This didn't post like I wanted to....Was supposed to drop in the morning.
Today 29 years ago, Desert Shield became Desert Storm. On 17th January Apache's snuck across the berm and wasted several Iraqi EW radar sites and opened the corridor for the masses of airplanes to strike targets all over Iraq. The Navy fired Tomahawk Missiles from the Persian Gulf at the same time, this was the shock and awe of Desert Storm, We had the entire Armed forces operating in concert. I remember we felt like it was a "great Crusade" to liberate Kuwait. We were in full MOPP4 and geared up in case the Iraqi's counterattacked. Saddam Hussein had promised the "Mother of all Battles" and we went in fully expecting a lot of casualties.
Today 29 years ago, Desert Shield became Desert Storm. On 17th January Apache's snuck across the berm and wasted several Iraqi EW radar sites and opened the corridor for the masses of airplanes to strike targets all over Iraq. The Navy fired Tomahawk Missiles from the Persian Gulf at the same time, this was the shock and awe of Desert Storm, We had the entire Armed forces operating in concert. I remember we felt like it was a "great Crusade" to liberate Kuwait. We were in full MOPP4 and geared up in case the Iraqi's counterattacked. Saddam Hussein had promised the "Mother of all Battles" and we went in fully expecting a lot of casualties.
Soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines of the United States Central Command:
This
morning at 0300 we launched Operation Desert Storm, an offensive
campaign that will enforce the United Nations resolutions that Iraq must
cease its rape and pillage of its weaker neighbor and withdraw its
forces from Kuwait. The President, the Congress, the American people and
indeed the world stand united in their support for your actions.
You
are a member of the most powerful force our country, in coalition with
our allies, has ever assembled in a single theater to face such an
aggressor. You have trained hard for this battle and you are ready.
During my visits with you, I have seen in your eyes a fire of
determination to get this job done quickly so that we may all return to
the shores of our great nation. My confidence in you is total. Our cause
is just! Now you must be the thunder and lightning of Desert Storm. May
God be with you, your loved ones at home, and our country.
He had some detractors but we soldiers knew that he had our best interest in heart and we were fiercely loyal to him. He was one of the officers that learned the lessons of Vietnam and vowed not to repeat them. We were told that there was a "duration" policy, no rotation back to the world, there would be no "FNG" syndrome or any screwy Rules of engagement or the "Squad Leader in the Sky Syndrome" that was prevalent during the Vietnam War.
I remember this, thanks for posting! I was on an SSBN (USN) when Saddam invaded Kuwait and Desert Shield started. We were on our next patrol cycle when Desert Storm started. As a kid in the 70s, I remember watching Hal Lindsay's "The Late Great Planet Earth" talking about Armageddon and the memories of that came back when Saddam's scud missiles started falling on Israel when Desert Storm started. I remember wondering if we were going to get the word to launch off our Tridents and watching (CNN) people in Israel running into shelters with gas masks on. Not even to the part yet worrying about our forces in Kuwait waiting to step off.
ReplyDeleteI bet half the people I work with today weren't even alive when this happened!
Hey Thomas;
ReplyDeleteIt was in interesting time. Desert Storm was a defining moment for me, there is before and after. Getting married and my son being born wee other defining moments. I also remember Hal Lindsey, I think I still have that book somewhere.
I read that book, and still see it at used book stores and second hand shops quite regularly. I also saw the movie,I believe that it was at a theater in a small town next to ours. That small town is now huge, thanks to Gerber Baby Foods being sold to Nestle. Fremont Michigan, the small town, is now a boom town, that is 20 times bigger than it used to be, probably more.
DeleteI mis-spoke, wrong Gulf War. Instead of "our forces in Kuwait waiting to step off" I should have said "our forces in Saudi Arabia waiting to step off (into Kuwait)"
ReplyDeleteIt was really surreal, watching the tv as scuds fell onto Israel and wondering if this was the start of WW III. At that time we had about 20,000 bombs and the USSR had over 30,000, plus what everyone else had. Despite his faults, George Bush deserves praise for keeping a lid on that and somehow persuading the Israelis not to light up Iraq.
It was interesting, as was Schwarzkopf's hatred of the Marines and dislike of the Navy. Made things even MORE interesting...
ReplyDeleteIn Saudi December 2nd as part of the 'volunteer' advance party, back to Germany on the 30th of May as the volunteer 'make sure stuff gets packed'. HHC 26th Sig Bat, 93rd Sig Bde, VII Corps. Sights, sounds, smells, experiences I'll never forget. Almost like the US Army in Honduras in the early/mid 80's.
ReplyDelete