232                                 U.S. MARINES IN THE PERSIAN GULF, 19901991


11  September--President Bush  spoke  to a joint   session of Congress      and
adamantly set forth the U.S. objectives in the Persian Gulf: Iraq must withdraw
from Kuwait completely, Kuwait's legitimate government must be restored, the
security and stability of the Persian Gulf must be assured, and American citizens
must be protected.  The remarkable buildup of U.S. and allied military forces
in Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf area and the blockade of Iraq continued at
full pace amid renewed statements of determination on both sides.

26 September--General Alfred M. Gray, Commandant of the Marine Corps,
addressed a detachment of Marines   in Saudi Arabia while touring Marine
positions there and meeting with officials from Persian Gulf nations.  He talked
about a variety of topics ranging from relations with Arab countries to unit
rotations, and challenged Marines to continue to do their jobs in the best way
they know how.   It was the first visit to Southwest Asia during Operation Desert
Shield for the Commandant who was accompanied by Sergeant Major of the
Marine Corps David W. Sommers.

8 October--The first fatal Marine accident in Operation Desert Shield claimed
the lives of eight men when two UH-l N Huey helicopters crashed into the North
Arabian Sea during a night training mission.   The Marines were assigned to
Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 164 for deployment.

10 October--The first unit-sized activation of Marine reservists came when
Marines from Combat Service Support Detachment 40 reported to Marine Corps
Air Station, Kaneohe, Hawaii.  The mission of the unit was to maintain and
refurbish equipment left behind by  1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade as it
deployed to Saudi Arabia to marry up with its pre-positioned equipment aboard
Maritime Prepositioning Ship 3.

8 November--President Bush announced that he planned to add more than
200,000 U.S. troops to those already deployed in Operation Desert Shield in the
Persian Gulf area.  When completed, this deployment doubled the number of
Marines in the objective area, adding II Marine Expeditionary Force units~from
the Corps' east coast bases and the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade from
California.

13 November--A second involuntary call-up of selected Marine Corps Reserve
units began.   Marines from 20 units of the 4th Marine Division and the 4th
Marine Aircraft Wing reported to the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade at Camp
Pendleton, California, for redeployment training.

14 November--Defense Secretary Richard Cheney authorized the call-up of
72,500 more National Guard and Reserve troops in support of Operation Desert
Shield.  Added to authority already granted, the action raised the number of
Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps selected reservists who could be on