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PXA~E II:   BATTLE FOR AL BURQAN

      Stand to took place at 0530 on 25 February. Visibility
was extremely restricted due to dense fog.   Division delayed TF
X-Ray's helicopter landing until the fog cleared0   A Task Force
orders group was called for 0630 to discuss plans for the day.

      At 0800, a T-55 tank and two type-63 APC's appeared out of \
the fog and stopped approximately 50 meters f~~om the Task Force
CP.   A group of Iraqi soldiers accompanied the vehicles and
surrendered to the Task Force Security Platoon.   Among those
surrendering was a Regi~ental Commander for the 22nd Brigade,
5th Mechanized Division, who disclosed under i~iiinediate tactical
interrogation ~;~4ed that elements following his surrender
party intended to fight.   Moments later,~~the Task Force CP came
under tank main gun and automatic weapons fire.   Headquarters
Marines moved forward to engage the enemy with MK-19s,  .50 cal,
AT-4s, and LAAWs.   After a ten minut~ engagement during which
several of the enemy vehicles were either disabled or
destroyed, the attacking force withdrew into the fog.

      Meanwhile, 1st Tanks had been notified of the impending
threat and had received enemy automatic weapons fire itself.
The Battalion quickly repositioned its forces to engage the
enemy.   D Co was re-oriented on line to the east and C Co was
positioned on D Co's right flank.   During this time, b6th tanks
and APCs were engaged with Dragons and AT-4s from I Co, 3/9 in
the fog at ranges less than 500 meters.   The dense fog rendered
the TOW screen somewhat ineffective as friendly tanks moved
east into blocking positions.   C Co engaged and destroyed over
18 armored vehicles, while D Co cleaned-up what leaked through
and continued to push out.   As TOWS made their shift north,
the TAC (A)  in an OV-10 reported a build up of armored vehicles
to the northeast0   Those vehicles were subsequently engaged by
a FASTFAC controlling CAS aircraft.   As fog cleared, TOWs
engaged enemy to the southeast at extended ranges and
registered a number of kills.

      AH-lW Cobras were called in and engaged the enemy with
Hellfire missiles.   Once the fog burned-off, fixed-wing
aircraft also engaged targets.   Fixed-wing and Cobras were
controlled by the TAC (A) against targets farther to the
east/northeast with excellent results.   Artillery missions
called in were initially delayed for two reasons.   First, 1/il
had begun its displacement to the west side of the Burqan
Oilfield.   Secondly, at 0800, Division had placed into effect
restrictive fire support measures to protect the TF X-Ray
landing which had not yet taken place.   The engagement~of the
enemy occurred on the far side of the established RFL.   TF Papa
Bear's attempt to cancel the RFL until X-Ray had actually
lanaea was denied by Division.   ~ll fire missions bad to be
cleared with Division, and were fired by the reinforcing
battalion, 1/12.

      The counter-attack lasted approximately 3 hours with kills
by 1st Tanks estimated to be (5O)~tank~   (25) APCs, and (20)
armored vehicles of other types.   There were other enemy

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