WrrH THE 1 MARINE EXPEDIrIONARY FORCE IN DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM   13


   To provide its ground forces with traditional Marine close air support,
Pearson and Colonel Joseph W. Robben, Jr., one of the Corps' senior air
controllers, negotiated an arrangement whereby MarCent would control all
offensive air missions within its area of operations by use of a series of high
density air control zones, fire support coordination lines, and restricted fire
areas.
   Another issue was air bases.  Virtually every square inch of ramp space in
Saudi Arabia had already been taken or spoken for. Central Command assigned
Marines two small airfields in the Jubayl area: Jubayl Naval Air Facility and
King Abdul Aziz Naval Base.     Even with these, there was no room for most of
3d Marine Aircraft Wing's fighter and     attack aircraft.  General Pearson
approached an old friend, Shailth Khalifa bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, minister of the
Bahrain Amiri Defense Forces.    The Shaikh immediately offered use of a base
nearing completion of construction, Shaikh Isa Air Base, plus space at the
already crowded Balirain International Airport.8    The lack of ramp space
required the services of another traditional partner of Marines in combat: the
SeaBees. Captain Michael R. Johnson, USN, commanded the four naval mobile
construction battalions that were forward deployed from the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
One of the first of their many engineering feats was the enlargement of ramps
at Jubayl Naval Air Facility and King Abdul Aziz Naval Base and at Shaikh Isa
Air Base on Bahrain.
   By the last week of September, 1 Marine Expeditionary Force had grown to
more than 30,000 Marines, close to General Schwarzkopfs initial cap of 42,500
including forces afloat.    The historic offloading of two squadrons of the
Maritime Pre-Positioning Force had gone well overall.     Early problems of
tracking equipment flow and a shortage of combat service support personnel to
offload the vessels were overcome by an all-hands effort and Jubayl's superb
port facilities.  As experience was gained, each offload became smoother and
more efficient.    One key to the success of the deployment was the use of time
phased force deployment data.   When this data was coupled with the automated
tracking scanners and computers of the Marine air-ground task force decision
support system (MDSS), the process achieved high degrees of accuracy and
speed. The result was that I Marine Expeditionary Force was the first American
force to get ashore with a sustained combat capability.
   On 3 September, the 1st Force Support Group commanded by Brigadier
General James A. Brabham, Jr., assumed the combat service support role for the
force.  Brabham had 29 years of service as a combat engineer and logistician,
and als6 had recently completed a tour with Central Command.  After flying to
Riyadh on 10 August, and spending three weeks coordinating logistics, he
established the group's command post in a tent compound on the Jubayl pier.


   ~~PFDD was the joint doctrinc for moving units and their equipment developed in the early
198Os to promote flows and optimize use of the transportation assets of the Military Sealift and
Military Airlift Commands.