8 November, 1990

President Bush announced that he planned to add more than 200,000 U.S. troops to those already deployed in Operation Desert Shield in the Persian Gulf area. The number of Marines in the area would be doubled by the addition of II MEF units from the Corps' east coast bases, and the 5th MEB from California. Within the next two months, Marine strength in the objective area would increase to nearly 90,000 Marines.