The Road to Safwan: The 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry in the 1991 ...

256 The Road to Safwan
emerged during the years of French King Louis XIV and is derived
from the French verb traîner, to draw or pull.
13. 1LT James C. Copenhaver, interview by John Burdan. A Troop, 1st
Squadron, 4th Cavalry, Ft. Leavenworth, KS, 15 April 1994.
14. 4th Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Desert Storm Highlights (Draft),
Iraq.
15. Squadron Historical Narrative; VII Corps, FRAGO 104-91 Enemy
probing Actions Continue, VII Corps After Action Report, 31 January
1991.
16. 1st Squadron 4th Cavalry, Daily Staff Journal, Tactical Operation Center:
1700 31 January to 0500 1 February 1991.
17. 1st Squadron 4th Cavalry, Daily Staff Journal, Tactical Operation Center:
0500 1 February to 1700 1 February 1991.
18. 1st Infantry Division, Daily Staff Journal, Tactical Operations Center,
1 Feb 1991, entry 65; 1st Squadron 4th Cavalry, Daily Staff Journal,
Tactical Operation Center: 1700 1 February to 0500 2 February
1991, entry 21.
19. 1st Squadron 4th Cavalry, Daily Staff Journal, Tactical Operation Center:
1700 1 February to 0500 2 February 1991; Bills interview, 26 August
1995; Wimbish interview, 28 September 1993. Similar incidents
over the next few nights caused LTC Wilson to avoid using
the Apaches at night except where absolutely necessary. The
Apaches were originally designed for missions deep in the enemy
rear area. He felt it was too dangerous to employ the Apaches at
night in areas where friendly and enemy elements were in close
proximity to each other .
20. MG Robert Wilson, note to author, 22 November 2005.
21. 1st Squadron 4th Cavalry, Daily Staff Journal, Tactical Operation Center:
0500 2 February to 1700 2 February 1991; Wilson interview, 28
July 1991; Michael Robels, Summary of 1st Infantry Division Commander’s
Reports, 30 March 1991, author’s collection, entry for 2
February 1991; VII Corps SITREP 4 (21 January 1991).
Chapter 7
1. On January 29, the Iraqi Army launched a three-division attack
along the coast of Saudi Arabia toward the port of Ras al Mishab.
After an extensive pounding by coalition air units, only elements
of one division reached the coastal town of Khafji and were soon
ejected. See James Titus, “The Battle of Khafji: An Overview and
Preliminary Analysis” (Manuscript, Air University, 1996) ; Rebecca
Grant, “The Epic Little Battle of Khafji,” Air Force Magazine February
(1998): 28 ff.