40                         HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS IN NORTHERN IRAQ, 1991:

    Another source of diversion was the street market or "souk.  Up and down
the roadway Turkish vendors--called "Meester, Meesters" because of their calls
to passing soldiers--hawked a wide variety of goods including cold sodas, oriental
rugs, and Iraqi money with Saddam's picture on it.4s In all likelihood, however,
the major form of recreation was story-telling. Soldiers from around the world
swapped tall tales about faraway places and exciting adventures or showed off
wounds from previous conflicts. The atmosphere at Silopi was a friendly one
where all nationalities, races, creeds, colors, and both sexes were united by the
desire to assist the Kurdish refugees, and many veteran campaigners felt Provide
Comfort was among the most rewarding experiences of long military careers.

                            CMAGTF 1-91

    Contingency MAGTF 1-91 was formed from elements of the Ill Marine
Expeditionary Force (III MEF) stationed on the Japanese island of Okinawa in
the western Pacific. The CMAGTF's cornmand element came from the 3rd Force


                                      Painting by C()I Peter M. `Mike" Gish, U5MCR
The air control tower at Sirsenk was manned by an arriving/departing air control group from
Ok ina wa-based CMA GTF 1-91. The Sirsenk ai)field had been badly damaged during Desert Storm,
but was repaired by Seabeesfrom Naval Mobile Construction Baaalion 133.