WITH THE I MARINE EXPEDITlONARY FORCE IN DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM 41 the mid-west. Colonel George E. Germann, the regimental commander, deployed units in platoon and company strength along a 200-mile chain of locations from Bahrain to Mishab, shifting them promptly as needs changed. Major General Richard D. Hearney, who commanded the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing, most of which had just arrived in-theater, came to Safaniyah as the force Deputy Commanding General. Up to this time, General Boomer had not had the benefit of an aviator general officer on his staff. In Hearney, he not only had an experienced flyer--he had been one of the first Harrier pilots--but one with an extensive background in both aviation and ground command and control. The commander of U.S. Marine Forces Central Command (Rear) remained at Riyadh and was responsible for direct relations with CentCom. Major General Norman E. Ehlert, also an aviator, succeeded Major General Pearson on 18 January. IShlert met daily with General Schwarzkopf and the CentCom to discuss strategy and issues. The arrangement suited General Schwarzkopf, who later remarked: "(W)e talked to each other so much I never made a single campaign decision that I didn't seek your [Pearson's and Ehlert's] views on so I was very comfortable . . . that Walt (General Boomer) knew exactly how I planned to conduct the campaign..................To coordinate amphibious planning, Major General John J. Sheehan assumed duties as Commander U.S. Marine Forces Central Command (Forward) on board Vice Admiral Arthur's flagship, USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19). As will be seen, Sheehan's publicized presence and provocative title later played a role in General Schwarzkopf's deception plan. Lastly, General Boomer redesignated force activities at Camp Pendleton, California as I MEF CONUS (Continental United States). Both of the force's ground combat elements moved north in early January. General Myatt, newly "frocked" in the rank of major general, moved his 1st Marine Division command post from south of Manifah Bay westwards into the former ArCent area to positions 60 kilometers west of Misbab. General Keys ~he initial dispositions of Col Germann's far-flung command were: Regimental Headquarters to the Rear Area Operations Center (RAOC) at the Commercial Port of Jubail. The 2d Bn (LtCol Johnson) deployed Co D to Ammunition Supply Point #1 west of Jubayl, Co E to the port at Mishab, and Co F to Safaniyah. Wpns Co and a provisional rifle company from H&S Co went to NAF Jubayl. The 3d Bn (LtCol Guwilliams) deployed H&S Co and Co I to the Ras Al Gahr desalinization plants, Co G to Shaikh lsa AB, Bahrain Co H to Kibrit (on 31Jan91), Co I to King Abdul Aziz NB, Jubayl, and Wpns Co to Camp Gray, Jubayl. MajGen Pearson's `temporary' assignment as ComUSMarCent (Rear) stretched over five months. Before he returned to resume charge of the Marine Corps Research, Acquisition, and Development Command at Quantico, he flew a number of combat air patrols over the northern Gulf which included one near engagement with Iraqi fighters near the Kuwait coast on 15 November. He also flew combat missions over Iraq on 17 January. `Fwcking' accorded an officer the honor and title of the next higher rank, but without its pay and allowances. This is often done if an officer was selected for promotion and serving in a billet for that rank when there was as yet no vacancy in that category on the Lineal List of Officers.First Page | Prev Page | Next Page | Src Image |