Battle of 73 Easting: The Gulf War Tank Battle In A Sandstorm | Greatest Tank Battles | War Stories
In the 1991 Gulf War the American 2nd Armoured Cavalry Regiment drove into a sandstorm. How did they overcome Iraq's elite Republican Guard blind?
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Friend of mine was a royal marine mortar man. He told me of a time he had to keep putting mortars down for 2/3 days solid barely getting any sleep as they had no air cover due to the storm. When it cleared he found hundreds of dead Iraqis that he and his team wiped out. I remember him saying he had a personal congratulations from an American General. He said they had 2 week rest at an American base and couldn’t believe the food and drink they had there. Pizza Hut and Burger King in the middle of the desert. Still looked really skinny when he got home tho. Thanks to all our troops who served 🇬🇧🇺🇸
Still looked really skinny though 😂
I had the distinct pleasure of meeting some British troops of the famed desert rats division. In my attic I still have an old tee shirt with operation granby on it.( I've outgrown it in my old age lol) take care.
The Pizza Hut and Burger King were actually disgusting but when you eat dirt for weeks it taste like a gourmet meal lol!!!
@@RabbitnRed81 he reckon as soon as he had fast food he got the sh1ts. i guess weeks on ration packs or (MRE i think our US friends call them) and then to suddenly slurp down a greasy pizza it’s gonna cause issues with your stomach.
@@jodu626 lol!! Sounds about right
My squadron was in this battle 73 Easting. I was the unit armorer for HWB 2/2 ACR and our battery was supporting these troops with artillery support during this battle. I am so proud to serve this squadron during this battle. Bamberg, Germany. Our Gunny was SFC McNally, Supply Sergeant was SSG Lynch, Commo NCO was SGT Thompson, SFC Miller was the Motor Sergeant, SSG Burns was his asst, LTC Kobe was our Squadron Commander, and who can’t forget SSG Mourad my good friend. I finally retired in 2006 with the rank of Sergeant First Class, (SFC). These were the greatest years of my entire life supporting and fighting for this great country of ours!
@@bebopong SMA Gene C. McKinney was our squadron CSM at the time. Now I know why he made Sergeant Major of the Army, and McMaster became President Trump’s Security Advisor. McMaster was a troop commander during my time in the squadron. The 1st Armored Division either was behind us, or to our left when we crossed the berm into Kuwait. I wish I could tell you more, but it all make sense why they made it almost to the top.
Did you realise that those golf war was based on lies
@@rapidole2724 get a life kid
@@rapidole2724 You might be confusing the GULF War with the invasion of Iraq in 2003. The Gulf War was in response to Saddam's invasion and attempt to annex Kuwait. Go ahead and tell the people of Kuwait that Iraq invading them was a lie made up by the US. I'd love to see that response. The second invasion... Well we all know how that turned out.
@@bebopong no I know thé second was more based on lies than the first one. But the goal of the first one was to keep their oil at low price, this was clearly an ingerance to the iraq, they don't invade Russia in 2014 when they took back Crimea. I know Russia isn't the same country and this comparaison is touchy but two country took back old territory. Kuwait was nothing mote than an English colony taked to iraq
This guy: We knew the Republic Guard was strong. We respected them. Eagle Troop: So basically, we used their corpses to gain better traction on the sand.
LMAO
Xd
@@alexandre_thomas2586 ¡0?”
@riaz issah Your comment is laughable. We defeated the Taliban in every major engagement. They specialized in booby traps and roadside bombs, they were never able to defeat us in direct combat, and were never able to take ground from us that we wanted to hold. We left Afghanistan because the American public wearied of the war and wanted us to leave, not because the enemy was difficult to combat. We kicked their butts on a daily basis. They WERE tenacious and very good at hiding, though.
@riaz issah very ignorant of you on not looking into how Taliban got clobbered in every engagement against ISAF forces in Afghanistan
When History Channel actually talked about history instead of idiotic stuff about aliens and bigfoot
Yeah. That’s what happens when media caters to the lowest denominator.
Like the Not Science Channel. Ghosts & Aliens. You know, real science.
And Ghosts...There must be half a dozen ghost shows. All of these"investigations" by a bunch of amateur actors. Belongs on MTV instead.
Stealing comments for likes ? Loser
Fffffff
I was 22 when I was over there. I'm 52 now.........thirty years whent in a flash.
You came back in one piece you seem to be ok up stairs so THANKYOU for your commitment to our country and may your guardian angel keep you from harm
Thank you for your service
One great war is enough for a soldier to live in peace forever.
I’m 51 now, stood toe to toe & by your side in the Gulf War. Thanks for YOUR SERVICE,.
Thank you for your service sir
Ahh when history channel was actually enjoyable
Now we have America Pickers, which should always play before Hoarders.
Trueee
I miss battle 360
God damn...100% true. Used to be a great channel. A bunch of interesting history/military/etc stuff....that had appeal to keep you interested & provided enough info, that if something really struck you, you could go look up more on that subject. Great educational tool that 100% got ppl interested in history. Now...not so much 😕
@@MrDMF567 they had so many and ancient docs which were flawed but cool. Even Nat Geo but all ended in 2011. Amazon Prime has this series.
My uncle served in Dessert storm .. Thank you to all who served .
I watched these vids as a kid, I’m a soldier now and this gives me goosebumps -I can imagine the anxiety of these battles must’ve been insane for these guys
I also grew up watching Greatest tank battles and dogfights, and im also enlisted in the US army!
@@aletron4750 So how many children have u killed?
Ptsd incoming
Ummm... Why? They absolutely slaughtered the Iraqi's with zero losses. None of them saw any of their buddies blown to bits. Unless you meant the Iraqi soldiers, then yeah the survivors would have major ptsd.
The battalion lost 1. With 10+ injured.
