AAR 1ST MARDIV IN SWA

File: 970725_dec96_decls34_0088.txt
Page: 0088
Total Pages: 130
Subject = AAR  1ST MARDIV IN SWA                                          

Parent Organization = MCCDC       

Unit = WDID        

Folder Title = AFTER ACTION REPORT 1ST MARINE DIVISION IN SOUTHWEST ASIA   WDID SWA 0073                       

Document Number =          1

Box ID = BX600145


                                    UNCLASSIFIED

                              AL.'ECDOTES FROM THE GROUND CAMPAIGN
                        (Wr,-tten by Col C.5. Quilter USMCR, I ME-F G-311)

                                          The Breaches

                  During the night before G-Day, a reconnaisance Marine with
              two combat engineers from 3.-d Battalion, 3rd Marines, of lst
              Marine Division's Task Force Taro infiltrated across 'the first
              rainefield. Their mission was to surreptitiously inark-h lane so
              that Taro could traverse the danger zone tafely.ozi'-f6ot., Somewhat
              to their surprise, they found themselves uncomfortably close to
              trenches ancl bunkers whereupon they Vere discovered by Iraqi
              troops. They quickly went into a combat stance,--and then shot an
              enemy soldier who was attempting to fi--&'first. This     'was ' followed
              by commotion as some forty other Iraqis immediately surrendered
              to the trio. Confronted by this'unexpected situationi:but
              undaunted, the Marines successfully shephea:7ded their new
              prisoners back through the minefield.

                          The Breaches (cont'd) - The Traditional Way

                 Colonel  James A. Fulks, 45, commands the 4th Marine Regiment
              and Task Force Grizzly, an infantry force of the lst Marine
              Division. They were tasked with breaching a single minabelt, 15
              miles south ol a! Jaber airfield, and then to screen the left
              flank of mechanized Task Force Ripper from direct fire. By
              February 16th, Grizzly had actually marched 20 kilometers into
              Kuwait - the first significant retaking of Kuwaiti territory -
              and set up its jump off areas. The only problem was that Remotely
              Piloted Vehicles and human reconnaissance was unable to locate a
              lane through the r-inefield.

                 Fulks now ordered the commander of 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines,
              Lieutenant Colonel Tim Hannigan, to infiltrate the mine belt by
              force on the night before G-Day. Hannigan's first problem was
              resolved by Iraqis who began walking through the minefield to
              surrender. The new enemy prisoners of war now obligingly marked
              the lane with chemical lights provided by the Marines. Then to
              the dismay ol' Fulks and Hannigan, a second unreported minebelt
              was discovered. This had evidently been emplaced to.discourage
              retreating by the Iraqi defenders.

                 This second difficulty was resolved in traditional Ma!7ine
              fashion: Gtaff Sergeant Restifo of the Engineer Platoon took-his
              bayonet and probed for mines quietly in the darkness, marking-a
              footpath as he went. Two companies passed through the second
              minefield by 0200 of G-Day via Rest4-fols path, which was soon
              enlarged to allow passage of the artillery of 5th Battalion, lith
              Marines.

                                  Direct Fire Hits by the M198
                 "HI' Battery :of 3rd Battalion, 14th marines from      Richmond,
              Virginia, is commanded by Captain Paul Brier. On Febraury 25th,





                                       UNCLASSIFIED