Operation Desert Storm Remembered By Those Who Served

By Ms. Kari Hawkins (AMCOM)

January 17, 2016, marks a milestone in our nation’s military history. Twenty five years ago, Operation Desert Storm began in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, with the U.S. leading a U.N.-authorized coalition force of 34 nations against Iraq. Prior to Operation Desert Storm, the U.S. led a nearly six-month build-up of weapon systems in Southwest Asia that began immediately following the invasion of Kuwait on Aug. 2, 1991. That effort is known as Operation Desert Shield. 

Together, these two war efforts are known as the Persian Gulf War. But, Operation Desert Storm stands out as a pivotal and influential war that continues to impact U.S. military strategy today. The Missile Command, the predecessor of today’s AMCOM, was very much part of the war effort with 24 missile systems developed and managed by employees at Redstone Arsenal deployed to the war. Operation Desert Storm was indeed the first war where U.S. advanced missile technology was put to the test and it was proven that ballistic missile defense (a bullet hitting a bullet) was possible. It was also the largest military alliance since World War II, the first war to introduce live news broadcasts from the front lines of the battle, the first war where satellite telephones made it easier for communication between commanders and Army support from the U.S., the first war where the Global Positioning System was used to track and direct coalition troops through the desert and the first war where Patriot — the infamous Scud buster — was used alongside such proven missile systems as TOW, Hawk and Hellfire. 

It all started at 3 a.m. Iraqi time on Jan. 17, 1991, with massive U.S.-led coalition air and missile attacks on targets in Iraq and Kuwait, and the words of President George Bush — “We will not fail” — cementing the U.S. commitment to the war. In response, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein declared: “The great showdown has begun! The mother of all battles is under way” as Iraqi Scud missiles struck Israel, a nation not involved in the war. And a Scud missile fired at Saudi Arabia was downed by a U.S. Patriot missile — the first anti-missile missile fired in combat. Thus, the war began. It ended on Feb. 28, 1991, when President Bush declared the suspension of offensive combat and laid out conditions for permanent cease-fire. 

AMCOM is recognizing the heroes of Operation Desert Shield/Storm with a series that will highlight at least one veteran of the war daily beginning Jan. 18, 2016. We hope you will enjoy this series brought to you by the AMCOM Public Affairs Office.

“As a helicopter maintainer and supervisor, I assisted in the maintenance of helicopters and supervised a team of helicopter maintainers. We worked on the UH-1 Hueys and AH-1 Cobras. When we first arrived in theater, we had all kinds of problems. The sand was eating up our engines and rotor blades. We had to keep replacing them until we could get modifications that worked in that environment. But what I remember the most is eating and wearing sand, and waiting for the ‘Storm’ to begin. The ‘Storm” was over in 101 hours. I had every bit of confidence that we would get the mission done and get out of there. Stormin’ Norman (Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, who led coalition forces during the war) did an excellent job leading us.” 

— Ret Sgt. First Class Larry L. Spring, AMCOM G-4

Operation Desert Storm Unit: D Company, 301st Aviation Regiment, 101st 

Airborne Division (Air Assault)

Military Service: 20 years 

Thank you for your service, retired Sgt. First Class Spring! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“As an M1A1 tank company commander in the first land assault against Kuwait City, I have lots of stories about the battle as well as the four months of training leading up to the war itself. My most significant memory is the drive from the Kuwaiti border to Kuwait City where we destroyed many Iraqi Armored vehicles with main gun tank fire. After years of training, it was exciting to actually be part of mounted warfare in the very thick of the fighting. Our equipment was superb and much better than the Iraqis, but our men were the best. Our unit had been together for over a year getting ready to take a National Training Center rotation in November 1990 when we were alerted to be a part of Desert Shield in September 1990 and to prepare to deploy to Saudi Arabia as quickly as possible. So we were about as well-trained of a fighting force for desert warfare in the world.

Of course I have lots of war stories and fond memories of being with these great Americans. They were the best.” 

