Battle of Norfolk: Difference between revisions

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Line 41: On the night of 23/24 February 1991, in accordance with General [[Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr.\|Norman Schwarzkopf's]] plan for the ground assault called [[Operation Desert Sabre]], VII Corps raced east from [[Saudi Arabia]] into Iraq in a maneuver later nicknamed the "Hail Mary." The Corps had two goals: to cut off Iraqi retreat from [[Kuwait]], and to destroy five Republican Guard divisions near the Iraq-Kuwait border that might attack the Arab and [[United States Marine Corps\|U.S. Marine Corps]] units moving into Kuwait to the south. The breach was preceded by a heavy artillery barrage, led by 4/3 FA Battalion, to soften up Iraqi defenses. Around 300 guns from multiple nations participated in the barrage. Over 14,000 rounds of artillery and over 4,900 MLRS rockets were fired at Iraqi forces during these raids.<ref>Bourque, p.164</ref> Iraq lost close to 90 artillery pieces during the initial stages of this barrage. By the end of these raids Iraqi artillery assets had all but ceased to exist. Led by Major General Thomas Rhame, the U.S. 1st Infantry Division pushed through the Iraqi defenses. The U.S. 1st Infantry Division opened fire on the Iraqi defenses with tank fire and destroyed four tanks with [[TOW missile]]s. In the end, the division succeeded in decimating the Iraqi 26th Infantry Division, and taking over 900 prisoners. The U.S. 1st Infantry Division also suffered a casualty, with one soldier being killed by an Iraqi land mine. [[Task Force 1-41 Infantry]] was given the task of breaching Iraq's initial defensive positions along the berm along the Iraq-Kuwait border. Once into Iraqi territory the Task Force would encounter multiple Iraqi defensive positions and bunkers. These defensive positions were occupied by a brigade sized element.<ref>VUA Citation</ref> TF 1-41 IN elements dismounted and prepared to engage the enemy soldiers which occupied these well prepared and heavily fortified bunkers.<ref>VUA Citation</ref> The Task Force would find itself engaged in six hours of combat in order to clear the extensive bunker complex .<ref>VUA Citation</ref> The Iraqis would engage the Task Force with small arms fire, RPGs, mortar fire, and what was left of Iraqi artillery assets. A series of battles would unfold which resulted in heavy Iraqi casualties and the Iraqis being removed from their defensive positions with many becoming POWs. Some would escape to be killed or captured by other coalition forces.<ref>Bourque, pp.113-133</ref> ==Battle==