This third day of battle raged on into the windswept and stormy night. As visibility dimmed, not only from the darkness but also from blowing sand, American technology proved its worth. The thermal sighting systems on board the M1A1 tanks and Bradleys kept picking up targets, giving the edge to Spearheaders. By 2400 hours, the division, bloodied but undaunted, could say with pride it had pinned the ears back on a stout enemy.

The third day of battle merged without pause into the fourth. Somewhere in the darkness, the calendar changed but enemies in combat were too busy to note their passing. Second Brigade, which had borne a good deal of the action, was to report an additional death and another wounded soldier soon before dawn.

During the night, Third Brigade, who had been mopping up behind and still finding plenty of action, passed through the Second Brigade lines and allowed the Second to drop into the rear. The steamrolling of the Republican Guard continued. Prisoners taken were able to confirm intelligence reports. The Spearheaders were sweeping the vaunted Tawalkana Division, the Iraqi 52nd Armored Division and elements of the 17th and the 10th Armored Divisions.


It was on this, the fourth day, that the division hit Objective Collins, and in order to pursue a faltering enemy executed a brilliant maneuver. Wheeling as one to the right, the division turned east and carried the fight into Kuwait. Exacting a heavy toll, Third Armored thundered into Kuwait, finding and surprising an enemy as it did so.

Defensive positions dug by the Iraqis faced south, and in some cases, the division came upon them from the rear. With no way to turn their turrets from within their positions, the tanks of the once-proud Iraqi Army fell victim to their own arrogance. Close coordination between advancing elements enabled the Division to exact a heavy toll.

The united fingers of Air Force close air support, artillery, combat aviation, infantry and armor closed into a fist that clobbered all who dared stand against it, and delivered a combined punch that sent the Iraqis quickly to their knees. Although fighting continued throughout the day and into the evening, by nightfall intelligence reports indicated that Iraq' s 10th Armored Division had been destroyed, and what little remained of the 17th was withdrawing. The Tawalkana and 52nd had suffered similar fates. Just before midnight, the order came down that would conclude the fighting; "Attack to complete the destruction of the 17th/52nd Divisions in sector."

From then on, it was a mop-up exercise. All Coalition objectives, to include those handed to the Third Armored Division, had been reached, and thanks to superb training, they were met more painlessly than had ever been expected. At 0634 on the 28th, one of the last orders to be given during the land war was issued to Third Bn., 8th Cavalry. It said simply to attack to the east and knock out anything hostile before 0800, when the cease-fire was to begin. On that note, the ground war ended.


In just 100 hours. Third Armored had steamrolled over some of the world's best desert fighters equipped with good equipment. While the air war was successful in shattering morale, the Third Armored had, in four short days destroyed more tanks, armored vehicles and equipment than had the air war in nearly 40. It was a victory in every sense of the word, and something to which the mighty Third Armored Division can look to with pride.

Third Armored Division soldiers take war seriously. With actions that display exemplary leadership and superbly trained precision, they can enter a shiny new and well-earned page to history.