28                                    U.S. MARINES IN THE PERSIAN GULF, 1990-1991

world-class body builder, in one of the Jubayl Camps on 4 November.     It was
used by slightly over 1,000 Marine and British patrons a day until the force
moved north for the offensive.     Many American families in the expatriate
housing compounds at Jubayl and Ras Tannurah also opened their homes to
Marine troops for a shower and dinner in "Operation Scrub and Grub."        A
lucky few got to go on board a cruise ship, the Gulf Princess, docked at
Bahrain. For most Marines, however, an occasional pick-up bail game or video
movie was the extent of recreation in Saudi Arabia.
   Perhaps the most difficult area of Saudi-U.S. relations was the clash of
driving cultures and resulting traffic accidents.  The Saudi road network along
the coast was excellent, but Marines were frightened by the fatalistic habits of
the local drivers, some of whom were unlicensed and inexperienced.     Marines
saw numerous examples of speeding and passing two abreast on two lane roads.
Inevitably, there were tragic accidents that resulted in the deaths of Saudis and
Marines.
   The only formal protest ever made about Marine conduct developed as a
result of a Cable News Network broadcast.   Although it was illegal to receive
the network in the kingdom, the Eastern Province Area Commander raised his
concern to Lieutenant General Boomer of possible Iraqi propaganda exploitation
of one of its broadcasts.  A clip showed a touch football game, lightheartedly
named the "Scud Bowl," between Marine and Navy females at an enclosed
Marine area.  The players wore typical American physical recreation clothing,
shorts and T-shirts, and were being observed by male Marines.      By contrast,
Saudi law and custom required that women appear in public clad in head-to-foot
attire accompanied by a male family member.

                  Logistics: the Birth of `Saudi Motors'

   Colonel Raymond A. List was General Boomer's assistant chief of staff for
logistics with 30 years of service as an artillery, communications, and logistics
officer. As the force began its expansion, one of List's greatest concerns was
overland transportation.   Doctrinally, the Marine Corps planned for moving
support no more than about 50-SO kilometers from a beachhead port.      Faced
with double and triple these distances, and this was only the beginning, List and
Brigadier General Brabham,     commander of the       1st Force Service Support
Group, found themselves with an acute shortage of "line haul" surface transport.
To make matters worse, the mileage being put on tactical vehicles was rapidly
increasing.   They  now     resorted to a  series     of practical if somewhat
unconventional actions to solve the problem.
   The most orthodox form of help came from the CentCom itself.           The
assistant chief of staff for logistics, Lieutenant General William "Gus" Pagonis,
USA, directed ArCent to supply MarCent with the first of an eventual total of
246 trucks, mainly 5,000-gallon tankers.    Next, List appointed the I MEF
Supply Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Timothy "Trucks" M. Taylor, as the force's
truck "czar."  Taylor began leasing as many civilian trucks as he could find.