Persian Gulf War

The Persian Gulf War, also known as Desert Storm, was the shortest conflict in American history. The war lasted only 42 days and involved 100 hours of combat which resulted in a cease fire and negotiations. Iraq invaded and occupied Kuwait in early August 1990. United Nations Security Council Resolution 660 ordered Iraq to leave Kuwait in January 1991 but remained. In the meantime, under Operation Desert Shield, a coalition force was transferred to the region to protect neighboring countries from Iraqi aggression. United Nations Security Council Resolution 678 gave Iraq until January 15, 1991 to withdraw from Kuwait and empowered a coalition of countries led by the United States to use all necessary means to force Iraq out after the deadline. The U.S. led an offensive known as Operation Desert Storm, which included air bombing followed by ground forces. The war became known for including some of the largest tank battles in American military history. During the conflict, New York Air National Guard's 138th Attack Squadron, a unit of the ANG 174th Fighter Wing from Syracuse, flew 24 F-16s on bombing missions. It was the first major conflict to be covered live by major news networks, most notably CNN. Offensive operations ended after Iraqi forces were driven out of Kuwait. Close to 700,000 American soldiers served in the war along with an additional 300,000 coalition forces from 41 nations. An estimated 147 American soldiers were killed in action, with another 235 in-theater deaths, for a total of 382 deaths in Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

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