what happened during operation desert shield

Operation Desert Shield was a 2006 operation by the Iraqi insurgency and al-Qaeda in Iraq, planned in December 2005 as a push against American forces during the Iraq War. The goal was to destabilize the American foothold in the Anbar

province over the course of six months.

Full Answer

What president started Operation Desert Shield?

President George H.W. Bush orders Operation Desert Shield On August 7, 1990, President George Herbert Walker Bush orders the organization of Operation Desert Shield in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on August 2.

What was the outcome of Operation Desert Shield in Iraq?

Bush orders Operation Desert Shield. Regular Iraqi troops surrendered in droves, leaving only Hussein’s hard-line Republican Guard to defend the capital, which they were unsuccessful in doing. After pushing Hussein’s forces out of Kuwait, Schwarzkopf called a ceasefire on February 28; he accepted the surrender of Iraqi generals on March 3.

Why did George W Bush start Operation Desert Storm?

On this day in 1990, President George Herbert Walker Bush orders the organization of Operation Desert Shield in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on August 2. The order prepared American troops to become part of an international coalition in the war against Iraq that would be launched as Operation Desert Storm in January 1991.

How long did Operation Desert Storm last?

Explore Operation Desert Storm, the 42-day U.S. led air offensive in response to Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait. Explore Operation Desert Storm, the 42-day U.S. led air offensive in response to Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait.

What happened during Operation Desert Storm?

This sustained aerial bombardment, which had been named Operation Desert Storm, destroyed Iraq's air defenses before attacking its communications networks, government buildings, weapons plants, oil refineries, and bridges and roads.

What was the point of Operation Desert Shield?

Operation Desert Shield was a 2006 operation by the Iraqi insurgency and al-Qaeda in Iraq, planned in December 2005 as a push against American forces during the Iraq War. The goal was to destabilize the American foothold in the Anbar province over the course of six months.

How did Operation Desert Shield end?

The offensive was a decisive victory for American-led coalition forces, who liberated Kuwait and promptly began to advance past the Iraq–Kuwait border into Iraqi territory. 100 hours after the beginning of the ground campaign, the coalition ceased its advance into Iraq and declared a ceasefire.

When did Desert Shield start and end?

August 2, 1990 – January 17, 1991Operation Desert Shield (Iraq) / Period

How long did Operation Desert Shield last?

The war consisted of two phases the first was codenamed Operation Desert Shield (2 August 1990 – 17 January 1991) for operations leading to the buildup of troops and defense of Saudi Arabia. And the second was Operation Desert Storm (17 January 1991 – 28 February 1991) was the combat phase.

Was Operation Desert Storm a success?

The General Accountability Office described Desert Storm as “perhaps the most successful war fought in the 20th century.” That assessment is more than a sterilized remembrance.

How many killed in Desert Storm?

During air and ground operations, U.S. and allied forces destroyed over 3,000 tanks, 1,400 armored personnel carriers, and 2,200 artillery pieces along with countless other vehicles. This was achieved at a cost to the United States of 96 soldiers killed in action, 2 died of wounds, and 105 non-hostile deaths.

How long did Operation Desert Storm last?

43 daysFrom start to finish, Desert Storm only lasted 43 days, from Jan. 17 to Feb. 28, 1991. In fact, the land campaign is infamously known as the "100-hour ground war" for obvious reasons -- that's about as long as it lasted.

How many Marines were killed in Desert Storm?

23 MarinesI Marine Expeditionary Force had a personnel strength of 92,990 making Operation Desert Storm the largest Marine Corps operation in history. A total of 23 Marines were killed in action or later died of wounds from the time the air war was launched on January 16th until the cease-fire took effect 43 days later.

What does Desert Shield mean?

/ˌɒpəreɪʃn ˌdezət ˈʃiːld/ /ˌɑːpəreɪʃn ˌdezərt ˈʃiːld/ ​the name used for the military operation in which international armed forces, including British and US troops, were sent to protect Saudi Arabia after Iraq attacked Kuwait in 1990.

When did Desert Shield began?

August 2, 1990 – February 28, 1991Gulf War / Period

How many soldiers are in the Desert Shield?

More than 500,000 American troops deployed to Saudi Arabia as part of Operation Desert Shield, in case Iraqi troops attacked Saudi Arabia.

When did Operation Desert Storm end?

August 2, 1990 – February 28, 1991Gulf War / Period

What does Desert Shield mean?

