The term "world
tour" may mean different things to different people;
concerts, sports, but, to the men from 3rd Battalion,
7th Marines it meant 10 months away from home.
The Combat Center-based Marines started out in May 1990
on what they though to be a routine unit deployment to
Okinawa, Japan.
However, when the unit deployed May 3, they ended up heading
to the Philippines to defend U.S. bases and interests
in the area during uprisings in the country. The Marines
spent four and a half months there, and were also involved
in earthquake relief operations during the month of July.
After leaving the Philippines, the battalion headed to
Okinawa, and soon after arriving there left for Korea
to participate in Exercise Valiant Blitz '90.
The Marines spent approximately three weeks in Korea,
and when they returned to Okinawa they were notified their
deployment would be extended and they were heading to
Southwest Asia to join allied forces taking part in Operation
Desert Shield.
The battalion was scheduled to return to the Combat Center
in November of 1990, but once they found out about going
to Saudi Arabia, stayed on Okinawa for some R&R, and
to prepare for their new assignment. They left Okinawa
and arrived in Al Jubayl, Saudi Arabia Jan. 13, 1991.
The battalion arrived in Saudi Arabia by plane, ahead
of their equipment, which was transported by ship. While
they waited for their equipment to arrive, they were attached
to Regimental Combat Team-4.
Their mission was to be a foot-mobile infiltration force,
and these Marines trained for four weeks rehearsing how
they would breach the enemy minefields set before them.
"It was easy to train for foot-mobile operations
because we didn't have any of our vehicles yet anyway,"
said one 3/7 Marine.
During their four-week training period, the battalion's
equipment and vehicles arrived, and soon after, they were
transported by bus to the 1st Marine Division assembly
area at the Al Qaraah Air Field, basically a tin airstrip,
in northern Saudi Arabia.
The battalion established a defensive position near the
airfield for about one week. Then, as part of RCT-4, now
named Task Force Grizzly, which mainly consisted of 3/7
and 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, moved to replace Task
Force Shepherd February 16, who were set in along a berm
near the Saudi/Kuwaiti border. According to battalion
officials, 3/7 then became the lead element of all U.S.
forces in the region.
The battalion remained in this position until February
21, and had placed security forces as far as eight kilometers
into Kuwaiti territory.
This was only one of the moves these Marines would make
on foot. In executing their missions, these Marines would
cover approximately 45 miles, carrying a combat load,
over a span of eight days.
The initial mission set before Task Force Grizzly was
to breach the first minefield and clear out any enemy
resistance along the left flank of where Task Force Ripper,
followed by Task Force Papa Bear, would conduct an assault
breach on the mine belt and Iraq; positions. Another Marine
task force, Taro, would emulate Grizzly's mission on the
right flank.
The battalion moved out of Saudi Arabia and into Kuwait
three days before the ground offensive began, and then
became the first allied infantry force to enter Kuwait.
They were soon followed by the other half of the task
force, as 2/7 entered Kuwait and came up on their left
flank.
From the border, a 20-kilorneter hump took them about
five kilometers south of the minefield they were to breach
when the ground offensive began. Division recon had sent
a team in February 16 to seek a lane in the mine belt
for Grizzly to go through, but they couldn't locate one.
The battalion sent its own team out on the nights of February
21 and 22 to search for a lane. The detachment sent out
consisted of Marines from their Surveillance, Target and
Acquisition (STA) platoon, and some from the 1st Combat
Engineer Battalion, MCB Camp Pendleton.
They arranged for the suspension of all air and artillery
strikes on the positions where these Marines were to breach
so the observers could go in and look for a lane. However,
the observers were turned back because the strikes continued.
Running out of time before the ground offensive deadline,
battalion officials decided to use an assault breach on
the minefield and the enemy positions in the area.
Then, one day before the ground offensive was scheduled
to begin, forward observers and forward air controllers
went forward to the mine belt in hard-back. High Mobility
Multi-Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV), protected by vehicles
carrying Tube-Launched, Optically Tracked, Wire-Guided
(TOW) missiles and heavy machine guns, to call in strikes
on it and me Iraqi bunker complexes beyond.
The rest of the battalion spent about three hours rehearsing
the breach operation and issuing orders. However, as the
observers were conducting their mission they were hit
by enemy artillery fire, and were forced to return to
the battalion's attack positions.
After conferring with the battalion's commanders upon
their return, the observers were again sent back to the
minefield that afternoon. They felt they could get closer
to the field and find a lane to pass through, according
to battalion officials.
At approximately 4:30 p.m. the battalion received word
from the forward observers that they had received enemy
prisoners of war.
