WITH MARINES IN OPERATION PROVIDE COMFORT                               7


guessed the number to be about triple the official tally. Made aware of the
problem by the international media, sympathetic countries pledged money,
supplies, equipment, and troops to support the relief effort. As a result, General
Jamerson's mission was   expanded from   10-day emergency  aid to  30-day
sustainment operations, and then was later extended to no less than a 90-day
deployment.

                        The First Marines Arrive

   The   first Marine  contribution to  Operation Provide Comfort  was  a
detachment of parachute riggers from the Air Delivery Platoon, 1st Landing
Support Battalion, 1st FSSG at Camp Pendleton, California. Although just
returned to the United States after a tough eight-month stint in the desert of Saudi
Arabia, they repacked their well-worn sea bags and departed Norton Air Base for
Incirlik on 8 April, less than 48 hours after returning home. At Incirlik, the
detachment was attached to the 21st Theater Army Area Command's 7th Special
Operations Command.    The Marines labored side-by-side with other service
personnel for almost three months, often working "eight-hours on/eight-hours
off," a round-the-clock shifts. They built and loaded more than 350 pallets daily,
stacked with food,   bottled water, baby food, coats, blankets, and tents.
Parachutes were attached and the pallets were placed onto aircraft for delivery
to the refugees. Despite the hardships, these hard-working Marines tackled this
difficult assignment with enfl~siasm and were later commended for a job well
done.8

                  Combined Task Force Provide Comfort

   The   decision  to expand  Provide   Comfort's mission from   relief to
sustainment, coupled with a growing international military and civilian presence,
required structural changes in the task force organization. On 9 April 1991, Joint
Task Force Provide Comfort was redesignated Combined Task Force Provide
Comfort in recognition of international cooperation. Lieutenant General John M.
"Shali" Shalikashvili, USA, assumed command of Combined Task Force Provide
Comfort on 17 April. General Jamerson became the new deputy commander and
Marine Brigadier General Anthony C. Zinni became the new chief-of-staff.
Combined Task Force Provide Comfort eventually numbered more than 20,000
allied troops divided into two ground task forces, a logistics support unit, and an
air contingent.
   Provide Comfort's ground elements were designated Joint Task Force Alpha
and Joint Task Force Bravo. Logistics units were either assigned to, or closely
coordinated with, the Combined Support Command (CSC) at Silopi. Aircraft
were provided by all four U.S. armed services and each multinational force. The
Marines provided a composite helicopter squadron; the U.S. Navy furnished a
carrier air wing and a combat support helicopter squadron; the U.S. Army
brought two  attack helicopter squadrons, an assault helicopter squadron, a