29 Jan (continuing) centers at an oil refinery at Basra. In the first m~jor ground confrontation, Iraq mounts a four-pronged raid across Kuwaiti border. Near Al Wafra, U.S. and coalition forces engage a mechanized battalion with Cobra gunships and ~ixed wing aircraft, and repulse the attack, destroying 10 tanks, losing 3 light armored vehicles. North of Ras Al Khafji, at just before midnight, another Iraqi battalion crossed the border, with turned turrets--the international sign of surrender--then, attacked. U.S. AC-130s and Cobra helicopters destroyed 4 tanks, 13 vehicles. Fighting continued for control of Khafji through the night. Forty more Iraqi tanks crossed the border, and engage U.S. Marine light armored infantry. Attack was repelled, but eleven Marines were killed in action, the first ground combat casualties of the operation. Two Marines were wounded. A total of 33 enemy tanks and 28 APCs were destroyed. U.S. ground forces continue to receive sporadic artillery fire, engage in small skirmishes with Iraqi troops along the Kuwaiti border, and con- ducting artillery and counter-battery missions, firing hundreds of rounds and anti-tank missiles on Iraqi outposts in Kuwait. U.S. Marines of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, deployed from USS OKINAWA (LPH-3), assault and capture Umm al Maradim Island, 12 miles off the coast of Kuwait. Marines plant the Kuwaiti flag, and destroyed anti-aircraft weapons and artillery stored on the 400 meter- by-300 meter island. This is the second isiand reclaimed for the Ku- waiti government by the coalition. Navy helos search Maradim Island investigating reports of Iraqis offering to surrender, and were fired upon by approximately 20 Iraqi small craft with rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons. Returned fire, sinking 4 boats, damaging 12. A-6s engaged fleeing boats. 80-90 Iraqi aircraft (35%, civilian, 65%, fighters/bombers) have now flown into Iran. DOD announces that the fire has been extinguished at the Sea Island Termi- nal, and the oil flow from the terminal has stopped. Additionally, the oil slick is breaking up. DOD announces that over 700,000 coalition air, ground, and naval personnel are present in the theater of operation, and over 110 coalition com- batant ships are participating. U.S. troops number over 490,000. USCENTCOM officially begins first transfer of 36 Iraqi Enemy Prisoners of War to Saudi Arabian control. To-date, 200,948 National Guard and Reservists have been recalled to active duty (15,093 Navy, 22,141 USMC). a A-23
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