74                                     U.S. MARLNES IN THE PERSIAN GULF, 1990-1991

southeastern Kuwait and Kuwait City and to assist passage of Coalition Forces
into Kuwait City.    The force was to be prepared to assist in securing and
defending Kuwait City as well as securing the U.S. Embassy.     Additional tasks
were the conduct of deception operations, the collection and control of enemy
prisoners of war, the protection and direction of refugees and displaced civilians,
and  coordination with other     commanders.     MarCent   executed    its ground
campaign in three stages.   These deviated very little from the final version of
MarCent Operation Plan Desert Storm.
    In the plan, General Boomer stated his intent.    This was to penetrate the
Iraqi forward defenses with two divisions between the Al Wafrah and Al
Manaqish oil fields.  He also intended to deceive the enemy as to the location
of his main effort.   Marine     air assets were to be massed or 1,5~~gedt1 to
suppress enemy indirect fire weapons that covered the area of penetration.   As
part of the theater deception plan, NavCent was to conduct amphibious deception
operations in the form of a feint or demonstration to fix enemy forces north and
east of the Burqan Oilfield.  Central Command and MarCent airpower was to
attack Iraqi forces that might blunt the penetration north of a line running
through Al Ahmadi (Latitude 29-05 North).       Iraqi mobile forces were to be
destroyed in-zone while by-passing forces east of the Burqan oil field.  Al Jaber
Airfield was to be seized if it interfered with a fast advance which was focused
on enemy forces, rather than terrain.   Rapid integration of I MEF supporting
arms was to speed the advance, although care was to be taken not to outrun
logistics support and supply lines.  Finally, although Coalition Forces were to
capture Kuwait City, I MEF forces were to be prepared to conduct operations
in urban terrain.
    General Boomer crafted his concept of operations in coordination with the
Combined Operation Plan Desert Storm.       `The Marine plan incorporated the
same four phases as General Schwarzkopf's.      The first three Phases were tied
to the air campaign noted earlier: the strategic air offensive, the suppression of
air defenses in the Kuwait Theater, and battlefield preparation.  Phase IV was
a three-stage ground offensive with MarCent conducting a CentCom supporting
attack.   Its  aim  was   to fix  and destroy   Iraqi forces  in zone,   prevent
reinforcement of Iraqi forces facing the Joint Forces Command-North/Northern
Area Command on MarCent's left flank, and to preclude retreat of Iraqi forces
from southeastern Kuwait.     The final MarCent plan also had three stages:
penetration,  exploitation, and   consolidation.  Lieutenant  General    Boomer
approved the last changes to Operation Order Desert Storm on 14 February
1991.   The force executed this plan on G-Day, 24 February 1991.         In order
that every commander in the force would understood the plan clearly, Colonel
Steed dispatched briefing teams under Colonel Chuck Lohman to every sector
of the MarCent area of operations the week before G-Day.
    As G-Day approached and the forces of I MEF moved into their tactical
assembly areas, the 3d Naval Construction Regiment opened gaps through the
Berm.   To preserve deception, they also made cuts in the Berm at the bend of
the border near Al    Manaqish.     Combat engineers of the Direct Support
Command constructed roads up to the Berm on the night of 23 February.       The