US Marines leave for Persian Gulf

Several hundred soldiers from a USMC (US Marine Corps) division in Camp Pendleton, California, flew aboard transport planes over to the Persian Gulf region November 22.

This was disclosed to correspondents by Col. John Coleman, spokesman for the headquarters of the first expeditionary USMC division. In his words, Marine units are to arrive at a Mideastern base 1-2 days from now. After that, they will take part in war games on Kuwaiti territory near the Iraqi border this December.

Headquarters units are reportedly being transferred to the Persian Gulf region in order to streamline troop-control operations involving elements of the 45,000-strong expeditionary force, which comprises a Marine division, an air wing and a logistics-support group.

The first several hundred Marines from the first expeditionary USMC division were sent to the Persian Gulf region already last week.

Subsequent Marine actions are still unclear. No orders concerning subsequent operations have been received to date, Col. Coleman noted.