Airborne Corps prior to 3AD deployment) 9th Battalion, 227th Aviation Task Force Viper Division Artillery (DIVARTY): Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB), DIVARTY Battery A, 40th Field Artillery Battery F, 333rd Field Artillery 2d Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery 2d Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery 4th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Division Support Command (DISCOM): HHC, DISCOM 22d Chemical Company 503d Forward Support Battalion 54th Forward Support Battalion 45th Forward Support Battalion 122d Main Support Battalion Division Troops: HHC, 3d Armored Division 3d Armored Division Band 503d Military Police Company 23d Engineer Battalion 143d Signal Battalion 533d Military Intelligence Battalion (CEWI) Note: 3d Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery had inactivated and did not deploy to Desert Shield/Storm Attached Units: 4th Battalion, 34th Armor (from 8th ID (M)) 5th Battalion, 3d Air Defense Artillery (from 8th ID (M)) 3rd Battalion, 20th Field Artillery 2d Battalion, 29th Field Artillery (from 8th ID (M)) 12th Engineer Battalion (from 8th ID (M)) 302d RAOC 323d Chemical Company 148th Public Affairs Detachment, IDARNG 369th Personnel Service Company Company C, 17th Signal Battalion 43d Ordnance Detachment (EOD) Into battle After months of training, the division moved to the line of departure, with the 1st Armored Division on its left flank and the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment on its right flank. While the Iraqi Army concentrated much of its defenses in and around Kuwait itself, the 3rd AD and VII Corps launched a massive armored attack into Iraq, just to the west of Kuwait, taking the Iraqis completely by surprise. Scouts from 2nd Brigade crossed the border on the afternoon of 23 February 1991 just after 1500 hours. Less than two hours later, they had penetrated several miles into Iraq and managed to capture over 200 prisoners. On 24 February, the official first day of action, the division as a whole swung into action as part of a coordinated attack by hundreds of thousands of Coalition troops. By dawn on the second day, an additional 50 prisoners had been taken, with scouts reporting enemy reinforcements moving to meet the division. Second day At 1115 hours on the second day of the invasion, all elements of the division finally moved across the line of departure. The day was marked by hard pushing to penetrate deep and fast for an objective south of Basra. In the course of its drive, various elements of 3AD engaged the enemy, taking prisoners, skirmishing, sometimes bypassing enemy