Battle of Ad-Dawrah
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Ad-Dawrah was a naval engagement fought on the night of the 18th January and into the 19th January in 1991 during the Gulf War
. In the battle, Coalition forces
captured an Iraq
i offshore oil field forty miles from the Kuwait
i shore. The 29 POWs captured were the first POWs of the war. It was also the first surface engagement after the Coalition intervened in the war.
. Whilst jets were flying over the oil field they reported taking heavy fire from SAM
s and shoulder fired rockets. The US suspected that there was a large garrison of Iraqi troops located there being used as an outpost for reporting Coalition aircraft movements back to Iraq.
Lynx
helicopters attacked two platforms out of range of the Coalition surface ships, with air-surface missiles. At one point, six Iraqi soldiers tried to make a run for it in a Zodiac boat, however the Kuwaiti ship Istiqlal captured it. Those became the first six POWs of the war. The helicopters left after they started taking fire from the platforms, leaving the platforms ablaze.
were well within range of taking out the ship. For an hour, USS Nicholas shelled the platforms with her 76-mm gun
.
After the bombardment, the Coalition forces landed a United States Navy SEALs
team on the platforms, where they fought the Iraqis until they surrendered and an additional 23 Iraqi soldiers were captured. There were no Coalition casualties.
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. In the battle, Coalition forces
Coalition of the Gulf War
The Coalition of the Gulf War were the countries officially opposed to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait during the 1990 / 1991 Persian Gulf War.-Coalition by number of military personnel:-United States:*Norman Schwarzkopf*Colin Powell*Calvin Waller...
captured an Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i offshore oil field forty miles from the Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
i shore. The 29 POWs captured were the first POWs of the war. It was also the first surface engagement after the Coalition intervened in the war.
Background
In the early morning of 18 January, Coalition aircraft began a major campaign against Iraqi forces in preparation for the ground invasion of Kuwait and Iraq. Many of these jets and air sorties were coming from aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships located in the Persian GulfPersian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. Whilst jets were flying over the oil field they reported taking heavy fire from SAM
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
s and shoulder fired rockets. The US suspected that there was a large garrison of Iraqi troops located there being used as an outpost for reporting Coalition aircraft movements back to Iraq.
Air Engagement
Later that night, OH-58D and Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
Lynx
Westland Lynx
The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...
helicopters attacked two platforms out of range of the Coalition surface ships, with air-surface missiles. At one point, six Iraqi soldiers tried to make a run for it in a Zodiac boat, however the Kuwaiti ship Istiqlal captured it. Those became the first six POWs of the war. The helicopters left after they started taking fire from the platforms, leaving the platforms ablaze.
Naval Engagement and SEAL Landings
Meanwhile, under the cover of darkness, and under radio silence moved in closer to the other nine platforms. Iraqi Silkworm anti-ship missilesSilkworm missile
The Shang Yo or SY-series , and the Hai Ying or HY-series were early Chinese anti-ship missiles. They were derived from the Soviet P-15 Termit missile.The HY-1 and HY-2 received the NATO reporting name Silkworm...
were well within range of taking out the ship. For an hour, USS Nicholas shelled the platforms with her 76-mm gun
Otobreda 76 mm
The Otobreda 76 mm gun is a naval artillery piece built by the Italian defence conglomerate Otobreda. It is based on the Oto Melara 76mm/L62 Allargato, which was bigger and heavier...
.
After the bombardment, the Coalition forces landed a United States Navy SEALs
United States Navy SEALs
The United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their...
team on the platforms, where they fought the Iraqis until they surrendered and an additional 23 Iraqi soldiers were captured. There were no Coalition casualties.