WITH THE 1ST MARINE DWiSiON IN DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM               109


at the line of departure, CAAT 2 received sporadic small arms fire from a group
of buildings about 600 meters northeast of the battalion. Remembering the
previous day's ambush, Lieutenant Colonel Mattis struck back with everything
the battalion had. In a matter of minutes, artillery, mortars, machine guns, MK-
19 40mm grenades, and LAAW fire rained in on the Iraqis. Tracer fire snaked
into the buildings and explosions ripped them apart. When the smoke cleared the
buildings lay in ruins with their occupants dead or ~ying~1?J  The 1st Battalion,
1st Marines, adopted a less dramatic approach. Taking advantage of the waiting
period, the battalion launched a preemptive strike. Its `Able Team" and TOW
section moved forward to clear the immediate area in front of the battalion. In
their assault they found 10 abandoned T-62s, 10 AT-12s, large quantities of
ammunition, and   enemy soldiers wanting only to surrender.~~
   At 1330 the division sat immobile as task force commanders and regimental
operations officers (S-3s) met with General Myatt and division forward staff to
finalize plans for the attack on the Kuwait International Airport. Myatt ordered
TF Ripper to seize the highway northwest of the airport and establish blocking
positions to support Task Force Papa Bear's drive to isolate the airport from the
south. Task Force Shepherd was to skirt the east side of the airport and seize
the highway system to the northeast and secure the division's right flank and
isolate the airport from the east. Once it had the airport surrounded, Task Force
Taro was to move north by truck convoy and secure the airfield complex. Task
Force Grizzly remained at Al Jaber. Following this meeting, the task force
commanders returned to their units and held their own "orders groups. "   Some
units shifted  position as commanders  made   minor  adjustments        to their
formations. General Myatt directed the maneuver battalions to hold their lead
elements at Phase Line Margaret until cleared to move to Phase Line Green.l?3
   It was about 1400 when 2d Marine Division units linked up with the left
flank of the 1st Marine Division. The initial meeting proved the problems
commanders faced contending with the fog and blowing smoke. As the flank
elements of both divisions came within sight of each other, poor visibility caused
some AAVs carrying 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, to mistake the AAVs of 1st
Battalion, 5th Marines, as Iraqi vehicles. Firing their .50-caliber machine guns
at a range of 1,000 meters into the battalion's combat train, the 2d Marine
Division AAVs closed to within 500 meters before seeing they were firing on
Marine vehicles and returning to their zone.
   At 1530, the final drive began. Task Force Ripper crossed Phase Line
Margaret and moved north. Frequent wind shifts covered Marines in clouds of
black smoke that blocked nearly all  light. Night vision devices overcame
conditions, but movement remained difficult. The experience of the 1st Battalion,
7th Marines, typified Task Force Ripper's attack.
   This unit no sooner began its attack than Lance Corporal Peter Ramsey of
CAAT 2 spotted two "hot" T-54s through thermal sights. Only 70 meters from
him, the smoke that hid them also obscured Ramsey's vehicle. Lance Corporal
Ramsey quickly sighted in on the two tanks and destroyed each with a TOW
missile before either could react. Immediately after this engagement, another
crew spotted yet another "hot" T-62 and dispatched it with a TOW missile.