— Ret. Lt. Col. Tom Fluker, AMCOM G3 (Operations)

Operation Desert Storm Unit: D Company, 3-67 Armor Battalion, 1st (Tiger) 

Brigade, 2nd Armored Division (Deployed as the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry 

Division, assigned to the 2nd Marine Division

Military Service: 28 years 

Thank you for your service, retired Lt. Col. Fluker! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“I served in the 1st Cavalry Division, an armored division with many tanks and other vehicles. Once we were alerted for service in Desert Shield, we had a little over a month to get many tasks – including painting our tanks and other vehicles — accomplished before loading everything on ships for Southwest Asia. Our tanks were green camouflage at the time and we needed to paint them sand colored. We had some chemical-resistant, sand colored paint, but the expiration date had passed. We decided to use it anyway. We ran three battalions worth of tanks – about 54 in each battalion – through the paint booth. They sat and dried a couple of days in the Texas sun. But, when they dried, instead of being sand colored, they were rosy pink! One of our Sergeant Majors said, ‘I don’t mind dying for my country. But I’ll be damned if I will die in a pink tank.’ We had to repaint all those tanks.”

— Retired Col. Tom Newman, AMCOM Headquarters

Operation Desert Storm Unit: 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division

Military Service: 30 Years 

Thank you for your service, retired Col. Newman! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“I remember the first day that we bombed Iraq and spending over 48 hours in a bunker built by hand awaiting the counter attack.”

— Retired Sgt. First Class Robert Tillery, Aviation Center Logistics Command, Fort Rucker 

Operation Desert Storm Unit: A Company, 7/159th Aviation Regiment

Military Service: 20 Years 

Thank you for your service, retired Sgt. First Class Tillery! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“Mostly, I remember the vast and desolate desert terrain. I saw a lot of it because I worked in the Communication & Electronics Shop as a TACFIRE (Tactical Firearms) Repairer and when a unit called to say their computer system was down, we would get their grid coordinates and take off to their location. TACFIRE was a Field Artillery computer system that was used for artillery fire missions. They kept breaking down because of the heat, sand and all the abuse they were getting. We went over there not knowing how long we’d be there. I didn’t come home for seven months. I was there of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Provide Comfort. “

— Retired Master Sgt. Thomas “Tom Mac” MacIntyre, AMCOM Logistics Center

Operation Desert Storm Unit: 24th Infantry Division

Military Service: 24.5 Years 

Thank you for your service, retired Master Sgt. MacIntyre! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“During the 101-hour war, I was with a convoy that got lost in the desert. There were eight or nine trucks in our convoy and they were pulling disabled trucks. We lagged behind the rest of the unit because the vehicles we were towing slowed us down. At night, we got lost in the middle of the desert. At one point, tanks were coming toward us, and we didn’t know if they were friend or foe. It turned out they were friendly. In the morning, we were able to get the right coordinates and continue on our way. That’s what I remember the most. But the other thing I remember from that time was having to fly back from Germany with my six-month-old son Redarin, leave him with my mom and then fly right back for the deployment. When I got back he was a year old and walking. Redarin is now in the Air Force.”

— Yolanda Dean, Utility Helicopter/UH-60 Tech Data Division, Program Executive Office

for Aviation

Operation Desert Storm Unit: Headquarters and Headquarters Co., 1st Armored 

Division 

Military Service: 6.5 Years (Sergeant)

Thank you for your service, Ms. Dean! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“As an Apache pilot, my most memorable mission was Operation Stalker. We escorted UH-60 Blackhawks about 230 kilometers into Iraq to insert Special Operations Teams from the Long Range Surveillance Detachment for night missions. We had to fly at about 120 knots at approximately 50 feet above ground level, with zero illumination, and a mission endurance time of 3.5 hours to get in and then get back out. It was the first time extended range fuel tanks were used on AH-64s in combat. As a platoon leader, I flew in the front co-pilot/gunners seat, where I was responsible for navigation and target acquisition. The day after the mission, we launched to extract the team but were caught in a sand storm. Flying in total brown-out conditions, we impacted the ground hard resulting in the loss of our utility hydraulic system, causing us to spend the night in the aircraft until we were picked up the next day.”

