98                                 U.S. MARINES IN THE PERSIAN GULF, 1990-1991


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                                                  Pastel by Sgt Charles G. Grow, USMC
Capt Donald E. McRae, Company F, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, Task Force Gnzzly,
huddles against the cold.

patrols from Company K had pushed as far as the outermost buildings when
Colonel Fulks decided not to risk casualties in house-to-house fighting at night
and suspended the attack order until daylight.
    The poor visibility made it difficult for Colonel Fulford to reposition Task
Force Ripper's maneuver battalions. Lieutenant Colonel Mattis with the 1st
Battalion, 7th Marines, experienced the most difficulty. He had to remain near
Al Jaber until midafternoon waiting for Task Force Grizzly to arrive. Although
the relief went smoothly, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, moved so late in the
day that it got caught moving to its new position when the wind changed and
enveloped the entire area under a thick blanket of oily smoke. The experience
seemed surreal. At 1500 all daylight suddenly vanished and, three hours later,
the battalion moved in darkness so black as to be impenetrable by night vision
devices. The 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, pressed forward regardless. Lieutenant
Colonel Mattis put CAAT 1 and CAAT 2 forward, screening the battalion's left
and right fronts, respectively, while he kept the companies organized in a wedge
formation with "Team Mech" at the point, Company C on the left, and "Team
Tank" on the right. By using PLRS data, the battalion eventually rejoined Task
Force Ripper.'63 Colonel Fulford and the reassembled task force were ready for
the attack on the Kuwait International Airport.
    The visibility also limited the use of artillery during the day's fighting, but
the day was not uneventful. While Task Force Papa Bear and the division
command post were busy defeating the three-brigade attack, Colonel Howard