EMERSON WILL ADDRESS TROOPS LEAVING FOR GULF

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- U.S. Congressman Bill Emerson will speak at a brief ceremony Monday honoring Naval Reserve members who are departing for duty in the Persian Gulf.

About 55 departing reservists, dressed in camouflage uniforms, will be on hand for the 10:30 a.m. ceremony at the Naval Reserve Center, 2530 Maria Louise.

"The full staff (of the center) will be there and we expect some of the dependents will be there," said Jack Dalrymple, the center's commanding officer.

The reservists, who comprise part of a 970-member fleet hospital which has been activated for gulf duty, will be leaving for St. Louis by bus about 1 p.m., Dalrymple said.

The reservists will fly from St. Louis to Fort Dix, N.J., in preparation for deployment as part of Operation Desert Shield.