88                                     U.S. MARINES IN THE PERSIAN GULF, 1990-1991

    At the I MEF command center, Generals Boomer and Hearney closely
tracked the progress of the assault on the position locating and reporting system
display 011 Jack O'Connor's computer.     After the earlier alarming chemical
report, messages on carbon paper flimsies called "yellow canaries" began to flow
in that indicated that the assault was going very well indeed.  From 2d Marine
Division's General Keys at 0801:    "Progressing (in) smooth, timely manner.
At 0815, General Myatt at 1st Marine Division:  "Things going well.~~M A few
mirnites later, reports came in concerning the capture of the first significant
batches of enemy prisoners: about 100 by 6th Marines and more by Task Force
Grizzly.  By 0930, Grizzly was through the second mine belt.       By mid-after-
noon, the bulk of both divisions were through the second breach and were
beginning to take more prisoners.   To General Boomer's relief, there were few
casualty reports.  Although the MEF command operations center continued to
receive sporadic reports of chemical weapons, these weapons didn't seem to be
having mtich effect on the progress of the operation which was going faster
than anyone had hoped.
    In the early afternoon, Lieutenant General Boomer received a call from
General Schwarzkopf concerning the allied main attack with VII Corps and the
Joint Forces Command-North immediately to MarCent's left.        The Combined
Operations Plan called for the main attack to commence the following morning.
The Marines' speedy progress caused Schwarzkopf to worry aloud to Boomer
about possible exposure of I MEF's left flank once they came abreast of
Manaqish where the border turned due west.     General Schwarzkopf wanted to
get the main attack going and sought Boomer's opinion.  The left flank was a
concern of Boomer too, who also felt that the Iraqis might try to retreat through
northern Kuwait.   General Boomer recommended that the main attack begin as
soon as possible.  Shortly after this conversation, General Schwarzkopf ordered
the main attack-to commence.    Although ArCent's VII Corps crossed its line of
departure at 1500, the Joint Forces Command-North attack on MarCent's left
flank was delayed until after 1800.   It stopped just inside their breach for the
night.
    To the east, General Myatt at 1st Marine Division wanted to launch a
heliborne assault over the mine belts using battalion-sized Task Force X-ray at
1700.  The I MEF air officer, Colonel John F. Amend, Jr., gave the go-ahead
if the landing zone was secure.  It wasn't; the Iraqi infrared heat-seeking missile
threat had nOt been suppressed.   A Marine AV-8 Harrier and an OV-10 Bronco
were lost nearby on the next day to these weapons with one aircrew killed in
action and one captured.   The mission was scrubbed for the day at 1945 after
an aborted liftoff at 1745.
    In the meantime at 1753, Task Force Ripper consolidated its position around
the eastern side of MEF Objective A, the Al Jaber Air Base.     However, it was


    Capt D. M. Spellacy of VM0-2 was killed in action. The other OV-lO crcwmember, Major
J. J. Small, was captured. Capt J. S. Walsh ejected from his crippled AV-8 and was rescued by
Marines on the ground.