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The Iraqi offensive began on the night of 29 January, when approximately 2,000 soldiers in several hundred armored fighting vehicles moved south.<ref>Williams, p. 23.</ref> Post-war analysis by the [[United States Air Force|US Air Force]]'s [[Air University (United States Air Force)|Air University]] suggests Iraq planned to utilize the 3rd Armored Division and 5th Mechanized Division to make the actual attack on Khafji, with the 1st Mechanized Division assigned to protect the attacking force's western flank. The Iraqi incursion into Saudi Arabia consisted of three columns, mostly made up of T-62 tanks and armored personnel carriers (APCs).<ref name=":0" /> The Gulf War's first ground engagement was near observation post 4 (OP-4), built on the Al-Zabr police building.<ref>Titus, p. 9.</ref><ref>Williams, p. 24.</ref> Elements of the Iraqi 6th Armored Brigade, ordered to take the heights above Al-Zabr, engaged Coalition units at Al-Zabr.<ref>Westermeyer, p. 15.</ref> At 20:00 hours, U.S. Marines at the observation post, who had noticed large groups of armored vehicles through their night vision devices, attempted to talk to battalion headquarters but received no response. Since contact earlier was no problem, there was a strong presumption that the reconnaissance platoon's radios were being jammed. Using runners, Lieutenant Ross alerted his platoon and continued trying to get through and inform higher headquarters and Company D of the oncoming Iraqi force.<ref>Liberating Kuwait, p. 112</ref> Contact was not established until 20:30 hours, which prompted Task Force Shepard to respond to the threat. Coalition soldiers at observation post 4 were lightly armed, and could only respond with TOW anti-tank missiles before calling in air support.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |title=With the 1st Marine Division in Desert Shield and Desert Storm – U.S. Marines in the Persian Gulf, 1990–1991 – Khafji, Weapons Systems, Combat Engineer Breaching Equipment, Training with Saudi Army |last=Cureton |first=Charles H. |publisher=USMC |year=1993 |isbn=1521394504 |location=USA |pages=33}}</ref> Air support arrived by 21:30 and took the form of several [[F-15E]], [[F-16C]], four [[A-10]] Tank Killers and three [[AC-130]] gunships, which intervened in a heavy firefight between Iraqi and Coalition ground forces at OP-4. The reconnaissance platoon stationed at OP-4 was the first to come under attack, their withdrawal from the engagement was facilitated by another company providing cover fire. The attempt by the soldiers stationed at OP-4 to fend off or delay the Iraqi advance cost them several casualties,<ref name=":1" /> and in the face of a heavy Iraqi response they were forced to retire south, by order of its commanding officer.<ref>Westermeyer, p. 16.</ref> |
The Iraqi offensive began on the night of 29 January, when approximately 2,000 soldiers in several hundred armored fighting vehicles moved south.<ref>Williams, p. 23.</ref> Post-war analysis by the [[United States Air Force|US Air Force]]'s [[Air University (United States Air Force)|Air University]] suggests Iraq planned to utilize the 3rd Armored Division and 5th Mechanized Division to make the actual attack on Khafji, with the 1st Mechanized Division assigned to protect the attacking force's western flank. The Iraqi incursion into Saudi Arabia consisted of three columns, mostly made up of T-62 tanks and armored personnel carriers (APCs).<ref name=":0" /> The Gulf War's first ground engagement was near observation post 4 (OP-4), built on the Al-Zabr police building.<ref>Titus, p. 9.</ref><ref>Williams, p. 24.</ref> Elements of the Iraqi 6th Armored Brigade, ordered to take the heights above Al-Zabr, engaged Coalition units at Al-Zabr.<ref>Westermeyer, p. 15.</ref> At 20:00 hours, U.S. Marines at the observation post, who had noticed large groups of armored vehicles through their night vision devices, attempted to talk to battalion headquarters but received no response. Since contact earlier was no problem, there was a strong presumption that the reconnaissance platoon's radios were being jammed. Using runners, Lieutenant Ross alerted his platoon and continued trying to get through and inform higher headquarters and Company D of the oncoming Iraqi force.<ref>Liberating Kuwait, p. 112</ref> Contact was not established until 20:30 hours, which prompted Task Force Shepard to respond to the threat. Coalition soldiers at observation post 4 were lightly armed, and could only respond with TOW anti-tank missiles before calling in air support.