I like when the guy in the Bradley is like “we don’t fight tanks”
The Bradley Fighting Vehicle, people love it. Their crews hate it
5 seconds later: "So anyway, I started blasting"
@@gunslingerluckytankijunky You'll never look at a Bradley the same way again after watching the movie The Pentagon Wars
@@darkalman kzhead.info/sun/mtGuhr2OiXd9mn0/bejne.html
@@darkalman terrible movie. Complete lies
That was the biggest field training ever for the US forces.
Their technology was 30 years more advanced then the Iraqis. Don’t kid yourself into thinking you are such great warriors.
@Don't Trigger Me No where near as the 22 American veterans who off themselves everyday. :)
@@JoeyDavies777 that's kinda not the problem of those who are in the battlefield mate also these tanks were designed during the cold War against a soviet armored armada
@@JoeyDavies777 we probably beat you in a war at some point
Thats why the USA strives to keep technology ahead of the curve you moron. Its called having the advantage or do you think that wars should be equal and fare?
The only thing I dislike about the documentary is how the animations depict the tanks engaging at such close range
Republican Guard - We are warriors, our tanks are amazing America - Just keep pressing that button until there's none left.
Should we laugh or what?
Battle of Medina Ridge...so proud to have been there..learned a lot about myself during that engagement...God Bless all who served.
God bless you and thank you for your service
Respect 🙏
We salute you soldier....
Hello 1st AD from 4-7 CAV/3AD on your right flank. Garryowen!
With thermal sights one is never "blind" . Bradley gunner during Desert Storm, I served with C 3/15 Inf. 24th ID.
Thanks to brave and selfless men like yourself we can live in comfort and sleep safe at night. I know that politicians can be shady and start wars for selfish reasons at times but the men who serve do so with good intention for the most part. Thank you for your service. God bless you and your family.
@@CuttySobz Thank You.
better man than me, i got out of the army just before it started, I was 92 nd eng at Ft Stewart.
Thank you for your service
@@GaCracker69 Thank you for serving for Israel's interest.
They forgot to mention KFFs. Killed by Friendly Fire. My buddy was in an M2 that took a direct hit from an M1A1. He had a massive scar where he was hit by shrapnel, 4 guys dead, others wounded.
A lot of that over the decades, unfortunately.
Majority of armored vehicle losses in DS were from friendly fire. They've advanced those systems now so you can tell who is friendly, but it is a great tragedy.
Clearly a dedicated if totally outgunned and outmanoeuvred enemy but these U.S. Forces still speak highly of them. They describe the situations and the way they executed their attacks but they still pay tribute to their enemy and their tenacity. Their professionalism, skill and equipment won the war but the way they speak shows their honour and human side.
The Iraqi's still had potential to deal a lot of damage. Especially the Republican Guard. They were fighting for what they believed in and as soldiers, they're owed respect for that.
Imagine spending decades building this amount of tanks and artillery just to have it all destroyed with very little effort.
Not true. A lot of effort went into that war. The Training years prior at NTC, The National Training Center in the Mojave/29 Palms the Desert scenario was what we concentrated on. I did two rotations at NTC in 1988 with the 9th INF. Division. The 24th INF. Division (took on the Republican Guard) rotated into a training cycle there as well as did almost all of our armor (Heavy Divisions with Tanks i.e. M1A(1)(2) Abrams. So, we truly did put a LOT of effort in training for that type of war in that particular type of theater. We trained like we wanted to fight and the results were we fought like we trained!
@@brianbutlerbk I am pretty sure he is talking about the Iraqis, who pretty much got curb-stomped by you guys.
@@blueonblack83 yeah and he’s saying we put in a lot of effort to destroy them like that
Iraq's military was supplied by foreign power who did not give it piles of ammunition. This is the joke of this war, the USA is a fully equipped and backed military, whereas Iraq might have oil wealth but no industry. Iraq had lots of equipment but not good ways to fix it, supply it properly (except the Republican Guard which had everything), in other words a steadily purchased armed forces. Iraq had little armaments manufacturing.
Saddam was a dumb stalin at least stalin actually fought in a war he buried tanks and converted it into anti armor artillery we lost everything because of this dumb insecure dictator, invading a weak neighbor and not even letting comptenent generals dictate the battle
I knew a nurse who worked at the VA hospital in Chicago at that time. We're talking on the phone just before this war started, she said they had 10,000 beds ready for casualties. I told her that was a waste of time. Reason being to US military had spent the last 10+ years training in the desert to fight a Soviet style army. What are they facing? A Soviet Style army in a desert. This is going to be more like a live fire exercise than a real war.
Not only that, but they weren't even Russians. It was like an NFL team vs your local Community College football squad.
We trained for desert war in 1963.
@@ggeiser3 Oh Oh! I may have learned something new! I'm SCARED...HOLD ME! :-)
@@ggeiser3 Do you have a source/link? Thank you.
That's a stupid take considering that if the Iraqis had contemporary tanks, these battles would have been much more bloody for the US.
I love that Bradley commander. I think every scout can honestly relate.
I was assigned to 2nd Sqdn 2nd ACR in Bamberg Germany from August 1984 to Mar 1986. It gives me immense pride and pleasure to see that my old unit was as dangerous as we all knew it was.
It's sad that Warner Barracks is closed now lots of memories
@@cxjeter I wouldn’t be surprised if Warner Barracks opens back up since Russia is on a rampage, or all the barracks that closed open back up for business very soon.
Andy Kilgore was my battalion executive officer in 2003 when I was in 3/8 Cav, 1st Cavalry Division. He had a combat patch I assumed was from Desert Storm, but I had no idea about the degree to which he was involved. Literally the last great tank battle of the 20th century. Thank you , and God bless you sir.
Salute sir! From a fmr. 8th ID grunt!
Recall eating powdered sand for months...an MRE condiment; as WE called it.! HA!!
@@daver9594 Pathfinder 74-77
I knew him as LT. Kilgore in eagle troop.
