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Desert Storm began 24 years ago on the evening of January 16 (US)/ the early morning January 17 (Middle East), where were you at?
January 16, 1991 began as a normal day, the operation in the Middle East was still called "Desert Shield", but turned out to be very hectic at the end of the day.
I was stationed with the 10th Mountain Division up at Ft. Drum, NY. Any military history buff knows that, save for one support battalion, no other units left for Saudi Arabia. There were, however, "onesies and twosies" picked from different units to fill the gaps of the of the units already over there.
As an Avionics Radar Repairer (35R), I didn't even think that I would go over there, until my squad leader called me during lunchtime. I was at the CQ desk, when he called asking for three 35R volunteers to deploy with a Reserve unit to the Middle East. Without hesitation, I told my squad leader that I would be the first volunteer. The other two "Romeos" volunteered later on.
After lunch, it was a mad dash to get the three of us through the whole deployment readiness process. This was completed later in the afternoon.
I was calling up different family members, letting them know that I'll be leaving for Ft. Rucker and, a few weeks later, to Saudi Arabia. I remember that I had the TV on in my barracks room, watching ABC News with Peter Jennings, and being on the phone with my oldest brother. I was probably about five minutes into our conversation when breaking news came on from Baghdad- Operation Desert Storm had begun.
I was a bit shocked, but after I got over the initial shock, I knew that I had a job to do- serving my country.
So where were you when Desert Storm began? I'd like to hear your stories.
January 16, 1991 began as a normal day, the operation in the Middle East was still called "Desert Shield", but turned out to be very hectic at the end of the day.
I was stationed with the 10th Mountain Division up at Ft. Drum, NY. Any military history buff knows that, save for one support battalion, no other units left for Saudi Arabia. There were, however, "onesies and twosies" picked from different units to fill the gaps of the of the units already over there.
As an Avionics Radar Repairer (35R), I didn't even think that I would go over there, until my squad leader called me during lunchtime. I was at the CQ desk, when he called asking for three 35R volunteers to deploy with a Reserve unit to the Middle East. Without hesitation, I told my squad leader that I would be the first volunteer. The other two "Romeos" volunteered later on.
After lunch, it was a mad dash to get the three of us through the whole deployment readiness process. This was completed later in the afternoon.
I was calling up different family members, letting them know that I'll be leaving for Ft. Rucker and, a few weeks later, to Saudi Arabia. I remember that I had the TV on in my barracks room, watching ABC News with Peter Jennings, and being on the phone with my oldest brother. I was probably about five minutes into our conversation when breaking news came on from Baghdad- Operation Desert Storm had begun.
I was a bit shocked, but after I got over the initial shock, I knew that I had a job to do- serving my country.
So where were you when Desert Storm began? I'd like to hear your stories.
Posted in these groups: 
Operation Desert Shield/Storm
Operation Desert Shield/Storm
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 371
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In Vicenza, Italy, preparing to deploy...but our mission was cancelled at the last minute.
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I was moving in a convoy in Iraq, with 1000's of vehicles in the convoy. I was with the 47 Combat Support Hospital, 44th Med. Brigade and we were in support of the 18th Airborne Corps. At one point, our convoy had to stop for several hours because the 7th Corps, was crossing perpendicular to our path of travel. I was sure glad we had air superiority, otherwise we would have been sitting ducks, having to be stalled in place for several hours to let the 7th Corps cross our path.
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When Storm (ground) kicked off we were about 10 miles behind the west leg of 1st Cav about 25 miles from TAA Texas,
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I had just re-enlisted for station of choice to YPG, AZ. then stop loss interrupted my plans I was stuck in Pirmasens Germany in limbo while all this was going on.
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This was my track several days later right after the cease fire taken by my battle buddy from his track. I was the driver and we had pulled off a bit and stopped here. I hadn't slept in about 3 days at this point. 69th Chemical Co, 1st Armored Division
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SFC Michael Peterson
Well, thanks for being there. I was in the Mortar Platoon of 4/7 INF, 4 BDE, 3 ID. Our Brigade was attached to 1AD. Before we got the word we were deploying to Desert Shield, we would joke that NBC stood for "No Body Cares" but then, it suddenly got real. The threat of chemical attack was the only thing that worried me about going. Our NBC NCO didn't help much because, he went AWOL and didn't show up when it was time to go.
