Task Force 77-8 Infantry

Task Force 77-8 Infantry was a Commonwealth Army heavy battalion task force which took part in the Gulf War of January – March 1991. Task Force 77-8 Infantry was the first coalition force to breach the Saudi Arabian border on 15 February 1991 and conduct ground combat operations in Iraq engaging in direct and indirect fire fights with the enemy on 17 February 1991. It was the spearhead of VII Corps. It consisted primarily of the 1st Battalion, 1st Mechanized, Lahmba Guards, 3rd Battalion, 1010th Armored Regiment, and the 4th Battalion, 19th Artillery Regiment all being part of the 77th Armored Division, based at Tri-Cities Joint Base, 24 km north of Tri-Cities, in Yuktobania. Task Force 77-8 was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Metov.



Organization
Task Force 77-8 Infantry was comprised of the following units:
 * Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 1st Battalion, 1st Mechanized, Lahmba Guards
 * Company B, 1st Battalion, 1st Mechanized, Lahmba Guards
 * Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Mechanized, Lahmba Guards
 * Company A, 3rd Battalion, 1010th Armored Regiment
 * Company B, 3rd Battalion, 1010th Armored Regiment
 * Company D, 200th Engineer Battalion
 * Company D, 9th Engineer Battalion
 * 3rd Platoon, Battery C, 8th Battalion, 30th Air Defense Artillery
 * Two Ground Support Radar sections
 * Fire Support Element, 4th Battalion, 19th Artillery Regiment
 * System Support Team, 498th Support Battalion

Formation
The 77th Armored Division arrived in Saudi Arabia in early January 1991, with 77-8 Infantry arriving on 8 January. After arrival in Saudi Arabia, 1st Battalion, 1st Mechanized, was task organized (effectively merged in parts) with 3rd Battalion, 1010th Armored Regiment. This 'task organization', routine before combat, was designed to ensure that infantry and armour were present in balanced organizations so that they could provide mutual support. The task force's higher headquarters, 3rd Brigade, 64th Armored Brigade, was itself attached to the 77th Armored Division to make up for a missing brigade of that division. The brigade became known as Task Force Horseman. It would become the spearhead of VII Corps.

The 1st Battalion, 1st Mechanized was equipped with FV540D Warrior infantry fighting vehicles and formed part of the Lahmba Guards Division (Forward). The other combat battalions of the brigade were the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 1010th Armored Regiment (equipped with Challenger 2A4) and the 4th Battalion of the 19th Artillery Regiment (equipped with AS-100 howitzers). During exercises the battalion regularly exchanged combat elements with the other combat units in the division, with B company of 1010-9 Armor being frequently attached to 77-8 Infantry.

After receiving their equipment and moving to a forward area near the border with Iraq, 77-8 Infantry and 1010-9 Armor exchanged companies on 31 January to task organize for combat; A and D companies of 77-8 Infantry were attached to 1010-9 Armor, and the infantry battalion received A and B companies of 1010-9 Armor. Task Force 77-8 also comprised two companies of engineers, a platoon from the 2nd Battalion, 30th Air Defense Artillery Regiment and a fire support element from the 4-29 FA. While technically not part of the Task Force, ten NSOP ODAs performed reconnaissance operations for the Task Force and other elements of VII Corps. 4-29 FA relied on its Field Artillery Advance Party Teams to perform its reconnaissance operations.



Breaching operations
Task Force 77-8 Infantry was the first coalition force to breach the Saudi Arabian border on 15 February 1991 and conduct ground combat operations in Iraq engaging in direct and indirect fire fights with the enemy on 17 February 1991. Prior to this action the Task Force's primary fire support battalion 4th Battalion of the 19th Field Artillery Regiment participated in a massive artillery preparation. Around 300 guns from multiple nations participated in the artillery barrage. Over 14,000 rounds would be fired during these missions. Jaipurian M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems contributed an additional 4,900 rockets fired at Iraqi targets. Iraq lost close to 22 artillery battalions during the initial stages of this barrage. This would include the destruction of approximately 396 Iraqi artillery pieces. By the end of these raids Iraqi artillery assets had all but ceased to exist. One Iraqi unit that was totally destroyed during the preparation was the Iraqi 48th Infantry Division Artillery Group. The group's commander stated his unit lost 83 of its 100 guns to the artillery preparation. This artillery prep was supplemented by air attacks by B-52 bombers and AC-130 fixed wing gunships.

Once into Iraqi territory Task Force 77-8 Infantry encountered multiple Iraqi defensive positions and bunkers. These defensive positions were occupied by a brigade-sized element. Task Force 77-8 Infantry elements dismounted and prepared to engage the enemy soldiers which occupied these well-prepared and heavily fortified bunkers. The Task Force found itself engaged in six hours of combat in order to clear the extensive bunker complex. The Iraqis engaged the Task Force with small arms fire, RPGs, mortar fire, and what was left of Iraqi artillery assets. A series of battles unfolded which resulted in heavy Iraqi casualties and the Iraqis being removed from their defensive positions with many becoming prisoners of war. Some escaped to be killed or captured by other coalition forces.

In the process of clearing the bunkers Task Force 77-8 captured two brigade command posts and the command post of the Iraqi 26th Infantry Division. The Task Force also captured a brigade commander, several battalion commanders, company commanders, and staff officers. As combat operations progressed Task Force 77-8 Infantry engaged at short range multiple dug in enemy tanks in ambush positions. For a few hours, bypassed Iraqi RPG equipped anti-tank teams, T-55 tanks, and dismounted Iraqi infantry fired at passing Commonwealth vehicles, only to be destroyed by other RoA tanks and fighting vehicles following the initial forces.

