I was there, arriving on 10 August 1990. We were there for months, flying patrols, preparing, watching, training, waiting, and growing. That day, when the air war began, I was up at 0345 preparing for our flight. We were airborne and over bad guy territory less than 90 minutes later. I was young, just 27, but most of my fellow Marines, especially the enlisted ones, were 18-21 yrs old. They were eager to fight, not knowing what that meant. The old guys who had been to 'Nam, knew it wasn't something to wish for, rather, something you just did when ordered to. I'll never forget learning from those old salts, and it would be just over a decade later when I would be the old salt, helping our new guys learn how to fight the war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq. Time flies.... That is the only constant in all this.
Thanks for your service brother. I get it, I enlisted in 79 and learned from those same old salts you mentioned from DI’s to team members through my first 13 years. After getting out to start a family in 92 I returned in 07 to do another 14+ until retirement in 2019. I was that “old salt!” I expected to be called Grampa and SGT Oldie and all of that but was pleasantly surprised that the troops were hungry for knowledge so that was my focus my last tour. I downloaded everything I could into these fine young soldiers and watched as they grew into outstanding NCO’s themselves. It was well worth my time, even during my last deployment. I’d do it all over again if I could or if by chance I get the call someday. Peace to you my brother in arms and all other veterans… 🫡
Great comment I wish it had been longer,but not too long. I think a novel might be perhaps long enough. My father was a vet what liked to be in thick of things. Which means he didn't talk about it much. Always an indicator that somebody got in his face and he cut it off. I understand he went into kill zones with a custom blade. All metal with a hole in the handle for leverage and so it couldn't be knocked out his hand. A semiauto pistol. The rifle was hung over his shoulder just in case. He said he didn't like using it. " I the chink enemy was wórth killing, the least you could do is kill hill him since with those black PJ's he was dressed for sleep anyway. He was promoted I think just to keep him from eviscerating the V+,cong. When a truce was negotiated he was quietly furious. Angry even. About 10 years after he rotated out of the marines. When all the insurance and benefits were certain, he took his life with his sidearm at the VA. They said it was PTSD. I don't know. but I still profoundly miss him and the stories, though I still have à lot of pictures in the basement where he spent a lot of time. A good husband, mother was inconsolable. I respect all vets from all branches, but especially my brothers in Father those vicious kill them don't leave him injured lying there. Marines tough sum' bitches. Had the enemy afraid if backed in they'd rush towards them with everything thing they had. Stout Fellows all. Very proud of my fathet I am
The naval commanders of the sub feet not being able to play war was " Not to their liking, " this Captain said. How do you think we felt fixing the fighter group aircraft, refueling aircraft, cargo aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft, just about anything with wings that flew in that war, but removed even further, not the ones on the front lines like you saw in the beginning, you know the guys with their fist in the air seeing their comrades off to fight. We were stuck on a small island out in the middle of the Atlantic fixing the broken ones on their way. Gassing up others, making sure troops got off to be feed and back on to go fight, putting out fires from hot brakes, servicing needed repairs at all hours of the morning and all conditions on every jet going that way, things like, water, oil, gas, minor/major repairs, new tires, you name it, etc. We went from not one aircraft stationed on that rock to over 280 at one time with a maintenance group of 38, and Eastern Comand never sent help after our base commander asked many times. As far as I'm concerned we all, from the jets that dropped the bombs to the ones that pushed a pencil were all important during this war. We were all needed and we all were just as important as the bomb droppers...for me it has to be, and it also has to be important to those in a sub protecting the other ships, because that war injured me for life and even killed me. After a medical discharge for blowing out my back. Working hours on end with no days off for almost half the war my body just didn't make. I got so tired and my body so used up all it took was a sneeze while holding a refuel line and pop the war was over for me, I was told the sound of the pop could be herd 30 feet away. It sent shards of disks pieces into my static nerve, I never recovered after being MedEvac back to the states the war lasted how long a couple years I've been in horrific pain for 34 years, later a pain pump was planted in my spine, at the age of 29 I would never be able to hold down a job even after achieving my masters degree. But some how I had to support a wife and three girls as far as loosing my life. I was diagnosed in 2014 with cancer from chemical exposure during that war. I sit on the edge of my bed now, old and fighting a different kind of war, but one thing I know sooner or later I'll lose that war. So when I here anyone even captain's on submarines lower there part in this war I get a little upset. There's too many out there that are injured and weren't even at the front line, the forgotten ones, but the job they did was needed that's why we're are called a team !
