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File: 970203_sep96_decls29_0055.txt
Subject: 92ND ENGR CBT BN HVY UNIT HISTORY
Unit: XVIII CORPS
Parent Organization: ARCENT
Box ID: BX000072
Folder Title: PROBLEM WITH NBC PB PILLS-2 COPIES
Document Number: 1
Folder Seq #: 19
DISCUSSION: Prior planning helped the battalion prepare for some
logistical problems. Ensuring the soldiers had a 2-3 day supply
of rations and water was good. However, to be sure the battalion
had an additional 5-day supply of water and rations proved to be
the answer. CL III and CL IX though, were the number one
logistical problems encountered. Initial fuel points were not
established during the war, and it was difficult to stop a 5,000
gallon tanker while in convoy.
There was a very generic support concept set up, where 2nd
COSCOM and DISCOM would provide the needed support. The
battalion knew the concept wouldn't work. Dedicated support
relationships weren't established, and when the maneuver units
needed fuel, they would get the priority. The division ran short
of fuel and suddenly all available tankers went to support the
division. The battalion needed 5,000 gallons of fuel a. day for
road construction. By the end of the second day of the war, the
battalion needed fuel. HSC, during the second day, just happened
to setup next to a tactical petroleum transfer point (TPT) and
picked up fuel- By the end of the third day though, the
battalion had to trade engineer effort for fuel.
2nd COSCOM though, never provided adequate CL IX Support.
Reserve maintenance and supply units that deployed to support the
COSCOM deployed with no ASL or bench stocks. Their ASL and bench
stocks were paid for by state funds and their state wouldn't
allow units to deploy with state funded parts. To make support
relationships even worse, COSCOM kept switching support units on
the battalion as support units came in country. There wasn't
ly a few
nonessential parts came through the supply.system. If the
battalion didn't have the part on hand, the battalion either
bought the part through local purchase or received it from a
sister unit. The local purchase system setup in country wasn't
able to support the number of engineer units brought in. This
resulted in too many people chasing too few parts.
Age and low density of the engineer equipment were also part
of the problem. With low density equipment, our higher
headquarters always pushed the battalion to use the local
purchase system. This took the heat off the system, and reduced
pressures to get the system to be responsive to the battalion's
needs. Peacetime ASLs also, are not enough to support wartime
requirements. So, the system is designed as a pull system.
Minimal analysis or thought was put into what parts were required
or pushed to support combat heavy engineer battalions in either
Corps. Rather than waiting for demands, a generic ASL package
should be pushed forward to support combat heavy engineer
battalions. At theater level, it was known how many engineer
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Document 60 f:/Week-48/BX000072/PROBLEM WITH NBC PB PILLS-2 COPIES/92nd engr cbt bn hvy unit history:01289718521931
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-48
Box ID = BX000072
Unit = XVIII CORPS
Parent Organization = ARCENT
Folder Title = PROBLEM WITH NBC PB PILLS-2 COPIES
Folder Seq # = 19
Subject = 92ND ENGR CBT BN HVY UNIT HISTORY
Document Seq # = 1
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 28-JAN-1997