[Wolfpack5]

I served as member of the Reconnaissance Element (Not Marine Recon or Force Recon) for Taskforce Papabear during Desert Shield / Desert Storm. My Platoon Commander was 1st/Lt. Frances Donovan at the time. Being an NCO I held a low regard for most Officers until they proved themselves to be proficient in the field. 1st/Lt. Donovan at the time proved himself as a great leader and warrior then and now. I am very honored and proud to have been able to have served with him in combat. He is now Lt/Gen. Frances Donovan Vice Commander Of SOCOM! Congratulations Sir! SEMPER FI!

Maj. Gen. Francis Donovan Nominated to SOCOM Vice Commander Post

Looking for the latest Government Contracting News? Read about Maj. Gen. Francis Donovan Nominated to SOCOM Vice Commander Post.

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[Cool Breeze]

I was there under Gen Franks with VII Corps and 1st AD out of Ansbach Germany....

We gave them a licking for sure...Over the radio we called them "Crunches".

 

[Wolfpack5]

I was there under Gen Franks with VII Corps and 1st AD out of Ansbach Germany....

We gave them a licking for sure...Over the radio we called them "Crunches".

Yes most don't know how bad it was up front, and we destroyed the enemy on sight, no news media imbedded with anybody, and no stupid rules of engagement. General Norman Schwarzkopf saved all our asses by standing up to all the politicians by telling them flat out that there isn't going to be any pathetic rules of engagement. I've always said that DS/DS was World War II style war fighting, but with modern warfare arms, bombs, and equipment. When G-day kicked off it was a blitz. As we moved forward and spotted the enemy we called in airstrikes, then the attack helicopters came in, after that they got hammered by artillery, then came the 81mm mortars, after all that our armor assets moved in and crushed them. A lot of this was simultaneous action. After all the above was done the ground forces moved in with small arms fire and combat engineers would move up to breach any Iraqi defensive positions, we'd punch through and move forward too the next attack. Our Taskforce took in about 2,800 prisoners or more. Another thing that most don't know is that the Iraqi's put up a fight, but as soon as they started getting their asses handed to them they would surrender or flee.

 

[TCAF]

Thank you ALL!

 

[Cool Breeze]

Yes most don't know how bad it was up front, and we destroyed the enemy on sight, no news media imbedded with anybody, and no stupid rules of engagement. General Norman Schwarzkopf saved all our asses by standing up to all the politicians by telling them flat out that there isn't going to be any pathetic rules of engagement. I've always said that DS/DS was World War II style war fighting, but with modern warfare arms, bombs, and equipment. When G-day kicked off it was a blitz. As we moved forward and spotted the enemy we called in airstrikes, then the attack helicopters came in, after that they got hammered by artillery, then came the 81mm mortars, after all that our armor assets moved in and crushed them. A lot of this was simultaneous action. After all the above was done the ground forces moved in with small arms fire and combat engineers would move up to breach any Iraqi defensive positions, we'd punch through and move forward too the next attack. Our Taskforce took in about 2,800 prisoners or more. Another thing that most don't know is that the Iraqi's put up a fight, but as soon as they started getting their asses handed to them they would surrender or flee.

I was up front, took fire, took prisoners and got 2 bronze stars to prove it while grabbing my ass. It could have been 3 stars, but I lost one of those rather than a UCMJ (Don't ask, something about prisoners & unauthorized weapons use). The thing that really worries me is what happened at Nasiriyah and Khamisiya afterwards with the mustard & sarin on the border. You heard about that one, right? Were you THAT CLOSE to get a nosebleed & headache and scramble into MOPP 4 with 100-degree temps? Then I went to sick call with "The Flu" for months after. I had the night sweats for no reason even years later, yet I'm still trying to get benefits and the VA says I'm good to go don't worry about the brain cancer risk...

 

[Wolfpack5]

Taskforce Papa Bear stayed in and around Kuwait International Airport, but on our way up at the second Iraqi defensive position the Fox Chemical detection vehicle lit up after the Combat Engineers breached the that position. We already had all our mopp gear on except the gas mask, so they sounded the alarm, and we all put our gas mask on. We punched through that area after a little resistance, then later that day they gave the all clear, and I asked why aren’t we going to a decontamination area first, never got an answer. We simply discarded all our MOPP gear accept the gas mask. Then rolled onward to the next Iraqi defensive position. I had health issues later, it was some weird , flu like but no vomiting, extreme fatigue, I slept 18-hours straight, and have had more then one episode like this over the years. Much more to say but I’ll stop here.

 

[Cool Breeze]

Taskforce Papa Bear stayed in and around Kuwait International Airport, but on our way up at the second Iraqi defensive position the Fox Chemical detection vehicle lit up after the Combat Engineers breached the that position. We already had all our mopp gear on except the gas mask, so they sounded the alarm, and we all put our gas mask on. We punched through that area after a little resistance, then later that day they gave the all clear, and I asked why aren’t we going to a decontamination area first, never got an answer. We simply discarded all our MOPP gear accept the gas mask. Then rolled onward to the next Iraqi defensive position. I had health issues later, it was some weird , flu like but no vomiting, extreme fatigue, I slept 18-hours straight, and have had more then one episode like this over the years. Much more to say but I’ll stop here.

Then you definitely know what happened then, same here. It was basically treated like some false alarm, but detectors picked it up, as did our personal test kits were positive for blister & nerve agent, and as you say those Fox detection vehicles picked it up as well, we spent most of the day in MOPP and then were unceremoniously told discard our suits without any further decontamination of our gear or explanations from above...And like you I had the weird flu too, even a few years later, no fever, but I'd sweat so profusely at night I could wring the sweat out of a t-shirt the next morning. The DOD & VA only recently in the past 5-10 years or so owned up to it, there was a list of units going around that were in the fallout area and I'm on it, and the VA had been sending out newsletters looking for study volunteers. Just FYI.