1 - The Black Vault
1 - The Black Vault
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