Charleston (LKA 113) - Naval Cruise Book

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It was the first week of April. 1 991 . The conflict in Iraq had ended with a lopsided victory for the allied coalition. The ships of MARG 1-91 had never left the safety of the Western Med. The ships had just left Raima and were participating in an allied exercise off the coast of Sardinia when the call arrived from CINCUSNAVEUR: ■ Backload all equipment immediately and proceed east at best speed available. After a miraculous back-load the ships headed toward the East- ern Med. Along the way our mission became slightly more focused. Hundreds of thousands of Kurds in Northern Iraq were being forced to flee Saddam Hussien ' s soldiers. They had escaped to the north. Thousands of Kurds were dying daily in wretched conditions in the mountains. Our mission was to provide them with aid. Within one week of the arrival of the MARG in Iskenderun, Turkey, an initial contingent of our troops was in the field. As ten- sion mounted with the occupying Iraqi forces, it became necessary to send virtually all of the group ' s troops and resources. The men made the long journey to the mountains and started setting up tent cities and providing medical and food supplies to the Kurds. Within two weeks after the first call to the MARG. OPERATION PROVIDE COMFORT was in full swing. 43

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DESPERATE TIMES DESPERATE PEOPLE OPERATION PROVIDE COMFORT 42

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|- Welcome ' lekelimia ' ii -,: Geldlniz I Jk m A formal greeting awaited our men as they crossed the border into Iraq. A lone gutted tank in the desert. An ominous reminder of death and destruction. ' • t 44 ■k