Soldiers ready for mission

NEAR THE IRAQI DESERT, Kuwait -- About 300,000 troops -- most of them from the United States, about 40,000 from Britain -- were waiting Wednesday within striking distance of Iraq. Backing them were scores of attack helicopters and more than 1,000 airplanes.

"Everybody's focused on what the mission is and what their part is," said Savusa, at Camp New Jersey. "We're just waiting on the word from our highers to execute our part. The Rakkasans of the 101st are ready to go as soon as they give us the word to move out."

Loosely translated, "Rakkasan" means "falling down umbrella" in Japanese. The soldiers, then equipped with parachutes, earned the nickname during their post-World War II occupation of Japan.

Troops of the 101st Airborne Division were expected to be flown in on helicopters to seize key installations ahead of the 3rd Infantry Division.

Spc. Chris Paxton, 23, of Dayton, Ohio, said he'd sent an e-mail to his wife, Julie, earlier in the day. "I just said I'd contact her as soon as I can," Paxton said, smoking a cigarette outside his tent.

"I'm definitely going to take an extra shower tonight and shave my head," Paxton said.

Spc. Robert Worley, 24, of Daytona Beach, Fla., said he'd spent the day packing a military vehicle. He planned to call his parents early this morning and tell them "just that I'm not going to call or write for awhile."

"We're probably going to be living out of a truck for awhile, sleeping in the sand," Worley said.

Sgt. Scott Wilson, 37, of Riverside, Calif., spoke with his wife and two children via a video conference call before returning to his cot and preparing his M-4 rifle for battle. "We don't know when, but we're just getting everything together," said Wilson.

With the war yet to start, some U.S. soldiers were already trying to envision its finish.

"I'm eager," said Marine Cpl. Nicholas Beitia, 22, of Elko, Nev. "The sooner we get started, the sooner we get home.

Beitia's 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit has already spent 36 days in the desert. To break the monotony -- and the silence of the vast desert -- its 300 men gathered whooping and hollering for a company picture.