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

rear ramp of an obstacle clearing detachment AAV, but fortunately missed the
line charges stored inside.
    It was soon apparent that the enemy was positioned along the elevated
highway that marked the airport's southern perimeter. They had placed three
heavy machine guns on the highway and put the mortars on the opposite slope.
!t was also apparent that the task force was up against a determined unit. The
destruction of the armored personnel carrier only served to intensify Iraqi fire
rather than end it, as had previously been the pattern. Initially, they fired high
but gradually found the range. Machine gun rounds began hitting the ground
near Marine positions and thudded into AAVs. Occasionally, 7.62mm rifle fire
added to the din.
    Once Major Musca determined that the enemy could only confront the
combat engineers with small arms, he checked all tank fire Out of concern for
adjacent units.  Musca opted to use the task force's automatic weapons to
suppress the attack. For 15 minutes yellow-orange tracers crisscrossed between
the two positions until the enemy disengaged. As the Iraqi survivors withdrew
along the perimeter road, a change in wind direction gradually darkened the task
force's poSition like the closing of a curtain ending a play.
    On the 1st Marine Division's right flank, Task Force Shepherd's attack
paralleled the movement of Task Forces Ripper and Papa Bear.181 At 0600
Company D rejoined Task Force Ripper on the left. Lieutenant Colonel Myers
then deployed the remaining companies and attacked, moving north through and
along the east side of the Al   Burqan Oil field. The Marines encountered
remnants of the retreating Iraqi corps. Within an hour, Company C destroyed
10 Type-63 armored personnel carriers. The enemy lost a further six armored
personnel carriers and their passengers (totaling 100 men) to Company A as it
inoved into position next to Company C. Having reached Phase Line Margaret,
Myers halted the task force and waited for the division to move into position for
the final push. While there, Company A found a tank supply point and captured
three T-62s, two armored personnel carriers, one Soviet-built BTR, and one
truck.
    In the division's final push, Task Force Shepherd continued its screening
mission and attacked north along the coastal highway. Iraqi resistance proved
weak as the task force destroyed 6 tanks, 11 armored personnel carriers, and 5
trucks in the drive. Eventually, the LAVs reached the perimeter fence, skirted
the airport's east side, and entered the outer edges of Kuwait City at 1700.
Company A found a military barracks two miles east of the airport. After the
company's LAVs shot into it for several minutes without any response, Myers
determined that its occupants had fled.
    Task Force Shepherd moved on to continue the attack. Driving north to the
city racetrack,  lead elements of Task  Force  Shepherd  contacted Kuwait
resistance forces at 1730. They told Myers that most Iraqis had departed the city
and the road was clear. Task Force Shepherd then moved to Phase Line Green,
the limit of advance, without incident. At 1830 the task force established its
position near the racetrack.