7 March (continuing) LASALiE); twelve cruisers; eleven destroyers; ten frigates; four mine warfare ships; thirty-one amphibious ships; thirty-two auxilia- ries. Additionally, two hospital ships (MERCY and COMFORT) are in the region and other military sealift ships. USS FORRESTAL Battle Group is enroute to the region. Maritime interception operations continue with 7,766 merchants challenged, 945 ships boarded, 48 diverted. The Navy has conducted 547 of the boardings. USS MOOSBRUGGER diverts freighter in N. Red Sea. Navy ships are also assisting commercial vessels navigate through northern Arabian Gulf waters made potentially dangerous by mines. 8 March Naval forces continue conducting defensive counter-air, surface surveillance, maritime interceptions and minesweeping operations. Mter two weeks of non-stop minesweeping operations, the port of Kuwait City is safe enough to reopen. The Federal Republic of Germany is sending minesweepers to the Arabian Gulf to assist the Navy in clearing Iraqi.mines from Kuwaiti waters. Marine ground forces continue to redeploy to defensive positions. Two Marine F/A- 18 jets collided in mid-air over Saudi Arabia without i~ur~~ to either pilot. Both pilots ejected and landed safely by para- chute. First Navy personnel from Arabian Gulf theater arrive In CONUS. Due to changes in operational requirements, the activation of 321 Marine Reservists has been cancelled. 9 March Naval forces continue defensive counter-air, surface surveillance, maritime interceptions and minesweeping operations. Marine ground forces continue retrograde to defensive positions. First USMC personnel from Arabian Gulf theater arrive in CONUS. 10 March COMUSNAVCENT declares R-Day, the initial surge force reduction of - naval forces commencing in accordance with the CINCCENT rede- ployment plan. Naval forces continue defensive counter-air, surface surveillance, maritime interceptions and minesweeping operations. Marine ground forces continue retrograde to defensive positions. 21 repatriated American POWs, including LT Jeffrey Zaun, LT Robert Wetzel, LT Randolph Slade (Navy), LTCOL Cliff Acree, Captain Michael Berryman, CWO Guy Hunter, Jr., Captain Russell Sanborn, and Major Joseph Small (USMC), arrive in CONUS. 11 March USS SARATOGA and USS MIDWAY Carrier Battle Groups commence redeployments to their respective homeports. USS SARATOGA transits the Suez Canal enroute Mayport, Florida; USS MIDWAY departs the Arabian Gulf enroute Yokosuka, Japan. Naval forces continue defensive counter-air, combat air patrols, surface sur- veillance, maritime interceptions and minesweeping operations. A-47
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