2nd Armored Division (Forward)
The 2nd Armored Division (Forward), the only U.S. combat force in northern Germany, learned of its upcoming deployment to Saudi Arabia during the Nov. 8 Secretary of Defense announcement.
As "Hell On Wheels" soldiers prepared to deploy in November and December, they learned the unit would become part of VII Corps and served as the 3rd Brigade of the "Big Red One," the 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized).
The 2nd AD(F) completed its move Jan. 9, 1991, and occupied the "Dew Drop Inn," a tent city at the port of Dammam. Some "Hell On Wheels" soldiers aided port operations both there and in Jubail. Ships carrying the 2nd AD(F)'s combat equipment arrived in Jubail where the unit painted vehicles and headed for the desert by January 23.
Training begins
The unit took up positions in TAA Roosevelt and started training as part of the Big Red One team. The brigade was organized with two balanced task forces containing equal amounts of armor and infantry elements and one tank-pure battalion.
During the first weeks of February, tank Crews fired their main guns, practicing with tank-killing sabot rounds. For some, it marked the first time they fired the munitions, but it proved not to be their last. 2nd AD(F) also conducted rehearsals with the 1st (U.K.) Armoured Division. The units practiced their wartime missions, with the British destined to take over the offense once 2nd AD(F) soldiers cleared their portion of the breachhead area.
Task Force 1-41 Infantry entered Iraq before the other 2nd AD(F) elements when, Feb. 15 , they breached the Saudi Arabia-Iraq border berm. The task force fought Iraqi reconnaissance troops for three days before slipping back across the line. The task force withdrew to TAA Manhattan and rejoined the rest of the brigade.
On Feb. 24, 2nd AD(F) followed the 1st and 2nd brigades of the 1st Infantry Division through breaches cut in the Iraqi defenses. "Hell On Wheels" then took the lead to establish a breach head. After allowing the British division to take over its battle positions, the 2nd AD(F) continued to advance into Iraq.
On the evening of Feb. 26, 2 AD (F) moved into the front, passing through the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment. The brigade attacked that night with the 1st ID(M)'s 1st Brigade. The attack, later known as the Battle of Norfolk, lasted through the night and into the early hours.
Attacking with all three battalions abreast, 2nd AD(F) cleared the enemy from a maze of bunkers, tank revetments and berms.
After a brief halt, the brigade continued the advance east into Kuwait. Racing through the desert, the soldiers of "Hell On Wheels" took their final objective and awaited the cease-fire from astride the Basrah-Kuwait City highway.
During the offensive, 2nd AD(F) destroyed more than 100 enemy tanks and took in more than 1,000 POWs.
After the cease-fire, the brigade destroyed abandoned tanks, artillery pieces, vehicles and enemy ammunition.
During March and April, 2nd AD(F) took its place with other corps units monitoring the cease-fire line and giving humanitarian assistance.