LT. KiLGORE brings back so many memory’s. Brings me to tears thinking about this whole event
I remember the attack back then. The one thing that infuriates me even to this day is the inability of higher command to seize the imitative and move at lightning speed to overwhelm Iraqi forces much sooner than was done. The whole purpose of coalition strategy was move fast before the enemy could react, and they squandered it. Thankfully, our forces were so technically superior it didn't matter, but it could have been much more bloody than it was. We might not be as lucky next time.
It seems to me that the Blitz is one of those tactics that work the most perfectly when the army performing it was in fact pushed into it's development due to it's own reality (Manpower, equipment, objectives, available time...). Like the Napoleon who needed fast moving to ensure quick victories and prevent enemy forces from uniting.
People do understand that Iraq claims that Kuwait was part of Iraq but its borders were drawn up by the English and French (and they were reclaiming what we would call our Florida..) the US ambassador at the time gave the Iraqis the green light to go (Google it for yourselves) In a now famous interview with the Iraqi leader, U.S. Ambassador April Glaspie told Saddam, ‘[W]e have no opinion on the Arab-Arab conflicts, like your border disagreement with Kuwait.’ The U.S. State Department had earlier told Saddam that Washington had ‘no special defense or security commitments to Kuwait.’ The United States may not have intended to give Iraq a green light, but that is effectively what it did.” THIS WAS JUST A WAY FOR THE USA TO TEST OUT THEIR "TOYS" (and spend a few trillion dollars to defense contractors)
@@CourtofRecord The plan to destroy and occupy Iraq by the Zionists began in the 80's when they pushed Iraq to war with Iran to weaken the two countries
Blame George H. W. Bush for that! He was a globalist who did not wish to upset the oil markets any more than need be. He was an agent for the House of Saud.
@@CourtofRecord I agree. America has lost face many times. As a vet I hope never again.
1st Infantry Div. Mechanize - I was so young back then. The Mother of all Battle
As a soldier, I NEVER want a fair fight. I want to dominate my enemy so much that he will never even consider going against me in the future.
A fair fight means someone screwed up.
I have never clicked a history video so fast. My dad fought in the Gulf War, he was in the United States Marine Corps during the time.
Brother in arms
We were still wrong to be there!!!
mine was in republican guards
@@kellyburket6955 no, we weren't
I thank him for his service
"I had them play Flight of the Valkyries" Lmao probably the most cliche thing he could have done haha
Imagine the iraq troops hearing Flight of the Valkyries get slowly louder and louder as the tanks come towards them
Dude, have you seen 90s movies? Cliché moves and cringe oneliners were the thing back then. Playing that song, was the only thing he could have done... 😅
They probably don't know the movie, so turn it on from a mile away.
He thought he was in a movie
Imagine being a 25 year old and driving and firing one of these tanks in an actual combat operation....
Man most the kids driving are under 23. Young men are always the backbone of any war or conflict. We called them cherry’s
I was a 21yr old !
During that battle my squadron was grounded, he said 15 yards, that was a damn sight further than i could see. After the sand storm cleared we were literally in a mine field of unexploded cluster bombs, amazingly no one was killed.
We lost more people to friendly fire than the enemy!!! True as the wind blows!
25% were lost to Blue on Blue during the war.
Yep, some of our guys in an HMMWV got wasted by a Brit fighter jet. I think we wasted some Brits as well. We also lost an Abrams to a mobility kill and another Abrams crew to drowning, when they went into an aqua duct.
I think one American gunner was killed be an American APFSDS shell
@@noahbagel177 2 crew members to friendly fire with apfsds
@@aydenwapasha3380 not good anyway
30 years later, I still remember the news coverage.
30 years later, I am still trying to get laid.
I served with ACT 2nd ACR back in 1975 in Germany - a time I am proud of being part of a group of awesome soldiers and pilots
My boss was a lieutenant with a platoon of M1's. He lost not one tank to enemy fire. He lost 3 out of his 12 tank unit to our own Airforce. Friendly fire scared him more than any Iraqi. They didn't take the time to identify targets, many didn't speak English well enough to understand what was being told to them.
Killer. A great sin that God will not forgive. People who claim to be civilized nations destroy the civilizations of other nations. Thousands were killed, houses were destroyed, people were driven away like flies, hungry, poor, while their wealth was robbed, looted, the leader was just a puppet of the West. Stop this cruelty. Not only in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, Palestine, Yugoslavia, Bosnia, Ukraine, Yemen, Somalia, Mali. Enough with the blood of these capitalist hands, they will go down in history as murderers, destroyers, rapists, robbers. No pride in that.
there is no "friendly" fire. may god save you all and thanks
@@chraanakhxattanach1639 what's that suppose to mean?
@@jaed2630friendly fire ain’t so friendly.
I like he had a picture of Erwin Rommel in his vehicle. One of my former collegae's was on a Dutch submarine as a sailor. He said they had Opa (grandpa in Dutch) hanging in the submarine. He said they have a picture from Karl Dönitz hanging. Rommel for the tank tactics and Dönitz for the submarine tactics.
Nope, Guderian was the mastermind behind German armoured warfare tactics of WW2, not Rommel. He even wrote a book about it.
@@lucas82 o, sorry Lucas. Next time i will drink some more coffee : )
Great stuff!
Guderian may have wrote a book on combined arms but Rommel wrote the book on dessert warfare & especially the art of tank warfarin the dessert. Even Patton said that he respected Rommel for His mastery of tank warfare
Respecting Rommel, Dönitz or Guderian i understand. Calling them opa or having their picture on the wall is admiration, not respect! All 3 were 100% pure dedicated Nazis and sitting at the very top of the most disgusting evil regime responsible for the most horricfic warcrimes and worst crimes against humanity ever commited. Infact, having their picture on the wall, calling them opa or even telling anecdotes About them is disrespectful to the millions upon millions murdered and massacrated by their hands. Brilliant Tank or submarine tacticts do not erase who they were and what they believed in!
