Battle of Kuwait International Airport

Battle of Kuwait International Airport
Part of the Persian Gulf War

The "heel" of Kuwait
DateFebruary 27, 1991
Location
Kuwait City Airport
29°14'15"N 47°58'26"E
Result American victory
Belligerents
 United States  Iraq
Commanders and leaders
Maj. Gen. Myatt[1]
Colonel Fulford Jr[1]		 Maj. Gen. Mahmoud
Gen. Hamdani[2]
Units involved
1st Marine Division
2nd Marine Division
Bravo Company, 4th Tank Battalion, 4th Marine Division
2nd Armored Division's Tiger Brigade
3-41 Infantry's Straight and Stalwart Battalion Task Force
United States Army Special Forces[1]		 3rd Armored Division[3]
5th Mechanized Division
1st Mechanized Division
6th Armored Division
7th Infantry Division
8th Infantry Division
11th Infantry Division
14th Infantry Division
29th Infantry Division
15th Infantry Division
18th Infantry Division
19th Infantry Division
36th Infantry Division
42nd Infantry Division
449th Field Artillery Brigade[4]
Multiple Commando Units
Casualties and losses
19 killed
48 wounded
1 M1A1 tank damaged[5]
10 M60A1 tanks destroyed/damaged[6]		 Heavy casualties
Thousands captured
Hundreds of Iraqi tanks and armored personnel carriers destroyed or captured[7][8][9]
1 British Airways Boeing 747-100 destroyed
Two destroyed Iraqi T-62 tanks on the battlefield, February 1991.
The battlefield at Burgan Oil Field where the United States Marine Corps destroyed 60 Iraqi tanks during the 1st Gulf War, February 1991.
A United States Marine Corps tank bears witness to burning Iraqi tanks and Iraqi soldiers leaving their fighting positions at a battle that took place at Burgan Oil Field during the 1st Gulf War, February 1991.
Marine Artillery played a huge factor in disrupting Iraqi counterattacks during the 1st Gulf War, February 1991.

The Battle of Kuwait International Airport occurred on February 27, 1991, during the 1st Gulf War. It was a tank battle between the United States (as part of the Coalition of the Gulf War) and Iraq. Despite being a very large battle it is often overlooked compared to the other battles which took place during the war. No less than elements of 18 divisions total participated in this battle. US Army Special Forces units and multiple Iraqi Commando units were also in theatre. In reality the battle took place over a span of three days despite the primary battle at Kuwait International Airport lasting only one day. Much of the combat actually took place en route to the airport. The battle featured the "Reveille Engagement" which went on to become the biggest and fastest tank battle in United States Marine Corps' entire history.[10]

  1. ^ a b c Washington Post Moore p.A01
  2. ^ M60 vs T-62 Cold War Combatants 1956-92 Nordeen&Isby P.75
  3. ^ philly article
  4. ^ U.S. Marines in the Persian Gulf, 1990-1991 With the 1st U.S. Marine Division in Desert Shield and Desert Storm Cureton P.97
  5. ^ TAB H - Friendly-fire Incidents
  6. ^ M60 vs T-62 Cold War Combatants 1956-92 Nordeen&Isby P.66
  7. ^ Washington Post Moore P.A01
  8. ^ bravocompany4thtankbattalion.org
  9. ^ M60 vs T-62 Cold War Combatants 1956-92 Nordeen&Isby P.73
  10. ^ Col H. Avery Chenoweth (2005) Semper Fi: The Definitive Illustrated History of the U.S. Marines