A tip of the hat to John P. Culloton for digging out this
information.
Units of the 8th Infantry Deployed to Saudi Arabia.
Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm
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This patch was made in Saudi Arabia. It
was purchased by a patch collector in a batch of unclaimed insignia from an
embroidery shop. According to those in the Gulf, the Army did not make an
official desert color subdued 8th Patch at the time.
Major James Vizzard, 2-29 FA states that he has one almost exactly like it
made by a Filipino tailor at Camp Doha, Kuwait who made them freehand.
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| The following units from
the 8th Infantry (mechanized) Division
deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
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2d Battalion, 29th Field Artillery
"Battle Ready"
(Baumholder, Germany)
The 2d Battalion, 29th Field Artillery (Pathfinders) was originally one of
the three organic Direct Support (DS) Field Artillery Battalions of 8th
Infantry Division (Mechanized) Division Artillery (DIVARTY). During Operations
Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the battalion joined the 42d Field Artillery
Brigade of VII Corps Artillery as General Support (GS) Field Artillery
Battalion.
Because of this GS organization, the battalion's organic fire support
element (FSE) did NOT deploy. (The FSE is organic to DS Field Artillery
battalions, but not needed for a battalion routinely in the GS role.) 2-29 FA
battalion deployed to Southwest Asia on or about 2 January 1991 from
Baumholder, Germany. During the ground offensive, 2-29 FA supported 1st Cavalry
Division,1st Armored Division, 1st Infantry Division, and the 3d Armored
Division. The Pathfinder's role with the Third Armored Division was as a
Reinforcing (R) battalion to the 2d Battalion, 3d Field Artillery in Direct
Support of the Ready First Combat Team.
2-29 FA remained in theater until 4 May 1991 (the return date of 20 July
1991 on the DA General Orders for the Valorous Unit Award is most likely
incorrect). Upon deployment to Germany, 2-29 FA rejoined the 8 ID DIVARTY.
Soon after that, elements of the 3d Armored Division and 8th Infantry
Division combined to form the "new" 1st Armored Division (reflagged 8
ID headquarters). 2-29 FA served for approximately two years as a direct
support FA battalion in 1st Armored Division DIVARTY.
The 2-29 FA colors were then transferred to Ft. Lewis, Washington in 1994,
and the Pathfinder Battalion was inactivated in 1996 as part of Army's
drawdown.
12th Engineers
"Dual Primed"
(Anderson Barracks, Dexheim, Germany)
Also includes TF 33d Engineers (Provisional)
"Task Force Thunder Echo"
"Semper Gumby"
The 12th Engineer Battalion deployed to Southwest Asia from Dexheim,
Germany. The main body of the battalion arrived in Saudi Arabia on 19 January
1991, and remained until 19 May 1991. This battalion was originally organic to
the 8th Infantry Division as the division engineer battalion but deployed in
Support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm as part of the 3d Armored
Division.
Desert Storm saw one of the first practical implementations of the Division
Engineer Brigade (or E-Force) concept, although the concept had seen some use
during REFORGER 1990 (Return of Forces Germany - a major annual
USAREURexercise).
During Desert Storm, this Division Engineer Brigade was commandedby COL
John Morris, who was attached to the 3d Armored Division from the Buffalo
District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Prior to 1990, a single engineer battalion was assigned to a division. This
level of engineer support was considered inadequate for most operations, and
engineer brigades from Corps would normally be placed under operational control
(OPCON) of divisions. The Division Engineer Brigade concept placed a full three
battalions in the organic structure of the heavy division, with one engineer
battalion generally supporting onemaneuver brigade.
During Desert Storm, the Division Engineer Brigade consistedof the 23d
Engineer Battalion (originally organic to 3AD) and the 12th Engineer Battalion.