That was more like the Massacre of 73 Easting. Iraq had either completely and hopelessly obsolete MBT'S or ones which were downgraded to a level they were absolutely useless. They didn't even have ammunition (which the Soviets otherwise had just didn't sell them any) that could have at least in theory penetrate an M1A1 from any direction and at any range.
Not correct
@@jayaugustus4373 Correct
Yep, their tanks lacked the most basic features like composite armor, laser rangefinder and ballistic computer and their sabot was 20 years old. Those T-72s were on the level of tanks from the late 50s.
@@twilightzone7824 Knock out a M1A1 "from any direction and at any range"? Hardly. T72's 125 mm gun could penetrate about 600 mm of armor at 2,000 meters against old style armor plating, but not the composite armor of the M1A1. As for ammunition, Saddam's Republican Guard were well supplied with ammo and hadn't been using it up to that point as they hadn't been engaged in any fighting. Or did you miss the part where they described the ammo cooking off and blowing the turrets off the T72's? The Republican Guard were simply outclassed in every way.
@@samhavoc1066 by "any" I meant the the theoretical existence of any direction/range at all from whence an Iraqi T-72 (given the ammunition they had at their disposal) would have stood a chance to achieve penetration against a US M1A1 The Soviets at that time did have ammunition for the T-72 that was capable of that (including depleted uranium shells) but they did not supply Iraq with a single one of those. The ammunition the Iraqis did have was outdated and even in perfect working condition completely incapable of penetrating modern composite armour.
Every American soldier, sailor, airman and marine, of any rank, will take the initiative to bring the fight to the enemy. Nuff said!
When Dad was home off the ship, I used to follow him outside in the late 80’s and early 90’s at night. We would pop out about every 45 minutes or so. He would point in a direction and tell me to watch for a moving light that would come up over the trees. As the night wore on his timing would get almost perfect for when it would appear. When it would pass by, he would go back inside and play on the computer until he got up to head back out. Sometimes he would mention a constellation it would pass through or talk about earths rotation and orbits and how the milky way is so much brighter at sea. I always just thought it was an amateur interest and he appreciated being able to see the sky since he spent so long underwater on the boat in the early 80’s. After years of looking for satellites in the night sky once I left for college and such, it slowly started to dawn on me that he must have been privy to gps and it’s predecessors. Still get the “if I tell you, I’ll have to kill you” line accompanied with a laugh when we stargaze these days and I try to bring it up. Fond memories though and it led me to appreciate the night sky even more. Now we mostly text about rocket launches and I’ll show him pics or give descriptions of what I can see coming over Charleston out of Florida. I never did learn all the constellations and besides Orion and the Dippers, I’ll get lost. I can point out a bright spot figuring it’s a planet, but he can still distinguish the ones in the sky without any sort of reference and tell me which one is Jupiter and Venus, Mars or Saturn.
When the sound editor is the last man in the production chain ...
He is deaf.
@@leewood331 oh, that's a relief, i thought it was my computer
Almost ruined otherwise very well made doc 😡
War music: ride of the Valkyries. A good choice.
Flight of the Valkyrie
@@warrenwhitaker8498 thank you.
That part was hilarious. Should have been immediately followed by 'We will rock you'.
@@txgunguy2766 I”rock”
Can somebody give me the time stamp please
When I went to Iraq in 2005, I was assigned to 3rd ACR under then Colonel H.R. McMaster. He was serious and personal, he had a gift for explaining complex issues in simple terms and cared for the soldiers under him. Best officer I ever served under.
He should have made 4 star
I would liked to have served with you guys.
One of the more interesting takeaways from this was the American tank commanders coming through those dust storms, black smoke, etc and seeing all those vehicles didn't hesitate to engage. That's what allowed our technology to be the most effective. They just basically blitzkrieged them without really intending to. They couldn't have planned it any better in relation to our equipment vs theirs.
How to win a war with a 3rd world country!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@internetcensure5849 nah at this point in time iraq had the 4th best army in the world
Served in Eagle Troop 98-01. Command taught us a lot of the Regiments history but surprisingly this battle wasn’t part of it. Toujours Pret!
Fox Troop 83-85. Always Ready 👍
2d Cav 80-85 and 88-92
I was in the VII CORPS during the Gulf War. 3RD ARMORED DIVISION. Also I was in the unit 2nd ACR from Bamberg Germany from 1984-1986 before Operation Desert Shield Desert Storm and personally know the soldiers narrating this video.
SALUTE!
@@betaboyelvis7386 thank you for your support.
@@50STONEhW Thanks USAR 1972-78 11 Bravo & Drill Sgt.
@@betaboyelvis7386 HOOAH! Brother and thank you for your service. May God Bless America And Those Who Defend It. Good to chat with a Veteran especially a Drill Sergeant. Soldiers in that position are who makes the way for all new recruits to be proficient when they get to their first duty station.
I, too, am a Green Goose Veteran stationed at the best Kaserne in the FRG!
The segment from 24:00 to 30:30 No disrespect to the Americans, who are insanely brave, superbly trained, and have some of the best armour in the world, but if the best Iraqi units allow a pair of Bradleys to just drive right into their position, pick off 5 of their tanks, and get away, it tells you something about the state of the Iraqi army.
It happened the next day. 2 lost bradleys were picked off by t55s
Trading 2 IFVs for 5 tanks seems like a good deal
26:00 the sweetest thing I've ever seen
He was probably fine, but the pea shooter woke the tank inhabitants up lol
I was there. 101st airborne division. 18th airborne corps. C co. 3/187th reg. Combat team. Air assaulted into the Euphrates river valley.
RAKKASANS HOOAH !!! I was in B co. 3/187 during the early 1980s
*GPS* „In the next 200m Turn left“ *Driver* Turns left *Tank drives over a object* *Commander* „Did we just drive over an Enemy Tank?“
Good eye
lmao i cant stop laughing
Go back to sleep.
