12/13/2023 0 Comments Desert lightning stormLate in the afternoon on the twenty-sixth, the VII Corps hit elements of the Tawakalna Division in the battle of 73 Easting. In one of the most decisive actions of the war, the VII Corps, moving directly east with three heavy divisions abreast, attacked the elite Iraqi Republican Guard units. Linking up with the 101st battle positions, the 24th Division moved the 200 miles north to the Euphrates River Valley by noon on the twenty-sixth, blocking a major Iraqi supply route and possible avenue of retreat. The 24th Infantry Division’s heavy armor moved rapidly northward, meeting sporadic resistance from demoralized Iraqi troops. The next day the 1st Armored Division quickly crushed the Iraqi 26th Infantry Division as VII Corps pivoted to the east. The Iraqi troops-tired, hungry, and physically and psychologically battered-began surrendering in droves. soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division overran Iraqi positions within a few hours. Penetrating the minefields to their front, U.S. By midafternoon on the first day of battle, elements of the 101st and 82d Airborne Divisions were deep into Iraq, in one case just twenty-four miles south of the Euphrates River.ĭue to the speed of the allied advance, the VII Corps began its attack ahead of schedule early in the afternoon on the twenty-fourth. The Tiger Brigade (1st Brigade, 2d Armored Division), supporting Marine Corps units, pushed directly north from Saudi Arabia through blazing Kuwaiti oil fields set on fire by retreating Iraqis. and allied forces in the east attacked directly north toward Kuwait City. Kicking off the main attack in bad weather, the XVIII Airborne Corps quickly made an end run around the open right flank of the Iraqi Army. Hours before the start of the offensive, special reconnaissance teams from the 5th and 3d Special Forces Groups (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, flying out of King Khalid Military City on specially configured helicopters, were sent deep behind Iraqi lines to gather intelligence. First we’re going to cut it off, and then we’re going to kill it”įinally, on 24 February, the ground war began. “Our strategy to go after this army is very simple. Massive B–52 strikes, and almost equally devastating psychological warfare leaflet drops, did much to sap the Iraqis’ will to fight. and allied air forces pummeled Iraqi positions and supply lines. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coalition fixed-wing aircraft and cruise missiles. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighters, supported by EF-111 Ravens, raced into Iraqi air-space virtually unopposed followed by hundreds of U.S. The attack created a twenty-mile gap in the enemy's air defense network opening a corridor through which U.S. Army's 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st ABN DVN (Air Assault), accompanied by four Air Force MH-53 Pave Low special operations helicopters, flying fast and low, opened fire at 0236 - Baghdad time - on 17 January.Īfter their 27 Hellfire missiles destroyed Iraqi radar sites, the Apaches followed with 100 Hydra-70 rockets that knocked out the associated anti-aircraft guns. Task Force normandy, consisting of nine AH-64 Apache helicopters from the U.S. Bush announces the start of the DESERT STORM air campaign, 16 January 1991Įarly on 17 January 1991, Operation desert shield came to an end when the air campaign of Operationĭesert storm began. “Just 2 hours ago, allied air forces began an attack on military targets in Iraq and Kuwait.
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