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WORDS FROM THE WARRIORS

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

On the push into Kuwait

* “Don’t worry about Kuwait, it’s a piece of dirt. We’re going after the Iraqi army. Once we destroy them, then Kuwait will be free.”

Army Maj. Dan Grigson, 101st Airborne

On the scope of the ground war

* “It will probably go down in history as one of the most amazing logistical moves there’s ever been. We moved a whole corps of over 100,000 people over 300 miles, mostly along one road . . . and we did that in 16 days. . . .”

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Army Brig. Gen. Nick Halley

On surviving a mine

* “Just bang! I thought I was dead. But a couple seconds later I heard voices and I knew I was OK.”

Marine Cpl. Anthony Muskus, Agawam, Mass.

On the allied advance

* “They look like little ants in a row coming from a peanut butter and jelly sandwich somebody left on the ground, just lots of them down there.”

Air Force Capt. John Sizemore, Columbia, S.C.

On the start of the ground fight

* “We’d walk through the gates of hell now that we know we are going home.”

Army Sgt. Mike Southall, Galveston, Tex.

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* “Going north to Kuwait is one road that leads out and it’s the quickest way home.”

--1st Lt. Bradley Fleilscher, 25, Bakersfield, Calif.

* “I was a little bit anxious, but I feel better now that things are moving. We are going to get this over and done with.”

--Sgt. 1st Class Carey Grant, 33, Cross Hill, S.C.

* “Oh yeah, it makes me a little frightened.”

--Sgt. Kenneth Wakefield, 25, Bryant Pond, Me .

* “It’s stressful, but it’s also kind of fun being here. You know, living on the edge.”

--Pfc . Chuck Cocran, 24, Orlando, Fla.

* “Before I left, I made up my mind I’m coming back. You don’t have time to be worrying about things like getting your arm ripped off. I pray every day for a safe and speedy return and for the least amount of bloodshed.”

--Specialist Dietrix Duhaylansod, 20,

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Honokai Hale, Hawaii

On prayer

* “I hope the Lord looks kindly on us.”

--Specialist Anthony Baquera, 20, Brooklyn, N.Y.

* “Father, hear our prayer for our families, our friends and loved ones, and our enemies. Hear our prayer for our leaders . . . that through some divine intervention, you might find some way to avert this disaster.”

--Chaplain (Maj.) Tom Keller, Little Rock, Ark.

On casualties

* “The suffering. You think of all the suffering that’s going to occur, and not all of it on our side. What we’ll see on our side will be the tip of the iceberg.”

--Dr. Larry Boehme, 49, Hillsboro, Wis.

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* “It’s really hard to deal with death, but you have to prepare for the worst, because the people that will be dying will be 21, 22 years old. You look in their wallets and see the pictures. Are they dads? Are they newlyweds? It’s scary, it’s really scary.”

--Specialist Tammy Brost, 24,

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.

* “The jamboree has begun. We’re glad to be getting this over with. I don’t think we’ll have a lot of casualties. We have the firepower.”

--Specialist Jerry Ellis, 22, Tampa, Fla.

* “You never know when it’s going to be the last goodby. I thanked my mom for bringing me into the world and told her not to worry because I’ll be home soon. I also made peace with my father.”

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--Specialist John Wilson, 29, Parkersburg, W.Va.

* “Where life was created is where lots of it is fixing to end. It’s a strange feeling. I think it’s a damn shame.”

--Sgt. Thomas Andricos, 29, Oak Harbor, Wash.

On the baptism of fire

* “They have no idea, not a clue, how they are going to be different people tomorrow. The serious ones won’t be so serious anymore. And the carefree ones are likely to be much sobered.”

--Col. John Haring, a Marine commander

This article was written in part from correspondent pool reports cleared by U.S. military authorities.

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