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Wow, it's been 20 years!
- Thread starter jmcquate
- Start date
And a couple of weeks after that came the news footage of bombs being dropped through air conditioning vents and Tomahawk missiles weaving around obstacles to reach their target. America was in awe of how accurate and sanitary war had become. No longer would carpet bombing civilians be necessary. No longer would we have to send ground troops into harms way. No longer would an ROE be written that allowed for a certain amount of collateral damage.
It was the worst thing that could have happened. The American public forgot that war is ugly and that sometimes the good guys can die, too. I think that's why we never went in full-force in Somalia or in Bosnia. President Clinton knew it was going to get hairy and didn't want to test the American public's new-found attitude towards wars. The Powell Doctrine wasn't in the cards. So, once things got a little hairy in our current skirmishes and once the videos of Iraqi civilians getting hurt made their way out, the people remembered the cute videos they saw in 1991 and wondered why this war wasn't so neat and pretty. Then, they started protesting.
At least, that's my theory. I could be wrong. I was in junior high at the time, and was just as amazed as everyone else when I saw the bomb film footage. It was the first time I ever saw a Humvee, too. That was pretty awesome.
It was the worst thing that could have happened. The American public forgot that war is ugly and that sometimes the good guys can die, too. I think that's why we never went in full-force in Somalia or in Bosnia. President Clinton knew it was going to get hairy and didn't want to test the American public's new-found attitude towards wars. The Powell Doctrine wasn't in the cards. So, once things got a little hairy in our current skirmishes and once the videos of Iraqi civilians getting hurt made their way out, the people remembered the cute videos they saw in 1991 and wondered why this war wasn't so neat and pretty. Then, they started protesting.
At least, that's my theory. I could be wrong. I was in junior high at the time, and was just as amazed as everyone else when I saw the bomb film footage. It was the first time I ever saw a Humvee, too. That was pretty awesome.
Malo83
Keep the Faith
Wow!!! seems like it was just a few years past, I was with VAW-116 onboard the USS.Ranger CV61 "Top Gun bar None" in the Persian Gulf, we were awakened at o dark thirty by the CO of the Ranger with this message over the 1Mc,
In August last year Iraq invaded and dismantled a country Kuwait. That country has virtually ceased to exist, Iraqs armed forces occupy Kuwait-approximately 530,000 men in 41 divisions. They man the KTO.
In October the United Nations resolved that if Iraq did not withdraw from Kuwait by 15 January force would be authorized. The time for Iraq to withdraw has passed. United Nation coalition forces are now authorized to use force. On 16 January the National Command Authority declared DEFCON II.
A few minutes ago I was informed by our Operational Commander, RADM Zlatoper, that the President has ordered the US Central Command to engage Iraq in hostilities.
Few Americans are as priviliged to stand up and be counted... We have been given the honor of representing our country in combat. We are here in this moment in history. We volunteered for this duty. We are trained for this day. We are ready for this day.
Ranger will launch... Air Wing TWO will strike... targets within Iraq this morning, We shall make our presence felt. This ship... this Air Wing... these Staffs... will make in history a measurable difference on this day,and on the days to follow.
The Wing will fly tonight and tomorrow and in the days that follow...
From those those of use who cannot go... we wish you good luck. For those of us that steam,fuel,feed,arm and launch the aircraft on this ship... we are greatly counted upon, for what we do here in the near future will guarentee what this Nation does in the far future.
To the Air Wing... God Speed, good hunting...keep your powder dry, and your knots up.
For the rest of us... Lets Go Get 'Em!
CAPTAIN. ERNEST E. CHRISTENSEN
CO. USS. RANGER
In August last year Iraq invaded and dismantled a country Kuwait. That country has virtually ceased to exist, Iraqs armed forces occupy Kuwait-approximately 530,000 men in 41 divisions. They man the KTO.
In October the United Nations resolved that if Iraq did not withdraw from Kuwait by 15 January force would be authorized. The time for Iraq to withdraw has passed. United Nation coalition forces are now authorized to use force. On 16 January the National Command Authority declared DEFCON II.
A few minutes ago I was informed by our Operational Commander, RADM Zlatoper, that the President has ordered the US Central Command to engage Iraq in hostilities.
Few Americans are as priviliged to stand up and be counted... We have been given the honor of representing our country in combat. We are here in this moment in history. We volunteered for this duty. We are trained for this day. We are ready for this day.
Ranger will launch... Air Wing TWO will strike... targets within Iraq this morning, We shall make our presence felt. This ship... this Air Wing... these Staffs... will make in history a measurable difference on this day,and on the days to follow.
The Wing will fly tonight and tomorrow and in the days that follow...
From those those of use who cannot go... we wish you good luck. For those of us that steam,fuel,feed,arm and launch the aircraft on this ship... we are greatly counted upon, for what we do here in the near future will guarentee what this Nation does in the far future.
