The FReeper Foxhole Remembers Desert Storm - The Ground War - Dec. 30th, 2002

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/desert_sabre.htm ^

[SAMWolf]

Thanks Iowa Granny, you don't need to be a Vet to appreciate what they've sacrificed for all of us.

[SAMWolf]

I love the WartHog! I guess as a groundpounder, CAS was always appreciated.

[notpoliticallycorewrecked]

Well I can see the need. There is a little difference </s> between the bad guys and us.

[P8riot]

Actually It was kinda funny. I was there by accident (sorta). Al-Khafji was just about deserted. Our Seabee unit had been setting up some generators, air conditioners, and water purifiers at an encampment about 50 miles south of there, and needed some steel beams for equipment foundations. I and a couple of the other guys in the unit had been through Khafji a few days before and had noticed that there was some scrap metal lying around some of the buildings near the tank farm, so we held a panty raid.

The six of us took a deuce and a half, and a Humvee and went to Khafji. When we got there it was about 1800 hrs, so we figured we'd pick up the steel in the morning and stayed with a Marine detatchment on a peninsula just south of town near the tank farm. About 2200 hrs we start hearing small explosions like mortar fire, and then larger ones like 105s or tanks. I about SMP ($#!+ my pants), The last place I wanted to be was surrounded by oil tanks with shells going off. The only weapons we had brought were side arms, a few M-16s, and my M-14 The Girenes had plenty of ammo so we loaded up and found cover (such as it was).

We were told that this was an attack against Saudi Arabia, and this was to be a Saudi fight, and we "technical non-combatants" (go figure that one out) were to only provide "support" if needed. Schwarzkopf initially had the Marines pull back then redeployed them and called the aircraft in to create a buffer zone between the Iraqis and the coalition forces. We were technically not part of the Marine detatchment so we stayed pretty much out of the sight picture for a couple of days.

When the smoke cleared the Iraqi's had been routed (they did occupy the town for a few hours), and most of their heavy equipment had been destroyed thanks to US aircraft, they made scrap out three or four mechanized divisions (wish I could've gotten my hands some of that). We got back to our unit on Feb 2nd

[P8riot]

Shouldn't have much trouble finding info. just do a Google search for "battle for khafji" or something similar, and you will get about 100 hits. One with a lot of information and analysis is http://www.urbanoperations.com/iraq.htm. I'll be looking for it. It's only about a month away.

[SAMWolf]

I have a book about Parachute assualts during WWII. The drop on Corregidor and the ensuing battle was viciuos.

I thank your step dad for his service.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for the lead, P8riot. I'm working on one about the air campaign too.

[PhilDragoo]

Excellent summary of Desert Sword/Saber.

I recall asking my older brother at Christmas 1990 what was pending.

He'd delivered ordnance to Vietnam as a newly minted ensign of the USMMA Kings Point.

"Whatever happens, they'll have a lot less ammunition to bring back home."

What a hundred hours.

The immediate rebuke of Schwarzkopf and his public apology was very disappointing.

He'd made a very mild suggestion we should have continued.

I thought at the time it was G.H.W. Bush's overblown catering to the Saudis, and it sealed his electoral doom.

The larger strategic perspective may have been that removing Saddam in early 1991 would have been an irresistable attraction to Iran.

Robert Baer in his See No Evil: The True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA War on Terror makes it clear he believes Iran was responsible for the 1983 Beirut Embassy bombing.

The best outcome of 2003 would be a Clean Sweep of the region.

The interwoven terrorist networks are completely fungible: Mohammad Atta met with Saddam's agents.

Saddam supports Arafat. Arafat's Fatah was Iran's puppet in 1983. Syria is likely hiding Saddam's toys.

Let the Dictator-Of-The-Month Club begin with Saddam's head in a jar for January.

Regarding Scott Speicher, Amy Waters Yarsinske spent eight years researching and writing to lobby for his reclassification and produce NO ONE LEFT BEHIND: The Lt. Commander Michael Scott Speicher Story.

