U.s. MARINES IN THE PERSIAN GULF, 1990-1991


the minefields and set detonators to explode the line charges that failed to go
off.  Others retrieved unexploded mines by hand and carried them out of the
way.   Infiltrating task forces at 1st Marine Division proofed their passages by
manually probing and disarming mines they located.      When the penetration in
the 2d Marine Division's Green Lanes bogged down due to breaching equipment
casualties, some units made short connector lanes over to other lanes to permit
faster passage. To improve traffic flows after the penetrations, Direct Support
Command engineers used armored D7 Caterpillar tractors equipped with plows
and flails to widen the lanes.
    After emerging from the second barrier belt, 2d Marine Division fanned out
northwest of Al Jaber Air Base.     The 6th Marines remained in the center to
protect the breaches.  Tiger Brigade passed through the breaches next during
the afternoon of 24 February.    It anchored the force's left flank by enveloping
the Iraqi 7th Infantry Division.    During the night, the 8th Marines, under
command of Colonel Larry S. Schmidt, came through the breaches to become
the division's right flank.  They rolled along the seam dividing the Iraqi 14th
and 29th Infantry Divisions.   The 2d Marine Division received continuous light
0pp05iti0n, mostly from artillery and tanks during its assault.    The division
suffered two killed in action that day, a Marine and a soldier from Tiger
Brigade.   Shelling by Iraqi   artillery was intermittent, but the barrages were


Results of a Marine air attack with Mk 20 Rockeye clusier bomb munitions are evident on an iraqi
D20 lS2mm anmery emplacement. This was one of a brigade of 56 howitzers, located in and
about the "Emir \s Farm." The iraqi ammunition bunkers were covered on~ with corrugated sheet
metal and a thin layer of sand and were easy targets for Marine Hornet and Harrier jets. Rapid
response air strikes and counterbatteryfire effectivelt thwarted the large amount of ira qi artillery
during and afier the breaching assault.