Military Exercise Tarcza-76 Instruction No. 1 of the Northern Front for Protection Against Weapons of Mass Destruction

Top Secret

Copy Nº 2

[Original Polish receipt and

declassification stamps;

Polish handwriting across the page]

INSTRUCTION

Nº 1 OF THE NORTHERN FRONT

FOR PROTECTION AGAINST WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

The CP is south of Torun [entered by hand:] WARSAW 1600 6 September [1976]

Map 1:500,000 1970 edition

1. According to available information it needs to be taken into consideration that with the start of combat operations the enemy might use OMP [weapons of mass destruction], launching airstrikes, missiles, and atomic artillery.

2. The enemy is equipped with [the following] in tactical order of battle:

a) Missiles to deliver OMP in the areas:

- the 650^th Sergeant battalion in the area of BOBOLICE;

- the 150^th Sergeant battalion in the area of WOLSZTYN;

- the 2^nd Pershing krp [expansion unknown] in the area of [ZELLOW, possibly SEELOW].

b) Nuclear-capable aircraft at [the following] airfields:

- the 312^th ibaeh (G) in the area of BRÜSSOW;

- the 311^th ibaeh (G) in the area of SCHWEDT;

- the 23^rd tiaeh (B) in the area of BERLIN;

- the 15^th abeh [expansion unknown, but probably some kind of bomber squadron] (VB) in the area of CO[TT]BUS;

- the 14^th ibaeh (VB) in the area of SPREMBERG;

- the 17^th ibaeh (VB) in the area of [SENTENBERG].

3. Depots of weapons of mass destruction in the areas of:

- north of MIESZKOWICE;

- west of RZEPIN;

- south of [LIUBOKO];

- south of SZPROTAWA.

4. The chemical troops are performing the following operations during the regrouping and at the forming-up area for the offensive operation:

a) the 14^th khbr [Chemical Brigade] with D conducts radiation and chemical reconnaissance along routes up to the line [NER]SK [name obscured by handwriting over it]-PABIANICE; organizes ROV [expansion unknown, but possibly "reconnaissance of toxic chemical agents"] at the line KWIDZYN, BYDGOSZ, GOSTYNIN [possibly GOSTYN] to the areas of decontamination at the line TUCHOLA, RADZIEJÓW.

Aerial reconnaissance is conducted on route movements of the first operational echelon and in areas where missile troops, second operational echelons, and front reserves are located.

b) during the offensive operation radiation and chemical reconnaissance is conducted in the zone of nuclear minefields at the line ZLOTÓW, SZAMOTULY; it organizes ROV at the river ODER in the sector BRIESEN, FORST and at the river ELBE in the sector LÜBTHEEN, BRANDENBURG.

c) forces of the front organize two chemical reserves:

- reserve Nº 1 consisting of the 14^th khbr less the 1^st bso and the 14^th bso less the 1^st rdo operate in the sector LIPNO, WAGROWIEC, [STRAISBERG], SOLTAU;

- reserve Nº 2 consisting of the 1^st bso and the 1^st rdo operates in the sector WIELBARK, LIPIANY, PARCHIM.

d) the weather forecast for the period 9-15 September:

- the direction of the average high-altitude winds in the layer up to 24 km is 340 degrees with a speed of 50 km/hour;

- in the surface zone the direction of the wind is northwesternly, speed 2-4 m/sec, air and soil temperature is 8-10 degrees at night, and 17-19 degrees in the daytime.

The Commanding General of the troops of the Northern Front has ordered:

Organize two SOLP [composite aftereffects elimination detachments] at the front consisting of:

- Nº 1 - an msb of the 33^rd motd, an omb and r.san mashin [full expansion unknown, but some sort of medical vehicles], the vzrkhr [probably "radiological and chemical reconnaissance platoon"] from the 14^th khbr, water production and purification company, a company of earthmoving vehicles, a rota tor. [possibly an error for rota toir, maintenance and repair company] from the 12^th isbr, a combat equipment recovery company, a tracked vehicle repair company, a vehicle repair platoon, and a technical reconnaissance platoon from the 26^th frb [Front Missile Brigade]. The commander of SOLP Nº 1 is the Deputy Chief of the Department of Troop Control of the Front Staff Operations Directorate.

- Nº 2 - the msb of the 20^th td, the omb and r.san machin, the vzrkhr from the 14th khbr, the water production and purification company, a rota tor. from the 11^th isbr, a combat equipment recovery company, a tracked vehicle repair company, a vehicle repair platoon, and a technical reconnaissance platoon from the 36^th frb.

The commander of SOLP Nº 2 is an officer of the Department of Troop Control of the Front Staff Operations Directorate.

The SOLP is to form up [on receipt] of the codeword message GVYAZDA 888 with an indication of the time and place.

Organize two SOLP's in armies and one in divisions from the authorized men and equipment.

5. During regrouping and at the forming-up area for the offensive operation pay special attention to protection from OMP of missile troops and artillery, army reserves, and troops at the VISTULA river line.

6. In the course of the offensive operation ensure the protection of troops from OMP at the boundary of nuclear obstacles and at the rivers ODER and ELBE.

Provide radiological and chemical reconnaissance to the:

- 21^st Army in nuclear minefields in the sector CZLUCHÓW-CZARNKÓW and at the boundary of the river ODER in the sector SZCZECIN-KOSTRZYN;

- 22^nd Army in nuclear minefields in the sector CZARNKÓW-SRODA and at the boundary of the river ODER in the sector KOSTRZYN-BRODY;

- 27^th Army in nuclear minefields in the sector SRODA-KALISZ and at the boundary of the river ODER in the sector KROSNO OdrzaNskie-SCINAWA;

- 25^th Army in the forming-up area, and also on routes to the line of commitment [to battle];

- 24^th Air Army in areas where an airborne assault force is to land.

7. To ensure the commitment of the first echelon of the Army allocate one bso each from the 21^st khp [Chemical Regiment] and the 12^th and 11^th khbr's. With the remaining forces support the operations of the missiles forces first and also the reserves and second echelon of the Army.

8. Replace the losses and supplies of chemical equipment by the end of 8 September.

[A page of handwritten Polish was inserted in the document at this point]

- the 9^th PKhS [expansion unknown] beginning 0800 5 September concentrated north of MRONGOWO. Then regroup in the zone of the 21^st Army.

-  the 34^th PKhS beginning 0900 5 September concentrated north of RadzyN Podlaski. Then regroup in the zone of the 27^th Army.

-  the 35^th PKhS beginning 0600 6 September concentrated north of SIEDLCE. Then regroup in the zone of the 22^nd Army.

9. Report immediately if personnel receive radiation doses of 100 roentgens.

10. The codeword to notify the troops of the launch of an OMP strike is:

- first nuclear strike - 777 Ostryy Grot

- next nuclear strike - 0001 Domino-1

CHIEF OF THE OPERATIONS CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE
DIRECTORATE OF THE FRONT STAFF NORTHERN FRONT

/illegible signature/     /illegible signature/

Three copies printed

Copy Nº 1 - 21^st Army

Copy Nº 2 - 22^nd Army

Copy Nº 3 - 27^th Army

Drafted by Maj. Partyka

Print I. K. 6.9.76

Nº mash. [?typewriter?] 055/11