The brigade during Desert Storm:
Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 42nd Field Artillery Brigade
1st Bn 27th Field Artillery (MLRS)
2nd Bn 29th Field Artillery(155mm SP)
3rd Bn 20th Field Artillery(155mm SP)
"VII Corp's Call For Fire"
Both 1/27th and 3/20th were part of the 41st Field Artillery Brigade
before Desert Shield/Desert Storm. 1/27th was based in Babenhausen, Germany,
3/20th was based in Hanau, Germany (Fliegerhorst Kaserne). 2/29th was
from the 8th Infantry Division, based in Baumholder, Germany. The 42nd
Bde HQ element was located in Giessen, Germany. Personnel from 2/32nd
FA (MLRS), part of the original 42nd Bde, were used to augment units in
1/27th FA as were personnel from 2/20th FA to augment 3/20th FA.
We arrived in Saudi Arabia in mid December, 1990. After spending 2
weeks at the port of Ab Damman (Waiting for vehicles and equipment) we
headed for the borders of Kuwait and Iraq. As a compliment to air strikes
in mid February, our units shot cross border missions to feel out Iraqi
defenders and help demoralize them. February 23rd, our advance party
teams entered Iraq and began preparing gun positions. February 24,
we (VII Corp artillery, not just our brigade.) shot a massive artillery
prep that would further soften Iraqi forces and clear the way for advancing
VII Corps armored divisions. Joining 3rd Armored Division supporting
4/32nd Armor, 2/82nd FA (Who in turn was support for 4/67 Armor) and
4/82nd FA, we traveled north into Iraq encountering small pockets of
resistance until February 27, and 28 where we encountered elements of two
Iraqi Republican Guard Divisions (Tawakalna and Medina). They were supported
by elements of the Iraqi 52nd Armored Division and 17th Armored Division.
After 16 hours of fighting, giving credit to our superior training, leadership,
and supplies, we were victorious with light causalities and high morale
.
Overall the brigade, supporting 4 different divisions (1st Calvary,
1st Infantry Div, 101st Airborne, and 3rd Armored Div) had fired over
5440 artillery shells and 1286 MLRS rockets.
Heading east into Kuwait, we stood guard against any further Iraqi
aggression and waited for the blessed day when it would be our turn to
go home. That day came for the brigade in the beginning of May, 1991.