AAR 1ST MARDIV IN SWA

File: 970725_dec96_decls34_0091.txt
Page: 0091
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


                            ANECDOTES FROM THE GROU14D CAMPAIGN

                      (Written by Col C.J. Quilter USMCR, I MEF G-3H)

                                        The Breaches

                During the night before G-Day, a reconnaisance Marine with
            two combat engineers from 3rd Battalion', 3rd Marines, of ist
            Marine Division's Task For7ce Taro infiltrated across the first
            minefield. Their mission was to surreptitiously-3nark a lane 'so
            that Taro could traverse the danger zone safely on foot'.--somewhat
            to their surprise, they found themselves uncomfortably close to
            trenches and bunkers whereupon they were discovered by Iraqi
            troops. They quickly went into a combat stance, and then shot an
            enemy soldier who was attempting to f ir,@ f irst. '.This was. f ollowed
            by commotion as some forty other Iraqis immediately surrendered
            to the trio. Confronted by this unexpected situation, but
            undaunted, the Marines successfully shephe:2@ded their new
            prisoners back through the minefield.

                       The Breaches (cont'd) - The Traditional way

               Colonel Janes 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 minebelt, 15
            miles south of al 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 .Pirst significant retaking of Kuwaiti territory -
            and set up its @ump off areas. The only problem was that Renotely
            Piloted Vehicles and human reconnaissance was unable to locate a
            lane through the ninefield.

               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 of Fulks and Hannigan, a second unreported minebelt
            was discovered. This had evidently been eriplaced to discourage
            retreating by the Iraqi defenders.

               This setond difficulty was resolved in traditional Marine
            .fashion: Staff 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, Ilth
            Marines.

                                Direct Fire Hits by the M198

               "HI' Battery oi  3rd Bat@@alion, 14th Marines from Richmond,
            Virginia, is commanded by Captain Paul Brier. On Febraury .25th,





                                       UNCLASSIFIED