Since you're a "Chem Dog", I have to share this story with you:
Shortly after the air campaign started, we were still way back in Saudi Arabia, we were pulling Stand To one morning when the Company Commander came around the perimeter and told us to break out our real MOPP suits and go to MOPP1. So, Stand To is over and we're leisurely sitting around smoking and joking and going to MOPP1. Being pretty spread out, not everyone would hear the M-8 alarm so, the signal of a chemical attack was three long blasts on a vehicle horn. As we were smoking and joking and going to MOPP1, we heard a long horn blast. We barely paused but then, there was a second blast. Everyones' eyes got big and cigarettes hit the sand. Then, the third horn blast sounded. The pucker factor hit 10 and, I swear we were all in MOPP4 in less than 30 seconds and in our fighting positions with weapons at the ready. After a few minutes, our Platoon Sergeant came walking around the perimeter. He has his mask on but, he was carrying his MOPP suit under his arm. He stopped at the position to my right and told them "it's a false alarm, you can take your masks off". I saw the heads of the guys in that position pop up out. First looked at him, then they looked at each other. Finally, they turned back to him and said "you take yours off first". He started laughing so hard, he almost had to take a knee but, he took off his mask and the pucker factor went back to 1. After that, nothing that happened even came close to scaring me as much as that did.
Since you're a "Chem Dog", I have to share this story with you:
Shortly after the air campaign started, we were still way back in Saudi Arabia, we were pulling Stand To one morning when the Company Commander came around the perimeter and told us to break out our real MOPP suits and go to MOPP1. So, Stand To is over and we're leisurely sitting around smoking and joking and going to MOPP1. Being pretty spread out, not everyone would hear the M-8 alarm so, the signal of a chemical attack was three long blasts on a vehicle horn. As we were smoking and joking and going to MOPP1, we heard a long horn blast. We barely paused but then, there was a second blast. Everyones' eyes got big and cigarettes hit the sand. Then, the third horn blast sounded. The pucker factor hit 10 and, I swear we were all in MOPP4 in less than 30 seconds and in our fighting positions with weapons at the ready. After a few minutes, our Platoon Sergeant came walking around the perimeter. He has his mask on but, he was carrying his MOPP suit under his arm. He stopped at the position to my right and told them "it's a false alarm, you can take your masks off". I saw the heads of the guys in that position pop up out. First looked at him, then they looked at each other. Finally, they turned back to him and said "you take yours off first". He started laughing so hard, he almost had to take a knee but, he took off his mask and the pucker factor went back to 1. After that, nothing that happened even came close to scaring me as much as that did.
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I was in the 1st Mar Div Band, which meant we were perimeter security for the CG. Then Brig. Gen Mike Myatt. The night everything was suppose to start I was at the main entrance to our pos. One of our motor cycle couriers came up like a bat out of hell. We had been waiting for it all to start for a while now. The way he came up too us I knew something was up. He told me to look into the north east sky in about 10 minutes. Then he went like hell to tell Gen Myatt before it started. So I guess I was the first in H&S Battalion to find out. The next day we began the first of quite a few moves until 24 Feb. When we plowed right through the boarder into Kuwait. Right through the first of a few mine fields.
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not sure if I answered before or not since this is a few years old..... When it became Desert Storm, 7/6 inf 3rd Bde 1st AD was still in the Dew Drop Inn waiting for our Bradleys lol
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I was a few clicks north of Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. Went over as part of the CSSD from 3d FSSG in Okinawa in September, ended up with I MEF for the duration.
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SPC Franklin McKown
Damn sir...so was I, 1/7 Cav, Ft.Hood, but I don't KNOW what you just said there...HOWEVER it was SECOND platoon that lit up at the berms NOT us...fun volleyball.
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