94                                U.S. MARINES IN THE PERSIAN GULF 199.1991


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                                           Painting by Sgt Charles G. Grow USMC
                       Destroyed dug-in iraqi tank.

    Struck simultaneously by air and ground fire, the Iraqis lost vehicles and
personnel. No ~rther attacks developed, and by 1100 the 1st Tank Battalion
controlled the battlefield. Remnants of the enemy force soon surrendered or
withdrew north through the burning wells. In a fight !asting three hours, the
battalion had successfully stopped an attack by two Iraqi Brigades (the 501st
Brigade, 8th Infantty Dtvision, and the 22d Brigade, 5th Mechanized Division).
The enemy lost 50 tanks disabled, 25 armored personnel carriers destroyed, and
300 prisoners taken. There were no Marine casualties.
    At 1100, the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, remained heavily engaged in a fight
of its own. Having departed its positions at 0730 to clear the Al Burqan Oilfield
through Gathering Center 4, the battalion proceeded slowly, moving north for
over an hour when, at 0915, it ran into the southern flank of an enemy force
counterattacking from the east. The engagement began when  the 1st Platoon,
Company B, the battalion heavy machine guns' "Baker Team," and the 1st
Section, 4th Platoon, Antitank (TOW) Company, 1St Tank Battalion, came in
contact with mechanized infantry from the Iraqi 15th Mechanized infantry
Brigade, 3d Armored Division. All of Company B soon joined the fight and, by
0930, it destroyed three armored personnel carriers and captured 29 enemy
soldiers. The 1st Battalion resumed its movement north with Company B on the
left, Company A in the center, and Company D on the right. Companies A and
B fought several company-size enemy units during their drive through the
burning oilfields. Company D struck the 2d Battalion, 15th Mechanized Brigade
and captured more than 400 prisoners including an Iraqi battalion commander.
    While moving through the oil field, the battalion came abreast of an LAV
screen consisting of Companies A, C, and D, Task Force Shepherd. Because