/ˌɒpəreɪʃn ˌdezət ˈʃiːld/ /ˌɑːpəreɪʃn ˌdezərt ˈʃiːld/ ​the name used for the military operation in which international armed forces, including British and US troops, were sent to protect Saudi Arabia after Iraq attacked Kuwait in 1990.

What benefits do Desert Storm veterans get?

Gulf War Veterans may be eligible for a wide-variety of benefits available to all U.S. military Veterans. VA benefits include disability compensation, pension, education and training, health care, home loans, insurance, vocational rehabilitation and employment, and burial.

How long did Operation Desert Storm last?

43 daysFrom start to finish, Desert Storm only lasted 43 days, from Jan. 17 to Feb. 28, 1991. In fact, the land campaign is infamously known as the "100-hour ground war" for obvious reasons -- that's about as long as it lasted.

When was Operation Desert Storm launched?

Operation Desert Shield prepared American soldiers to become part of the international alliance in the war against Iraq that was later launched on January 17, 1991, dubbed Operation Desert Storm.

Did Iraq invade Kuwait?

On August 2, 1990, through President Hussein’s order, Iraq invaded Kuwait with four of the best Republican Guard heavy divisions and special operations commandos.

When did the Desert Shield start?

On August 7, 1990 , President George Herbert Walker Bush orders the organization of Operation Desert Shield in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on August 2.

What was the Bush administration's main goal in supporting Operation Desert Shield?

To support Operation Desert Shield, Bush authorized a dramatic increase in U.S. troops and resources in the Persian Gulf. Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and hard-line Iraqi nationalists had always believed Kuwait should be part of Iraq, but nationalist propaganda aside, acquiring control of Kuwait’s oil fields was Hussein’s primary interest.

What weapons did Iraq use?

Iraq’s use of SCUDs, notoriously inaccurate weapons designed to terrorize civilian targets, nearly succeeded in inciting the Israelis to retaliate. Hussein hoped an Israeli military response would draw neighboring Arab nations into the fight on Iraq’s side, but he again committed a grave miscalculation.

When did Iraq leave Kuwait?

On November 29, 1990, the United Nations Security Council authorized the use of “all means necessary” to remove Hussein’s forces from Kuwait, giving Iraq the deadline of midnight on January 16, 1991, to leave or risk forcible removal.

Who surrendered to Hussein?

Regular Iraqi troops surrendered in droves, leaving only Hussein’s hard-line Republican Guard to defend the capital, which they were unsuccessful in doing. After pushing Hussein’s forces out of Kuwait, Schwarzkopf called a ceasefire on February 28; he accepted the surrender of Iraqi generals on March 3.

Who authorized Bush to use American troops in Iraq?

After negotiations between U.S. Secretary of State James Baker and Iraq’s foreign minister, Tariq Aziz, failed, Congress authorized President Bush to use American troops in the coming conflict. Just after midnight on January 17 in the U.S., Bush gave the order for U.S. troops to lead an international coalition in an attack on Saddam Hussein’s army.

How long was Operation Desert Storm?

Explore Operation Desert Storm, the 42-day U.S. led air offensive in response to Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait. Though the long-running war between Iran and Iraq had ended in a United Nations-brokered ceasefire in August 1988, by mid-1990 the two states had yet to begin negotiating a permanent peace treaty.

Who was the commander of the Desert Storm?

General Norman Schwarzkopf was the hot-tempered commander tasked with driving Hussein out of Kuwait. The desert terrain is tough, the enemy is ruthless and White House orders are impossible. Explore the story in Battle of Desert Storm.

What happened to Hussein in 1990?

Alarmed by these actions, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt initiated negotiations between Iraq and Kuwait, but Hussein broke off the negotiations after only two hours, and on August 2, 1990 ordered the invasion of Kuwait. Hussein’s assumption that his fellow Arab states would stand by him proved to be a miscalculation. Alarmed by these actions, two-thirds of the 21 members of the Arab League condemned Iraq’s act of aggression, and Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd, along with Kuwait’s government-in-exile, turned to the United States and other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for support.

Which country was accused of stealing oil from the border?

Two weeks later, however, Saddam Hussein delivered a speech in which he accused neighboring Kuwait of siphoning crude oil from their common border, claiming that Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were conspiring to keep oil prices low in an effort to pander to Western oil-buying nations.

What technology did the Iraqi Air Force use?

The coalition effort benefited from the latest military technology, including Stealth bombers, Cruise missiles, so-called “Smart” bombs with laser-guidance systems and infrared night-bombing equipment. The Iraqi air force was either destroyed early on or opted out of combat under the relentless attack.