Gps: I said turn the turrets 200 degrees...
you have arrived at your destination
I remember seeing one hand held GPS. My unit .. C Co 3/32 AR traveled across the desert with our tanks in a wedge formation and our FIST tucked inside .. the FIST track had GPS and would say .. "... Left ... Left ... Left . .OK .. straight .." over the company freq .. and that is how we navigated
One of the American commanders seem like telling a story about his escapade from school. So cool and relax. Well he lived to tell the tales.!
Iraqi conscripts quickly proved that they were very good at kneeling down. During the "surrender" ceremony, the Iraqi Generals were surprised when the Coalition Forces asked for their 26 prisoners of war to be returned, in exchange for the 70,000 Iraqi prisoners that they were feeding.
Makes you wonder what would of happened to those 70 000 in the hands of the Iranians.
@@jimbo5973 I think we saw what those '70000 and men would do against the Iranians. The biggest problem for the Iraqi conscripts was they weren't getting food and water. Their logistic systems completely broke down under the relentless pounding of the air offensive.
@@JohnRodriguesPhotographer The Iranians engaged in mass frontal assaults with largely infantry against entrenched defenders. I am not so convinced they would of done the same damage to western led forces and equipment. Supply is an essential part of war though that point is valid.
@@jimbo5973 the Iranians at the beginning of the war actually had a formidable armored Force combining British chieftains and I believe m60a1's. Due to the decapitation of their military they didn't understand combined arms and lost a lot of their vehicles in the first 6 months. Then they were embargoed by various governments from getting more. This force them into human wave tactics.
@@JohnRodriguesPhotographer Yes indeed. But massed infantry attacks were their 'modus operandi' for the majority of the battles.
I wish I had taken a pic but where we crossed the berm into Iraq there was a sign that read "Welcome Iraq, the 51st state, home of the 24th IN DIV"!!!
Huzzah!
Your recollections are horrific for those you murdered. Now reminiscence with gleefully cherished memories. I dearly wish. It was all on American soils. Then you guys will get the lessons you deserve. Long overdue. Interference in affairs of countries worldwide. America is the Real Terrorist Country. The C. I. A. Established and Chartered for this evil misdeeds. Cause overt and covert strifes. Bomb the targets mercilessly. You presently doing in Yemen and Syria. Wait when China bombs Washington. New York. Boston. Clinton Arkansas. Obama Illinois. Bush Texas. The only decent President. Donald J, Trump. When these terrifying and horrific realities happen in U.S.A. The Ghosts of The Red Indians come to REVENGE. The Children of Iraq. Libya. Afghanistan. Congo. Angola. Pakistan. Yemen. Syria. Iran. Plus many others. Where U. S.A. Had illegally entered and caused murderous mayhem and killings. The same should be done on and in U.S.A. Then you can recollect your vain and stupid memories.
@@rafiqibrahimnathanie1739 are you finish or gonna spout more bs
@@rafiqibrahimnathanie1739 you are wrong they liberaded your country they helped you by destroying tirany Of sadam hussein
@@rafiqibrahimnathanie1739 Indeed, the audacity. How dare they, defend a country from being invaded by a much larger neighbour. Ruining the plans of a dictator. Naughty Americans.
I will just say that in 2003 we were cut-off from all others and ended up in a sandstorm in Iraq heading towards our next objective and if we had become ambushed in the middle of it all to add insult to injury, well, it would've been interesting. I think, looking back on it all, there might have been many more losses in the field by us veteran's who were serving in the 3ID. I know this is about the Gulf War (D.S.) but the 2nd fight in Iraq involved the same elements like the sandstorms where you could barely see anything & in the case of the unit I served in, we had no comm's or anything with anyone for awhile. I am always thankful we survived and fought on. Stay safe brother's!
I believe a battalion did find itself flanked by tanks and an arsenal they were trying to move as the sandstorm was just about to kick off. It was one of the few battalion-strength battles, and they captured 7 scuds. The Airforce destroyed God knows what else. When people say there were no wmd’s, I always marvel that it’s assumed nothing got destroyed in the war before it could be inventoried.
My wife and I were stationed in The 25th Fwd. Supp. Batt., and our units were going. Strange thing we knew what was going on but it didn't seem like a big deal to worry about. Turn on TV, and it's over! It was VERY exciting to see.
This was one of the most one sided battles in history.
The best kind if you're on the winning side.
Would have been different if Gps wasn't a thing and the royal guard was in the mix
@@matthewrolls9426 well the royal guard while better than the normal soldiers still did not have the equipment to stand up the the coalition forces.
Even with out GPS t72 can't do anything to m1a1
Something to definately not hang your hat on. Almost goes against a mans warrior code really....unless you are kinda a crack head who just like blood
Desert storm made me join at 18 in 1993. My Squad leader was in Desert storm and had a CIB from fighting. My platoon sgt was in a wrecker and was given a M3 grease gun with 5 rounds of ammo.
A greasegun with 5 rounds of ammo? That's pert near useless. Least they coulda done was give him a full magazine.
I hope you become a good general
I was in a Marine infantry battalion and was responsible for testing the TOW missile systems for safety. I got to go on a few live fires. Good stuff
@Dave Smith It's 99% training and preparing. Less than 1% of time is in an actual firefight. That joke in "Spaceballs" is true: Lord Helmet: Drive forward. Colonel Sanders: Driver, prepare to drive forward. LH: "Preparing, preparing!" You're always "preparing"! Just GO!! CS: Driver just go! Sir? Shouldn't you sit down? *LH is thrown to his seat as the hovercraft takes off. ___ That's pretty much the military. Preparing, preparing, preparing; training, training, training; retraining the basics; "hurry up and wait."
I like how he explains and the video of the tank battles! Brings back memories to world of tanks when it was good on console
This was my unit. This is the battle and war I fought in. For all those here that where there...Salute my brothers. TOUJOURS PRÊT! Always Ready!
Thank you all for your service. God bless you always.
