WITH THE 1ST MARINE DWISION IN DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM             55


and dug in. Colonel Fulks placed the 2d Battalion, 7th Marines, on the left
flank and 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, on the right. He put the reconnaissance
teams further out on each flank as a screening force and to the rear, in a slight
depression, he placed the task force's few vehicles guarded by a section of
antitank HMMWVs. The remainder of Grizzly's elements would arrive that
evening and fall into this formation.
   Iraqi forward observers failed to detect the arrival of Task Force Grizzly
opposite their positions. As daylight came, the view from their bunkers remained
unchanged--the minefield with its two rows of barbed wire and miles of empty
desert. But something seemed odd. The slightest movement of personnel or
vehicles brought immediate American artillery fire and air strikes. Loudspeaker
broadcasts urged Iraqi soldiers to surrender, and previously well-camouflaged
bunkers came under accurate air attack.~ By mid-morning, it became obvious
to the enemy that they had an American force in front of them and began using
their artillery in an effort to drive away their opponents. At 1022, enemy
artillery fired into the area occupied by the 2d Battalion, 7th Marines. To
Colonel Fulks this fire indicated that the task force had been spotted. The fire
turned out to be neither accurate or sustained--the enemy commander acted as
if he was unsure about what was in front of him. Colonel Fulks immediately
called in counterbattery fire which silenced the Iraqi guns, destroyed a 120mm
mortar position, a vehicle, and eight Iraqi soldiers.
   The situation intensified for Task Force Grizzly. In response to American
shelling, the enemy commander countered with a force of T-62 tanks and
armored personnel carriers. At 1050, 10 enemy tanks appeared opposite the 2d
Battalion, 7th Marines. They were followed by eight other tanks across Grizzly's
front. To Colonel Fulks, the arrival of the Iraqi armor made it obvious that the
task force had been observed. However, it took the appearance of 10 Iraqi
soldiers attempting to surrender to make him decide that the time had come to
move to a less exposed position a few kilometers west of the obstacle belt. He
covered the withdrawal with a combination of artillery fire and air strikes, but,
no sooner had 2d Battalion, 7th Marines, and 3d Battalion, 7th Marines gained
their new positions, than the 2d Battalion received a volley of artillery fire.
Colonel Fulks responded with an F/A-i 8 air strike against an artillery battery.
At 1440, forward observers from      the 2d Battalion, 7th Marines directed
additional artillery fire from 3d Battalion, 12th Marines, and air strikes against
a second enemy artillery position. Forward observers from the 3d Battalion
7th Marines, also called in a series of air strikes against identified enemy artil-
lery positions and against a group of revetted tanks and personnel carriers.
   It was getting dark by the time the final air strike terminated and Coionel
Fulks switched his attention to preparations for another attempt at finding a path
through the minefield. He was hopeful that this effort would succeed. He had
reinforced the reconnaissance tcams with the addition of combat engineers and
they had an entire night to attempt a silent breach. Unfortunately, the teams had
begun their search when an unexpected air strike against an adjacent Iraqi
position forced  their return.'~ Colonel Fulks  became  furious  at division
headquarters for directing an air strike into Task Force Grizzly's zone without