112                                U.S. MARINES IN THE PERSIAN GULF 199 -1991


                                                         Photograph by author
Morning of 26 Februapy 1991, as seen from the patition occupied by the azgineer task
force, Task Force Papa Bear.

The 3d Battalion, 9th Marines, made up the balance of the left-hand column and
spearheaded Papa Bear's attack. The task force headquarters followed in trace.
The right-hand column consisted of the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, followed by
the 1st Tank Battalion. Colonel Hodory placed the engineer task force behind
the 1st Tank Battalion.
    In order to cover TF Ripper's flank, the columns pressed forward. They
bypassed numerous abandoned Iraqi positions and saved time by directing
surrendering Iraqi soldiers towards follow-on units. At 1730 the 3d Battalion,
9th Marines, arrived at Phase Line Margaret and soon after encountered the
obstacle belts. The battalion found two barbed-wire belts in front of it instead
of one. Breaching operations began and, unopposed by the enemy, the 3d
Battalion's combat engineers quickly cleared lanes through the two belts. At
about 1800 the battalion completed its passage of the belts and started moving
toward an agricultural area juSt south of the airfield perimeter road.
    That proved to be the last Iraqi defensive position between Task Force Papa
Bear and the Kuwait International Airport. Occupied by elements of the Iraqi
20th i?~fant~ Regiment,  3d Armored Division, the position consisted of a
complex of bunkers and fighting positions supported by armored personnel
carriers and tanks. Most defenders chose not to fight and the sporadic resistance
scarcely hindered the 3d Battalion's advance. However, the near-zero visibility
and the sandstorm combined to make progress difficult and slowed its movement
to a crawl around the wells, pipe lines, and the occasional oil lakes. It took the
battalion until 2300 to locate and cut through the perimeter fence of the airport
to establish a small breachhead.176
    The right-hand column experienced similar conditions. At about 1815, 1st
Battalion, 1st Marines, crossed Phase Line Margaret and began its attack east
toward a radio station located next to the perimeter road. Smoke obscured
everything. Only TOW thermal sights provided a view of what lay ahead.