3/9 Infantry “Sinai Desert”

Company A 3/9 1989/91 Sinai

The photo to the left is my last dining out as a Manchu, with my beautiful wife, Rita. It was a great evening with the entire Battalion in attendance, the Liscum Bowl, great food, just a fantastic night.

The 3rd Battalion served as the United States Battalion Task Force in the Multinational Forces and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai Desert. The MFO was formed as a result of the Camp David Accords and the subsequent Treaty of Peace in 1979 between Egypt and Israel. Task Force 3/9's mission was to observe and report activity in its assigned sector for possible violations of the Treaty of Peace or Protocol.

Rita's Story as told by Patrick

Here is what happens when you have a wife who is greatful for the opportunities afforded us by the Army. I'm sure that everyone remembers the form letters that you send home after you arrive at Basic Training, "Your son/husband has arrived at Ft. Benning, Georgia", well my wife being young and very proper answered this form letter thanking the Army for the opportunities to make a better life for our family. It's now Saturday morning and I hear a young LT. screaming my name, I tear out of the barracks and nearly run the training company commander over. The CO. doing his best to look pissed tells me to report to the 1SG. immediately! I fly to the 1SG. office and report and the 1SG. says "so Lovell you're screwing up I see" I just said that I had no idea what he was talking about, but if he would be more specific I would fix the problem. He tosses me an envelope and I see my wife's handwriting. The 1SG. says "well read it" I start reading and I look up to see the 1SG. grinning ear to ear and he says get out of here "Rita" my wife's name and mine from then until the end of Basic. Even during the final inspection the question that the company commander asked wasn't my weapon serial number,not a question on military history, not how to encode a radio message, no it was are the wife and kids excited about you coming home!!! My wife made my military career, she cared for my sons, took care of our home, made sense of a budget missing the main ingrediant, money and still was able to care for me on the rare occassion that A Co. didn't have something for me to do or some interesting place for me to visit.he text element is intended for longform copy that could potentially include multiple paragraphs.

Pictures from Sgt. Lovells Tour in the Sinai Desert

This picture is of the MSR (main supply route)in southern Egypt, this is as good as it got where roads were concerned. The roads weren't crowned or banked like roads in the U.S. but the most dangerous part of driving in Egypt was the fact that Egyptian drivers would only use their lights just before impact so you would be driving along and then you were night blind because of an Egyptian turning his headlights on just yards in front of you.

This is a monument just off of the MSR to a fallen General. The small bit of wreckage in the foreground is the jeep in which the General was driving when it hit a land mine.

This picture is about 200 meters from the monument, on what could be the shoulder of any road in the U.S. This area just below the road level was a suspected mine field, great incentive to keep on the road.

The Monastary of St. Catherines at the foot of Mt. Sinai and the supposed site where Moses met his wife, the location of the Burning Bush, an incredible cathedral decorated with unbelieveable works of art and a library with some of the oldest printed works in existence.

Mt. Sinai

The route up Mt. Sinai

Chapel at the top of Mt. Sinai
"We had a guided tour of the area and much to my surprize when our guide walked up, he greeted us not only in English, but said that he went through Basic Training at Ft. Ord. He was from the States but was now at the monastary as a monk"

This picture is of the HQ. Building 3/9 1989 Fort Ord, Calif.

Picture is of my promotion to Sergeant, (shameless self-promotion) I have the white arrow above my head and my best friend, Dale Morrison is to my left (the right of the picture) the A Co. guidon is in the foreground held by an incredible individual, 1SG.Joseph Guillory.