wfrH THE 2D MARINE DWISION IN DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM            33


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                                             Department of Defense Photo (USMC)
Marines of 2d Light Armored infantry Battalion move through minefield lanes in Kuwait,
24 February 1991.

fire mission placed some experimental chemical-light rounds within 500 meters
of the team's position. Realizing that Iraqi troops might enter the area to
investigate these unusual munitions, Sergeant William D. i3ates, the team leader,
moved the team approximately three kilometers to the position of a radio-relay
team. There was still a gap in front of the enemy's minefields which had to be
reconnoitered, but there was little time remaining to complete the mission.
During the night of 20 February, Sergeant Bates led the team to within one
kilometer of the edge of the minefield. Sergeant Bates, accompanied by the
team's terrain sketcher and a photographer, conducted a daylight reconnaissance
of the minefield. Moving in the open, they crawled the last 500 meters to the
forward edge of the field. In order to gain a better perspective for his sketch,
Lance Corporal William E. Owens climbed one of the nearby electrical pylons.
From this exposed vantage point, he completed an accurate sketch of the
minefield, while Corporal Michael D. Cooke took several photographs and made
detailed notes. The three Marines collected information about the wire obstacles,
the location of an unmined foot lane, the types of mines present, and enemy
activities. The team returned, undetected, having accomplished its mission and
having covered 30 kilometers of desert on foot in 24 hours.'21 The battalion's
mission ended on 0 minus 2, 22 February, and all teams had returned to their
parent units by 0124.'~
    Another battalion crossed the berm prior to 6-Day. The attack order
assigned the 2d LAI Battalion to screen the division's front and flanks on the
Kuwaiti side of the berm, starting on 6 minus 3, 21 February. The battalion
was to "attempt to identify any gaps in the obstacle belt and locate an alternate
breach site for Tiger Brigade in the Northwest."123 This last task was especially
important should the division's main breach effort fail or be held up by the
enemy. An alternate breach site would permit the Tiger Brigade to move its