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


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Ships of Manfime Pre-Positioning Squadron 2 unload at the Commercial Port of Jubayl in late
November 1990. The 1st Force Service Support Group operated the port during the campaign. All
ships of the Maritime Pre-Positioning Force were named afier Marine hollers of the Medal of
Honor. in the foreground is MV 1 stLt Alex Bonnyman fr-AK 3003). The MPF ships invanab~
used their own cranes to unload; the port's crane operators had all been sent down to the port
at Dammam to offload U.S. Army shipping.

of facilities.  While Hansen welcomed relief from these burdens, several issues
arose due to the transition.  Procurement actions and payment schedules from
the  Saudi    government  were  unclear,  which  caused difficulties for some
contractors.    Moreover, because of the rapid buildup, scarcities of supplies and
materials of all sorts arose as the inventories of local sources diminished.

                             A Presidential Visit

    Just before the arrival  of I MEF's    reinforcements, Lieutenant General
Boomer and his Marines hosted the President of the United States and Mrs.
George Bush during a Thanksgiving Day visit on 22 November 1990.      General
Boomer escorted the couple to the 1st Marine Division forward command post
where the President made a speech reiterating his commitment to defend Saudi
Arabia and remove Iraqi forces from Kuwait.    The presidential party then dined
there with individual troops of the force. To the delight of Marines about her
at the austere site, Mrs. Bush took her meal seated on a pile of sandbags.