Battle of Al Busayyah The Battle of Al Busayyah was a tank battle fought just before sunrise on February 26 , 1991 , during the Persian Gulf War , between armored forces of the United States Army and those of the Iraqi Army . The battle is named after the Iraqi town of Al Busayyah , which sat at a critical crossroads and was an Iraqi Army stronghold . The town consisted of forty to fifty buildings , most located along one main north - south road . It was defended by a battalion - sized Iraqi infantry unit reinforced by tank s , armored personnel carrier s and elements of an Iraqi commando battalion . The town was heavily fortified with machine gun nests and fighting positions . Eleven Iraqi tanks and twelve other armored vehicle s were dug - in deeply at strategic positions in , and around , the town . Trenchlines stretched fifteen hundred meters south of town , radiating out to perimeter strong points . Background . Charged with taking the town of Al Busayyah was the 2nd Brigade , known as the " Iron Brigade , " of the U . S . 1st Armored Division ( 1AD ) , part of VII Corps , commanded by General Frederick M . Franks , Jr . The 2nd Brigade ' s 2 - 70 Armor , now TF 2 - 70 or Task Force 2 - 70 , was to move north in formation and seize the town of Al Busayyah with TF 4 - 70 Armor on its right flank , and then with the rest of the brigade proceed to attack " Position Python " , where it would strike Saddam Hussein ' s elite Republican Guard north of Kuwait . Battle . At dawn , 0630 , on 26 February 1991 , the task force moved towards Phase Line Smash on the outskirts of Al Busayyah . Phase lines are map references occurring every few kilometers used to measure progress of an offensive operation . At 0740 , the task force reached Phase Line Smash . In crossing the four kilometers to Al Busayyah , American mortar fire dropped smoke rounds on top of the forward Iraqi positions . Many Iraqi soldiers surrendered almost immediately as Task Force ( TF ) 2 - 70 forces approached Al Busayyah . The TF 2 - 70 scout platoon laid suppressive fire on the town and Iraqis returned small arm s fire from within the town but it was ineffective . The scout platoon remained to process many of the surrendering Iraqis bypassed by the task force . Alpha Company , commanded by Captain Phil Thieler moved , on the left flank , encountered two T - 55 tanks and many other tracked vehicles , and a platoon of dismounted Iraqi soldiers . Rounds were fired from the Iraqi trenches , but as the tanks approached , the Iraqi soldiers surrendered . Bravo Company sighted tanks and trucks inside the town as well as a T - 62 on the outside to the north . B Company swept through , using reconnaissance by fire . In return it received some ineffectual small arms return fire and observed an Iraqi mortar round land about 150 meters from the front line of their tanks . Task Force 4 - 70 Armor ( the " Black Lions " , commanded by Lieutenant Colonel William C . Feyk ) , advanced on the right flank . As they moved into their attack by fire position , TF 4 - 70 reported two BRDM ' s and several surrendering Iraqi soldiers . They did not engage the vehicles because 6 - 6 Infantry ' s location to their right was not confirmed . Continuing their advance , they encountered and destroyed an abandoned T - 55 at close range . Delayed by what appeared to be a minefield , the Bradleys struggled to catch up with the task force as they bypassed the obstacle to the left . Clearing the town to the north , Black Lions linked up with the rest of the force and reestablished contact with Fox on the right . Charlie and Delta Companies , commanded by Captain James Goldberg and Captain Patrick Vess , moved forward , side by side . Both company commanders were told to look for 5 T55 ' s . They found the tanks at only 300 meters , as the T - 55 ' s were rising from their hide positions to engage Goldberg ' s and Vess ' tanks . C and D companies opened fire . All of the T - 55 ' s were destroyed . As the task force swept through the objective , brigade ordered the battalion to expeditiously move north in order to clear a kill box for an incoming MLRS artillery strike on the town . Persistent resistance against 6 - 6 from within the town had prompted the artillery barrage . The main body was able to move quickly , but trail elements handling prisoners of war delayed the fire mission . At 0850 the box was clear , and the artillery mission was executed . At this point the Iron Brigade continued to push northeast . During the battle of Al Busayyah , 2 - 70 Armor captured 16 enemy soldiers and destroyed numerous vehicles to include 7 tanks , 2 BRDMs , 1 BMP , and 25 wheeled vehicles . 4 - 70 Armor destroyed 5 tanks and numerous other Iraqi Army vehicles . After Al Busayyah , the brigade continued movement northeast , expecting to halt along Phase Line New Mexico . At approximately 1230 and east of Python , the task force halted to conduct refueling and resupply . Iron Brigade would go on to fight at the Battle of Medina Ridge the following day .