wITH THE I MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM     103


Arab Coalition troops from the Joint Forces Command-East celebrate the liberation of Kuwait City
belaw the city `5 landmark water towers on 1 March 1991. This was accompanied by much firing
of weapons, to the distress of their American Marine allies.

about 388 kilometers from the port at Jubayl, the DSC supported both divisions
by use of the 40-kilometer-long hard-surface road that connected Al Jaber to the
Sixth and Seventh Ring Roads.
   To the east of I MEF late on the afternoon of 26 January, the Joint Forces
Command-East broke out and rolled north along the coastal freeway.     Marine
reconnaissance pathfinder teams were in the lead.  The way to the American
Embassy seemed clear, and in accordance with the Combined Operations Plan,
one team, under 1st Lieutenant Brian 0. Knowles, made a dash for it in
conjunction with Saudi teams headed for their own embassy nearby.      At last
light, the team entered the compound where Knowles found a tattered American
flag still flying.  The team then carried out a careful clearing Operation in the
dark and then declared the embassy secure at about 2210.  Satisfied that Iraqi
resistance within the city was nearly finished, General Boomer moved his
forward command post next to 2d Marine Division's amidst junk yards about
seven kilometers south of Al Jalira.

                           Consolidation and Victory

   During the night of 26-27 January 1991, General Hearney and the I MEF
staff worked to coordinate a tricky passage of lines by Coalition forces.   At
about 0400,  General Sultan sent a Joint Forces Command-East composite
battalion of commanders and troops from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab
Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and Free Kuwait to enter Kuwait City through
Task Force Shepherd's positions east of Kuwait International Airport.  To the
west at the same time, Egyptian and Syrian units linked up with 2d     Marine