Talk:Al Jahra

Al Jahra Brigade Group

This has no relevance to the town, beyond having the brigade being named after it. We don't have a "See also" pointing to the Louisiana Tigers from the Tiger article, and there's no reason for this "See also", either. HupHollandHup (talk) 21:22, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

Gulf War paragraph contains factual errors

Referring to the following text: During the Gulf War, the outskirts of Al Jahra was also the site of an infamous shootout with the Allied destruction of a stalled Iraqi convoy as it retreated up Mutla Ridge on Highway 80 between February 25 and 26, 1991.[5] The US Army received orders by General Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. to not let anybody in or out of Kuwait City and to effectively blockade the retreating Iraqi convoys within a 100-mile radius. He ordered the dispatching of many Apache helicopters of the Tiger Brigade of the US army's second armored division and 2nd marine division armed with anti-tank missiles to block the Iraqis.[5] Schwarzkopf commented in 1995 on the military action:[6]

In fact, there were no such orders issued regarding Iraqi forces on this particular section of highway. Any orders issue to Army units would have only been applicable to Army units operating farther north in Kuwait or in Iraq. We did not require any additional orders to engage Iraqi vehicles in Kuwait, since we were operating in previously established "kill boxes" that covered the highway south of Kuwait City as well as after it turned north towards Iraq. The Marine Corps had control of airspace in this portion of Kuwait. These vehicles began moving out of Kuwait City the early morning of the 25th and it was primarily Marine Corps A-6E Intruders flying solo missions from Shaikh Isa, Bahrain that attacked this convoy. I personally flew two separate sorties against vehicles on this highway. On the first mission, I struck vehicles that were moving from east to west on the highway south of Kuwait City. After returning for fuel and ordnance, we (pilot and bombardier/navigator) struck vehicles on Highway 80 near Mutlaa Ridge. The attack I executed consisted of using the radar moving target indicator to identify the tail end of the convoy (where the traffic jam started) and dropping six 500lb Mk-82 bombs, then traveling north and then executing a teardrop maneuver to turn back south and attack the northern end of the convoy (traffic "jam"). We were targeted with 37mm AAA fire on this portion of the attack but it was ineffectual. Many jets in the Marine Corps A-6E squadrons at Shaikh Isa (VMA(AW)-533 and VMA(AW)-224) participated in these attacks. Other Marine Corps jets would have participated in these attacks after sunrise, including AV-8B Harriers and F/A-18 Hornets. Bottom line: no special orders given - we were free to engage these vehicles and had been engaging any military vehicles we found in Kuwait since shortly after the war began. The airspace was under the control of the Marine Corps, and in addition, we were part of 3d Marine Air Wing, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, not 2d Marine Division (which has no Apaches or any other kind of attack helicopter). Also, a question on usage: how can a stalled convoy be retreating? It certainly wasn't stalled when I attacked it or the radar (in moving target mode) would not have shown returns. I checked my logbook to verify the dates. Very detailed historical records containing descriptions of every mission flown are probably available, but may still be classified - these records are cited in the source below.

So, corrected text should read: "During the Gulf War, the outskirts of Al Jahra was also the site of the Allied destruction of Iraqi forces in mass retreat they traveled north on Highway 80 near Mutlaa Ridge between February 25 and 26, 1991.[5] The retreat and subsequent attacks began early on the morning of the 25th of February with Marine Corps A-6E and F/A-18 jets based at Shaikh Isa, Bahrain, already patrolling established kill boxes throughout Kuwait, attacking vehicles as they fled in the night from from Kuwait City. At sunrise, additional Marine Corps AV-8B Harriers and F/A-18 Hornets joined in the attack.[ref below] By the time a cease fire was ordered, the retreating forces were thoroughly destroyed and suffered many casualties. Schwarzkopf commented in 1995 on the military action:[6]..." Source: Lieutenant Colonel LeRoy D. Stearns, U.S. Marine Corps. 1999. The 3d Marine Aircraft Wing in the Persian Gulf. 1st ed. 9 vols. U.S. Marines in the Persian Gulf, 1990-1991. Washington, DC: History and Museums Division, Headquarters, United States Marine Corps. http://www.usmc.mil/news/publications/Documents/U.S.%20Marines%20in%20the%20Persian%20Gulf%2090-91%20The%203D%20MARINE%20AIRCRAFT%20WING%20PCN 19000314900_1.pdf. 24.25.43.99 (talk) 21:10, 11 August 2010 (UTC)