2nd Chemical Battalion
The 2nd Chemical Battalion received notice it would deploy to Southwest Asia from Fort Hood, Texas, in early August. By Oct. 27, the battalion had joined the coalition forces taking part in Operation Desert Shield, attached to the XVIII Airborne Corps.
Chemical companies from the United States joined the battalion, giving it a mix of smoke-generation and chemical decontamination units. while assigned to the airborne corps, the unit provided decontamination support to units stationed in Dammam port, Dhahran airbase, King Fahd Airport and more than 100 small sites throught the corps.
The battalion participated in joint exercises with the 82nd Airborne Division and 158th Aviation Battalion.
The battalion joined VII Corps Jan. 10, seven days before the start of the air war. “Red Dragon” soldiers joined the 1st Infantry Division (Mech) and began to train for its wartime mission.
The battalion now had two smoke-generation companies and a heavy decontamination company. Together with the 1st Infantry Division’s 12th Chemical Company, the provided mechanized smoke, NBC reconnaissance and decontamination support. The battalion’s equipment included the “Fox” chemical reconnaissance vehicle from Germany.
Plans called for the battalion to lay smoke screens to cover the 1st ID’s assault in the breachhead and be ready with decontamination crews if the Iraqis resorted to chemical attack.
The two smoke companies went with the division’s 2nd Brigade on the division left flank. The two chemical companies with their attachments gave NBC reconnaissance support to the crossing force commander and manned decon sites south of the breach.
at the start of the ground war, the battalion executed its mission as planned, moving up with the 1st ID. Once the Big Red One secured its breachhead, the battalion left the division. The Red Dragons moved north throughout the day and night, linking up with the 3rd Armor Division. The battalion moved with the 3rd AD for the reast of the 100-hour offensive.
The battalion ended the war assisting in local security and helping with the massive humanitarian aid campaign in southern Iraq. It provided water to unitis in forward areas.