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

wouldn't do.  Hill, who by now had almost gotten used to the constant juggling
of his assets, informed Boomer that in order to have adequate communications
with both divisions, he would have to move his command post somewhere near
Al Khanjar.   At a site eight kilometers south of the Al Khanjar combat service
support area, the I MEF Headquarters Company under command of Major Gary
R. Ing established an austere tent camp inside a series of concentric berms.  It
was set within a slight undulation of desert with the effect that the camp was
practically invisible two kilometers away.  The rains earlier had brought forth
a fuzzy carpet of thin grass and the trafficability of the desert in this area was
excellent.   The nights were bitter, however, with temperatures often below
freezing.
    At a formation on 15 February, Boomer thanked the officers and troops of
his command element for pulling off a "minor miracle" in the latest move and
for all their hard work in the past.  Most of them had been with Boomer for


LiGen Bouner addresses the 1 MEF cominand element on 15 Februa,y 1991 at the force's new
main command post located eight kilometers south of A~ Khanjar.