— Retired Maj. Charles D. Wright, Fixed Wing Project Office, Program Executive Office 

for Aviation

Operation Desert Storm Unit: 3-227 Attack Helicopter Battalion \

Military Service: 20 Years 

Thank you for your service, retired Maj. Wright! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“When we deployed in October 1990, we were told we would be there less than six months. We ended up being there a whole year, not knowing when we were going home. We provided theater support to Soldiers during both Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and we were based at a port in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. We were responsible for supplies — rations, clothing, oil and petroleum, and construction — that were coming into the country and then being forwarded to different forward operating bases. Anything that came into the country, had to be accounted for and then shipped to troops. Once we occupied the port, we couldn’t leave until we were replaced and our replacements didn’t come until October 1991. After we left, we kept Soldiers at the Dhahran port in support of theater operations for more than 10 years. Today, we still have Soldiers at the Dhahran port working to train Iraqis to take over the supply role.”

— Retired Master Sgt. Austin S. Lundy, AMCOM Logistics Center

Operation Desert Storm Unit: 289th General Supply Co.

Military Service: 22 Years 

Thank you for your service, retired Master Sgt. Lundy! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“The horrific devastation along the Highway of Death (Highway 80 from Kuwait into Iraq) will always be with me. One of my responsibilities was ensuring that our battalion’s vehicles — the Tanks, Armor Personnel Carriers, and HUMVEEs — and the general equipment remained operational. The support element of our battalion drove the Highway of Death after the ground war. Everything along the road was destroyed or burned. It was so unreal, and it showed how ugly and destructive war really is. It made me thankful, and appreciative to be alive.”

— Retired Chief Warrant Officer Three (CW3) Davie R. Williams, OH-58 Tech Branch, 

Scout Observation Directorate

Operation Desert Storm Unit: C Battery, 1/5 Air Defense Artillery Battalion

Military Service: 20 Years 

Thank you for your service, retired CW3 Williams! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“We were the first and only divisional unit to field the Avenger Air Defense Artillery System. We had 54 of them and I was the missile maintenance officer for all of them. After we entered Iraq we spent 21 days eating Chef Boyardee lunch buckets because we ran out of standard rations. We were in the north part of Iraq and we were moving so quickly that the supplies couldn’t keep up with us. I got so sick of those lunch buckets. I’ve never had another since then.”

— Retired Chief Warrant Officer 3 Paul Varian, Aviation Systems and Air Traffic

Control project offices, Program Executive Office for Aviation

Operation Desert Storm Unit: D-Battery, 4/5 Air Defense Artillery, 1st Cavalry 

Military Service: 20.5 Years

Thank you for your service, retired CW3 Varian! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“I was a Combat Engineer in the Marine Corps and we cleared the mine fields in Saudi Arabia going into the Kuwait around the airport and the oil fields. We got there on Aug. 18 during Operation Desert Shield and left on Easter. To clear the mine fields, we would shoot a rocket filled with C4. It would explode and make most of the mines explode. But then we had to use mine detectors and walk through the field to clear a road down the middle of the field for traffic to follow. Some Marines got killed. Being involved with explosives and C4 made this the most dangerous job I held in the Marine Corps. But it was also the best job I have ever held. It was very hot in the desert, but we were Marines and we got the job done. I was disappointed when the war ended and we were called off our assignment even though the job wasn’t finished yet. I was very proud of the work we did in those mine fields.”

— Retired Staff Sgt. Alonzo Parker, AMCOM Test, Measurement and Diagnostics 

Activity, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 

Operation Desert Storm Unit: 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division

Military Service: 22 Years (Marine Corps 5 Years; Army National Guard, 17 Years)

Thank you for your service, Retired Staff Sgt. Parker! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“I remember being wakened by U.S. Air Force fighter aircraft taking off the morning the air war started. My cot was shaking and scooting across the parking garage floor at Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd International Airport. My job as an avionics supervisor was to oversee all repairs to communication, navigation, surveillance, flight controls and electrical systems.” 

— Retired First Sgt. Michael W. Bateman, Program Management Office, 

Aviation Mission Equipment 

Operation Desert Storm Unit: H Co., 159th Aviation, 8th Battalion, 101st Airborne 

Division

Military Service: 20 Years

Thank you for your service, Retired First Sgt. Bateman! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“I was part of my organization’s advance party that arrived in Saudi Arabia in late August. Waiting for the ground war to start while trying to maintain the Apache, Blackhawk and Scout Helicopters in the harsh desert environment was a challenge. Also, the heat when we were getting off the plane was like standing in front of an oven with the door open. As a technical inspector, I supported about 12 OH-58 Kiowa Helicopters. The sand was so fine that it would get past the particle separators and get in the engines. We had to replace the engines in every Scout Helicopter during the six months I was there.”

