20 August Remembering the Gulf War

20 August 1990
C+13

Intelligence: Iraqi ground combat and support forces continue to pass southward through Kuwait City, leading USCINCCENT to reiterate his caution that continued defensive preparations along the Kuwait-Saudi border do not “alter the Iraqi option to defend or attack with little or no warning.” Some Iraqi fighters are now believed to be based at Ali al Salem Airfield, Kuwait. 

Air Order of Battle: A second squadron of twenty-four A-10s arrive at King Fahd Airport and, because of contaminated fuel, they air refuel before landing so they can fly one combat mission. 

The first US Marine aircraft (from Marine Attack Squadron 311 [VMA-311]) arrive in theater with the arrival of eighteen AV-8Bs of the 3rd Marine Air Wing at Shaikh Isa, Bahrain.

82d Airborne Division OH-58D from Troop B, 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry, crashes at TL 895307 while on night vision device training; aircraft destroyed but crew recovered.

Logistics: The Arrival of six refueling trucks allows USCENTCOM to open King Fahd airport as a second aerial port of debarkation. 

USCENTCOM air units are experiencing problems getting mission critical parts. 

The first Maritime Pre-positioning Ship arrives in Jeddah and off loads vehicles and equipment, including ammunition and air base assets. 

Planning: USCINCCENT publishes OPORD 003 as an interim combined defense plan. It represents the first combined planning product of the crisis. 

COMUSCENTAF FWD’s priorities, in the event of an Iraqi attack, are:
(1) interdiction – delay and attrit any Iraqi ground forces that cross into Saudi Arabia, 
(2) counterair – achieve air superiority over the battlefield,
(3) plan, and 
(4) prepare for possible D-day operations; exercise air traffic control procedure coordination. 

He expresses some concern over the workarounds required by the continued absence of an Air Support Operations Center, to coordinate ground support requirements, and of Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center aircraft, to control airborne strike aircraft. 

At a CJCS and CINCs conference in Washington, CENTCOM estimates that a high-confidence defense capability will be reached by 25 September, with offensive operations possible after C+120. 

Air Operations: C-21s and C-130s begin flying STAR (scheduled tactical airlift) routes to provide intra
theater airlift.

19 August

19 August 1990
C+12

Intelligence: U.S. AWACS observe Iraqi fighter activity at all three primary Kuwaiti airfields. USCINCCENT believes Iraq intends to use US detainees as shields against US air strikes. 

Marine Activities: Headquarters, 7th Marine Expeditionary Brigade and first Marine Corps battalion (1st Battalion, 7th Marines) declared operational in Saudi Arabia.

Landing Force Planning Cell (LFPC) embarks on board Blue Ridge (LCC 19) at Subic Bay, P.I.

Navy Activities: Secretary of Defense Cheney announced that VADM Henry H. Mauz, Jr., USN, Commander U.S. SEVENTH Fleet assumed new duties as Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (COMUSNAVCENT). He will control all U.S. naval forces assigned to the U.S. Central Command, to include the maritime intercept force.

Army Activities: United States Army Forces Central (ARCENT) Support Command (Provisional) is formed on verbal orders of ARCENT Commander, LTG Yeosock.

Headquarters, Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, and Assistant Division Commander for Operations arrive in theater; move by night to King Fahd International Airport.
American Eagle sails from Jacksonville with 12 passengers, 4 AH-1 Cobras, 26 CH-47D Chinooks, 5 OH-58 Kiowas, 8 UH-60/EH-60 Blackhawks, 3 TOWs, 9 M-102 105mm howitzers, and 152 vehicles from the 101st Airborne Division.

Cape Hudson (Roll On-Roll Off Ship) and USNS Denebola both arrive at Savannah to load 197th Infantry Brigade equipment.

Support Activities: A basic network of satellite and ground-based radio systems is in place to support inter- (High Frequency and Defense Communications System) and intra-theater (Tactical Satellite) communications between major installations., but most beddown locations are communicating via commercial telephone, contributing to delays of up to twenty hours in receiving messages. The Computer Assisted Force Management System is not yet in place. 

CENTAF communications priorities are:
(1) a message center for Riyadh,
(2) base communications support equipment for King Fahd and Jeddah, and
(3) a Special Security Office (SSO) van for Bateen. 

Logistics: CENTAF FWD requests approval to install Have Quick II anti-jamming radios in all Saudi defensive assets. 

Airlift forces are committed to Desert Shield at near wartime rates, while KC-10s begin to fly dual-role, tanker-cargo missions. 

Air Operations: Two B-52s fly training missions in the AOR to establish coordination procedures with AWACS.

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This page was started in 2011 to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of Operation Desert Storm and to be an outlet to remember this event and the lives that it effected and changed. 

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