VII Corps out of Germany
M16A2
I was in the States getting ready to reenlist when Saddam invaded Kuwait. It was obvious what was going to happen and I wanted to do my part, so I told them I would only re-up if I could get into a unit that was going to Saudi. Took a few days but they got me a slot in VII Corps in Germany. Went from California to Ft. Dix, on to Frankfurt from there, and flew into Dahran six weeks later. Stayed three weeks at Cement City, then convoyed 19 hours across the desert to Log Base Alpha, two klicks from the Saudi/Kuwait/Iraq border. Went a few times to KKMC before the fun started. Moved and went wherever it was worse than before. It was fun watching the fireworks over Baghdad at night in the weeks before the ground war started. Lived in a hole in the ground long enough to actually get comfortable with it. The downside to being stationed in Germany is that we returned to Germany when it was over, so we missed all the parades and stuff they were doing for returning soldiers here in the States, and we got a few letters from some local German liberals that didn't appreciate our efforts. As soon as we got back, they gave us a week off and we spent it drunk, then went back to work like the whole thing never happened.
Me and two buddies got lost in the desert once overnight when we got the chance to go to a sattelite phone tent in the middle of nowhere and make a call home. Our OIC was supposed to hook up with us there after going somwhere else first, but he apparently wanted to get back early, so he left without us. When we realized he had already left, we tried to get back but it got dark too fast and we had to spend the night in the truck watching for BG's. Got back the next day and found the scumbag officer who left us there got back at the same time we were still out there waiting, and he told everyone he waited until after the time were still sitting there waiting for
him, but he left hours earlier. Seems he was worried about BG's and didn't want to chance getting lost in the dark, so he left without us. A memorable episode, watching for BG's all night, but pissed at my OIC. Never trusted him after that.
Bought some stuff from the locals, always haggling and trying to swindle you. I still have my incense burner, tea pot, head rag, other stuff. One kid tried to buy my weapon for what amounted to about $30. I still have a bunch of foreign money from Saudi, Kuwait, Iraq, Lebanon, and Egypt that I brought back with me. Colorful stuff, my kids like to look at it.
Gulf War Syndrome is the one thing I wish I didn't bring back. No answers from the Government, or VA doctors. One doctor even refused to believe me when I explained the symptoms, said it wasn't possible. Gave up on them years ago. Fifteen years later, just living with it on my own as best I can.
Ever been through Hafr al Batin? Poor little town with cute but scrawny kids playing in the streets, most of 'em hungry. We'd give 'em stuff from our MRE's and they'd scramble for it.
Also worked with some British soldiers. Good guys.
I was surprised to see this thread. Desert Storm is largely forgotten these days. A lot of people I've met don't even remember that there
was a "Gulf War I". I guess it happened too fast to really stick in people's memories, or they're just not old enough to remember it.
Did you ever have the opportunity to have a Wolfburger?
