On 2-AUG 1990, Saddam Hussein led a well-equipped Iraqi army into Kuwait, a major supplier of oil to the United States. In response, more than 500,000 American troops deployed to Saudi Arabia as part of Operation Desert Shield.
Early on 17-JAN 1991, Operation Desert Shield came to an end when the air campaign of Operation Desert Storm began. The attack began at 0236 Baghdad time / 5:36 central time.
The war also included some notable firsts:
- It was the first war in which TV news broadcasts were aired live from the frontlines.
- It featured the largest tank battle in U.S. history.
- The Patriot missile system was used in combat for the first time to intercept Iraqi Scud missiles.
- It was the first time GPS, satellites and precision-guided munitions were used on a massive scale.
Finally, on 24 February, the ground war began with U.S. and Allied forces penetrating deep into Kuwait and Iraq before the end of the day. The advance was so swift that masses of Iraqi troops began surrendering within hours.
The war ended on 28-February when Iraq pulled out of the Kuwait, and formally accepted cease-fire terms on 6-April.
Coalition troop total losses were estimated to be 250 personnel killed as a direct result of enemy action. Most of the fatalities were American 147, while 47 were British personnel.
For thousands of American troops, Operation Desert Storm was the culmination of months of training, tension, and a massive buildup that erupted in hellish fighting often obscured by the fog of war.
Many of Our Troops Are STILL Fighting
If there is a truth to be told about the Gulf War all these years, it’s that it never ended. Many of our troops suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and others are fighting what has become known as Gulf War syndrome or Gulf War illness. It is a chronic and multi-symptomatic disorder affecting military veterans of the 1990–1991 Persian Gulf War. Gulf War Veterans are dying of brain cancer at 2 to 3 times the rate of troops who were stationed farther behind the front lines. Many others suffer from Gulf War Syndrome, which consists of a series of symptoms, such as chronic headaches, chronic fatigue, and cognitive issues.
Like War Itself, Effects of War Are Also Hell!
The museum features several stories of Persian Gulf and Afghanistan Veterans. For them, the war has not ended. For their stories, click on stories on this website.
God Bless Our Troops!