Second to none! Lol
I'm kurdish I know that Iraqi dictator army were so scared of Americans Nearly all iraqi army were destroyed in few days by American heroes. Thank you America kurds love you
I was in Kirkuk in 2006. Being an invader is difficult. The kurds praise never ceases to be weightlifting, thank you. I know we, and I, could have done better and I'm sorry we did not, but I do hope our efforts served someone other than ourselves.
I was there and you are welcome
I was a 63E10- H8…….M1A1-M1A2 Tank engine mechanic and tank recovery specialist in the Army, I remember when my maintenance team went to go fix tanks on the battlefield during the ground war phase, we saw so many T-72 tanks and support trucks destroyed it was mind boggling. The bodies in the support trucks were black and burned to a crisp and what ever they were doing or movement they did before getting destroyed is what the burned bodies were still positioned at, I even saw a guy who was still alive with his lower body completely cut off and he was pulling himself forward with his arms.
Jesus Christ, ty for serving man, glad you got home.
I spent an afternoon in an Abrams Tank Simulator and you can't imagine the team work t takes to operate a modern Tank. My hats are off to those guys.
There have been several versions of this History Channel's "Greatest Tank Battles' episode on KZhead. This is the best so far.
the video is in HD instead of 360P like the previous versions. the uploaders of those versions likely did that resolution so they wouldn't get copyrighted until its posted onto History channel's KZhead channel, one example you can look at recently is all 10 of Battle 360's episodes being posted onto Their Channel.
I went into the channel and searched for this tank battle in particular. I love this kind of devastating victory by a technologically advanced USA. Hope America keeps the lead by keeping its military great, well into the 22th century.
Well if your lucky, one day you might be on the receiving end of it and know what it's realy like you fool.
@@eddy2fast260 America bad, you’re not allowed to be a powerful country or win a war without being called evil
@@FirstNameLastName-qx8ii If Tonga won a war with China it wouldn't be called evil. It would be called a mirical. Defending American foreign policy is a no win battle. Your own Ron Paul calls it a shambles. If you chose to support American foreign policy after all the misery it causes well I see no good in you.
@@eddy2fast260 🤣🤣🤣 continue losing to the great powers of the west, we will steam roll all enemies. Even when we lose we manage to control the country years after.
Hopefully. We usually do not see the need to upgrade until we get into more wars. Abrams is predicted to still be in service for at least 30 more years iirc
I was a medic in 2/2 cav during this battle and the days leading up to it and after.
Tank commandors are a different categorie. Many creativity, determination, Quick action response. You dont see that in infantery that much
29:00 This sounds very familiar to the scene in "Saving private Ryan" where Captain Miller is firing his 45 pistol to ward off a tiger tank and then a P 51 destroys the tank. Wondering if the Spielberg put this in the film. 35:00 A tanker told me it was a like a video game. All he had to do to track and lock up the target was to look at it and press a button. He said that if the T72 could get a round off at them, the round would hit them and bounce off.
wonder how well the usssr would have done in western Europe if the cold war went hot ... not too well i guess against the centurions leopard 2's and abrams
@@scottessery100 That would have been a catastrophy for everyone and anyone. I was stationed in Europe in the 70s. They said, at that time, nuclear weapons would have to be used to fend off the attack.
@@scottessery100 Like Americans not selling their top weapons to foreigners, the T-72s in Iraq did not have the same armor of those in Europe. Someone else said that the Iraqis didn't train that much in gunnery because ammo was expensive to buy and couldn't be made in country. In 1973 the Syrian tanks did better against the Israeli then Iraq against NATO here (seriously, it really wasn't the UN) and those were T-55s and some -62s. The T-55s had minimal turret roof armor though and would have been easy prey for any planes. Tom Clancy's "Red Storm Rising" is a pretty fair book about tactics and forces in a conventional war in Cold War Europe.
Not a movie
@@scottessery100 Interesting. I think it's possibly the same situation. We may have kicked their butts by outperforming our low expectations.
The late 1980's/early 1990's Army was the best America has ever put in the field.
And the best it ever will unfortunately...
This is a joke right?
@AT Then they bring the Amazon drones into the mix.
@AT But so can others...
@AT thank you, damned right, US soldiers do not have fighting moral, only mass of material are garant of existence. All battles, wars, Airforce bombing and napalm - then comes the Heroes... Last but not least - US army - until today in brain of own Sezzesion-war time, NO Modern Strategie or Tactic.... NO - political Concept *even HillyBillies - even - mass only. - is writing a German - Retired Reserve-Offz; participated, several Nato-Manoevers, as - L/O to 7th-US-Army-HQ's -Europe, Heidelberg. Thank's for Attention,
21:03 The greatest strength of the American military has always been our ability to learn from our enemy and integrate their best ideas into our tactics. There's an old saying: "War is chaos, and the Americans practice it on a daily basis." But what that saying doesn't take into account is we practice it to the point that its a choreographed dance to us, and chaos to our enemies. When you fight the US military, you're not fighting just us. You're fighting the French. You're fighting the British. You're fighting the Native Americans, the Imperial Germans and the Nazis, the Italians and the Japanese. And in this particular battle, that force came in the form of a 120mm, 60 ton rolling Rheinmetall canon encased in composite armor and powered by a jet turbine. If someone told me one of 1st Cav officers decided to slash the burned out husk of what used to be a Soviet T72 export missing a turret with a calvary saber, my only thought would be, "yeah. That tracks." Pun intended.
America has no peer in these types of set piece battles. Russia and China might be somewhat close but I still believe America would have the edge over both of those nations (although the financial toll would be crippling). Where the US flounders is guerilla and insurgent wars since industrial might is not such an advantage and insurgent wars are usually fought over several years and US public doesnt like long drawn out wars. Furthermore, the first Gulf War was an actual coalition war with equal partners, not just in name and we have forgotten how Sec of State James Baker (probably best Sec of State in last 50 years) kept Israel out of this war even after being hit by SCUD missiles. Too bad we don't have statesman like him and George Bush Sr. anymore. I thought Junior would be like his father but I was wrong.