Every swinging dick that wore a uniform mattered. Everyone was needed but not all were made to feel that way. Unfortunate, but true. Know that there are many of us that did go forward that saw you, know what you did, and know you mattered. Nobkdy else's opinions should matter to you but ours, because we few, we band of brothers, were with you, and we spent our youth as you did for people who we didn't know but protected anyway.
I was living in Japan at that time and I hailed a taxi to take me from the station to my home. When he realized I was an American he wouldn’t charge me He was ashamed that Japan wasn’t helping to free Kuwait from Iraq. They mostly admired bush at that time
To be fair to him, the Japanese really couldn't have helped, especially back in early 90s. Not just their pacifist constitution, but also the sheer logistical *uber-fuffle* that would be moving men and materiel from Japan to the Middle East, as well as trying to integrate Japanese and other coalition forces effectively. It would have been waaay more hassle than it was worth, (if it was even possible in the first place)........ Although, to be fair, there's no way I could communicate all of that to a Japanese taxi driver....🤣😂
@ChiekoGamers Please remember that the first Gulf War. Was because Iraq had invaded and taken over Kawit. We were protecting another country. Yes doing it was in are on interest. But we were still protecting another country.
i remember watching this on the news back in "91" i was in school at the time and i think was only 7 yrs old when all this was happening. ever since then i was fascinated with military vehicles and aircraft i'm now 38 yrs old and still fascinated with military vehicles and aircraft including ships. thank you for uploading this bro i really enjoyed watching it. keep them coming
I was in college, and had fallen asleep on the couch while watching David Letterman, it was the openning night of the war, and then I was awakened by this weird video on TV of that iconic shot of tracers going up into the night sky, as the News had broken in Live.
Flew a lot of missions in the B-52 during Desert Storm from low level misions in the opening hours to high altitude strikes later in the war. No B-52's mentioned.
Yup! I also noticed (with a bit of bewilderment) the lack of coverage of the BUFF role in this war. I was stationed at Barksdale AFB and well remember scrambling our 7 B-52's and their 10,000-mile, non-stop round-trip sorties. I was an alert force controller, so was well aware of when our crews were scrambled/returned.
I did my 4 year hitch in the USN onboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt from 1986 to 1990. I joined her one month after she was commissioned and I left her just before Desert Storm started. It was Desert Shield when I got out. But I was still there in my heart. Many of my friends were there aboard the TR and I was following every move that we made. I was glued to CNN. Nice job breaking this video down into chapters. I know that's a shit ton of work. Most would just upload it and be finished. That's worth a like and sub.
I retired from the Navy in December 1989, a few months later this war kicked off. I remember complaining to my father-in-law that after 20 years of preparing to fight a war, we finally get into one just after I retire from the service. I felt so unused! That's how life goes. I was over 40 and the armed services want you out of there by then. You're aging and starting to lose abilities. It's time for you to go. I understood that, but it was hard to take.
Great, I was in Task Force 843 Patriot and Hawk and went in through the western breach with 2nd Armored Division. The Air Force and Navy did an awesome job before we went in.
In the opening scene, the F-14 Tomcat in burner is a VF-1 bird aboard USS Ranger (CV-61). If you're the cameraman, and look to your left about 30 feet, and I was the SENSO sitting in the back seat of the Viking parked getting ready to taxi looking at the CNN camera crew take that shot. USS Ranger... the "Night Carrier" in the Gulf.
I so enjoy your uploads Mike. I was reared as a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol from 13 to 18. A great imprinting in my life. It has forever left me with a love of aviation. The resolution and audio of your videos is superior to other channels and makes them most enjoyable. You rock Mike.
