WITH MARINES IN OPERATION PROVIDE COMFORT                             4?

five humvees, 51 fuel bladders, a bulldozer, a small emplacement excavator
(SEE), and more than 50 other sling loads.5s
   The Engineer Support Platoon (First Lieutenant Jeffery M. Reagan) was
always near the tip of the spear. These Marines provided Joint Task Force Bravo
engineer, explosive ordnance disposal, bulk fuel storage and distribution, water
purification, mobile electric power, floodlights, and specialized civic action
special project support. The MSSG's three-man explosive ordnance detachment
(EOD) was strengthened by a U.S. Navy EOD detachment from the aircraft
carrier Roosevelt and were assisted by foreign EOD teams from the British 59th
Independent Commando, Royal Engineers; the French 17th Airborne Engineer
Regiment and Foreign Legion sappers; and Italian engineers. The joint Navy-
Marine EOD team detonated more than 37,000 ordnance items weighing about
52 tons in April and May. Marines in northern Iraq were frequently dismayed
to find Kurdish children playing with live ordnance. Despite all efforts to warn
the displaced civilians, several tragedies occurred. More than 20 Kurds had to
be treated when explosives detonated in fl~ir hands. Three paratroopers were
severely wounded by a detonated mine. At Isikveren, a Special Forces soldier
was killed and a Marine was badly wounded while trying to extract frightened
refugees from a minefield.56
   The most pressing issue facing MSSG-24 was the lack of materials and
equipment. The decision to retain combat and combat support personnel and
equipment because of a critical shortage of boat spaces on the ships of Phibron
8 obviated trimming combat service support. The MSSG deployed with only half
its normal allocation of five-ton trucks and without the Amphibious Assault
Fueling System. One-half of its portable electric generators were left behind, and
there was no water truck. During Provide Comfort the motor transport shortage
was offset by doubling the number of runs. In the words of Lieutenant Colonel
Kohl, "We made 10 trucks look like 20. "~~ This expedient initially provided an


A Marine leads a group of Kurdish men while they plrnt the layout of Refugee Camp 1, near Zakho,
Iraq in April 1991. The Marines of the 24th MEU (SOC) established this camp to show the Iraqis
their humanitarian intent. Three camps eventually occupied this area.