Document Page: First | Prev | Next | All | Image | This Release | Search

The staff also coordinated with USCENTAF and the CONUS commands to allocate 
190 CONUS Services personnel to assist in USAFE operations.  Special mortuary 
processing centers were established at RAF Lakenheath, Incirlik AB and 
Torrejon AB.  This effort required the sourcing of $60,000 in specialized 
equipment.  Contingency plans called for expanding contracts for additional 
morticians, and computer data bases were developed to enhance mortuary affairs
 processing, transportation and identification procedures.  Once up and  
operational, the MPCs at RAF Lakenheath had the capacity to process 96 
casualties per day, Torrejon AB had the capacity to process 28 per day and 
Incirlik AB had the capacity to process eight per day.  When contingency 
operations wound down, the MPCs were disassembled and supplies and equipment 
were returned to storage for future use.  RAF Lakenheath's equipment was 
divided into mortuary kits that stand ready to be used in emergencies such as 
aircraft fatalities, mass casualties and natural disasters.  Each kit contains 
supplies to process 50 casualties.

Thankfully, all of these preparations were not used, but had they been needed, 
the Services folks stood ready to do their part.  Despite the daily good news 
from the Gulf, there was always apprehension they would one day receive a 
large number of casualties and have to place the contingency hospitals into 
full operation.  The thousands of team members were prepared to do their jobs, 
but nobody wanted to see American servicemembers hurt in large numbers. When 
the war was finally over and they all knew their worst fears would not be 
realized, there was relief so few were hurt.  The support people who had 
worked hard throughout the deployment joined the hundreds of happy contingency 
hospital folks in celebrating the ceasefire.  Part of the reason that so few 
patients had to be treated was the outstanding support the medical and support 
teams provided, helping ensure coalition forces would be able to strike 
confidently, certain they would obtain the best of care if injuries did occur.

A short-notice contingency requirement for climate controlled shop and storage 
space at Moron AB was solved  when during a brainstorm session, Brigadier 
General John Harty recalled a type  of tent used years before by the 819th RED 
HORSE unit in England. Chief Master Sergeants Dennis McAvoy and Daniel 
DeYoung pursued General Harty's idea and came up with a uniquely innovative 
solution--using German "beer tents" lined with a plastic vapor barrier. Chief 
McAvoy  located sources for the tents, heaters, plastic, and other items 
needed, purchased two of them because rental was not an option under these 
conditions, and engineers from the 7002nd Civil Engineering Squadron (CES) 
deployed to Spain in February 1991 to put them up.  This solved the problem 
quickly, effectively, and economically.

Early in the deployment of troops to SWA, there was a critical need for 
electrical generators to power equipment at remote locations that had no other 
source of electricity.  When informed of the shortage, Major Kenneth Werner, 
Chief Master Sergeant James C. Johnson and Master Sergeant Richard Willet of 
the Operations Division inventoried the command for WRM generators that could 
be spared without reducing USAFE readiness posture, and directed their 
preparation and airlift to SWA.  Over 142 WRM generators supplied to DESERT 
SHIELD and DESERT STORM enabled many critical units and outposts to operate 
effectively.

When an electrical transformer shortage at Souda Bay Naval Air Station, Crete, 
impeded the transfer of the RC-135 unit from Hellenikon AB, Greece, the 

Document Page: First | Prev | Next | All | Image | This Release | Search