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


Part of the five-million-gallon bulk fitel farm in the southwest corner of the Direct Support
Command's large combat service support base, 165 kilometers by dirt road west northwest ofAl
Mishab, photographed on 21 February 1991. The DSC built the vast base in seven days and it was
enclosed by 42 kilometers of blostwall berm, a portion of which can be seen near the top of the
photograph. The remote area had no place name so the DSC dubbed it "Al Khanjar,  Arabic for
a type of short sword.

Engineer Support Battalions (Reinforced) departed Kibrit westbound to begin
construction of a huge support base located about 35 kilometers southwest of the
corner of the heel of Kuwait. The battalions' many feats of construction over
the next 14 days included 38 kilometers of blastwall berm which contained
among other things the Marine Corps' largest-ever ammunition supply point,
151 cells in 768 acres, a five-million-gallon fuel farm, and a naval hospital with
14 operating rooms.    The complex also included two 5,700-foot dirt airstrips
capable of handling C-i 30 turboprop transports. The area was so remote from
any settlement or feature that it had no name or designation on maps except
"gravel plain.""  General Krulak's staff dubbed the place "Al Khanjar," Arabic
for a type of short sword, to the delight of Arab officers attached to the force.
By   12 February Al Khanjar was providing combat service support to the
divisions.
     A few kilometers west of the base was Landing Zone Lonesome Dove, the
new home for the helicopters of Marine Aircraft Group 26 and a forward
command post for the wing.   Because of the distance from 3d Marine Aircraft


     In fact, the gravel was quite fine, ranging from sand grains to pea-sized pebbles. They were
too heavy or dense to be blown into dunes by the wind.