They said shock and awe. I don’t know who was in more shock and awe, me or the Iraqis. We put such display of power it was far behind my comprehension at that time. The TV guided bomb rides right into the target was awe inspiring. I watched the coverage 24/7. Proud of our military men and women. 🇺🇸
Amazing video, thank you for the post. 1989-1993 I was just a kid, serving as an Army infantryman with the 25th ID in Hawaii. My buddies and I watched the coverage of the Gulf War constantly on the nightly news, wondering if we were going to get our turn to deploy. Though we were packed on pallets and ready to fly, we never got the call. We were a light infantry division and this was a mechanized war. Maybe if Bush had gone into Baghdad like 43 did, we'd have deployed but we didn't. At that time, and today, I felt such pride for the men and women who answered the call, the world was a very different place back then...
I was a shooter/final checker with VAQ-139 on the independence for desert shield relieve by the Midway before the storm had started. Our EA-6B was a awesome plane!. Proud to have been a small part of it! Although wished we could of stayed on station, but 111 days at sea had everyone ready for a port!. 🤙
Interesting Video, Served on the USS Saratoga (CV-60), when all this happened and we had 3 aircraft from our Air wing alone shot down, an F-18, A-6, and a F-14.
I was with B 3/82nd Field Artillery 1st Cavalry Division in defensive positions at Hafar Al Batin Saudi Arabia. I was awoken by my section chief and told to take my NAP pill for the Air War had begun.
@@rat18583 I’ve heard of modern pilots taking “go” pills and “stop” pills but the “go” pills aren’t amphetamines like the Germans were taking. I guess the pills would do the same for cavalry if they knew that they had long push’s and needed to stay alert and then needed to get the most rest possible on the other hand once it was time. The only problem with these “medications” is the body develops a dependency on them and they become counterproductive.
I was with 2/2 cav when it began. We could not see the aircraft overhead as it was dark. But when you put the night vision glasses on you could see the sky full of aircraft and the flashes of light as targets in Iraq were being pummeled.
I had just left the Navy when Desert Shield commenced. Needless to say, I was watching very closely and Praying for my brothers and sisters so that they could come home. I remember the news media making such a fuss over Iraq's war making capability. In reality, most of their equipment was at least 20 years behind what we had. Yes, the Iraqi air defense was potent but not after visits by our Ravens and the EA-6. You can't shoot what you can't see. I think what was most impressive was the number of countries who made up the coalition and that Bush stuck to the UN Resolution. Hindsight is always 20/20 but our mission was to eject Saddam from Kuwait and that is exactly what happened. Now for my Air Force friends; the A-10 was DEVASTATING. There is no way in hell that I could possibly imagine what it must've been like to be an Iraqi conscript, sitting in a T55, hull down in the desert with Hawg drivers overhead. God that must be scary. And the Apaches; don't want to leave out our Army birds.
I was drunk in a bar, turned 21, Savannah Georgia. 2 days later, airlifted with the rest of the new guys for the 24th infantry. Still have my Desert Shield lighter zippo.
I was 8 years old and I remember watching a lot of this on tv with my dad back then. Ended up enlisting in the Marine Corps 10 years later and went to Iraq for OIF.
I remember vividly watching the news, my father and most of my friends fathers(and some mothers) went over there. We were a marine corps family. So proud of them and always will be. The sad thing was the way they were discarded and disassembled when they returned. They called it military downsizing. We called it political posturing.
I Remember that night, I was with the 101st in Saudi Arabia at King Faud airport looking up and wondering at that time..... it's time to go to work!!!! Air Assault!!!
I was a naive hawkish 5 year old taking a crap in my family's upstairs bathroom when the news hit. Everything I'd read in magazines had predicted that the U.S. would do nothing against the Iraqis and would fail if they tried. (Except for an interview with Colin Powell (RIP)). My Mom came up to the staircase landing and hollered up that we had just started "bombing the hell out of Iraq!" I just remember goosebumps popping up on my arms.
Watching the Wild Weasels take off from ground is in stark contrast to the same plane launching from a Carrier catapult! 45 seconds+, compared to 0.45 seconds.
I was at Spangdahlem afb Germany when that happened and we sent most of the munitions for the Air Force bombs and guns. We also sent them a rolling bench stock to support the F4 and F16 as they forgot to send them when they deployed from the states.