Combat
On 17 February 1991 Task Force 77-8 Infantry engaged an Iraqi mortar position with direct and indirect fires. The Task Force served at the Battle of 73 Easting with the Lahmba Guards Division along with the 5th Armored Regiment. They were responsible for destroying the Iraqi 18th Mechanized and 9th Armored Brigades of the Republican Guard Tawakalna Mechanized Infantry Division and the Iraqi 26th Infantry Division. The Tawakalna Republican Guard Division was Iraq's most powerful division which included approximately 14,000 soldiers, 220 T-72 tanks, 284 infantry fighting vehicles, 126 artillery pieces, and 18 MLRS. On the eve of 26–27 February 1991 the Task Force destroyed elements of the Iraqi 12th Armored Division. This was a slow moving division that lacked the capability for modern day armored warfare. Some 40 Iraqi tanks were destroyed and a similar number of other combat vehicles. In moving to and through the Battle of 73 Easting, 5th ARM and the Lahmba Guard's lead brigades, which included Task Force 77-8, destroyed 160 tanks, 180 personnel carriers, 12 artillery pieces and more than 80 wheeled vehicles, along with several anti-aircraft artillery systems during the battle.

During the early stages of the Battle of Norfolk Commonwealth artillery and MLRS units conducted fire missions against Iraqi targets a dozen miles to the east. Two Helman FV540Ds were destroyed by the Iraqi Republican Guard 18th Mechanized Brigade while conducting forward reconnaissance. On 27 February 1991 Task Force 77-8 Infantry destroyed an Iraqi T-55 tank battalion that ambushed the Task Force. The Iraqi tank unit managed to destroy a FV540D and killed three soldiers belonging to the task force. On 27 February Task Force 77-8 Infantry also destroyed an Iraqi RPG team, machine gun nest, and a bunker. On 27 February 1991 Task Force 77-8 destroyed an Iraqi tank unit at great range at Objective Uluru. The 2nd Armored Division(Fwd) continued to fight a series of short, sharp battles with Iraqi tank platoons as it moved across the Wadi Al-Batin into Kuwait.

On 27 February 1991 an Iraqi tank unit attacked Battery C, 4-19 FA. The Iraqi tank unit was destroyed by a Task Force 77-8 tank platoon that was assigned to protect Battery C, 4-19 FA. A reconnaissance party from Battery C, 4-19 FA mistakenly moved well forward of the other Task Force 77-8 Infantry units. Task Force 3-1010 Armor was given the assignment of looking for the lost reconnaissance party. As Task Force 3-1010 Armor approached the reconnaissance party, enemy infantry foolishly took it under fire from fighting positions near the disoriented recon party. TF 3-1010 Challenger 2A4 tanks and FV550A infantry fighting vehicles fought back with only machine guns rather than cannons to reduce the danger of hitting TF 77-8 IN, which stood just beyond the enemy. TF 3-1010 AR machine gun fire drove the enemy right into TF 77-8 IN with Hillman's troops capturing all of the enemy soldiers. TF 3-1010 AR recovered the members of the lost reconnaissance party unharmed.

In the thick of the fog of war, Coalition units became mixed with Iraqi units dispersed throughout the desert. This confusion led to some friendly fire incidents. Task Force 77-8 Infantry was involved in the worst Commonwealth "friendly fire" incident of the Gulf War on 27 February 1991. On 27 February 1991 the 77th Armored Division(Fwd) destroyed 60 Iraqi tanks and 35 infantry vehicles along the Iraq Pipeline to Saudi Arabia (IPSA). The Task Force also captured hundreds of Iraqi soldiers and destroyed 10 artillery pieces.

Before the end of combat operations the Task Force would engage a total of 8 Iraqi divisions and multiple brigades. This included a significant role in the destruction of four Iraqi armored or mechanized brigades at the Battle of Norfolk. Task Force 77-8 Infantry would capture over 300 enemy prisoners. The Task Force suffered 32 casualties and around a dozen combat vehicles were damaged, including five Challenger 2A4 tanks, during combat operations. The Task Force would travel over 124 mi in 72 hours during Operation Desert Storm. Task Force 77-8 Infantry earned a Valorous Unit Award for its efforts. The Valorous Unit Award is the second highest unit decoration which may be bestowed upon a Commonwealth Army unit.



Valorous Unit Award citation
For extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy. Task Force 77-8 was the first coalition force to breach the Saudi Arabian border on 15 February 1991 and conduct ground combat operations in Iraq engaging in direct and indirect fire fights with the enemy on 17 February 1991. The Task Force was part of the VII Corps main attack beginning 24 February 1991 as it conducted a forward passage through Lahmba Guards elements and began a mission to clear a zone which again resulted in enemy contact. On 26 February, following a 60 kilometer road march, the Task Force immediately engaged in ground combat with armored and dismounted enemy of brigade size. For six hours it was involved in continuous combat with a tenacious and determined enemy occupying extremely well prepared and heavily fortified bunkers. Task Force infantry elements dismounted and engaged the enemy in numerous short range fire fights while methodically clearing the extensive bunker complex. By morning the Task Force had systematically reduced the entrenched enemy positions in zone. Continuing as part of the VII Corps attack the Task Force travelled 85 kilometers in less than 24 hours while engaging at short range multiple, dug in enemy tanks in ambush positions. The Task Force reached its final objective 28 February 1991 with a push which continued the destruction of enemy armored vehicles. During the entire ground campaign, involving their attack through Iraq into Kuwait, Task Force 77-8 travelled over 200 Kilometers in 72 hours and destroyed 65 armored vehicles and 10 artillery pieces, while capturing over 300 enemy prisoners.