NASIRIYAH, IRAQ – What looked to be an easy ride into this city turned into a messy firefight Sunday when Iraqi tanks, regular soldiers and guerrillas darted through the streets and turned their mortars, artillery cannons, rockets and rifles on advancing U.S. Marines.

The battle began shortly after dawn Sunday. The infantry unit, code-named Timber Wolf, approached the southern edge of Nasiriyah, which straddles the Euphrates River. The city's bridges, which eventually were captured, are essential to U.S.-led troops behind Marine Task Force Tarawa, who are looking to head toward Baghdad.

There was little clue what was in store for the Marines - the deadliest battle of the war so far.

Minutes before 7 a.m., Col. Glenn Starnes, commanding officer of the artillery battalion, listening on a radio several miles to the south, shouted, "Timber Wolf is taking fire!"

Tanks, part of a light armor reconnaissance unit, crept forward 100 yards at a time against pockets of the Iraqi infantry and bands of Iraqi guerrillas, nicknamed the "black pajamas" for their attire

http://www2.ocregister.com/ocrweb/oc...month=3&day=24