1st Cavalry Regiment
Persian Gulf War
"Courageous and Faithful"
On 11 August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. In the background of this invasion
there were three basic causes for this action. First, Kuwait had been part of
the Ottoman Empire from the 18th century until 1899 when it asked for, and
received, British protection in return for autonomy in local affairs. In 1961
Britain granted Kuwait independence. Iraq revived an old claim that Kuwait had
been governed as part of an Ottoman province in southern Iraq and was
therefore rightfully part of Iraq. This claim led to several confrontations
over the years and continued hostility.
Second, rich deposits of oil straddled the ill-defined border and Iraq
constantly claimed that Kuwaiti oil rigs were illegally tapping into Iraqi oil
fields. Middle Eastern deserts make border delineation difficult and this has
caused many conflicts in the region. Iraq also accused Kuwait of producing
more oil than allowed under quotas set by the Organization of Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC), thereby depressing the price of oil, the main
source of money for Iraq,
Finally, the fallout from the First Persian Gulf War between Iraq and Iran
strained relations between Baghdad and Kuwait. This war began with an Iraqi
invasion of Iran and degenerated into a bloody form of trench warfare as the
Iranians slowly drove Saddam Hussein's armies back into Iraq. Kuwait and many
other Arab nations supported Iraq against the Islamic Revolutionary government
of Iran, fearful that Saddam's defeat could herald a wave of Iranian-inspired
revolution throughout the Arab world. Following the end of the war, relations
between Iraq and Kuwait deteriorated due to a lack of gratitude and
acknowledgement of the Baghdad government for financial assistance and help in
logistic support provided by Kuwait during the war and the reawakening of old
issues regarding the border and Kuwaiti sovereignty.
Later in the fall, President George H. W. Bush made the decision to deploy US
forces on a massive scale to eject the Iraqis from Kuwait and protecet Saudi
Arabia. The lead unit for this deployment was the VII Corps from Germany. The
1st Armored Division was one of four American heavy divisions assigned to VII
Corps in theater.
In the ground attack of the Gulf War, the Division led the VII Corps' flank
attack on the Iraqis. To the north, elements of the 1st Armored Division, "Old
Ironsides", after conducting an assault on dug-in Iraqi commandos in the town
of Al Busayyah and destroying them, turned east. In subsequent engagements,
1st Armored Division units destroyed one brigade each of the Republican Guard
Forces Command (RGFC) 3rd Tawalkana and 7th Adnan Divisions, and two brigades
of the Medina Division, as well as captured the headquarters of the Medina
Division.
Aerial and ground surveys of Highway 80, known as the "Highway of Death"
during Operation Desert Storm or the Persian Gulf War, showed the degree of
mass destruction of tanks and other Iraqi military vehicles. Aerial views
revealed many charred and smoking vehicles, retreating from Kuwait to Basra,
Iraq and parts of wrecked tanks and other military vehicles were littered all
over the road. Smoke bellowed from the destroyed tanks. Below, Iraqi soldiers
in a group wavrd white flags of surrender. In the fignal hours of the war,
General Norman Schwarzkopf and his staff discussed the means of implementation
for the "end game" Gulf War strategies.
In eighty nine hours, the Division moved 250 kilometers, destroyed 768
vehicles, and captured 1,064 prisoners of war, at the loss of four soldiers
KIA. The 1st Armored Division returned to Germany on 08 May, 1991, and
celebrated with a visit from Vice President Dan Quayle.
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