one month of little sleep.
August 2nd 1990 was the day Iraq invaded the country of Kuwait. I remember this date like it was yesterday. Let me share with you my personal background to this date.
I was stationed aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) a nuclear powered aircraft carrier home ported in Norfolk, VA. My job was that of an Aviation Storekeeper which entailed keeping track of the aircraft parts for our
embarked air wing. I was in the Navy for nine years and the Eisenhower was my first assignment. I had a positive experience onboard the Eisenhower and consider it one of the many memorable times in my life.
Our Battle Group of 8-10 ships had been conducting operations in the Mediterranean Sea during the spring and summer of 1990. We had left Norfolk in March and traveled to a variety of ports in Spain, Israel, France, and Italy. In a Battle group there of ships of different sizes and purposes. I recall fond memories of the port visits and participating in group tours or exploring the cities in a small group of friends. By far my favorite port visit was to Haifa, Israel as I was able to take a bus up to Jerusalem to tour the historical sites.
Naples, Italy was our last port visit of the deployment as we would begin to look ahead to the time of transiting the Mediterranean and Atlantic toward Norfolk. But something had occurred in the Middle East that prompted our schedule to be quickly adjusted from a westward transit to a south-eastern transit.
Iraq had invaded Kuwait.
Our commanding officer announced over the addressing system that higher authorities in Washington D.C. ordered us to change our course and head toward the Red Sea. This was no drill because now our ship was going to a combat zone. Our battle group was to provide a advance U.S. Naval and airpower presence. I was beyond words during this period of time as I was now apart of something really big that would affect not only our country, Kuwait but the world in terms of its relations with Iraq.
Yes, this was the beginning of the First Gulf War but in my mind this was the continuation of the events that have surrounded the mystique of the Middle East. This wasn't the first (or last) time America was going to be in the region and not the first time the region was shaken up by one country.
We transited the Suez Canal and remained in the Red Sea operating area for a total of one month. During this time personal and military resources were being staged in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait for the orders to enter Iraq. Our air wing flew a variety of reconnaissance flights while battle group companions conducted standard search, board, and seizures of suspected boats in the Red Sea.
My global outlook before the Navy and particularly this event was mainly focused on Asia, Europe, South America, and North America. I had read plenty of the history found in the Middle East but didn't realize I would someday be apart of a major event as the one I participated in during the summer of 1990. Today my global outlook or perspective includes more of what occurs in the Middle East and the other regions I mentioned.
I returned to the Middle East a total of two more times while I was in the Navy. The Eisenhower made a return deployment to the region as we transited the Suez Canal, Red Sea, and operated in the Persian Gulf. I was also stationed aboard the USS Independence (CV-62) and deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1994.
One memory that I¡¯ll have of those deployments was witnessing the handling of missiles and bombs that were being transferred from our ships armory to our assigned aircraft. These weren't the practice bombs that were utilized in range practice but the real deal.
In closing, to this day I'm not sure what prompted Iraq to invade Kuwait. I've heard from many sources that oil was the cause of the invasion. Whatever was the reason for the invasion or why we have to project our presence in the Middle East is something we'll have to contend with for many years.
By the way, when I say we this means everyone in our circles of influence.
8:00? 8:25? 8:40? Find a flick in no time
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I was stationed aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) a nuclear powered aircraft carrier home ported in Norfolk, VA. My job was that of an Aviation Storekeeper which entailed keeping track of the aircraft parts for our
embarked air wing. I was in the Navy for nine years and the Eisenhower was my first assignment. I had a positive experience onboard the Eisenhower and consider it one of the many memorable times in my life.
Our Battle Group of 8-10 ships had been conducting operations in the Mediterranean Sea during the spring and summer of 1990. We had left Norfolk in March and traveled to a variety of ports in Spain, Israel, France, and Italy. In a Battle group there of ships of different sizes and purposes. I recall fond memories of the port visits and participating in group tours or exploring the cities in a small group of friends. By far my favorite port visit was to Haifa, Israel as I was able to take a bus up to Jerusalem to tour the historical sites.
Naples, Italy was our last port visit of the deployment as we would begin to look ahead to the time of transiting the Mediterranean and Atlantic toward Norfolk. But something had occurred in the Middle East that prompted our schedule to be quickly adjusted from a westward transit to a south-eastern transit.
Iraq had invaded Kuwait.
Our commanding officer announced over the addressing system that higher authorities in Washington D.C. ordered us to change our course and head toward the Red Sea. This was no drill because now our ship was going to a combat zone. Our battle group was to provide a advance U.S. Naval and airpower presence. I was beyond words during this period of time as I was now apart of something really big that would affect not only our country, Kuwait but the world in terms of its relations with Iraq.
Yes, this was the beginning of the First Gulf War but in my mind this was the continuation of the events that have surrounded the mystique of the Middle East. This wasn't the first (or last) time America was going to be in the region and not the first time the region was shaken up by one country.
We transited the Suez Canal and remained in the Red Sea operating area for a total of one month. During this time personal and military resources were being staged in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait for the orders to enter Iraq. Our air wing flew a variety of reconnaissance flights while battle group companions conducted standard search, board, and seizures of suspected boats in the Red Sea.
My global outlook before the Navy and particularly this event was mainly focused on Asia, Europe, South America, and North America. I had read plenty of the history found in the Middle East but didn't realize I would someday be apart of a major event as the one I participated in during the summer of 1990. Today my global outlook or perspective includes more of what occurs in the Middle East and the other regions I mentioned.
I returned to the Middle East a total of two more times while I was in the Navy. The Eisenhower made a return deployment to the region as we transited the Suez Canal, Red Sea, and operated in the Persian Gulf. I was also stationed aboard the USS Independence (CV-62) and deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1994.
One memory that I¡¯ll have of those deployments was witnessing the handling of missiles and bombs that were being transferred from our ships armory to our assigned aircraft. These weren't the practice bombs that were utilized in range practice but the real deal.
In closing, to this day I'm not sure what prompted Iraq to invade Kuwait. I've heard from many sources that oil was the cause of the invasion. Whatever was the reason for the invasion or why we have to project our presence in the Middle East is something we'll have to contend with for many years.
By the way, when I say we this means everyone in our circles of influence.
8:00? 8:25? 8:40? Find a flick in no time
with theYahoo! Search movie showtime shortcut.
posted by Brian C. @ 6:39 AM
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