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thedrifter
04-04-03, 07:12 PM
April 04, 2003

1st Marine Division units push to within 10 miles of Baghdad

By C. Mark Brinkley
Times staff writer



OUTSIDE BAGHDAD, Iraq — Two regimental combat teams from the 1st Marine Division made a dramatic push north here Friday, moving to within 10 miles of the Baghdad city limits under heavy cover fire.
Artillery units from the 11th Marine Regiment poured 155mm high-explosive rounds onto targets outside the city just after 7 a.m. Firing a “regimental 33” — every howitzer in the regiment shoots 33 rounds — the unit rained nearly 30 shells per minute for a full hour on two Iraqi tank battalions and an artillery battalion.

Under the cover of those fires and supporting air strikes, tanks and other armored vehicles from Regimental Combat Team 5 and RCT-7 streamed north on Iraq’s highways, pushing to outside the city limits by nightfall.

The fighting has picked up as the units moved toward Baghdad, with sporadic gunfire breaking out all along the route. The damage to Iraq’s army can be seen everywhere, in dead bodies lying beside the road at checkpoints and burning tank hulls and anti-aircraft guns that litter the route.

Locals stream along the convoy’s path, hoping to catch a packet of food — a humanitarian assistance ration — or pieces of a Marine’s breakfast.

Near the city, a huge poster of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein overlooks what used to be a towering statue of him. Now all that’s left of the statue is legs and a flailing arm, the rest of it reduced to melted pieces of rubble.

Intelligence reports indicate that non-Iraqi volunteers have formed impromptu military units all along the Baghdad route. Those forces are resorting to hiding in the tree lines and taking sniper shots at convenient targets.

As the Marines move closer to Baghdad, there is an energy among the troops not seen in recent days. There is pause as well, as the Marines prepare for a potentially intense series of battles for the city.

“I’m glad to be this close to getting this over with,” said Capt. Ross Monta, 30, commander of Battery M, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, from Slickville, Pa. “I’m apprehensive — I know there are some better units up here. But it’s good to be getting close to ending this thing.”

Sempers,

Roger