File: aacwr_21.txt
Page: 21
Total Pages: 49

* * * U N C L A S S I F I E D * * *

on 13 January, Prime BEEF personnel from Ramstein AB began building a tent city and field kitchens. By 22 january, 159 12-person tents had been built at Incirlik AB and 30 at Batman AB--the JSOFT forward base.

The continued build-up and resupply of Desert Shield units in Southwest Asia plus the deployment of usafe and JSOFT forces to Incirlik AB placed a huge demand upon military Airlift Command (MAC) aircraft. Shortage of airlift meant USAFE had to use its operational support aircraft and USEUCOM C-130s to airlift Joint Task Force assets to Incirlik. Without the operational support aircraft, the deployment of the JTF and its associated units could not have occurred. The first contingent of 39 JTF headquarters personnel DEPLOYEd from Ramstein AB and arrived at Incirlik AB on 16 January 1991 aboard a USAFE T-43. Once the appropriate diplomatic clearances were obtained and the CS dispatched the deployment order, General Jamerson traveled from Ramstein AB to Turkey aboard a C-20 and arrived at Incirlik AB at 1030Z (1230L) on 17 January. Later that same day, at 1800L, the Turkish Parliament approved U.S. use of Incirlik AB and Turkish airspace for attacks against Iraq. The remainder of the JTF headquarters element (approximately 30 personnel) arrived at Incirlik AB aboard the T-43 at 15002 on 19 january.

In anticipation of Turkey's approval to deploy extra aircraft, on 14 january 1991 Headquarters usafe bad advised its subordinate units to prepare to deploy aircraft, personnel, and support equipment within 24 hours of notification and conduct combat operations within 48 hours. Thus, once Secretary Cheney issued an order for USAFE aircraft to deploy to Incirlik AB in support of Proven Force, the following augmentation aircraft arrived at Incirlik AB by 1800Z, 17 January: 12 F-16s, eight F-4Gs, six EF-lllAs, two EC-130s, and two E-3As. The remaining fighter aircraft were in place the next day.

As Incirlik AB's military population increased with the Proven Force mission, the number of family members and non-essential civilians at the base decreased. Many of the personnel permanently assigned to Incirlik AB were concerned about impending hostilities; the Turkish-Iraqi border was less than 300 miles away. Another worry was the terrorist threat. Because of this, the U.S. Department of State advised USCINCEUR to curtail further movement of dependents and non-essential civilians to the base. Also, those family members and non-essential civilians at Incirlik were persisted to leave the base for the United States at government expense. BY 21 January, 2,147 of the 2,400 eligible departed the base.

* * * U N C L A S S I F I E D * * *