AS A YOUNGE MAN GROWING UP IN CFB PETAWAWA CANADAS LARGEST MILITARY BASE WHERE MY FAMILY RAN THE AMBULANCE SERVICE AND PRE 911 EMS COMUNICATIONS SYSTEM I WAS BLOWN AWAY AT THIS PROGRAM. 1991 WOW THATS 33 YEARS AGO. TIME FLY'S BABY
They don't mention the air war before the land war? That is one of the main reasons they surrendered so readily - they had been bombed back to the stone age.
Did you not read the title of the video?
@@doyoulikeduckmeat I know that's not the point of the video, but they made it a point that the Iraqi soldiers immediately surrendered without a fight. I feel like if you're going to bring that up you should probably mention they were bombed mercilessly from an unopposed air Force for several weeks
@@macdom24 Indeed!
Hahahaha back to the stone age. That's where they were before the war started.
Some of them was surrendering but not quite like your post tries to make it. But then again what do I know??? I was there on the ground as a Infantryman. Spearhead. one of the units not pushed out in the media. Yes the "Air War" part did effect a large number of the concript forces but not the professional forces of the Iraqis military the same.
I was stationed at Ft Irwin NTC as the OPFOR in the late 1980s to early 1990s where we trained for this scenario over and over with countless rotations. Glad the training paid off and it was quick with minimal loss to our side.
I was 11 when this happen. I grew up watching old war movies with my dad. This was out of this world watching this happen. And it was on tv, I remember thinking it was like a movie but real.
Why is the music so crazy loud !?
Cause they trying to make doc intense
Abrams tank is just too good. They can target and hit them farther back and faster.
but the abrams does have large weaknesses
@@aspinthereddragon9302 what
@@aspinthereddragon9302 what
Turbine engine, creates a big heat signature, always nice for those heat seekers.
Compared to Iraqi t72's? 100%. not against Russian ones.
One of the most one-sided victory ever in modern warfare history
With 28 nation assembled against 1 country how could the Iraqi military stand a chance
@@christopherbeckford3102 Well they did have the 4th largest army in the world.
@@Bullet-Tooth-Tony- Quantity doesn't mean quality
@@timoilonen1926 Well, they did have advanced technology and numbers. So it was pretty overwhelming. Considering that the Bradlys have anti tank missiles capable of knocking out even the best of the best the enemy had. It overwhelmed them.
Not really the most one-sided victory.. In the battle of Prochorowka the german army destroyed around 300 soviet tanks and lost only 4
One thing that troubled me about our invasion and conquest of Iraq, was that almost immediately after we completed the mission, our generals were all too eager to be interviewed for documentaries about the strategy and tactics used, as if this was the last war we would ever fight. Then we paraded around like we just won the Superbowl. Dumb and low class. We should have honored the dead on both sides. Bush 41 should have given a solemn speech about the tragedy of war. I mean, let's act like we've been in the end-zone before and that we are a Superpower. I think we've let too much Hollywood BS infect our public perception of how our military should operate and how foreign policy should be conducted.
I remember that time well and the patriotism in America was the highest I have ever seen it except for right after 911. I do believe the patriotism was well founded since Saddam was the embodiment of evil but I also agree with you about the US becoming too well accustomed to warfare and belligerency. Warfare deserves more solemnity than it gets these days and US foreign policy is way too bullish. But even with its faults it still the promised land for many. I just wish we werent so ready to send in the guns all of the time.
Full of lies. There were 48 countries fighting the Iraqis, and THE AIR STRIKES AND COVER FOR THE TANKS, TANKS WERE SHOOTING AT DEAD TARGETS. What a jock...
Bragging rights for the winner, respect for the dead.
They wanted the opposite of Vietnam. It maybe clouded judgement.
Thank you for making this video, I've never been to the Middle Eastern world and seen such horrible living conditions of black out sand, with low visibility. Since this is my very first time around I'm not informed of this desert environment, where the enemy can use the sand storm to hide as comoflauge.
When I was Iraq I came up on a tank battle that was just over .i seen so many Iraq tanks destroyed,but never saw any American losses. Every Republican guard i saw alive had there hands up surrendering.what they had was n no match against m1 Abrams and Bradley's.i saw countless at4's laying on the ground,so it wasn't all tanks and Bradley's.
They used T-72s and T-55s. Just saying.
@@Heretic123456 they all look the same to me,but they were the enemy.
@@Heretic123456 This battle had T72s on the Iraqi side.
Think: The thousands of Americans that think they’re badass in killing some old rostet tanks
@@Historylord15 who wouldn't think like that, old tanks, new tanks can still kill if use correctly
Really enjoyed this one. The initiative of the individual American unit commanders was superb.
The dude who got hit with a tank round in the chest. Wow. He felt absolutely nothing, that's probably the quickest way to die ever. Disintegrated in an instant.
The unsung story that was never told is how the US and the defense industry were able to upgrade around 900 tanks within a year from M1's to the M1A1's. That's around 5 tanks a week that it's depleted uranium mesh in the front and upgrade the gun from the 105 m to the 120 m gun that is there today. Along with it being painted in desert colors, it got done and a big reason why better armor protected the crew. When an M1A1 did get hit, the shells just bounced off the tank.
The BMP doesn't Have a 76mm Gun, its a 73mm Gun, is a Variation of the 73mm SPG-9 Recoilless Rifle Later Variations, the BMP-2 and BMP-3 have a 30mm and 100mm + 30mm Main Guns Respectively
Thank you. I was thinking about writing the same comment
@@Alex-mu8yf No Problem Comrade, just Stating some Facts is all, being an Armored Fighting Vehicle/Tank Nut or Military Nut and All... I Just Can't Help but Make a Correction
Now they have an upgraded 120mm portal window view version or a valued desert insurance Road Side T.O.W.
