European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 2, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday March 2, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 3 in the Gulf iraqi War machine devastated by the stars and stripes Middle East Bureau even after the cease fire brought an end to the merciless destruction of the iraqi army some  units continued to blast the enemy a War machines. Elements of the Germany based 3rd army div spent the hours following the halt of. Hostilities blowing up tanks and weapons left behind by the fleeing Republican guard. It essentially was a disposal operation and in some respects it symbolized the entire ground War. The enemy had collapsed like a House of cards creating a Battle that will be remembered More for the images of surrendering troops than for the intensity of lighting. There were Sharp firefights before the cease fire but even when the iraqis chose to fight they were mostly ineffective. A a a a a a a a a a a. A i never saw them return fire a said capt. Jan Shadwick a 3rd army div officer who participated in the 2 /2-Day drive that hammered iraqis elite Republican guard. Although there was no official count the division believed it had destroyed hundreds of tanks and armoured personnel carriers. The Battle took the form of Many scat Ter cd fights As Allied tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles swarmed Over the Cor a need iraqi divisions. Many Field commanders reported that the enemy was disorganized and lacking leadership or a Battle plan. That led to what one officer called a Turkey shoot. 1 a every time we shot we got a kill a said capt. Richard Turner 29, of Panama City fla. A your Thermal sights gave us a big advantage. We could see them but they  Sec  to the North elements of the xviii airborne corps were duplicating Vii corps Success also against the Republican guard. Apache helicopters hounded armoured units seeking to escape Northwest to Basra and across the euphrates River. A a a  1 a a a a a a a a a a. Iraqi tanks had been placed on flatbed trucks to Speed their journey North. They were defenceless and easily picked off by the apaches and pursuing Armor. In Kuwait resistance was Light. The 1st and 2nd Marine divisions accompanied by tanks of the 2nd army dives Tiger brigade from fort Hood Texas swept North through Saddam Hussein s less Well equipped  Tiger brigade alone destroyed about 100 tanks in two Days. As elsewhere in the Battlefield fights were often uncontested. The overwhelming number of tanks destroyed were abandoned said col. John Sylvester Tiger brigades commander i on fac Way to Kuwait City the brigade came across an emplacement of about 20 t-72 tanks and began firing at will. Even with Only 2 or 3 feet of Turret exposed above their Sand cocoons the soviet built Armor was easy prey. The brigade tank and Tow missile Crews had Little difficulty hitting the immobile targets often firing front beyond the enemy a Range. A a a at one Point a t-72 fired several rounds at the Lead Tiger tank. The rounds landed with a thunderous but Distant thud. The army Crews used their Superior Range Well standing Back arid firing at the iraqi tank from nearly two Miles. A a it a just like in training. We get a target confirm it and tire on it a said sgt. Lorn Cavanaugh 28, of new Jersey an a mla1 tank gunner. A a killing a tank is something of a letdown. I just never thought it would be v a. A a a a a. A Quot. A. Medio Pool a member of the 24th inf div Mech checks the papers of a captured iraqi Soldier wearing a to shirt Reading a american  this easy. I got two kills today and it was just like we trained for a stand Back and shoot and kill it dead a he said. In other engagements the brigade needed Only to destroy one tank to get others to surrender. The Crews would jump out and walk toward the advancing Armor with their hands up. In some cases the m1ai blasted enemy tanks from distances in excess of 3,000 meters a Well beyond its rated combat Range. Sylvester said that in one confrontation two t-62 tanks were destroyed by the a Lala a main gun. A third tank Crew including the platoon Leader quickly surrendered. A the  believe he had been killed by a main gun a the commander said. A the swore he was shot by a  . Troops blasting their Way across Kuwait and Iraq also Learned firsthand about the reality of a taking out enemy Armor. In Southern Iraq two humvee stopped next to the remains of an iraqi armoured personnel Carrier. It had been hit from above by some sort of precision munition probably a Maverick laser guided missile from an a Kyj. The machine gun that once was mounted on lop had been hurled nearly 100 feet. Bits of the pc were strewn Over an area of several Hundred Square feet. A a a a a a a a v a. A there was a Hole on the top of the vehicle where the missile punched through and jagged holes on the sides blasted by the exploding warhead. Inside there was a mass of blackened twisted Metal. The body of the Driver was also in the tank. A a in the Sand about 10 feet from the vehicle Lay the machine gunners body. He had been Riding on the top and was thrown Clear thus escaping the flames. Already the desert Sands were beginning to cover the Young iraqi. This report was compiled by George Manes Middle East Bureau chief from Pentagon Pool reports. Modia Pool an american Soldier inspects a disabled iraqi t-55 tank on wednesday. The Hole in the tank was caused by a direct hit during heavy fighting on wednesday