European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 20, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday january 20, 1991 the stars and stripes a a a Page-5 War Iii the Gulf Vii corps troops biding their time they listen to news endure alerts editors note stars and stripes reporter Rob Jagodzinski was among combat Pool reporters who filed information for this report from the scene with the s Vii corps Headquarters and the 1st grind div by the stars and stripes saudi Arabia a soldiers and equipment from the Vii corps mechanized task Force Are streaming into Northern saudi Arabia and should be in place by late january according to reports cleared by corps officials. These . Troops from Germany Are expected to play an important role in any ground assault against Iraq the reports said. A we Are the primary Man Euver Force along the Border a said maj. , a corps spokesman a if you look at the Armor up Here we re Able to move More quickly than other such forces. Meanwhile As the air Force hammered Iraq soldiers were following Tulve pews on radios and spotting High flying jets As they returned from bomb raids. When War broke out capt. Wayne Sauers first temptation was to go Back to sleep. A what was i going to do from Here a asked Sauer an aide to the 1st div chief of staff. A right now this in t our elsewhere that night sgt. John r. Strait and other soldiers from a corps intelligence unit grabbed a shortwave radio but the Only station they could pick up was broadcasting in German. Then out of the darkness came a translation. One of the men in the unit based near Stuttgart knew enough German to explain a we re bombing the hell out of other soldiers with a 1st div. Headquarters company watched the w a on can late thursday night. The network coverage was videotaped by a military broadcast unit and trucked closer to the front. Even before Iraq began launching scud missiles at Israel pfc. Rufus Montgomeryjr. Did no to Trust the first optimistic hews reports of Allied successes in the air War. A this things going along too. Easy Quot said Rufus a 1st div Soldier from Pensacola Fla. A one thing we know is he a got to have an Ace in the the 1st div with Headquarters in Ansbach Germany is expected to have All its soldiers in place within the next few Days said maj. Guy Swan the division assistant operations officer. The Divisi Ort location is classified but it is Well to the West of the . Units that arrived in saudi Arabia last summer and fall. While awaiting arrival of the final units troops Are kept in a tactical Assembly area w Ell out of Range of iraqi artillery Tulve reports they re in Range of Iraq s scud missiles division officers said they doubt they Are in much danger. Soldiers say they Are More concerned about what happens when they move closer to Iraq w within Range of chemical carrying iraqi artillery shells. They also might be ordered across the heavily fortified no Many a land by two Een saudi Arabia and the iraqi defences. For now troops Are on the Lookout for terrorists. For example a a Guy who is pretending he. A bedouin driving a Toyota truck with a mortar tube in the Back a said Cook the corps spokesman. A while they wait the soldiers endure Alert after Alert a five in one Day for one unit. A the first one i was really scared. Everyone was tense a said staff sgt. Robert Pillow,rj2, from Lexington by. A. A a a a a v a a a a a i kept thinking that if we bomb Saddam Hussein and bomb him and bomb him maybe it wont come to that a Pillow said. A but until lie changes his mind in a afraid we re looking at a ground turning out to cheer on m Gulf troops Steve Robles left and Shelley fish both of Indianapolis participate in a rally Friday at Monument Circle in Indianapolis. Fishes 18-month-old daughter Kayla gets a Birds Eye View of the action. A local radio station handed out flags in support of troops in the Middle East and Drew hundreds of get late word to Don gear editors note this article is based on information gathered by a Pentagon Pool reporter on the scene with the a 1st div by the stars and stripes in saudi Arabia a officials Are blaming poor communication Tor an incident in which some 1st div troops did t learn of an order to put on them icel gear for two hours Friday morning. Moreover seme soldiers of the division which has its Headquarters in Ansbach Germany believed the Alert a practice Drill and Werd hesitant to open the packages containing their chemical suits according to a Pool report cleared by maj. Ken Fugett the division Public affairs officer. The division commander maj. Gen. Ronald ii. Griffith ordered the Alert at 5 25 . Friday following the iraqi missile attack on Israel and saudi Arabia. Soldiers at the tactical operations Center immediately put on their gear officers said. However no one told support soldiers outside the operations Center to Don their masks and gear. It was not until 6 , Many soldiers found out about the Gas Alert when they noticed a few patrols wearing chemical suits and masks the report said. Even then some soldiers did no to want to unseal their suit packages until they were called to fight a ground War where they would face the risk of iraqis chemical filled artillery shells the charcoal lined suits can lose their protective qualities Over time. They can be worn for about two weeks before they Stop being useful against chemical and biological attack. A Why Start the clock running now when the time Well really need it is two weeks from now a complained one private who asked that his name not be used. Soldiers Are issued two sets of chemical gear each in a sealed package. ,. As late As 8 ., some soldiers could still be seen unpacking their chemical suits from their Rucksacks apparently having just Learned about the Alert the Pool report said. A a it a a matter of human communication a said Fugett the division spokesman. A fall the Guys at the Center know about it sooner than we do in the