God Bless Our Troops, Our Veterans and Their Families.

God Speed Swift Victory and Safe Return.

Saddam Free in Two Thousand Three courtesy the Finest Fighting Force on Earth.

Rock and Roll.

[Gunrunner2]

As they say, “This is no $hit.”

Day three of the ground war. I was a USAF FAC assigned to the 101st. We were in a ground convoy, deep in Iraq, heading east to cut off the Republican Guard (or what’s left of it).

I’m in the front passenger seat of a Hummer, feeling grungy and mean, pissed off that I, an A-10 pilot, was missing the perfect A-10 war. Then, I see a huge lizard on a sand dune about 50yrds away.

Without thinking (yes, it happens), I quickly raise my GAU-5 (small M-16), and let’er rip at the lizard.

Welllll. . .I forgot to tell my driver what I was about to do and the next thing I knew, I was eating dashboard as my driver was hitting the brakes and diving for cover.

I look up and the rest of the convoy (about a dozen vehicles) were dispersing into some sort of defensive pattern and everyone was diving out of the vehicles and ducking for cover.

Of course, this is happening in a split second and I haven’t put two-and-two together yet and I jump out as well and quickly crawl to cover—with my heart beating in my throat and the hair standing up on the back of my neck.

In a moment an Army Sgt crawls up and says, “Hey, Air Force, where are they?”

DOE!!!! (I put it together then.)

What to do. My options were, 1) Sheepishly admit I was plinking at a lizard in the middle of a freaking war zone, or b) Point and say confidently, “They are over there!”

I opt for “b.”

The Army did a wonderful job of assaulting the sand dune. After the assault was done the same Army Sgt walks up to me and says, “Air Force, sorry, but we didn’t find anything.”

Me, “Not even a lizard?”

Army Sgt, “Nope, nothing.” Then he goes on to add, “But don’t worry, just keep a sharp lookout.”

We then all got back in our vehicles and drove on. . .with my secret remaining secret for many years.

Cheers.
“Antidote 50”

[Gunrunner2]

Hi Jen,
Check my post (129).

Enjoy--not all ground personnel were Army/Marines.

See ya.

[southerngrit]

"The best outcome of 2003 would be a Clean Sweep of the region."

"Whatever happens, they'll have a lot less ammunition to bring back home."

From your lips to God's ears.

Oh Lord, please, please, please grant a decisive victory to our guys. Protect them on the battlefield, and especially from the politicians.

[ppaul]

TO SADDAM (and his sympathizers/supporters):

Here is the fate that awaits you. SURRENDER NOW!

Fellow Traveler on the Highway of Death

"Highway of Death," the road from Mutlaa, Kuwait, to Basra, Iraq. U.S. planes immobilized the convoy by disabling vehicles at its front and rear, then bombing and strafing the resulting traffic jam for hours. More than 2,000 vehicles and tens of thousands of charred and dismembered bodies littered the sixty miles of highway.

:

[Light Speed]

Lizard Plinking....Roaring!

Hurry Hamdi...American busy shooting Lizards...we make a break for it now!

[SAMWolf]

I guess it just got confusing to the Press when they said POW. They didn't know if we were talking about captured enemies or our troops that had been captured.

[SAMWolf]

LOL! I loved that story! Sure brought a smile to my face, thanks for sharing it with us.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks PhilDragoo. I agree the whole region is just a vipers nest. Even though they hate each other they hate us more. I sure wish there was a way we could get them to wipe each other out and then just have us finish off the survivors until they leave us alone.

[P8riot]

ROFLMAO!

[SAMWolf]

After 8 years of Clinton, they seem to have forgotten the lessons they should have learned in 1991, and unfortunately we have to risk our young people again.

[MistyCA]

Gail, thanks so much for that information about your dad's regiment. We all appreciate his service and consider him one of the heros.

[MistyCA]

LOL!