Supporting 3rd Armored Division
Communications on a mobile battlefield in the 100 hours war.
Revised:
May 27, 2008
By CPT Bryan S. Goda and
CPT Robert M. Prudhomme
24 February
On the morning of 24 February, 14 and 15 moved out to locations just 8 kilometers south of the border. At approximately 0800 hours, they began installing the 1415 link. The war plan was to break the FAA network at 1000 hours, and move the division forward to positions just south of the border. At 1030 hours, the corps commander ordered the division to attack at 1500 hours that day. This was 13 hours earlier than planned, and it forced the
60, 61, 62, and 63 nodes to race to catch 2nd Brigade so they would be in position to lay down the "daisy chain" as the division moved to contact.
At 1452 hours, the division advanced guard battalion crossed the Iraq border, with Node Centers 60 and 61 following the combat trains of the lead tank battalion. The DTAC was
located just north of the border with a link into NC 14. Node Centers 62 and 63 were approximately 30 km behind, trying to catch up to 2nd Brigade. At approximately 1630 hours, remote RAU 15 was dropped off at its planned location, and installed a link to Node Center 14. This kept the 2nd Brigade MSRT users in the network as 60 moved to its planned location. Spot reports of enemy in the vicinity of 60's planned location forced 60 to locate approximately 2 km from its planned location.
By 1830 hours, 60 had installed the first internodal to 15, and had affiliated the local RAU and turned the beacon on. About 1900 hours, the division commander decided to halt movement for the night. NCs 62 and 63 were halted south of the border until first light the next day. DMAIN was located with its local SEN off of NC 15, while the jump DMAIN was using the CNRI SEN at Node Center 14. Second Brigade, the DTAC, and DIVARTY were also linked into the network that night to allow the units to continue coordination prior to moving at first light the next morning.
With a gateway link into the 93rd Signal Brigade at NC 15, the division had excellent communications with VII Corps from approximately 1600 hours on the 24th until 15 jumped forward on the morning of 27 February.
Article Text
Copyright © Spring 1991 Army Communicator
At 1452 hours, the division advanced guard battalion crossed the Iraq border, with Node Centers 60 and 61 following the combat trains of the lead tank battalion. The DTAC was
located just north of the border with a link into NC 14. Node Centers 62 and 63 were approximately 30 km behind, trying to catch up to 2nd Brigade. At approximately 1630 hours, remote RAU 15 was dropped off at its planned location, and installed a link to Node Center 14. This kept the 2nd Brigade MSRT users in the network as 60 moved to its planned location. Spot reports of enemy in the vicinity of 60's planned location forced 60 to locate approximately 2 km from its planned location.