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |title=With the 1st Marine Division in Desert Shield and Desert Storm – U.S. Marines in the Persian Gulf, 1990–1991 – Khafji, Weapons Systems, Combat Engineer Breaching Equipment, Training with Saudi Army |last=Cureton |first=Charles H. |publisher=USMC |year=1993 |isbn=1521394504 |location=USA |pages=33}}</ref> Air support arrived by 21:30 and took the form of several [[F-15E]], [[F-16C]], four [[A-10]] Tank Killers and three [[AC-130]] gunships, which intervened in a heavy firefight between Iraqi and Coalition ground forces at OP-4. The reconnaissance platoon stationed at OP-4 was the first to come under attack, their withdrawal from the engagement was facilitated by another company providing cover fire. The attempt by the soldiers stationed at OP-4 to fend off or delay the Iraqi advance cost them several casualties,<ref name=":1" /> and in the face of a heavy Iraqi response they were forced to retire south, by order of its commanding officer.<ref>Westermeyer, p. 16.</ref> |
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[[File:My-Humvee-Shot.jpg|thumb|[[Humvee]] driven by Marine Corporal Richard Lovell, |
[[File:My-Humvee-Shot.jpg|thumb|[[Humvee]] driven by Marine Corporal Richard Lovell, riddled with small arms fire during 1st Major Iraqi ground offensive in Battle of Khafji.]]To cover the withdrawal, the company's platoon of [[LAV-25]]s and LAV-ATs (anti-tank variants) moved to engage the Iraqi force. After receiving permission, one of the anti-tank vehicles opened fire at what it believed was an Iraqi tank. Instead, the missile destroyed a friendly LAV-AT a few hundred meters in front of it. Despite this loss, the platoon continued forward and soon opened fire on the Iraqi tanks with the LAV-25s' autocannons. The fire could not penetrate the tanks' armor, but did damage their optics and prevented the tanks from fighting back effectively.<ref>Westermeyer, pp. 16–18.</ref> |
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To cover the withdrawal, the company's platoon of [[LAV-25]]s and LAV-ATs (anti-tank variants) moved to engage the Iraqi force. After receiving permission, one of the anti-tank vehicles opened fire at what it believed was an Iraqi tank. Instead, the missile destroyed a friendly LAV-AT a few hundred meters in front of it. Despite this loss, the platoon continued forward and soon opened fire on the Iraqi tanks with the LAV-25s' autocannons. The fire could not penetrate the tanks' armor, but did damage their optics and prevented the tanks from fighting back effectively.<ref>Westermeyer, pp. 16–18.</ref> |
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Soon thereafter, a number of A-10 ground-attack aircraft arrived but found it difficult to pinpoint enemy targets and began dropping flares to illuminate the zone. One of these flares landed on a friendly vehicle, and although the vehicle radioed in its position, it was hit by an [[AGM-65 Maverick]] air-to-ground missile that killed the entire crew except for the driver. Following the incident, the company was withdrawn and the remaining vehicles reorganized into another nearby company.<ref>Westermeyer, pp. 18–19.</ref> With observation post 4 cleared, the Iraqi 6th Armored Brigade withdrew over the border to Al-Wafrah under heavy fire from Coalition aircraft. Coalition forces had lost 11 troops to [[friendly fire]] and none to enemy action.<ref>Westermeyer, pp. 19–20.</ref><ref>Titus, pp. 9–11.</ref> |
Soon thereafter, a number of A-10 ground-attack aircraft arrived but found it difficult to pinpoint enemy targets and began dropping flares to illuminate the zone. One of these flares landed on a friendly vehicle, and although the vehicle radioed in its position, it was hit by an [[AGM-65 Maverick]] air-to-ground missile that killed the entire crew except for the driver. Following the incident, the company was withdrawn and the remaining vehicles reorganized into another nearby company.<ref>Westermeyer, pp. 18–19.</ref> With observation post 4 cleared, the Iraqi 6th Armored Brigade withdrew over the border to Al-Wafrah under heavy fire from Coalition aircraft. Coalition forces had lost 11 troops to [[friendly fire]] and none to enemy action.<ref>Westermeyer, pp. 19–20.</ref><ref>Titus, pp. 9–11.</ref> |
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