When did the Iraq war start?

Though the Persian Gulf War was initially considered an unqualified success for the international coalition, simmering conflict in the troubled region led to a second Gulf War–known as the Iraq War–that began in 2003.

When did Bush declare a ceasefire?

After 42 days of relentless attacks by the allied coalition in the air and on the ground, President Bush declared a cease-fire on February 28; by that time, most Iraqi forces in Kuwait had either surrendered or fled.

When did the Kuwaiti oil fields burn?

Two Navy corpsmen treat a Marine gunnery sergeant suffering from the effects of smoke produced by the burning Kuwaiti oil fields during Operation Desert Storm, 1 February 1991. (National Archives identifier: 6469995)

Why did the Marines arrive in Saudi Arabia?

When U.S. Marines began arriving in Saudi Arabia, their supplies and equipment were in close proximity due to low-key military ties with friendly Arab states. More than 21,000 naval reservists were called to active duty in support of Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

When was the USS Suribachi enroute to the Persian Gulf?

USS Suribachi (AE-21) transiting the Suez Canal, enroute to the Persian Gulf to support Operation Desert Shield, 8 August 1990. Photographed by PH3 Frank A. Marquart. Note ferry crossing, with waiting vehicles, in the center background.

When did the USS Pittsburgh fire a TLAM?

A photograph snapped through USS Pittsburgh ’s periscope captures the moment she fires a TLAM against the Iraqi forces, 19 January 1991. (Unattributed Department of Defense Photograph DN-SN-91-08885, Record Group 330 Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, 1921–2008, National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, MD)

When was the USS Wisconsin shot?

USS Wisconsin (BB-64) firing a broadside to port with her 16/50 and 5/38 guns, circa 1988-91. Official U.S. Navy photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command. (Catalog #: NH 97207-KN)

Which ships were on alert in the Middle East?

The ships of Joint Task Force Middle East were immediately placed on alert. Battle groups led by USS Independence (CV-62) and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) sped from the Indian Ocean and eastern Mediterranean to take up positions in the Gulf of Oman and Red Sea, at the ready to commence sustained combat operations.

What was the purpose of the Tomahawk cruise missiles?

During the beginnings of the war, Navy ships launched salvos of Tomahawk cruise missiles against military targets in Iraq to “soften” the battlefield for ground troops. After the 38-day air campaign, ground troops began sweeping through Kuwait in blitzkrieg fashion. In a mere 100 hours, the Iraqi army was crushed.

How did the Iwo Jima accident happen?

It was a horrific accident; ten Sailors aboard USS Iwo Jima killed instantly by a super-heated steam rupture in the boiler room , their charred bones literally fuzed with melted metal due to the intense heat and pressure. Substandard bolts installed during boiler repairs by the shipyard in the United Arab Emirates were ultimately determined to be the cause. The descriptions of the accident details in the morning brief were among the most gruesome I’ve heard. It was by far the largest loss of life for the Navy in a single incident since the start of Desert Shield. The damage was not all that different from that experienced by the USS Stark in 1987 in the Arabian Gulf and the HMS Sheffield in 1982 in the Falklands War after they were hit by Exocet missiles. I sincerely hoped this was not an omen of things to come, but it left no doubt about the gravity of what we had to prepare for in the event we went to war with the Iraqis.

What was the message from the USS Midway?

The message said that Midway was desperately short of charts of Iraq and the Arabian Gulf. The message continued that Midway had been unable to get charts at the small intelligence support facility in Subic Bay, because, “the Blue Ridge had taken them all.”

Why was Eskan Village built?

Eskan Village consisted of hundreds of palatial villas that had been built by the Saudis to entice the Bedouin nomads out of the desert. The Bedouin wanted no part of it, and the village stood vacant for years, a classic “white camel,” until the Saudis let the Air Force have it at the start of Desert Shield. The Air Force had already turned it into a regular housing compound, complete with PX, gym, theater, pool, and officer and enlisted clubs. It was dark, so we couldn’t tell if there was a golf course.

What was the 1st Armored Division's mission during Desert Storm?

Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Aviation Brigade, 1st Armored Division distinguished itself by gallantry in action against an armed enemy during Operation DESERT STORM from 23 to 28 February 1991. The Brigade conducted combat operations to ascertain enemy dispositions along the Division's zone of advance.

What was the 1st Engineer Battalion's role in Desert Storm?

