4th Cavalry Regiment
Persian Gulf War
"Prepared and Loyal"
On 02 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,
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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.
On 07 August, President George H. W. Bush ordered the organization of Desert
Shield. The order prepared American troops to become part of an international
coalition in a war against Iraq that would be launched as Desert Storm in
January, 1991. This was a decision to deploy US forces on a massive scale to
eject the Iraqis from Kuwait and protect Saudi Arabia. The lead unit for this
deployment was the VII Corps from Germany.
Three 4th Cavalry elements participated in the Gulf War. The 1st Squadron, 4th
Cavalry continued to serve as the reconnaissance squadron for the 1st Infantry
Division (Mechanized) assigned to the VII Corps. The 2nd Squadron, 4th Cavalry
was the reconnaissance squadron for the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized)
assigned to the XVIII Airborne Corps. "D" Troop, 4th Cavalry, the
reconnaissance troop of the 197th Infantry Brigade (which was attached to the
24th Division) was placed under operational control of the 2nd Squadron.
The ground attack of Desert Storm was launched shortly after midnight on 24
February 1991. The attack began in the XVIII Airborne Corps sector on the
extreme left flank of the Coalition Forces. The 24th Division had the critical
mission of blocking the Euphrates River valley to cut the escape of Iraqi
forces in Kuwait and then to attack east with VII Corps to destroy the
Republican Guard divisions. The 2nd Squadron, 4th Cavalry had crossed the
border six hours ahead of the main attack and scouted north along the two axis
of advance. The 2nd Squadron found little evidence of the enemy and the
division made rapid progress. With the 4th Cavalry screening 5 to 10 miles in
front of the attacking brigades the 24th continued north until around midnight
when the division was halted 75 miles inside Iraq. By 27 February, the fourth
day of combat, the 24th Division had destroyed all Iraqi units it had
encountered securing the Euphrates River Valley and had trapping most of the
Republican Guards divisions for the two Corps to destroy.
In the VII Corps sector the 1st Infantry Division was given the mission of
breaching the enemy's defensive line. In turn, the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry
was ordered to lead the Big Red One. The 1st Squadron had arrived in Saudi
Arabia without its tanks which had been in storage while the squadron served
as the Opposing Force in 1st Division maneuvers in Germany and was short
tank-qualified personnel. The 1st Squadron quickly integrating new
replacements just out of training and readied newly issued tanks for "A" and
"B" Troops. On schedule, the 1st Squadron, with its two armored cavalry troops
and two air cavalry troops lunched the VII Corps attack destroying over
twenty-seven Iraqi tanks and armored vehicles in the initial attack.
The Big Red One soon had destroyed some ten miles of enemy defenses and had
created a breach in the Iraqi lines for the VII Corps to pour through.
Swinging east the Corps with the 1st Division on the south passed through the
cavalry screen and attacked the Iraqi forces. By 27 February the 1st Division
had destroyed two armored divisions. The 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry then set up
blocking positions on the Al Basrah - Kuwait City highway preventing Iraqi
forces from escaping from Kuwait. The Squadron received a Valorous Unit Award
for its actions during Desert Storm.
On 28 February 1991, a cease-fire was declared. Thus ended the quickest and
most overpowering victory in US Army history. The 4th Cavalry elements that
participated in Desert Storm the 1st Squadron, the 2nd Squadron and "D" Troop
all performed their missions with courage, and outstanding professionalism
adding to the reputation of the 4th Cavalry as being one of the Army's finest
regiments.
The deep draw down of the Army beginning in the middle 1980s and continuing
after Desert Storm combined with the burgeoning peace keeping commitments led
to the decision to halt the implementation of the unit replacement system.
Unfortunately by the time the decision was made the Army had completed a
massive reassignment of regiments, which had often terminated long standing
historical associations between regiments and divisions. The inactivation of
the 3rd Squadron 4th Cavalry after serving with the 25th Division for thirty
years is a case in point.
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