Desert-Storm.com Community Forums

Hi, I am writing this for my 12 year son Logan. He is in the 6th grade in Ohio. He has chosen to do his big project on Desert Storm. He would really like to interveiw someone if anyone would be willing to help out and answer some questions he came up with. I will post what he has written down and any other information you might want to add would be very greatful.
Thanks!!
Annie

1. What made you want to join Desert Storm?
2. When you were there, what did you bring from home?
3. What was the scarriest thing you had to do?
4. What class are you?(sniper, rifleman, gunner...)
5. What rank are you?
6. How did you hold the 20,000 Iraqi's when they surrendered?
7.Do you have a wife, kids, siblings?
8. When did you leave the service or are you still in it?


These are his questions so I hope they are all okay.
Thank you in advance for any replies.

Welcome. I am sure you will get a few replies here but bear with us a few days.


1. What made you want to join Desert Storm?
We did not join Desert Storm, I was already enlisted in the US Army. President Bush decided that the US military was going. I would have volunteered to go though since we were liberating a small country that was being bullied by Saddam.

2. When you were there, what did you bring from home?
I landed in country on January 16, 1991 and left country on May 15, 1991. I flew over and back on a Tower Air 747 commercial airliner. Only real personal stuff I brought was a small portable AM/FM cassette radio & an AC/DC cassette tape, a cheap camera, some Ramen Noodles, a small water boiling pot and a pair of sweat pants. Everything else I had was issued to me by the Army.

3. What was the scarriest thing you had to do?
I was a track commander for my personel carrier. This meant I had to ride with my upper body sticking out the top of the vehicle looking for mines and other obstacles in our path. I was in control of (1) M16 machine gun, (1) M60 machine Gun and (1) AT-4 Antitank Missile...just in case. During the actual ground battle, we navigated through burning Iraqi military vehicles while some were still exploding from secondary explosions (rounds inside cooking off). I cannot imagine ever being any more scared than that or ever hearing anything so loud and deafening. Almost all of these destroyed and burning vehicles still contained their Iraqi occupants. Fortunately I never had to shoot anyone myself.

4. What class are you?(sniper, rifleman, gunner...)
I was a radio operator turned grunt / track commander. I maintained communications between my Brigade Tactical Operations Cell and our mechanized armor and infantry battalions.

5. What rank are you?
I was an E-4 Specialist.

6. How did you hold the 20,000 Iraqi's when they surrendered?
The Iraqi POWs were held in many different areas. The few I happened across were basically areas fenced off with barbed wire and razor wire to contain them until they were further processed. I have no other knowledge of how the POWs were held or dealt with.

7.Do you have a wife, kids, siblings?
At that time, I was a 23 year old male soldier. I was not married and had no children. I am married now and do have 2 children.

8. When did you leave the service or are you still in it?
I decided to end my tour of service after Desert Storm. My last day was December 3, 1991. In many ways, I do regret having ended my service and wish I was still in the military at this time. The downside to my still being in would be that I would not have ever met my wife or had my 2 wonderful kids that I enjoy today.

1. I joined the U.S. Army in October 1988 , I was stationed at Ft. Carson Colorado , in HHC
43 CSG . As others have said We didn't join Desert Storm , We joined the Army ( Air Force , Marines or Navy) . I joined the Army because I wanted to serve My country , and I believe the best way to keep the American people safe is to have a strong military . Having a Military capable in times of war and ready in times of peace , allows people to live their lives as they see fit .Which is why We ( the U.S. ) went to the Persian gulf in '90 , to allow the Kuwaiti's to live their lives as they saw fit , not the way Iraq under Saddam Hussein said they had to .

2. My unit deployed to Desert Shield in Sept. '90 , and left theater in May '91 .
I only took My Bible , some snack food , stationary and pictures of My Wife and Child .

3. I had to drive a 5,000 gallon tanker filled with aviation fuel across a minefield during the "hot" war . I wasn't a truck driver , I was just there when the truck had to move ,
so I drove a truck . That's what Soldiers do .

4. I was a 74C10U3 Unit Level Logistics and Maintenance Systems Specialist .
That just a fancy way to say I was in charge of getting repair parts and scheduling oil changes and such for the vehicles in My company .

5. I was an E-4 Specialist .

6. I was not involved with the holding of prisoners .
What I saw was tent cities surrounded by constantina ( razor wire ) and watchtowers .
Except for the watchtowers , it was just like the tent cities that I lived in while there .

7. I was married just over two years when I deployed , My daughter was nine months old .
I have two brothers and two sisters .

8. I left the service in Nov. '93 . I was "involuntarily" separated as part of the force reduction .

I hope You find this helpful Logan .

May I add a question? Why the hell is this a stickie?