23 Feb             DOD announces that 94,000 sorties have been flown (2,900 today) re-focus.
                         ing on battlefield preparation in the KTO (1,200 sorties), destruction
                         of the Republican Guard (100 sorties), attacks and re-attacks on
                         selected strategic targets, counter-SCUD (300 sorties), and interdic-
                         tion of communicati9ns.
                   Naval forces are conducting combat air patrols, naval gunfire support, nune
                         countermeasures and maritime intercept operations.
                   USS MISSOURI destroyed targets on Faylaka Island. off the coast of
                         Kuwait City.
                   Ground forces continue to engage Iraqi forces with artillery, attack helos and
                         tactical aircraft throughout the border area. A Marine patrol engaged
                         12 Iraqi tanks, destroying four with TOW missile fire. Other tanks
                         fled, were engaged by air and artillery fire. Marines captured 143
                         enemy prisoners of war. 2100+ EPWs captured to-date.
                   DOD announces that 1,685 Iraqi tanks (39% of known inventory), 925 ar-
                         mored vehicles (32% of known inventory) and 1,450 artillery pieces
                         (48% of known inventory) have been destroyed to-date.
                   200 of Kuwait's 950 oilwells are burning creating thick smoke, and wellheads,
                         oil facilities and shipping terminals are being destroyed by Iraq.
                   DOD reports as many as 10,000 Kuwaitis are being rounded up and summa-
                         rily executed. Other atrocities are reported including systematic
                         murders of previously-tortured Kuwaitis.
                   1 SCUD missile is fired at Saudi Arabia, broke up in flight. A second SCUD
                         was intercepted by U.S. Patriot missiles over Israel.
                   Iraq does not comply with deadline (1200 EST) to meet coalition demands.
                         Iraq announced `We will never surrender. A lot of Americans will
                         die."
                   At 2000 (EST), President Bush announced he's directed General Norman
                         Schwarzkopf, in conjunction with coalition forces, "to use all forces
                         available, including ground forces, to eject the Iraqi army from
                         Kuwait.... The liberation of Kuwait has entered a flnal phase."
                   Following President Bush's statement, SECDEF Dick Cheney announced
                         commencement of "large ground offensive." Cheney reports "units are
                         on the move.
24 Feb             CINCCENTCOM announces that forces of the U.S., Saudi Arabia, UK,
                         France, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Syria and
                         Kuwait are proceeding in a major ground, naval and air offensive.
                   At 0400 (Desert Time), assault elements of 1st Marine Division (1st Battal-
                         ion, 5th & 7th Marines, supported by 3rd Tank Battalion) and 2nd
                         Marine Division (6th Marines and armor) launched attack, easily
                         breeching Iraq's vaunted defense lines of minefields, barbed wire,
                         bunkers and berms. Marines spearheaded attack, with USA para-
                         troopers, air assault forces, special forces, and ground forces of the
                         UK, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt and Syria. Within 9 hours, Marines
                         destroyed numerous Iraqi tanks and bunkers, seized the Burgan oil
                         field and Al Jabbir Airfield, and captured thousands of Iraqi troops.
                   Amphibious feint attacks under naval gunfire are launched in Arabian Oulf.


                                          A-38

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