26 Feb (continuing)        Iraqi troops throughout the KTO as ground offensive continues; 21
                           Iraqi divisions have been destroyed or rendered combat-ineffective;
                           Marine recon unit is- the first U.S. force to enter Kuwait City, re-takes
                           control of U.S. Embassy. Marines comb neighborhoods for Iraqis.
                     Pockets of resistance remain, including Republican Guard units and at
                           Kuwait International Airport, where Marines engaged Iraqi tanks.
                     30.000+ enemy prisoners of war have been captured. 400+ tanks destroyed.
                     Nayal forces and Marine amphibious forces operated all along the Kuwaiti
                           coast executing feints to make Iraqis think an amphibious landing
                           was occurring. Marine 1-ight Attack Squadron-269 helos conducted a
                           "wake-up call" on Faylaka Island defenders, while simultaneously,
                           Marine Medium Helicopter Squadrons-263 and 365 and Marine
                           Heavy Helicopter Squadron-461 simulated a heliborne landing on
                           Bubiyan Island. 13th MEU pulled a feint attack south of Kuwait City.
                     Using Remotely Piloted Vehicles and Marine spotters ashore to zero-in on
                           targets, including artillery, mortar and missile positions, ammunition
                           storage facilities and a Silkworm missile site, battleships USSWIS
                           CONSIN and USS MISSOURI have fired more than 1.000 rounds of
                           16" ammunition in support of ground operations. USS MISSOURI
                           alone fired more than one million pounds of ordnance. USS WIS
                           CONSIN's RPVs provided on-site reconnaissance support from 11
                           nautical miles out for advancing Marines.
                     DOD announces over 100~000 sorties have been flown. Coalition forces,
                           including the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, flew 3,000 sorties today.
                           1,400 sorties have been directed at the KTO, 700 on close air support.
                     Navy A-6Es of USS RANGER's YA-155 and Marine aircraft bombed Iraqi
                           troops fleeing Kuwait City to Basra in "bumper to bumper" convoys
                           along two multi-lane highways. Numerous tanks, armored vehicles,
                           jeeps, cars, ambulances, and tractor-trailers were destroyed.
                     U.S. ground casualties are 4 KI~ 21 WIA~ 2 MIA.
                     Overall total: 53 KIA, 155 WIA, 30 MIA, 9 POW.
                     USS BIDDLE, assisted by Spanish vessel, diverts freighter in North Red Sea.

27 Feb               At D+42/G+4, CINCCENTCOM announces U.S. and coalition forces en-
                           gaged in a climatic "classic tank battle", supported by attack aircraft,
                           with approximately 3 divisions of Republican Guard forces in Iraq
                           near Euphrates Valley. These remnants of Iraq's forces were "boxed
                           in" by a "solid wall" of U.S. forces on their eastern flank, and U.S. and
                           coalition forces, including U.S. Marines, on their southernn flank.
                           Battle ended with loss of 200 Iraqi tanks, 50 armored vehicles and 20
                           artillery pieces.
                     29 Iraqi divisions have been destroyed or rendered combat-ineffective.
                     Over fifty thousand enemy prisoners of war have been captured. (48,000+
                           between 24-27 February)
                     U.S. casualties are 28 KI~ 89 WI~ 5 MIA since start of ground offensive.
                           Overall total: 79 KIA, 213 WIA, 35 MIA, 9 POW.
                     To-date, 3,008 Iraqi tanks (4,230 initial inventory), 1,856 armored vehicles


                                            A-41

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