@@nobodyknows3180 idk what rolling bench stock is exactly but the normal term bench stock is a bunch of lame bolts, lights, screws and miscellaneous stuff you'll probly need alot
2 others and I arrived at Bateen AB 4 days after Kuwait was captured. Our job was to mark out our C130 flight line. The next day they started coming in every 30 minutes. That was a lot of work. For the next 6 months our acft were flying missions some training some actual. It was all part of getting us, our acft and flight crews desertized. Shortly after the war started we were all humping. Making sure our air crews flew the safest C130’s. They were moving Army troops to where they needed to go. I was a 15 year veteran supervising my crew chiefs. I was never more proud at we accomplished. This was where all the training worked.
What a work of art. Every middle schooler should be taught this. A textbook example of an integrated air assault utilizing multi spectrum warfare. In fact screw it. Teach it in preschool so the young admirals and generals learn!
The Warthog is all 0300's favorite plane. I'm an 0351. I love how they have information on the glass written in grease pencil. Nothing has ever come close to a Warthog in close air support. C-130 Spooky and the Cobra's are nice...But that gun scares everyone off.
January 15th, they are briefing us for our final test of phase two of special forces and its the deadline day. I just heard Tom Petty's song, Don't Back Down on the radio driving to the school. I do a quick time calculation and figure its past midnight in Baghdad and sure enough I woke to it had begun. We bussed to the mountains of western North Carolina as no aircraft to go to our normal test area of Texas. While out there, I told my fellow students, we can catch the 6 o'clock news off our PRC-70 as I knew the VHF TV audio frequencies, so each day over the next 18, we kept up with the news on the air war. This radio required we cranked a hand crank generator to keep batteries charged and every did so to keep warm.
Incorrect the first shots of the air war was fired by Col Cody of the 101st aviation BN AH-64 Apaches grouped with 2 blackhawks and 2 CH-53 Sea Stallions! They took out the radar sites on the border on land to create a 20 mile wide corridor of clear airspace, then the Navy and Air Force aircraft went in. I was there at King Fahd Airport with the 101st Airborne Eagle Dustoff when the Aircraft took off. Woke me up in fact!
Hey I was at Fahd with you. We were the 16th Special Operations Wing flying the AC 130 Gunships, MC 130 Combat Talons, MH53J Pave low who lead you guys into Iraq apart of task force Normandy. Our mh60 Pave-hawks were at Fahd also. Yes we brought the pain
Would you happen to know the names of the other documentaries? I found a clip from another documentary which appears to be apart of this series comparing the M1A1 vs the Iraqi T-72M, I’m unable to find the whole thing on RU-vid however.
wish you continuous success . A very beautiful and wonderful work that deserves admiration and all appreciation. Never stop.. It would be great if all your works are translated into Arabic. I wish you well and happiness. Thank you for your exceptional and distinguished effort in presenting this very beautiful work
A wonderful channel that deserves a thousand thousand greetings, great admiration and greater respect. Your esteemed channel is full of very accurate and useful information. Your effort is remarkable and great. I wish you lasting success. And I write to you with the utmost frankness and respect, and in the form of hope ((translate into Arabic)) The number of your followers will increase greatly. I am absolutely confident that you are interested in providing benefit to everyone without exception. My utmost respect, appreciation and pride to you, gentlemen
My husband was overweight there with Marine Air wing.Hia Co and senior warrent officer were takin after their plane crashed.They were messed up bad by the Iraqos, reeally bad.They came home i was a wreck the whole time.
FIGHTER PILOTS, VERY DISCIPLINED AND COOL UNDER FIRE 🔥 😎. I have a ton of respect for are US airman, highly educated and dedicated!! It's like getting shot down by college professor lol .
I thank you for your great effort in providing accurate, useful and wonderful information on your esteemed channel. A thousand greetings of respect, appreciation and pride. I wish you success and progress in your wonderful work. Much respect
No, F18's have always had 2 seaters. Lot A were the first single seaters. Lot B were the first 2 seaters. Super Hornets started at Lot E (Single) and F (2 seater)
I have watched many such videos Including those of Arab Israeli wars and one thing I am certain of now that the arabs does not have good army management and commanders , that's the reason they lost so badly always despite having good enough weapons
