74                                U.S. MARINES~IN~THE PERSIAN aULE, 1990-1991


                                 A&


                                       Department of Defense Photo (USMC) 0732 8 91
Captured iraqi weapons are displayed at the 2d Marine Division command pa~t, March
1991.

    Such numbers, interesting as they are in themselves, cannot provide a
complete picture of all that the division actually accomplished during the
conflict. Even while deployment was a remote possibility, General Keys directed
the assembly of the division and began to prepare it for combat. Ultimately, the
division numbered more than 20,000 men and women Marines, soldiers and
sailors. But nearly half of those who fought with the division were not a part of
its regular establishment. The division was reinforced by units from the 3d and
4th Marine Divisions, Reservists from the Individual Ready Reserve, and by the
nearly 5,000 soldiers of the Tiger Brigade. All of these units and individuals had
to be integrated into the division's structure and trained within it. That this was
successfully done cannot be better proved than by the effectiveness with which
the division operated, and the camaraderie which prevailed.
    Little time elapsed from the departure of General Keys and the division's
advance party from Camp Lejeune, through the start of offensive operations, to
the ceasefire. Yet, in this short span of time, the division deployed more than
15,000 Marines, matched up units with their proper equipment, joined- the Tiger
Brigade and other units, and moved into its combat role. Defensive missions
were accomplished, an extensive course of training was conducted, and a
detailed operation plan was prepared. Perhaps most important of all during this
period  was  General Keys'  convincing  of  Lieutenant General Boomer,
commanding general of I MEF, to order the 2d Marine Division to perform its
own separate breach of the Iraqi defensive lines. All of this work, to include the
culminating four days of battle, was accomplished in less than three months.