It was day four of the ground war phase of Operation Desert Storm and as the sun slowly crested the horizon, it began to silhouette the armored columns of the largest attack formations in the history of man. The previous night, in our forward position directly behind the U.S. VII Corp's lead Calvary regiment, we witnessed and took part in, the virtual annihilation of the core Iraqi Republican Guard Divisions at the heart of the fourth largest, standing army on Earth. Radios crackled, piercing the desert silence with the high pitched tones that only encrypted communications make. Then out it came, an inconceivable order, relayed from the highest of echelons: "In four hours, 'Cease Fire' and assume a defensive posture in Southern Iraq, North of Kuwait. Be prepared to repel possible Iraqi military counter-attacks." It Was Over! Where was the long, drawn-out, meat-grinder of a conflict we had been training for, all of those scorching months in the Arabian Desert? Later we learned from personal accounts, AARs and up-close, visual, damage inspections, just how powerful of a force; the United States Military can be, when on the attack. We were going home! Though not right away...
Victory In The Desert
Cease Fire and Defense of Kuwait
Victory in the Gulf
A Glimpse of the 'Highway of Death' leading north towards Iraq from Kuwait City
James 'Pappy' Graves can NOW say he is an old man. Exhausted!
Chad Showen checks straps holding 'his' live MLRS Rockets in place.
Mark Combs shows the massive size of a bomb crater.
A/40th parked in tactical positions hours after the cease-fire, the cooks are set to prepare a HOT meal!
Daniel Caldwell displays captured weapons including AK-47s and SKS Sniper Rifles.
Mike Leyba adds an AK-47 to his arsenal just in case the M-16 jams...
Mark Reese guards our own ammunition. Notice the AT-4 Rockets.
Oil well fires set by retreating Iraqi 'soldiers' Notice the junk vehicles.
Mike Huxta writes home while his laundry finishes drying.
40th Field Artillery
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3rd Armored Division
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Field Artillery
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Military Award Shadow Boxes