Operation Desert Storm - Task Force Papa Bear Operations Report

 24 February 1991 – Persian Gulf War – Operation Desert Storm 

Task Force Papa Bear (1^st Marine Regiment) Operations Report

02:00   Task Force Papa Bear began moving to its attack position.  3/9 led the movement, followed by 1^st Tanks and 1/1 along Axis OUTLAW. 

05:30   TF Papa Bear Crossed Phase Line (PL) BLACK into Kuwait. 

07:45   The entire task force as in its attack position. 

07:48   3/9 crossed the Line of Departure and moved to its assault position.  The approach to the first belt went as planned. 

09:05   3/9 commenced the breach and was followed by 1^st Tanks, the Alpha Command Element, 1/1, the Bravo Command Element, and Engineers.  The task force’s logistics vehicles followed in trace.  Obstacles encountered included barbed-wire fences and anti-personnel/anti-tank mines.  As breaches were made through the mine field, the lanes were marked with expedient marking material and proofed by track-wide mine plows. 

14:00   All of the task force had passed through the first obstacle belt. 

15:20   Division’s intent was for TF Pap Bear to quickly clear the second obstacle belt and establish a breach head in order to helo-lift TF X-Ray (1/3) inside Papa Bear’s zone prior to darkness.  3/9 began to breach the second obstacle belt as 1/11 supported the assault with artillery fire. 

16:00   The right lane was open, but the left lane was blocked by an M-60 roller tank which had been disabled an an anti-tank mine.  3/9 passed through the breach and immediately engaged five T-55 tanks retreating to the northwest, killing two of them.  Continuing its assault against Iraqi defenses, 3/9 incurred ten casualties from enemy mortar fire.  

16:15   Despite only one lane being cleared, 1^st Tanks passed through the breach and began to engage reveted tanks and infantry in bunkers. 

17:00   1/1 passed through the second breach and expanded the breach head to the north while Cobra gun ships, tanks, TOWs, artillery, and infantry assault elements suppressed the enemy and forced them to retreat to positions in the Al Burgan Oil Fiend.  Hundreds of enemy prisoners of war (EPWs) were collected as the task force cleared its zone. 

18:00   X-Ray attempted to land but was forced to abort its landing because of enemy ground fire.  For the remainder of the evening, TF Papa Bear consolidated its position.  For security purposed, the task force’s logistics vehicles stayed south of the second belt for the night.