200                                  U.S. MARINES IN THE PERSIAN GULF, 19901991


Into a Sea of Reftigees:                    HMM-264

by LtCol Joseph A. Byrtus, Jr.

   Small camp sites dotted the countryside below as the aircraft followed the
steep valley northeastward.  From 500 feet above ground level, the camp at
Isikveren was overwhelming with 80,000 starving and freezing people tightly
congregated on the steep mountain side in a patchwork of garish blue, white,
and orange tents.   A pall of smoke from thousands of small cooking fires hung
perhaps 20 feet above the camp in a thin, neat layer. Because every square foot
of land suitable for landing was occupied by refugees, the Super Stallions had
to land one at a time in one of the few level areas not blocked by the tall,
defoliated trees that dotted the camp. As the lead aircraft transitioned to landing
from a high hover, a landing zone was cleared below as people ran from the
rotor wash, followed by their tents and meager belongings.       Once safely on
deck, the crew inside the aircraft attempted to unload as rapidly as possible so
that the next aircraft could land. Initially, the crowd was kept back by the rotor
wash of the aircraft.
   Within moments, however, the crowd surrounding the CH-53E had doubled
or tripled in size.  As the first pallet was pushed from the ramp, a crowd of
10,000 or more rushed the aircraft from all sides in a desperate dash for food
and water.  Fearing the results of a mob scene at the rear of his aircraft, the
aircraft commander lifted into a low hover and slowly air-taxied its way
forward, temporarily blowing the Kurds back and clearing an area below the
aircraft for the remaining pallets to fall.  The second and third aircraft followed
the first's lead and delivered their loads from a low hover too.  Once this was
accomplished all three helos departed the refugee camp and headed back to
Silopi to  recover the MEU     commanding officer       and his ground  combat
commander for the return trip to the USS Guadaicanal.         The return flight,
however, was diverted to Incerlik, Turkey, for the evening as reduced visibility
precluded a return to the USS Guadalcanal.


BLT 2/8 Moves South

by LtCol Tony L. Corwin

   The beginning of May began as busy as the last two weeks of April.
Companies E and F were each tasked to provide one rifle platoon with either a
combined antiarmor team or a fast attack vehicle team attached to replace allied
forces controlling roadblocks to the west and south of the city, as these forces
prepared to move east.   Company G was tasked with providing a platoon for
security purposes at the Zakhu hospital.       Our light armored infantry (LAl)