@@1563ckg43 Pardon?
@@1563ckg43 I didn't understand a Single Thing in your Message... But If your Referring to BMP Armament Upgrades, Current Upgrades Include Increased Firepower via Additional ATGM Launchers for Both BMPs 2 and 3, the Tank Destroyer Light Tank Variant, Aka The Sprut SD and SDM1 (Modernized Ver.) Is Armed with a 125mm Gun, that can Fire ATGMs and a Remote Controlled MG Turret or RCWS, for the SDM1, there is also a Remote Controlled 57mm Auto. Cannon for the BMP, which is Used as an Air Defense Weapons or Anti Tank Gun
A couple of pages circulated at work about the initial engagement of this tank battle a few months after it occurred.
Fight until the fighting is done and morn later. I still honor my fallen every Veteran's Day and Memorial Day. 1991 and 05-06 OIF. "Sapper's Lead the Way"
Fire!Fire!Silbu - Mcmaster. One of the intimidating word from a tanker,you can imagine how they fight during those times.
I was a first eye witness to this battle. Saw a lot of fireworks as tanks were being blown to bits.
You a former tanker or armored infantry?
@@vaporhtrail4350 I was in a support battalion mixed in with Armor and Infantry with the 3rd Armored Div. We were right behind 2 ACR during this battle.
People do understand that Iraq claims that Kuwait was part of Iraq but its borders were drawn up by the English and French (and they were reclaiming what we would call our Florida..) the US ambassador at the time gave the Iraqis the green light to go (Google it for yourselves) In a now famous interview with the Iraqi leader, U.S. Ambassador April Glaspie told Saddam, ‘[W]e have no opinion on the Arab-Arab conflicts, like your border disagreement with Kuwait.’ The U.S. State Department had earlier told Saddam that Washington had ‘no special defense or security commitments to Kuwait.’ The United States may not have intended to give Iraq a green light, but that is effectively what it did.” THIS WAS JUST A WAY FOR THE USA TO TEST OUT THEIR "TOYS" (and spend a few trillion dollars to defense contractors)
Are u in the video ?
@@outdoorjeff7097 No. I did see a lot of journalist running around the desert though.
"Part of a multinational force..." In other words, Eight and a half parts US, one part British, and a half part a bunch of other countries observing the US and British.
US is the guy who does all the work on a project and everyone knows it, but it doesn't stop the others from talking to the teacher as if they did just as much as him.
@@perrytran9504 yeah sorry for not being interested in your middle east affairs
@@questionableiq2337 Then why did you join?!
@@chaosXP3RT my country sure did not, but i guess that the countries that did sent the bare minimum to stay in nato
@@questionableiq2337 IF the Middle East isn't your affair, you shouldn't be a member of NATO. Simple as
I was there in Ghost troop, as one I Of the lead engineer in Staff Sgt Murryweather M3
Thx for the tutorial this is sure to help me when my neighbors buy themselves a T72B3 main battle tank
Norman was the man. He once said “ if I don’t do it ; who will? “ he was right. Some call it the 100 hour war. Those people were scared to death
Just stumbled upon this page and I absolutely love it!! 👊🏾
The USA has a lot of problems, but people underestimate how good the US Army is at a conventional conflict.
You're so right ,a us army heavy corps has a lot of firepower
Few years back in a show called "79 easting" (The grid line what ever number it was) They had a interview with a few tank commanders. One was a Bradly commander. Him and another Bradly was sent to link up with the next unit, but the two Bradly's found a number Like 12 Iraq's tanks.. Needless to say the Bradly smoked them with the rockets mounted on the side.... I knew we stomped them as a kid watching it "live" on the news back then, but hearing how bad we really did... WOW!!!! Something to keep in mind... The M1 was made to kill the T-72 tanks, M1= late 80's tanks, and the T line is 40's idea upgraded....
Well done you just explained what you’ve seen in this👍
It wasn't a battle, it was an execution.
A slaughter
They could have surrendered, but since they did not...
@@aleksandersokal5279 they believed surrendering was for cowards
I was there on Ghost Troop's left flank, 4-7 CAV/3AD. 73 Easting was the beginning of a 12 hour fight along a 50 mile front. Essentially, it was a fight from 1600 to about midnight. It turned into a deep strike annihilation after that. The next morning we drove through the ruins of the Tawakalna for a couple hours, never seen anything like it and I try not to think about it. The worst was that the Iraqis had dogs out there with them. Hundreds of dead, wounded animals littering the battlefield, dead men everywhere, vehicles burning, equipment everywhere. I saw a dog with its guts hanging out eating a soldiers's leg. No idea where the rest of the body was, but the boot was spit shined. That's war and I hope most people never see it, even a 100 Hour War. Garryowen.
@@screenwriter44 my dad was in the war he said that the morale was low nobody wanted to fight cuz the iraqi army had already fought many wars and also he said that the us air force did more damage than the abrams tanks
Very interesting and well made video; however, the background music needs to be turned down considerably to be able to understand what participants are saying in many parts. It was such a relief when some of the background music got quieter and speaking could be heard clearly.
Thank you all for your service
This is like a grand version of a game of World of Tanks, except one team is tier 7, and the other is tier 10.
RIP Sgt Powell , Sgt Strelow & PFc Martin friendly fire
Gee, how did those rounds come from my friends?
Rest in peace with Lord, Sgt Powell, Sgt Stelow and PFC Martin.
Great battle and story with the American side, but this was the battle that the Challenger MK I killed a T-72 at 3.18 miles while the Abrams could only do 1-2 miles because of the smoothbore gun while the Challenger was rifled for greater accuracy
The smoothbore has a much wider selection of rounds, however. It's actually a German design, the M1 originally had a rifled 105 but got upgraded in the A1 variant.
salute!!!salute!!!salute!!!! God Bless our Troops..
US Military Strategy And Tactics Are Outmatched !