European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 13, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 28 the f tars and stripes monday August 13,1990 Egypt Morocco Send troops to saudi Arabia from Pago 1 the soviet Union also supported the decision hoping it would Lead to Quot a speedy Resolution to the  defense department sources said saturday in Washington meanwhile that Patriot ground to air missiles were earmarked for deployment in saudi Arabia in addition to the computer guided patriots the United states is sending Hawk medium Range guided missiles Chaparral Mobile heat seeking missiles and stinger shoulder held anti aircraft missiles army sources said. Stinger missiles already have arrived there the sources said. The army also is Rushing shipment of Apache attack helicopters and other weapons capable of knocking out iraqi tanks an army source said. The Pentagon officially announced that elements of the 1st Marine expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton calif., and the army a 101st airborne div at fort Campbell ky., began moving to embarkation Points for the trip to saudi Arabia. The Marine Force includes elements of the 7th Marine expeditionary brigade the 3rd Marine aircraft Wing the 1st Marine div and the 1st Force service support group said it. Col. Ron Stokes a Marine corps spokesman. He said a Marine expeditionary Force usually totals 30,000 to 60,000 men. An army source said troops from fort Hood Texas also were to be deployed. News reports in Texas said 1,000 soldiers had been readied for deployment and that five batteries from the 11th air defense arty brigade at fort Bliss Texas have been ordered to prepare for departure to the persian a Iii. The 101st airborne with 15,400 troops has two attack battalions equipped with 18 ah-6 4 Apache grou rid attack helicopters and 18 ah-1s cobra anti tank helicopters which normally carry Tow misses. It also has two assault helicopter battalions a medium Tift helicopter battalion and an air cavalry Squadron with reconnaissance helicopters. The Pentagon citing Security concerns has refused to say How Many soldiers airmen and other ground forces have arrived in saudi Arabia or where they Are setting up their defensive positions. As the first troops from Egypt and Morocco landed saturday it was unclear How they would be deployed with american soldiers but All the forces were Landing at the same northeastern saudi base. The Pentagon has committed 50,000 ground troops but the number could skyrocket if Iraq invades with forces massed on the Kuwait saudi Border. The United states already has nine ships in the persian Gulf seven in the Mediterranean and two aircraft carriers and their Battle groups in the red sea and Indian Ocean. Britain committed two fighter aircraft squadrons anti aircraft missiles and other air and sea forces totalling More than 1,000 service members to the Gulf area. Australia Canada and West Germany promised ships. France and the soviet Union sent ships to the Gulf Independent of the multinational Force originally formed during the Iran Iraq  from Page 1 Days in Advance How they planned the escape. Alan Jones originally from Selsdon England said the group was co a lure. He admitted they had to a a steal Given 15 minutes warning before Depar two of the vehicles from expatriate friends who were on Holiday. They did not reveal their desert route so As not to Alert the iraqis and said they fave the Drivers a list of those still bound in Hopes of helping others get out. They said they had to take a route through deep dunes from which cars had to be hauled out. Quot the Only time we got really frightened was when we had to pull out one vehicle and two tanks came Over the Dune Quot Jones said. Quot we saw the gun turrets move and it was terrifying. We were Only five min utes from the Border and we really thought that was it. But they did no to fire and they left us i done to know Why a he told the paper. Bob Grimstead from Bexley England said the bedouins Quot could pinpoint a Needle in the dark. They knew All the dunes and rocks. They were  another american with the group Thomas Winston from fort Lauderdale had tried to leave with a group a few Days earlier by a regular route and that group was turned Back by the iraqis. A the tension had been building up should we go  we go. At least we tried afterwards we had a  in London the foreign Filce said at least 45 britons including several children made their Way across the desert from Kuwait to saudi Arabia in several convoys Friday. However officials said the government was continuing to advise its estimated 4,000 citizens in occupied Kuwait not to attempt to leave because the journey is not Safe. A a. Tit. A it a. R Quot is t a my a Star bound for the Gulf tanks and other armoured vehicles top land Calif before sailing for the mid photo of the 24th inf div pass East this week. And a British Raf through Garden City ga., in route to Jaguar takes off from Raf Coltishall the persian Gulf. The Hospital ship England on a training flight prior to mercy Middle loads supplies at Oak departing for deployment in the  from Pago 1 increased the risk of fires almost throughout the state. The Lames of the California fires destroyed 77 structures a from outbuildings to Homes a including 66 in the town of Foresta along the Merced River Canyon near Yosemite. Firefighters were spread thin in Many spots. An 18-person Crew was fighting a 2,500-Aere wildfire in the King Mountain Range a Federal wilderness area on the Northern California coast that includes habitat of the endangered spotted owl. In Eastern Oregon firefighters held their own saturday in efforts to Corral Forest and Range fires burning across More than 116,000 acres. Lightning storms continued with 2,600 strikes reported overnight but fire spokesman Doug Decker said the threat from lightning was abating after five straight nights of 2,000 or More strikes. The lightning started More than 100 fires each Day but most were controlled. More than 6,500 firefighters were on the lines in Oregon on saturday. Crews from at least 16 states in the South and fast helped out. Decker said the state s most troublesome fire was along the Southern Side of the Straw Bem Mountain wilderness Southeast of John Day in the Maheur National Forest. The fire burned actively through the night growing from 9,000 acres to nearly 11,000 acres Decker said. In Idaho hundreds of firefighters Laboured to dig containment lines around Forest and Range fires but thunderstorms crackling overhead in the Central mountains promised yet another round of blazes. Temperatures dropped below earlier highs Over 100 in Southern Idaho and some heavy rain even fell Friday night in the Payette National Forest North of Boise although 19 new lightning caused blazes began. Some 160 firefighters and air retardant tankers worked together Friday to rein in the stale s biggest Blaze a 66,000 acre Range fire about 35 Miles North of twin Falls. Officials hoped to contain it saturday night although wind gusts accompanying the storms could change matters drastically. Crews in Eastern Washington Laboured saturday in 90-degree heat to fight dozens of Small Forest fires started by Light Nin strikes overnight. Quot things Are pretty hectic today Quot said Paul Hart spokesman for the Wenatchee National Forest where lightning strikes started up to 40 new fires. In Utah fire Bosses called in reinforcements to Battle several Brush fires but at least one fire a 200racre Blaze near the Ninta and Ouray Indian reservation has been allowed to Burn unchecked because other blazes in the West have taken precedence