Task Force Ripper

RETIRED Marine Corps General James ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis, was deployed to the Gulf as part of Operation Desert Shield and commanded the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, in the Gulf War. As one of the lead assault elements of the 1st Marine Division’s Regimental Combat Team 7 (Task Force Ripper), Mattis’s battalion was one of the first into Kuwait.

The 1st Battalion, 7th Marines was also the first unit to man defensive positions in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield in August 1990. The unit was an integral member of Task Force Ripper. When Desert Shield became Desert Storm, the battalion participated in the diagonal thrust to the perimeter of Kuwait City, spearheading the liberation of Kuwait from Iraq. At 4 am on Feb 24 the unit launched attacks through the so-called impenetrable barrier — very, very tough minefield, barbed wire, fire trenches. They went across into the second barrier line, even though they were under artillery fire at the same time — and continued to open up that breach. They then brought both the first and second divisions streaming through that breach.

By day’s end they had captured the Al-Jaber Airfield, while also consolidating positions around the Burgan Oil field.

The 1st Marine Division began the second day of operations on a line forward of the Burgan Oil field. At the end of the day, the division consolidated and prepared to clear the last of the enemy element from the Al-Jaber Airfield. With minimal casualties and equipment losses, the 1st Marine Division had destroyed 80 enemy tanks and 100

other vehicles, and had captured more than 2,000 enemy prisoners of war with more surrendering every hour.

On Feb 27 the unit’s new objective was the Kuwait International Airport. Encountering armored resistance, the division continued to engage until enemy forces surrendered northwest of the airport.

The division destroyed 250 T-55/62 tanks and over 70 T-72 tanks, against with only minimal casualties and equipment losses.

The unit then began clearing operations and prepared to receive special operations elements and Kuwaiti officials. The division also coordinated passage lines for Arab forces from Joint Forces Command East to enter Kuwait City.

The Marines remained in defensive positions in the vicinity of the Kuwait International Airport and the Al-Jaber Airfield.