The 1st Engineer Battalion (Combat) was an integral component of the breach of the Iraqi seventh Corps' front-line defenses as part of the lead Division for the main effort of VII Corps. The valorous combat engineers of the Dishard Battalion marked and proofed assault lanes under direct and indirect enemy fire to secure a foothold in enemy territory and pass 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized) and 1st Armored Division (United Kingdom) forward. The Battalion was also a key participant in the subsequent destruction of one and the rout of two Iraqi Republican Guard Divisions. The 1st Engineer Battalion further distinguished itself by demolishing enemy fighting vehicles, weapons, and ammunition left on the battlefield, and by destroying many hazardous cluster bomb concentrations. The Dishard Battalion's courageous determination and tremendous esprit de corps are truly in keeping with the traditions of this proud Battalion. The 1st Engineer Battalion exemplifies the Division's motto; �No mission too difficult, no sacrifice too great, duty first!�

What was the 1st Cavalry's role in the invasion of Kuwait?

The 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry led the 1st Infantry Division's attack across Iraq and Kuwait, cutting the Iraqi army's escape route along the Kuwait City/Basrah Highway. The Squadron continued its rapid advance, culminating with the capture of the Safwan Airfield, Iraq. During this drive, the squadron destroyed 65 tanks, 66 Armored Personnel Carriers, 66 trucks, 91 bunkers, and captured 3,010 enemy soldiers. These valorous acts bring distinct credit to the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized), and the United States Army.

What was the name of the unit that attacked Iraqi ground forces in 1991?

For extraordinary heroism while engaged in military action against Iraqi ground forces on 26 February 1991 and again on 2 March 1991. Consisting of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Company A and Company C of the 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, Company A of the 2d Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, the 3d Platoon of Battery A of the 1st Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, and Company A of the 5th Engineer Battalion, Task Force Tusker attacked entrenched Iraqi forces on 26 February 1991 to seize battle position 143, effectively severing the Iraqi Euphrates River Valley line of communication to the Kuwait Theater of operation and destroying the major combat elements the Republican Guards Forces Command's elite 26th Commando Brigade. Later, on 2 March 1991, while serving as the 1st Brigade's reserve force in defensive positions astride Highway 8, east of Basrah, Task Force Tusker attacked into the enemy formations, and in doing so, completed the destruction of the Hammurabi Division and the remnants of several other Republican Guards Forces Command Divisions. Task Force Tusker's extraordinary gallantry and valor in two key combat actions contributed significantly to the success of the 24th Infantry Division's offensive operations in Iraq.

What was the 2nd Brigade's role in Desert Storm?

Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Brigade, 1st Armored Division distinguished itself by gallantry in action from 26 to 28 February 1991, while conducting offensive operations against the Iraqi Republican Guard Forces Command during operation DESERT STORM. As the heaviest Armor Brigade, consisting of the 6th Battalion, 6th Infantry; the 1st Battalion, 35th Armor; the 2d Battalion, 70th Armor; the 4th Battalion, 70th Armor; the 2d Battalion, 1st Field Artillery' and the 47th Support Battalion (Forward), the 2d Brigade led the first Division in the largest tank battle against the Republican Guard Forces Command. Throughout the entire operation, the 2d Brigade, 1st Armored Division, demonstrated tenacity, espirit de corps, and courageous professionalism. The actions of the 2d Brigade, 1st Armored Division were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon themselves and the United States Army.

What was the name of the unit that was used in the war against Iraq?

For extraordinary heroism in military operations against an armed enemy: Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Brigade, 1st Cavalry and the following participating units: 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry; 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry; 1st Battalion, 32d Armor; 3d Battalion, 82d Field Artillery; Company B, 8th Engineer Battalion; 2d Platoon, 68th Chemical Company; and 4th Platoon, 44th Chemical Company distinguished themselves by gallantry in action against the Iraqi Army during the period 15 to 25 February 1991, in support of Operation DESERT STORM. Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division conducted the first brigade/task force level ground operation into Iraq. Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division conducted a feint in conjunction with G-Day, which fixed enemy forces and protected the left flank of VIIth Corps' penetration. As part of numerous missions conducted prior to G-Day, these successful actions significantly contributed to deceiving the enemy concerning the direction and location of United States Army Forces Central Command's main attack, while covering the westward movement of friendly forces. The heroism and valor displayed by Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division reflects great credit upon themselves and the United States Army.

How many vehicles did Task Force 1 destroy?

During the entire ground campaign, involving their attack through Iraq into Kuwait, Task Force 1-41 travelled over 200 Kilometers in 72 hours and destroyed 65 armored vehicles and 10 artillery pieces, while capturing over 300 enemy prisoners. DA GO.