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


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                        RIPPER                 oILrIELD `

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   TO MEF 9Bd C
      ...MISSlO
      1/11: GS O/Q DS PAPA BEAR
      3/11: DS RIPPER
      1/12: DS XRAY/TARO
         A/1/12: DED GRIZZLY
      3/12: REIN 3/11
      6/j1: CS, PRI SHEPHERD
                70               eo              90         1:0

Final locatio, of division units by the evening of 25 February 1991. Units are positioned
to support the next day's drive to seize the Kuwait international Airport.

consisted of more than five vehicles, fighting remained continuous. The 3d Tank
Battalion first encountered an abandoned bunker complex and bypassed it only
to run into a second position consisting of seven entrenched T-55s.  Marine
tankers raked the enemy tanks with machine gun fire but got no response. They
proved to be abandoned and were bypassed. it was not until 0904 hours that
Task Force Ripper met any resistance. Forward observers from the 1st Battalion,
5th Marines, spotted entrenched infantry and called in a section of AH-lW Sea
Cobras.