U.S. Deployment Bogs Down in Bosnia’s Fog

TUZLA, Bosnia-Herzegovina — The fog and snow typical of a Balkan winter are testing the mettle of the American military, forcing the delay Friday of numerous U.S. military flights and slowing the deployment of the Bosnia peacekeeping force.

More than two dozen flights carrying U.S. troops and supplies were canceled or delayed by fog Friday, the second consecutive day that weather has played havoc with the NATO mission.

The flights were scheduled to land at Tuzla air base, site of the future headquarters of 20,000 U.S. troops assigned to enforce a peace agreement for Bosnia-Herzegovina that was signed by the presidents of Bosnia, Croatia and Serb-dominated Yugoslavia on Thursday.

Even worse than the scrubbed flights, the skies over northeastern Bosnia have been so overcast that air traffic controllers have been unable to calibrate radar at the Tuzla air base that would enable planes to land in cloudy weather or at night.

“If there is a qualified preacher in the crowd, I could use the help,” U.S. Air Force Col. Neal Patton told a throng of reporters gathered outside the base.

So far, about 85 soldiers have arrived in Tuzla--only slightly more than the number of journalists waiting in the snow outside the Tuzla base for morsels of news about the U.S. deployment.

U.S. and North Atlantic Treaty Organization officials attempted to put the best face on the delay, saying that the flights can be made up later.

“The weather poses obstacles, but we are overcoming them,” Maj. Simon Haselock, a British spokesman for NATO’s Implementation Force, or IFOR, said in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia.

But U.N. officials, who have dealt with Bosnia’s winter conditions over the last three years, suggested that this week’s fog and snow are just the beginning.

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The U.S. deployment plan “has been hammered out of shape by the uncooperative weather,” one U.N. spokesman said. “It’s enemy weather.”

Among the casualties, according to a senior U.N. source, was the deputy divisional commander of IFOR, U.S. Army Gen. Stan Cherrie, who circled Tuzla air base for hours, unable to land, until almost running out of gas.

He returned to his base in Germany and, in a new aircraft, returned to Tuzla, circling again for several hours before giving up.

For now, the U.S. soldiers who have arrived are keeping a very low profile. They are confined to the Tuzla base and are not allowed to mingle with the local population unless they are involved in specific reconnaissance missions.

U.S. Maj. Gen. William N. Farmen, who directs logistics for the NATO-led deployment, said the weather has had a definite impact on the initial deployment.

“It has slowed [the deployment] down and will continue to slow it down if it keeps up,” Farmen told reporters in Zagreb. “It will have a multiple effect as we get into the [deployment of] larger forces because the backup will get greater and greater over time.”

Despite the severity of the weather, however, Farmen indicated that enough slack was built into the deployment so that--at least so far--the delays have not presented major problems.

Paddock reported from Tuzla and Wilkinson from Sarajevo. Times staff writer Tyler Marshall in Zagreb, Croatia, contributed to this report.

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FACT SHEET

Outfitting the Bosnia Force

Each soldier deployed to Bosnia in the NATO Implementation Force will be issued the following items for cold-weather operations.

M-40 protective mask: 1 each

Duffel bag or kit bag: 2 each

Barracks bag: 1 each

Waterproof bag: 2 each

Intrenching tool: 1 each

Intrenching tool carrier: 1 each

Shelter: 1 each

Helmet, personal armor: 1 each

Cover, helmet camouflage: 1 each

Parka, cold weather, camo.: 1 each

Liner, cold weather: 1 each

Trousers, wet weather: 1 pair

Trousers, extreme cold weather: 1 pair

Poncho, wet weather: 1 each

Suspenders, trousers: 1 set

Suspenders: 1 each

Sleeping bag, extreme cold weather: 1 each

Body armor, protective vest: 1 each

Boots, intermediate cold/wet: 2 pairs

Boots, cold weather: 1 pair

Shirt, cold weather, poly knit: 2 each

Undershirt, cold weather: 3 each

Drawers, extreme cold weather: 3 each

Sweater, wool: 2 each

Canteen, plastic: 2 each

Canteen cover: 2 each

Cup: 2 each

Overshoes, vinyl: 1 pair

Gloves, shell, cold weather: 1 pair

Glove inserts, cold weather: 2 pairs

Work gloves, leather: 1 pair

Belt: 1 each

Mitten shell, trigger finger: 1 pair

Mitten insert, trigger finger: 2 pairs

Blanket, wool: 1 each

Pad mattress: 1 each

Frame, field pack: 1 each

Field pack, nylon: 1 each

First aid dressing: 1 case

Ammo pouch: 2 cases

Deploying personnel are advised to bring a 30-day supply of stationery, postage stamps and personal hygiene items. All individuals will also be issued Geneva Convention cards.

Source: Operation Joint Endeavor via the Internet:

https://www.dtic.dla.mil/bosnia/news/fs002b.html