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1 - The Black Vault

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were there. Col David L. Peebles (the Langley<br />

base commander) had been designated the mayor<br />

of Dhahran AB by CENTAF, and he agreed to<br />

provide any support that he could for Hassell<br />

and his troops.* Weaver relayed to Hassell that<br />

SOCCENT was not yet operational and recommended<br />

that he operate autonomously until the<br />

SOF higher headquarters was ready. Later in<br />

the afternoon, Peebles learned there was an airconditioned<br />

school on Dhahran airport that<br />

might be available to US forces. <strong>The</strong> school was<br />

not in session for the summer and was vacant.<br />

Peebles took Hassell to the school and quickly<br />

arranged with the school custodian for the 1st<br />

SOW contingent to move in. <strong>The</strong> custodian was<br />

glad to provide the school to the Americans.<br />

Thus, Hassell became the “slum lord” of the<br />

school, and over the next week, the number of<br />

personnel housed in the facility swelled to over<br />

750 (175 SOF- and 600 CENTAF-assigned personnel).<br />

Col Ben Orrell (1st SOW/DO) arrived at<br />

Riyadh on 14 August with additional SOF staff<br />

personnel, and he proceeded to SOCCENT headquarters<br />

at KFIA to assume duties as the senior<br />

AFSOC officer in-theater. This was to be the<br />

last SOF flow for the next two weeks—CINC-<br />

CENT had decided that the probability of an<br />

Iraqi attack on Saudi Arabia had lessened, and<br />

the need for SOF/CSAR forces early in the deployment<br />

flow was no longer a high priority.<br />

Hassell was forced to operate his small con tingent<br />

with the equipment brought in on the two<br />

C-141s and the two C-5s. Meanwhile, the break<br />

in the flow allowed Orrell and Weaver to get a<br />

breather at KFIA. 24<br />

As the initial 1st SOW ADVON was deploying<br />

from Hurlburt Field on 11 August, Thom Beres<br />

and the 8th SOS Combat Talon contingent departed<br />

the United States en route to Southwest<br />

Asia. With four aircraft (64-0559, 64-0562, 64-<br />

0567, and 64-0568) and six crews, the squadron<br />

was cleared to forward deploy to RAF Woodbridge,<br />

UK, and to remain there awaiting additional<br />

instructions. Arriving in the UK on 13<br />

August, Beres learned of the new CENTCOM<br />

priorities and was directed to remain at RAF<br />

Woodbridge for the next nine days awaiting<br />

onward-movement authorization. Personnel from<br />

the 8th SOS, who made up the initial deployment<br />

package to Southwest Asia, consisted of 38<br />

officers and 22 enlisted personnel including the<br />

following:<br />

Pilots Navs EWOs Flt Eng ROs<br />

Phillips Calvert Anderson Gorczynski Minton<br />

Close Saier Smith Garvey Dent<br />

Davenport Bell Lawler Fleming Foster<br />

Cochran Thomas Pearson Dunn Bonck<br />

Harstad Lorenz Burnett<br />

Palmer Tagert **DeBoe<br />

Henry Pulmano **Bynum<br />

DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM<br />

Biermacher **Crisafi<br />

Prior Bouressa Loads Others<br />

O’Reilly Richard Crayne Beres<br />

Hinck **Tardiff Bohannon Meller<br />

Boitano **Cooper Corlew Schommer<br />

**Linder Eskind Pearson Livesay<br />

**Mohylski Franco Gobbi Baylor<br />

**Stephenson Roberson Phillips<br />

Kelly<br />

At KFIA Weaver had staked out his claim to a<br />

portion of the airfield, and SOCCENT had moved<br />

from Riyadh to colocate with the AFSOC element<br />

in the tower building. Other units were beginning<br />

to arrive and settle into KFIA, including the<br />

USA’s 101st Airborne Division and its aviation<br />

battalions. <strong>The</strong> 101st Airborne Division wanted<br />

the tower facility and the MABCO compound for<br />

its operations, and demanded much of the ramp<br />

space that Weaver had portioned for SOF aircraft.<br />

With the help of General Olson and Colonel<br />

Johnson, Orrell and Weaver were able to retain<br />

most of the real estate that they needed. <strong>The</strong> AD -<br />

VON team posted an armed guard at the MABCO<br />

compound and claimed the tower area for combined<br />

AFSOC/SOCCENT use. To prepare the airfield<br />

for flight operations, the airfields large fuel<br />

tanks were cleaned, and a source for JP-4 fuel<br />

was found. Fuel trucks to refuel the aircraft were<br />

brought in by CENTAF planners. In a short period,<br />

the airfield was brought up to minimal operational<br />

standards, but it would take another<br />

two months before it was fully operational. 25<br />

At Dhahran Hassell had apportioned the three<br />

wings of the school to the 20th SOS, 8th SOS, and<br />

9th SOS. <strong>The</strong> latter two squadrons were waiting<br />

to be called forward from RAF Woodbridge, UK,<br />

and Hassell was pressured into opening up the<br />

school to other CENTAF personnel. With an imprest<br />

fund of $100,000 and a contracting officer to<br />

obligate it, Hassell had procured hundreds of mattresses<br />

from the local economy by the second day<br />

in the school. By the fifth day life at the school<br />

__________<br />

*Peebles had been the 435th TAW deputy wing commander at Rhein Main AB, Germany, and was familiar with SOF and the 7th SOS.<br />

**Denotes personnel assigned to other units and attached to the 8th SOS for flying.<br />

Carroll<br />

Gallo<br />

**Sausedo<br />

345

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