86                                 U.S. MARiNES IN THE PERSIAN GULF, 1990-1991


11th Marines, and organic 81 mm mortars, the 3d Battalion fought its way
through a strong antitank and mortar position. When the position fell, hundreds
of Iraqi soldiers began ~u~~~~~~~~ng~J~2
    During the 3d Battalion's assault, 1st Tank Battalion moved through the
single open lane. At 1615 it swung east and attacked an enemy force consisting
of revetted tanks and dug-in infantry. Tracers crisscrossed the gray sky as
Marine units closed on the Iraqis. When the TOW company moved into position
on the battalion's right flank, it unhinged the Iraqi defense by destroying six T-
55 tanks. Company B's forward air controller directed a flight of AH-lW
Cobras against another group of tanks. Their TOW missiles accounted for an
additional eight T-55s. The Iraqi defense came apart. Company I, 3d Battalion,
9th Marines (attached to 1st Tank Battalion), no sooner reached the enemy
position than it became inundated by 650 Iraqi soldiers wanting to surrender. In
the gathering darkness, while Company I handled the prisoners,  1st Tank
Battalion pushed its antitank company into the oilfield as a screen. One of the
TOW-equipped HMMWVs no sooner got in position than it encountered a T-
55 whose crew still wanted to fight. Following a short engagement, the Iraqi
tank exploded in flames after a direct hit by a TOW missile.143
    At 1700 Colonel Hodory brought the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, into the
breach. The battalion moved directly north where it encountered resistance.
Company B and a platoon of TOWs destroyed three tanks and three armored


                       Photograph by 1st Marine Division Combat Camera Unit, 31 January 1991
An anti4ankHMMwW The absence of allied recognition symbol (~) indicates photograph
was taken prior to engagement at Khafii.