From: Steve Grammont (islander@midmaine.com)
Date: Mon Jan 20 2003 - 11:39:20 PST
Hi Sarge,
>Just a couple of observations from a slightly faulty memory......
>More troops died during Desert Shield (the build up) than during Desert
>Storm (the war).
That is what my memory comes up with. In fact, I think the ferry
accident alone killed more than Desert Storm did.
>The Desert Shield deaths were accidents, not combat.
For the most part, yes. But there were combat deaths. Pilots and the
SCUD attack are certainly combat casualties. I also can't remember, but
I think we lost a few Marines during Kahfji (sp?) attack. I have a
Marine gunner friend who was nearly killed by counter battery fire during
Desert Shield, so we might have lost a small number from artillery fire.
>Most of the Desert
>Storm deaths were accidents, very few of them were combat. Less than 100 US
>troops were killed by enemy fire, about 450 were killed by accidents and
>friendly fire.
Correct. This was the most lopsided casualty war in history. So many
soldiers, so few deaths, nearly miniscule combat deaths. This in no way
minimizes the sacrifices of those who died (accidental or combat) at all,
just pointing out that in no other war in history were the percentages so
small in proportion to the size of the engagement. Er.. for the
Coallition forces that is!
>The Air War began on January 16th, 1991 and (as I remember it) lasted 40
>days before the ground troops rolled in.
That sounds about right. In any case, the point is that the war was
longer than 100 hours.
>The SCUD missile that hit the USAF building on February the 25th (killing
>28) in Dhahran was faulty and did not explode. It was, however, as long as a
>bus and moving at mach5...
>Had it gone off, I wouldn't be writing this...
Glad you missed the bus :-)
Steve
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