The observers then moved on their own, getting closer
to the mine held during daylight than any other unit had
done under cover of darkness.
As the Iraqis came toward the Marines, they monitored
their path, and then SSgt. Charles T. Restifo, a Marine
from 1st CEB, led two STA Marines, Cpls.. Daniel R. Jordan
and James S. Yates, through the field and into the enemy
bunker complex.
The three Marines wounded three Iraqi soldiers while clearing
the bunkers, and later, an entire company, consisting
of 68 Iraqis, began surrendering to these Marines.
The Iraqi company commander pointed out that there were
other companies positioned on the left flank of his immediate
position, and dial there was another minefield unknown
to the allied command about one kilometer to the north.
The Iraqi commander said he believed the purpose of the
second field was to keep his troops from fleeing north
when the invasion began.
The battalion called to the rear and requested permission
to hold the complex. This was done because they didn't
have the order to attack, but were not about lo give the
complex back to the Iraqis.
They received the go ahead from the command, and India
Company, led by Capt. John Foldberg, was sent into the
complex. However, as the company left its attack position,
three Marines were wounded by enemy artillery fire, and
had to be evacuated.
After reaching the complex, the security force began to
move toward the other Iraqi bunkers on the left flank,
and two additional enemy companies surrendered. Engineers
opened three lanes in the field for the battalion to traverse.
Then, at 10 p.m. the order came down from headquarters
to attack and the rest of the battalion was sent through
me breach.
Another detachment was then sent ahead to find a breach
in the second minefield. Officials noted that the second
field was a great concern because of the time involved
in having to find a way through.
As a foot-mobile force they didn't move very quickly,
and the possibility of being hit by friendly fire grew
as each moment passed. They needed to be well away from
the area in which they were now held up because Task Force
Ripper, followed by Papa Bear, would be coming through,
executing an assault breach close to their immediate position.
Amphibious assault vehicles with line charges, and tanks
with mine plows were sent to clear one vehicle lane through
the second field.
After the lane was complete, the battalion began to follow
the path, and had everyone through the field by 5 a.m.
Once through the breach. Grizzly had lo move 12 kilometers
north to defensive position on Rippers left flank.
At 6 a.m. March 24, Task Force
Ripper made its assault on the breach and headed deeper
into Kuwaiti territory.
While the battalion set up their defensive positions,
artillery came through the breach they made to support
Ripper's advance.
Once Ripper had moved through the breach they proceeded
to Al Jaber Air Base and secured all outside approaches
to that objective, which was believed to be the main command
post for all enemy forces in Kuwait.
The 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines was then transported by
truck to the air base, and as the lead element of Task
Force Grizzly, was given the task of cleaning the complex
of enemy forces.
They arrived there at 1 p.m., and relieved Ripper, which
then headed out for the Kuwaiti International Airport.
Reports came in to the battalion of Iraqi armored personnel
carriers, tanks, and as many as 250 enemy soldiers occupying
the base.
The Marines prepared the air base for their assault with
mortar and artillery fire, and then launched into a one-battalion
attack because 2/7 was held up.
A detachment of STA Marines and engineers were sent forward
to blow holes in the fence surrounding the base, but while
the battalion was in a position to attack, they were hit
by enemy artillery fire.
The battalion lost one man, and nine others were wounded
as a result of the enemy fire.
"There were oil fields burning in the area, and as
night fell, it was so dark you couldn't see your hand
in front of your face," said one 3/7 Marine, "There
was no way we could get helicopters in to pick up the
wounded, so Capt. Todd Kemper led a two- vehicle convoy,
carrying corpsmen and the wounded Marines, Four hours
later, traveling through mine fields in pitch blackness,
the convoy reached the medical facilities."
During the battle, Capt. Neil Morris and Kilo Company
got a foothold inside the air base, but the battalion's
assault was also halted because the darkness, so the Marines
stopped the attack and held on to the ground they had
taken.
At dawn the following morning, the attack continued, and
by 2 p.m. the battalion had cleared every building on
the air base.
However they found that the area had been deserted some
time earlier, but picked up a lot of good intelligence
and equipment. Two Iraqi T-62 tanks, eight armored personnel
carriers, and 40 EPWs were captured, but thought to be
stragglers who were looking for allied forces to surrender
to.
The battalion left the air base March 4, returned back
Manifah Bay, and left Saudi Arabia for the United States
March 9.
A Marine from the battalion, speaking of the trip home
said, "The welcome home was tremendous. All of the
Marines were completely shocked by the support shown when
they returned to the States.
"Imagine a guy isolated for 60 days from any information
about how the American people are reacting to the war,
coming home and being called a hero." |
