Shaffer
03-24-03, 08:43 AM
What looked to be a benign ride into this city to quietly secure its major bridges turned into a firefight as Iraqi tanks, soldiers and secret police darted through the streets, turning their mortars, artillery cannons, rockets and rifles at advancing marines.
The Americans managed to gain control of the bridges, but not without ``significant casualties,'' Reuters quoted an officer as saying.
The tanks of Task Force Tarawa's light armor reconnaissance unit crept forward a hundred yards at a time against pockets of Iraqi infantry and secret police, nicknamed the ``black pajamas'' for their attire. The battle continued throughout the afternoon. The marine artillery unit, attempting to provide cover fire for the tanks, spent frustrated hours unable to shoot into the city for fear of hitting fellow marines.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nyt/20030323/ts_nyt/marines_overcome_fierce_firefight_to_secure_bridge s_in_nasiriya
The Americans managed to gain control of the bridges, but not without ``significant casualties,'' Reuters quoted an officer as saying.
The tanks of Task Force Tarawa's light armor reconnaissance unit crept forward a hundred yards at a time against pockets of Iraqi infantry and secret police, nicknamed the ``black pajamas'' for their attire. The battle continued throughout the afternoon. The marine artillery unit, attempting to provide cover fire for the tanks, spent frustrated hours unable to shoot into the city for fear of hitting fellow marines.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nyt/20030323/ts_nyt/marines_overcome_fierce_firefight_to_secure_bridge s_in_nasiriya