10
U.S. Army Engineers in the Gulf War
alert order. When they arrived in Dhahran, they had no logistics structure to
support them, no shelter in the 120-degree heat, and no sanitation facilities.
Meanwhile, a Marine naval transport squadron was already en route to
Saudi Arabia, as were F-15 planes from the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing. Some
heavier ground forces were airlifted while their tanks and other equipment
came by sea. These units included the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), the
24th Infantry Division (Mechanized), the 1st Cavalry Division, and the 2d
Armored Division. In the first seven days, a n entire brigade--4,575
paratroopers and their equipment--arrived in Saudi Arabia ready to fight. By
24 August, more than 12,000 soldiers from the XVIII Airborne Corps were in
the country. Shipment of material continued throughout August and September
from five Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico ports.8
Tent city of the 82d Airborne Division.
Third U.S. Army had developed a list of the Army units needed, based on
the INTERNAL LOOK 90 scenario, but the Iraqi threat to Saudi Arabia was so
urgent that combat forces had to be on the ground before the Army could
develop an adequate support base. The Army had to deploy many combat units
quickly with only the most essential support units. To ensure that the greatest
,
amount of combat power was available the CENTCOM commander
celerated the deployment of combat forces and delayed the deployment of
ater logistics forces. Thus, the first units had to rely on their organic supplies
nd equipment or on host nation support.
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