The Highway of Death
At 0230, on 26 Feb 1991, Marine forces advance on Kuwait City. General Myatt ordered Task Force Ripper to seize the highway northwest of the airport and establish blocking positions to support Task Force Papa Bear's drive to isolate the airport from the south. Task Force Shepherd was to pass the edge of the east side of the airport, seize the highway to the northeast, secure the division's right flank, and isolate the airport from the east. Once the Marines surrounded the airport, Task Force Taro moved north by truck convoy and secured the airfield complex. Task Force Grizzly remained at Al Jaber.
As the LAVs from Shepherd moved in, Colonel Hodory relocated 3/9 to positions outside the fence-line, effectively clearing an area for the remaining Marines' assault. Myers ordered two companies on line. At 0430, the attack began in complete darkness, with Company A on the left and Company C on the right. By 0645, Marines of Company A raised the United States flag and a replica of the Marine Corps colors from flag poles in front of an airport terminal. This quick battle came at the cost of 18 Marines killed and 55 wounded. Marines would also lose one tank, one truck, one howitzer, and one Humvee. Saddam Hussein lost 10,365 by surrender, an unknown dead, 600 tanks, 450 armored vehicles, and 750 trucks.
A young Lieutenant Colonel Mattis commanded the Marines in 1/7. He received word that 70,000 Iraqi troops were retreating north on Highway 80, back to Iraq. The Marine Corps 3rd Airwing and U.S. Army's CH-64 gunships meet Saddam's troops, stretching 80 miles on the Highway of Death. The Battle of Rumaylah (known as the Turkey Shoots to troops in country) would decimate Saddam's forces, and another 700 vehicles were destroyed, and up to 10,000 men were killed.
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