WITH THE 2D MARINE DWISION IN DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM             47


                                            Department of Defense Photo (USMC) O34S 7 91
M-6OAl tank of ~Task Force Breach Alpha,  in Kuwait, is fitted with reactive armor and
a track-width mine plow. These vehicles were first into the minefield of the iraqi
defrttses.

was ordered to secure a building, surrounded by a chainAink fence, located 800
meters to the east. The platoon was mounted in assault amphibious vehicles. As
they came within 300 meters of the building, Iraqi soldiers inside it opened fire
with rocket-propelled grenades. The platoon dismounted, and under cover of the
vehicles' .50-caliber machine guns, attacked through volleys of grenades. Within
100 meters of the building the platoon was pinned down by automatic weapons
fire. The 3d Squad was ordered to attack the building while the rest of the
platoon laid down covering fires. In open view of the Iraqis and under fire,
Sergeant William J. Warren, leader of the 3d Squad, stood up and moved among
his fire teams, giving orders and encouraging his men. He maneuvered his teams
to within 20 meters of the building, and then led an assault through a hole in the
fence. As the squad entered the building, the shaken Iraqi troops fled from it,
seeking escape across the desert.'6
    By 1020, all three assault battalions were reporting that they were in contact
with the enemy.162 Enemy resistance was stronger to the north, at the top of the
minefields, but Colonel Livingston pushed all three of his assault baflalions
forward to their regimental objectives. On the regiment's left, the 1st Battalion,
6th Marines, was through the mineflelds and moved against the enemy fire with
little difficulty. In the center, the 2d Battalion, 2d Marines, was also past the
minelields and encountered enemy artillery and tanks.      This battalion was
supported by tanks attached from the 8th Tank Battalion. (3unnery Sergeant
John D. Cornwell aggressively led his tank platoon forward through Iraqi small
arms and antitank fire. In a series of attacks, he directed the platoon against