How to knock out a Brigade TOC

[Culpeper]

While tanks were securing ground in downtown Baghdad their TOC, which was 11 miles away, received a direct hit from an unguided surface-to-surface missile. It KIA a few soldiers, destroyed several vehicles, a lot of equipment, and shut down the TOC completely for over an hour. Now, remembering back when I was just a ROMAD radio operator I was told never to transmit more than I had to, and that was just with the small radios available at the time. Sometimes we forget the basics. I guess the TOC was transmitting like FoxNews and an unguided missile became a guided missile. Apparently, someone was on the ball and knew in what direction to fire that missile. Ironically, the TOC was celebrating their brigade's morning advancements at the time of the strike. The rest is history. Lesson learned but how to prevent it?

[Jimbo]

They got hit more by being located in an easily identified facility/compound than sigint.

[RTK]

While tanks were securing ground in downtown Baghdad their TOC, which was 11 miles away, received a direct hit from an unguided surface-to-surface missile. It KIA a few soldiers, destroyed several vehicles, a lot of equipment, and shut down the TOC completely for over an hour. Now, remembering back when I was just a ROMAD radio operator I was told never to transmit more than I had to, and that was just with the small radios available at the time. Sometimes we forget the basics. I guess the TOC was transmitting like FoxNews and an unguided missile became a guided missile. Apparently, someone was on the ball and knew in what direction to fire that missile. Ironically, the TOC was celebrating their brigade's morning advancements at the time of the strike. The rest is history. Lesson learned but how to prevent it?

If I remember correctly, transmitting grids in the red is not a good method for success.

I believe your quote is from the 3 ID Division AAR for OIF. It goes into quite a bit of detail on this specific event.

[Culpeper]

Is it online?

[SWJED]

Is it online?

... Global Security has a lot of the early AARs to include the 3 ID's here.

[SSG Rock]

Don't have time to check SWJED's link, I will read later.

Jimbo has it right, the TOC was indeed hit because it was established at a well known Iraqi warhouse in an industrial district.

[RTK]

... Global Security has a lot of the early AARs to include the 3 ID's here.

I relooked it last night - its not in there. I do know there was an after operations review that detailed that incident. I'll have to go back through my stuff where I saw it.

[SSG Rock]

In "On Point" the fact that the TOC was located in the warehouse is noted, but does not mention that as the reason it was hit. Since I helped write this book I can tell you that it was written far too early to allow full analysis.

But, as I am currently reading COBRA II, and read about the 2 BCT TOC attack just last night that Trainor states unequivically that the attack occurred due to it's location at the warehouse. A well know location to the insurgents.