The third engineer battalion was created by taking two companies from the 12th
Engineer Battalion and forming TF 33 Engineers (Provisional) under the command
of MAJ(P) Eric Mogren, the Executive Officer of 12th Engineer Battalion. The
name TF33 was derived from 3d Brigade, 3d Armored Division. I believe the name
"Thunder Echo" was derived from the 3d Brigade's name (Thunder
Brigade) and the first letter of the word "Engineer" - Echo.
(As an aside, the 1st Armored Division used similar organization, creating a
provisional engineer battalion commanded by MAJ Larry Deren composed of
companies from two other engineer battalions). The 12th Engineer Battalion
(minus detachments) supported the Ready First Combat Team during the Desert
Storm ground offensive.
During combat operations, the 12th Engineer Battalion appears to have been
task organized as follows: HHC and Bravo Company to TF 12 Engineers (DS to 1st
Brigade)Alpha Company to TF 23 Engineers (DS to 2d Brigade)Charlie and Delta
Companies to TF 33 Engineers Task Force Thunder Echo (DS to 3d Brigade)
4th Battalion, 34th Armor
Centurions
"Soldier Hard...!"
(Lee Barracks, Mainz, Germany)
The 4th Battalion, 34th Armor, organic to the 8th Infantry Division (8ID),
deployed with the Ready First Combat Team from Mainz, Germany.
The main body of the battalion arrived in Saudi Arabia on 4 January 1991,
and remained until 20 May 1991. Upon returning to Germany, the battalion
deactivated. This battalion was the only maneuver-type unit at the command
& control level to deploy from 8 ID.
Alpha Battery, 5th Battalion, 3rd Air Defense Artillery
Nickname: "SUNDRAGONS"
Crest Motto: Non Cedo Ferio
Home Station: McCully Barracks, Wackernheim, Germany
The official
history of the 5/3rd ADA in the Gulf
A
collection of 5/3rd ADA photos from the Gulf War
Although Alpha Battery did most of the work - the rest of the battalion did
deploy as well. The battalion deployed to Saudi Arabia on 31 December 1990 in
support of the 3d Armored Division and remained until 24 May 1991. 5/3 ADA was
based out of Wackernheim, Germany (about 20 kilometers from Mainz). During
Desert Shield/Storm, 5/3 was commanded by LTC Silas Smalls who turned the
battalion into a combat ready unit and was rumored to be responsible for
volunteering the battalion for duty. Formerly 1st of the 59th. Reorganized 1990
as 5th Battalion 3rd ADA.
According to one vet from the 5/3rd - Paul Knuth , the above statment about
Alpha Battery is a bit overstated. As he says..." Alpha battery in the 5/3
ADA was not the only unit in 5/3 ADAthat did most of the work. The battalion
was restructured before deployment. I was originally in Delta battery, 2nd
squad as driver for a Chapparel. 1st platoon was assigned to Alpha, Second to
Bravo, and third to Charlie. Fourth platoon (Stinger) was equally divided among
all of the batteries. When in theatre each battery was assigned to a brigade
within the division. Alpha to first brigade, Bravo to Second brigade, and
Charlie to third. I'm not sure what exactly Charlie did but I was close to the
guys in both Alpha and Bravo battery. During and after the deployment there was
not bit of feeling that one battery did the "lions share" of the
work. "
Task Force 3-77
Nickname: 3-77 "Silver Knights"
Home Station: Mannheim
TF 3-77 Armor (Silver Knights) from Mannheim (3rd BCT) deployed to
Southwest Asia from August to December 1991. The area was still a combat zone
and TF 3-77 was credited with a combat tour. Participants were authorized to
wear the 8ID SSI as a combat patch.
TF 3-77 included HHC, A, B, and C companies, 3-77 Armor; B and D Companies,
4-8 Infantry, mortar platoon, 5-77 Armor; and a company from the 10th(?)
Engineer Battalion (from 3ID?) . I think there may have been an air defense
platoon as well. Members of the task force were awarded the Southwest Asia
Service Medal with one campaign star and the Kuwaiti Liberation Medal
(government of Kuwait) but not the Kuwaiti Liberation Medal (Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia).
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