Battle of Al Busayyah

Battle of Al Busayyah
Part of the Persian Gulf War
Date26 February 1991; 33 years ago (1991-02-26)
Location
Result U.S. victory
Belligerents
 United States  Iraq
Commanders and leaders
Gen. Schwarzkopf
Gen. Frederick Franks
Montgomery Meigs
Gen. Al-Rawi
Units involved

1st Armored Division

  • 2nd Brigade
1 infantry battalion (Republican Guard)
1 commando battalion
1 T-55 tank company[1]
Strength
1 armored division Unknown
Casualties and losses
None 16 captured
12 tanks destroyed
2 BRDMs destroyed
1 BMP destroyed
25 utility vehicles destroyed

The Battle of Al Busayyah was a tank battle fought in the pre-dawn darkness on February 26, 1991, during the Persian Gulf War, between armoured forces of the United States Army and those of the Iraqi Army.

The battle is named after the Iraqi town of Al Busayyah, which sat at a critical crossroads and was an Iraqi Army stronghold. The town consisted of forty to fifty buildings, most located along one main north–south road. It was defended by a battalion-sized Iraqi infantry unit reinforced by T-55 tanks, armored personnel carriers, and elements of an Iraqi commando battalion.[1] The town was heavily fortified with machine gun nests and fighting positions. Twelve Iraqi tanks and twelve other armored fighting vehicles were dug-in deeply at strategic positions in, and around, the town. Trenchlines stretched fifteen hundred meters south of town, radiating out to perimeter strong points.

  1. ^ a b Bourque p. 257