wITH THE I MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM    83


of defense did not sortie from their emplacements and became easy prey for
supporting Marine aircraft.
   Farther north near Kuwait City, U.S. Air Force A-lO Thunderbolt II and F-
16 General Dynamics Falcon jets attacked tanks and armored vehicles under the
control of Marine and Air Force officers in an airborne command and control
center installed on board a U.S. Air Force Lockheed EC-13O Hercules transport.
As I MEF advanced in the attack, planned high density air control zones were
successively activated so that all air strikes in the vicinity of Marines came under
positive control of the Marine Corps air command and control system.  The 3d
Marine Aircraft Wing flew 671 sorties in a surge effort during the first 24 hours
of the attack, fixed wing aircraft averaging 2.36 sorties each.
   Accompanying each battalion in the assault were teams from 2d and 3d Low
Altitude Air Defense Battalions equipped with Stinger heat-seeking missiles.
Near the border, 2d and 3d Light Anti-Aircraft Missile Battalions provided
medium range air defense with radar-guided Improved Hawk missiles.      Both
organizations were part of Marine Air Control Group 38, commanded by
Colonel Joseph Dellacourt.     Rounding out the Marine air defenses were the
F/A-iS Hornets of Marine Aircraft Group 11.     Even though virtually all the
Hornets were now flying attack missions in support of I MEF, each was armed
with Sidewinder and Sparrow missiles that could be instantly brought to bear
against intruding aircraft.  Providing a radar umbrella over the force were the
TPS-32 and TPS-59 radars from Marine air control squadrons.    These radars
were connected by data link with other radars of the U.S. Air Force and Navy
to mutually provide a complete picture of all aircraft operating in the theater.


The MarCeni commander, LtGen Waiter E. Boorner, was photographed on the evening of 24
Februa~ J991.