HOW CAPT. RAY SMASHED AN ENTIRE IRAQI BRIGADE WITH 7 TANKS

Early in the morning the American command post suddenly came under artillery fire, while an Iraqi mechanized brigade broke through the smoke of the oil fields and took up positions along a treeline. A single security platoon of Marines was now defending the division commander against enemy tanks only a few hundred meters away.

Captain Eddie S. Ray was one kilometer south of the command post at that moment, in command of a platoon of 7 wheeled armored vehicles. When he saw how hopeless his comrades’ situation was, he moved his vehicles into position in front of the command post and reinforced the Marines, knocking out several enemy tanks with his 25 mm cannon. The enemy had already come too close for his own artillery, so Ray marked the targets for Cobra attack helicopters, which scored further kills.

Although they would still have been able to overrun the command post, the momentum of the poorly trained and demoralized Iraqis died out. Roy used the moment and went over to the counterattack. Supported by the Cobras, he led his vehicles against the superior enemy force, which panicked and fled. Together they destroyed 38 enemy tanks in all and hundreds of Iraqis were taken prisoner.

With his aggressive approach Roy had saved the division command post and broken an entire brigade as well. For his courage, his leadership and his determination in action he was awarded the Navy Cross, which ranks just below the Medal of Honor. He left the Marine Corps in 2008 with the rank of colonel.

Author’s note: if you like our articles, you can support us with a purchase in our shop (click here). We’re grateful for every bit of support!