8TH TANK BN COMMAND CHRONOLOGY NOV 90 TO MAR 91 12 APR 91

File: 970107_aug96_decls2_0014.txt
Page: 0014
Total Pages: 60

Subject: 8TH TANK BN  COMMAND CHRONOLOGY NOV 90 TO MAR 91  12 APR 91     

Unit: 8TH TANK BN 

Parent Organization: 2 MARDIV    

Box  ID: BX600007

Folder Title: COMMAND CHRONOLOGY 8TH TANK BN 26 NOV - 31 MARCH 1991                                           

Document Number:          1

Folder Seq  #:          5




                                             UNCLASSIFIED


               2d Marine Division's mission to hold in place on the outskirts of Kuwait City
               as a show of strength and contingency force until the political and military
               situation in Kuwait City stabilized. As part of this mission, Bth Tank
               Battalion also maintained the Division's only minefield breaching capability.
               At the same time, lst Marine Division and other coalition forces conducted
               phased withdrawals from the Kuwait Theater of Operations back to Saudi Arabia.
                  On 23 March 1991, 8th Tank Battalion received its Retrograde Warning Order
               from 2d Marine Division. The Division would conduct a phased withdrawal south
               to Camp 15 with a stopover at Al-Mishab, Saudi Arabia to offload ammunition
               and heavy equipment. Items of heavy equipment, to include the battalion's
               tanks, would be barged south to the port of Al Jubail.
                 2d Marine Division would leave Bth Marines (Rein) behind in Kuwait
               temporarily as a contingency force. 8th Tank Battalion was tasked to detach
               one tank company to 8th Marines to support their mission. Movement of the
               Division began on 25 March 1991 with 8th Tanks moving south on 31 March 1991.
               Company B was detached to 8th Marines on the morning of 31 March 1991. The
               battalion road march was conducted smoothly and without incident.



                    The S-2 section was activated with H&S Company, located in Rochester, NY,
               on the 26th of November 1990. Initially, the Section consisted of one
               officer, Capt Wallisch, one SNCO, SSgt Hart, and one NCO, Cpl J. Decann.
               Embarkation of existing intelligence and training materials was made by SSgt
               Hart and Cpl Decann. Movement of the section to the SIA at Camp Lejeunes NC
omplete by 28 November 1990. Capt Wallisch assisted with the transition
               of the remaining elements of the battalion to the SIA while SSgt Hart and Cpl
               Decamn began to prepare the section for movement to SWA. On 3 December 1990
               'Capt Wallisch was transferred to C Cos 8th TkBn and Capt F. T. Williams,
                      /0202 was transferred from C Co to the S-2 billet. At this time
               liaison was made with 2d MarDiv B-2 and daily intelligence briefings were
               begun at the staff meetings. The stock of initial planning maps was provided
               on 4 December 1990. The S-2 section provided the separate companies with
               intelligence related classes and large quantities of training materials. The
               section also produced map products for use by the staff sections and company
               commanders. This support was provided as the section itself underwent the SWA
               training program (from 2d MarDiy), completed medical processing, and underwent
               supply and equipment issue. The entire section arrived at the port of Al
               Jubail on 22 December 1990. Movement of the section to Camp 15 at Al Jubail
               was uneventful. Liaison with 2d MarDiv 6-2 took place on the same day. The
               section immediately began distribution of planning maps of training areas
               within SWA. The scope of intelligence briefings was narrowed to the enemy
               situation along the Southeastern Kuwait/Saudi Arabia border extending 40
               Kilometers into Kuwait. Intelligence briefings were also provided to SNCO's
               within each company. Briefings on the enemy obstacle belts was given twice
               daily. Between the 6th and Bth of January the S-2 section moved to a training
               area 20 miles northeast of Al Subail. This site was later named the
program
               provided by TEECO from 29 Palms CA shortly thereafter. On several occasions,
               the S-2 officer was able to make liaison with Saudi civilians, called
               bedouins, whose campsites were adjacent to Sth TkBnls training area. On 9
               January 19131 a CIT team from 2d MarDiv B-2 conducted a security inspection of
               the battalion and provided a security awareness brief. On 11 January 1991 an
               ITT team from 2d MarDiv 6-2 conducted a liaison visit with the battalion and
               provided classes for each company. On the evening of the 16th of January 1991


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                                              UNCLASSIFIED

Document 60 f:/Week-34/BX600007/COMMAND CHRONOLOGY 8TH TANK BN 26 NOV - 31 MARCH 1991/8th tank bn command chronology nov 90 to mar 91:01029709504317
Control Fields 17
File Room = aug96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-34
Box ID = BX600007
Unit = 8TH TANK BN
Parent Organization = 2 MARDIV
Folder Title = COMMAND CHRONOLOGY 8TH TANK BN 26 NOV - 31 MARCH 1991
Folder Seq # = 5
Subject = 8TH TANK BN COMMAND CHRONOLOGY NOV 90 TO MAR 91
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 = 02-JAN-1997