On Point: the United States Army in Operation Iraqi ... - Boekje Pienter

To prevent Iraqi sabotage, the coalition not only seized oil fields in Iraq, but also usedSOF to seize the gulf oil platforms, which required complex and integrated joint operations,including SOF, Navy, Coast Guard, and Army forces. The opening vignette describes howArmy watercraft supported the special operations direct action to secure the oil platforms.Additionally, the Army tug Champagne Marne supported these operations.The Marne, a large tugboat that operated throughout the region, earned the NavyCommendation Medal for its work in clearing derelict vessels from key navigation ways in theNorth Arabian Sea. On the evening of 21 March, the Marne, captained by Chief Warrant Officer2 Jay Dehart, led two Navy 1600-class LCUs through the coalition warship screen beyond themost-forward mine sweepers and linked up with the forces that had secured the Mina Al-Bakr oil terminal. Establishing communications with prearranged flashing light signals, theMarne secured a lighterage working platform to the structure at 2309. With 24 Coast Guardsecurity personnel aboard, the Marne then moved on to the Khor Al-Amaya platform to do thesame, finishing the work by 0034 on the 22nd. After dropping the security team at the secondplatform, the crew picked up 22 marines and transported them to one of the Navy LCUs. TheMarne completed the troop transfers and returned through the mined waterway, crossing backthrough the coalition warship screen at 0630 on the 22nd. 24Once the marines and SOF captured the oil wells and gulf oil platforms, the original fireswere confirmed as sabotage, albeit an unsophisticated attempt. The wells were rigged withtwo explosives—the first to destroy the “Christmas tree” rigging and the second to set the oilon fire. The JTFC was unsure if the rigging of the demolitions was so poor because the Iraqisthought they had more time (given the expected 30-day air campaign) or if they were tryingto preserve the oil for the future and were only making a token effort. Regardless, of the morethan 1,000 oil wells in the south, only nine were set afire, and all were extinguished by the endof April. 25Enemy Response—TBMs and PatriotsThe 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command’s (AAMDC’s) hard work in settingup comprehensive anti-tactical ballistic missile (ATBM) coverage paid off in the early hoursof the war. When the fight started, there were 27 US Patriot batteries and five coalition Patriotbatteries in Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, with additional batteries inIsrael and Turkey. This marked the culmination of 12 years of hard work developing the righttechnology, training the crews, and training and supporting allied Patriot units. Moreover, yearsof successful diplomacy allowed the US and the coalition to establish coverage, protect theallies, and ensure continued regional support as the campaign unfolded. Now, with reasonableassurance of protection from TBMs, regional allies were far more ready to provide the supportnecessary for a successful campaign.Iraq responded to the decapitation strike with thefirst of 17 TBM attacks on coalition forces. At 1224on 20 March, an Ababil-100 surface-to-surface missilestreaked out of Al Basra, targeting the 4,000 soldiers and100 helicopters of the 101st at Tactical Assembly Area(TAA) THUNDER. This launch broke the pattern IraqPatriot saved the 101st.Major General Dave PetraeusCommander, 101st Airborne Division97