▁ ▁US MC M G ▁began ▁its ▁work ▁ 6 0 ▁miles ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁K uw ait i ▁coast line , ▁working ▁initially ▁to ▁clear ▁a ▁ 1 5 - mile ▁long , ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 - yard ▁wide ▁path . ▁The ▁mine - clear ing ▁task ▁force ▁spent ▁the ▁fl r st ▁few ▁weeks ▁of ▁DES ERT ▁ST ORM ▁pushing ▁ 2 4 ▁miles ▁to ▁" Point ▁FO XT RO T ," ▁a ▁ 1 0 - mile ▁by ▁ 3 . 5 - mile ▁box ▁which ▁became ▁the ▁batt les hip ▁gun fire ▁support ▁area ▁south ▁of ▁F ay la ka ▁Island . ▁ ▁While ▁swe eping ▁further ▁toward ▁shore , ▁the ▁task ▁group ▁was ▁target ed ▁by ▁Ira qi ▁fire ▁control ▁rad ars ▁associated ▁with ▁Sil kw orm ▁miss ile ▁sites ▁inside ▁K uw ait . ▁Task ▁force ▁ships ▁moved ▁out ▁of ▁Sil kw orm ▁range ▁and ▁worked ▁to ▁locate ▁the ▁rad ar ▁site . ▁During ▁those ▁man eu vers ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁February , ▁Ira qi ▁mines ▁found ▁their ▁mark . ▁Within ▁three ▁hours ▁of ▁each ▁other , ▁Tri pol i ▁and ▁USS ▁Pr inc eton ▁( CG ▁ 5 9 ) ▁were ▁rock ed ▁by ▁expl oding ▁mines . ▁As ▁damage ▁control ▁teams ▁successfully ▁over c ame ▁fl res ▁and ▁flo oding ▁ab o ard ▁Tri pol i ▁and ▁Pr inc eton , ▁Imper vious , ▁Le ader ▁and ▁Aven ger ▁searched ▁for ▁additional ▁mines ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁Ad roit ▁led ▁the