DESERT SHIELD-STORM INTERVIEW

File: 102896_jun96_decls6_0030.txt
Page: 0030
Total Pages: 64

Subject: DESERT SHIELD-STORM INTERVIEW                                   

Box ID: BX001608

Unit: 101ST ID    

Parent Organization: XVIII CORPS 

Folder Title: DSS 101ST ABN DIV INTERVIEW CDR 101ST SG - C                                                    

Folder SEQ  #:         83

Document Number:          2







          DSIT-AE-103: COL Roy E. Beauchamp


          develops quickly to provide me some sustaining capability
          over a long period of time. That did not come to fruition.

          MAJ HONEC: It never got well, except for toward the end
          there, as I understand it, you did start receiving a lot of
          parts.

          COL BEAUCHAMP: Just before we deployed into Iraq, we
          received a lot at one time. But again, that system ...

          MAJ HONEC: That was the wrong time to be doing that.

          COL BEAUCHAMP: That's right. It took too long.

          MAJ HONEC: I understand.


          COL BEAUCHAMP: You've got to be able to absorb it. You
          can't go without eating for a week and then all of a sudden
          sit down and absorb five meals, or ten meals at one time.
          That's kind of an analogue of what we were doing.

          MAJ HONEC: What do you think happens in the mail system up
          there, sir?

          COL BEAUCHAMP: That's a good question. There are three
          things that concern soldiers, I think. Mail, food and pay.
          Of course mail is that vital link back home. The problems
          were ameliorated to some degree this time because we had
          telephones, you know. This was, I think, the only war in
          history in which the United States was engaged where it was
          fairly easy for a soldier to call home-. And it became even
          easier the longer the deployment occurred. But mail was a
          kev issue. That was always a source of consternation for
          us, again because we were deploying large numbers of
          soldiers in a very short period of time. And most of the
          units are operated by soldiers, many of which came (as a
          matter of fact) from the Reserve Components. Some decisions
          were made, I'm sure, with respect to how that was going to
          be handled. And probably in retrospect, it would have been
. Mail was a problem for
          the soldiers at the time. And at some points it moved very
          smoothly. As long as we were stabilized in one place for a
          long period of time. But mail was a continuing issue
          throughout with soldiers who didn't the mail system was
          responding quickly enough.

                           [END OF SIDE ONE, TAPE ONE]

          MAJ HONEC: Going back. There was a telephone operation run
          at King Khalid Military City. Did your troops ... were your
          troops able to use those?

                                       27

Document 64 f:/Week-22/BX001608/DSS 101ST ABN DIV INTERVIEW CDR 101ST SG - C/desert shield-storm interview:10019616504029
Control Fields 17
File Room = jun96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-22
Box ID = BX001608
Unit = 101ST ID
Parent Organization = XVIII CORPS
Folder Title = DSS 101ST ABN DIV INTERVIEW CDR 101ST SG - C
Folder Seq # = 83
Subject = DESERT SHIELD-STORM INTERVIEW
Document Seq # = 2
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 01-OCT-1996