24 March           Naval forces continue counter air-defensive, combat air patrols, minesweep-
                                  ing and maritime interceptions operations.
                            USS MISSOURI, USS SACRAMENTO, and USS FORD redeploy.
                            Navy's Atlantic Fleet Amphibious Task Force -- USS NASSAU, USS IWO
                                  JIMA, USS GUAM, USS SHREVEPORT, USS ThENTON, USS
                                  RALEIGH, USS SAGINAW, USS LA MOURE COUNTY, USS
                                  MANITOWOC, USS SPARTANBURG, USS PORTLAND, USS
4                                 PENSACOLA and USS GUNSTON HALL -- transits the Suez Canal
                                  enroute CONUS. USS COMFORT accompam~es task force.
                            Marine ground forces hold defensive positions.
                            LT Mark D. Jackson, NR MSCO Mideast 106 Norfolk, dies of injuries sus-
                                  tained in an autombile accident in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. First
                                  death of a Naval Reservist recalled to active duty In OPERATION
                                  DESERT STORM.
                            Elements of Reserve Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 23 return to
                                  CONUS. During a four-month deployment, battalion detachments
                                  were assigned to sites in Guam, Okinawa, Korea, Japan, Midway
                                  Island, and Adak, Alaska and continued and completed construction
                                  projects started by active duty Naval Mobile Construction Battalions 7
                                  and 40, who had been redeployed to then OPERA~ON DESERT
                                  SHIELD. The remainder of the battalion remains deployed in
                                  Guam and outlying areas to continue work on critical projects.

         25 March           Naval forces continue counter air-defensive, combat air patrols, maritime
                                  interception and minesweeping operations.
                            While actively sweeping for mines in the Arabian Gulf, USS LEADER
                                  (MSO-490) deployed its magnetic acoustic influence combination
                                  sweep which detonated a suspected mine approximately 600 yards
                                  behind the ship. No injuries, crankshaft cracked in the #1 main
                                  propulsion unit. Ship continued mission, then proceeded to Bahrain
                                  shipyard under its own power for scheduled maintenance.
                            Marine ground forces hold defensive positions.
                            USS WORDEN (CG-18) arrives at NAVBASE Pearl Harbor homeport.
                                  During a one-month deployment in the Arabian Gulf, the guided
                                  missile cruiser provided air defense coverage for three carrier battle
                                  groups and coalition ships, identifying over 15,000 aircraft returning
                                  from strike missions and challenging and identifying over 50 vessels
                                  transiting the Iranian coast.

         26 March           Naval forces continue counter air-defensive, combat air patrols, minesweep-
                                  ing, and maritime interceptions operations.
                            To-date, 8,379 merchants have been challenged, 1,055 boarded, and 53
                                  diverted. The Navy has conducted 571 boardings.
                            There are 48 Navy ships in the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and Northern
                                  Arabian Sea, 8 Navy ships in the Red Sea, and 28 Navy ships in the
                                  Mediterranean.
                            Marine ground forces hold defensive positions.


                                                    A-53

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