66                                   U.S. MARINES iN TIlE PERSIAN GULF, 1990-1991


    After the sun set, Task Force Papa Bear began moving to a staging area
near the berm. At 1900, Marines donned their chemical protective suits and
boots (MOPP Level 2) and rested for the remainder of the evening while
awaiting the attack order.1~ Company A rejoined Task Force Shepherd in the
late afternoon and immediately moved to its attack position and crossed tile berm
at 2300.
    Only two batteries of the five artillery battalions fired on 23 February.
Battery B, 1st Battalion, 10th Marines, supported Task Force Grizzly's effort to
establish a beachhead on the Iraqi side of the obstacle belt. At 0445, Battery F,
3d Battalion, 11th Marines,1~ shifted positions to shoot preparation fires in sup-
port of Task Force Troy's Operation Flail,    the final deception operation
undertaken by the division. Beginning just before dawn the battery fired at five
targets in the Al Wafrah Oilfield. The fire dispersed enemy personnel and caused
some secondary explosions.110    Afterwards, the battery returned to the 1st
Battalion, 10th Marines, which left to return to the 2d Marine Division's
control.
    At 1030, the division headquarters staff radioed Colonel Howard to move
artillery reconnaissance, survey, and advance parties into Kuwait and establish
positions for the regimental command post, the 1st Battalion, 12th Marines, and
the 5th Battalion, 11th Marines. By late afternoon the teams completed their
preparations and Colonel Howard began moving the two battalions into Kuwait.
Their movement was covered by the other three battalions. As soon as the 1st
and 5th Battalions declared themselves ready to fire, Colonel Howard redeployed
two of the remaining three battalions. Each battalion marked its crossing of the
border by donning its chemical protective clothing. Of this event, Major John
H. Turner, S-3 for Task Force Papa Bear, wrote:   "Most Marines found the
[MOPPi    suits to be cut much    larger than utilities and were bulky and
cumbersome. My extra-large trousers had to be held up with a rope. I found
the galosh-style boot to be generally serviceable, but had to turn under about six
inches of my trousers, which were too long.
    The redeployment of the artillery took five hours to complete. At 1600, the
regimental command post,     1st Battalion, 12th Marines, and the reduced 3d
Battalion, 12th Marines crossed into Kuwait. The 1st Baflalion, 12th Marines,
declared itself ready by 1720. An hour later, the 3d Battalion, 12th Marines,
which had meanwhile been rejoined by Battery B, occupied its firing position
which allowed the other three battalions to move. At 1830, the 5th Battalion,
11th Marines, displaced. The 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, followed 30 minutes
later. Only the 3d Battalion, 11th Marines, moving with Task Force Ripper,
stayed in Saudi Arabia. When he got the four battalions in place, at 2000
Colonel Howard declared the coordinated fire line (CFL) number 1 in effect to
coordinate divisional fire and movement, and at 2120 he moved the regimental
mobile command post to an attack position.112
    Shortly after the 11th Marines mobile command post redeployed, division
headquarters notified all units that the present frequency and cryptographic
settings would remain in effect for the next 72 hours. The order came as no
surprise. Headquarters Central Command indicated in planning conferences that