To the Air Wing... God Speed, good hunting...keep your powder dry, and your knots up.
For the rest of us... Lets Go Get 'Em!
CAPTAIN. ERNEST E. CHRISTENSEN
CO. USS. RANGER
I remember getting home from high school in the afternoon and oh crap, it already started!
@Boomhower, the "highway of death" images woke up a few regular people back to reality and some cold truths about war- for better or for worse. The bomb and missile footage sure made for a lot of ooh, ahh, and sterile press briefings to keep the homefront support and momentum going and at the time, the Patriot missiles made a lot of people happy too...
@Boomhower, the "highway of death" images woke up a few regular people back to reality and some cold truths about war- for better or for worse. The bomb and missile footage sure made for a lot of ooh, ahh, and sterile press briefings to keep the homefront support and momentum going and at the time, the Patriot missiles made a lot of people happy too...
During the preceding 2 months, a broken down ol' A4/A6 pilot I know (knew??) had already made 8 trips to the Sand ferrying troops, bombs, & bullets ...
At least the Air Force gave us medals ...
At least the Air Force gave us medals ...
I was with VP-8 Comcat Aircrew 5 sitting on a cold pattern in the eastern Med when the bombs started falling. We listened to the BBC on one of the HF radios, as well as the chatter on SATCOM. Less than two weeks later we were on det down to Jeddah, doing SSC for the Red Sea Battle Force. Interesting times.
I was 5. I watched the bombs on CNN and thought "we are pretty badass" or whatever the 5 year old equivalent was. Then I checked out my national geographic map of the middle east to figure out who we were bombing the shit out of.
I was in the reserves waiting for orders that never came. Not fewer then 5 guys that got out just after me were called to active duty and went to the desert.
Roger that.
My greatest 'fear' was gettin' called up ... not because I didn't want to DO SOMETHING, but 'cause I KNEW that I would NOT get 'called up' to go do something 'real' -- but rather to go to SoCAL or some domestic shit hole and sit at a desk and answer the Duty Phone while a 'real ACDUTRA guy' went to the SAND to make a difference. In the greater scheme of things -- no thanks.
PLUS ... I would have 'lost' @ $180K/year in pay differential + retirement credit ... ouch; bummer.
Soooooooooooooo ... the airlines 'got called up' and I flew troops, bullets, & bombs to the SAND while flying in CRAF. A win-win.
I'll take the CRAF 'cargo/LOG' flyin' and the AF ribbons anyday, anyway ... as opposed to picking up the phone in SoCAL and saying: "this is not a secure line" .
I was working at McCord on heavies for the AF; I would have lost a bundle if I was called up. I was still able to do my part without worrying about sand or that damn SCUD trying to ruin my day. :icon_wink
I think I saw something either yesterday or today on one of the online newsfeeds, but I can't find it now without using search. Mind you, lots of good stuff comes up from searching for "20th anniversary Desert Storm," but the rest of the current headlines are mostly the usual fluff along with a handful of meaningful current events.
I was on a layover in AUS. I watched and was mesmerized by the scenes on CNN. On my flight that night to PHX, I kept our passengers updated on the news.
Although by then in the IRR, I told my wife and kids when I got home that I wanted to volunteer to be back in the action. But a good night's sleep and family protests convinced me that I had been there/done that and that there were better, younger, and more qualified men to do the job. And like A4s mentioned, I would have been put behind a desk. Nevertheless, like the old arthritic fire station dog, I was still eager to go when the bell rang.
Although by then in the IRR, I told my wife and kids when I got home that I wanted to volunteer to be back in the action. But a good night's sleep and family protests convinced me that I had been there/done that and that there were better, younger, and more qualified men to do the job. And like A4s mentioned, I would have been put behind a desk. Nevertheless, like the old arthritic fire station dog, I was still eager to go when the bell rang.
Awesome speech. Beats the hell out of RADM Kelly's "Get Over It" speech we heard on the Lincoln when we got turned around to go fight Gulf Part Deux.
I will partly agree with you but, the Highway of Death just told the American people that America is badass and we can kill bad guys at will and none of our guys get hurt. If anything, it only satisfied the need to see a little gore associated with watching a war.
I had forgotten what big news the Patriots were at the time. A lot of the technology that military operators take for granted now was brand new, whiz-bang at the time.
I guess that a positive thing that came from the Gulf War (aside from liberating Kuwait) was that America got to see that it's military wasn't just dicking around in the period after Vietnam. We were reloading. The cold war forced us to come up with some pretty cool toys and nobody had seen any of them until we started kicking Saddam's ass up and down the highway.
Also the debut of the F-18D, F-15E and JSTARS. With the Strike Eagle and E-8 being rushed into service