— Retired Sgt. First Class Willie Harris Jr., Utility Helicopters Project Office

Operation Desert Storm Unit: 1st Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 2nd Armored

Division

Military Service: 21 Years

Thank you for your service, retired Sgt. First Class Harris! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“I remember being on the U.S.S. Tripoli when we hit a mine in the Persian Gulf. It was 4:54 a.m. and I was in my rack. The force of the explosion picked me up and bounced me off the bulk head. I was a Cobra helicopter maintenance officer at the time, so we hurried to our general quarters to get our six birds in the air in case the ship sunk. It turned out that we didn’t have to launch. But we did have to move to the U.S.S. Juneau and then later to the U.S.S. New Orleans. Our mission was to provide armed escort for the amphibious assault that never came. After six months, we returned home.” 

— Retired Marine Lt. Col. Norman “Caveman” Root, Program Management Office, 

Gray Eagle, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, PEO-Aviation

Operation Desert Storm Unit: Cobra Squadron, Marine Corps

Military Service: 35 Years 

Thank you for your service, retired Lt. Col. Root! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“I deployed as a DA civilian in the first 30 days of Operation Desert Shield. There was no infrastructure in place from a life support perspective. And, the challenges were enormous! The sand was eating our helicopters alive with erosion. We had to develop procedures and an adhesive-based covering — a special kind of tape — that we could apply to protect the rotor blades from the erosion that would negatively impact the helicopter’s aerodynamics and lift. We also had to install air particle separation filtration systems to protect the turbine engines from sand and we used a lot of engine wash procedures to keep aircraft flying. We had to come up with these solutions real quick. I traveled all over the desert to inspect helicopters and authorize deviations from the manual that would keep our helicopters flying. I also worked to set up a depot at Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates in the event a Scud attack took out our operations in theater.”

— Imtiaz “Art” Ather, Director, Tactical Missile Demilitarization, G-3 Operations 

Operation Desert Storm Civilian Assignment: AMCOM Logistics aerospace/liaison engineer

with air worthiness authority responsibility for air worthiness of Army aviation fleet

Service: 28 Years, most at Aviation Systems Command/AMCOM

Thank you for your service, Mr. Ather! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our deployed service members and civilians sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“It was the first time an active duty Army unit from Germany was used to round out a National Guard unit so they could deploy. The G. Co., 149th Aviation, National Guard of Arlington, Texas, was scheduled to deploy. But, only eight of their Chinooks had been upgraded to “D” models, and you had to have 16 Chinooks to be a full unit. My unit was the 6-158th Aviation in Germany. We had 16 Chinooks, but eight of them were deployed to Saudi Arabia. So we left Germany with eight Chinooks and 90 Soldiers and filled in the rest of the National Guard unit. We all met up together in Dhahran, and combined our assets and our Soldiers. We then deployed right after New Year’s to King Khalid Military City and were located in Howe Field. Later we moved eight aircraft and about 100 soldiers to Kuwait City and were the first unit to actually set up camp in Kuwait City. What was extraordinary is we flew many missions, but our operational ready rate remained at 97 percent. As a maintenance officer, I helped to keep that rate high and, as the camp commander, I ensured that the personnel had what they needed to subsist.”

— Retired Chief Warrant Officer 3 Monte Caylor, AMCOM SAMD

Operation Desert Storm Unit: A Company 6/158th during Desert Storm as 

of an augment team to G Company 149th Aviation Company.

Military Service: 23 Years

Thank you for your service, retired CW3 Caylor! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. 

“During Operation Desert Storm, I participated in the Army’s first-ever combat night deep attack against the Iraqi Republican Guard as a part of Charlie Company “Hells Angels,” 4th Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment Flying Tigers.”

— Retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jeffrey A. LeTempt, Aviation Center

Logistics Command, Fort Rucker 

Operation Desert Storm Unit: Delta Company, 4th Battalion, 159th 

Aviation Regiment, 11th Aviation Brigade, VII CORPS

Military Service: 20 Years

Thank you for your service, retired CW4 LeTempt! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“The thing that I remember as being most significant is the Scud missile blowing up over my company area in the middle of the day.”

— Retired Lt. Col. Roy Templin, Aviation Center Logistics Command, Fort Rucker 

Operation Desert Storm Unit: E Company, 227th Aviation Regiment, 

1st Cavalry Division

Military Service: 21 Years 

Thank you for your service, retired Lt. Col. Templin! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“I remember the extremely difficult challenges we faced daily while providing around the clock logistics support to the Soldiers on the front lines. Our efforts to sustain the MLRS and TOW missile systems throughout the operation was critical.”

— Michael Clark, AMCOM Logistics Center support C-RAM Program Office,

Program Executive Office for Missiles and Space

Operation Desert Storm Unit: 800th Materiel Management Center, 

2nd Corps Support Command, VII Corps, Nellingen, Germany

Military Service: 15 Years (Major) 

Thank you for your service, Mr. Clark! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“I remember the day the war started, and seeing the sky filled with aircraft in a show of power and strength.”

— Retired Sgt. First Class Preston E. Fleshman, Aviation Center Logistics 

Command, Fort Rucker 

Operation Desert Storm Unit: F Company, 227th Aviation, Fort Hood, TX. 

Military Service: 21 Years, 10 Months 

Thank you for your service, retired Sgt. First Class Fleshman! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“I have many wonderful memories of service during Operation Desert Storm. But I want to share a memory that’s on the humorous side. Upon return back to Fort Sill, Okla., I completed some paperwork and then I went on leave to visit family in Indiana. I flew in to Indianapolis, and my wife and grandparents met me when I got off the plane. After retrieving my bags, we headed out the door to the parking lot. As we stepped out of the building, a limousine stopped to let some folks out. And out of that limousine steps a half dozen people in full Arab dress. Go figure, huh?”

— Retired Sgt. First Class Anthony Odom, AMCOM Test, Measurement and

Diagnostics Equipment Activity (USATA)

Operation Desert Storm Unit: 163rd Ordnance Detachment (MOS 39B),

HHB III Corps Artillery, Fort Sill, Okla., attached under 2nd Corps 

Support Command 

Military Service: 20 Years 

Thank you for your service, retired Sgt. First Class Odom! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“I remember the patriotic pride I felt as I participated in the build-up and staging of thousands of bombs and missiles to be dropped on our enemy. And, there’s my memory of the motivational poster in the chief’s office, which said ‘I’d fly 10,000 miles to smoke a Camel.'”

— Charles Brent Phillips, Armed Scout Helicopter, Program Executive Office for Aviation 

Operation Desert Storm Unit: 343 Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Air Force

Military Service: Five-Plus Years (Buck Sgt.)

Thank you for your service, Mr. Phillips! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“Upon arrival to Saudi Arabia, the humidity really slapped you in the face. I remember the smell of the oil fields burning. When my unit moved forward, we took the make-shift showers with us and our sister companies were using them; and when the operation was over, there was a fly by from some Air Force A-10s.”

— Retired Sgt. First Class Carwin W. Sterling, Aviation Center Logistics 

Command, Fort Rucker

Operation Desert Storm Unit: Delta Company, 4th Battalion/101 Airborne

Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

Military Service: 20 years and 20 days

Thank you for your service, retired Sgt. First Class Sterling! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“There are so many memories of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Desert Calm. It’s difficult to narrow down to the most significant memory. But, if I had to, that memory would be how thankful I am to have been born in a free and powerful nation! It’s easy to take these things for granted. One thing I do remember from this photo, we (the 8th Motor Transport Battalion) were in Al Kibrit and packing up to convoy up to Al Khanjar. We female mechanics had our General Purpose tent taken down, folded neatly and palletized before the males started taking down their tents. We ended up giving them a hand just after that picture was taken. Girl Power! I mean OohRah! Operation Desert Storm reminds me of the sheer power of the great nation we live in. I also remember how well the different branches of the service worked together to achieve one mission/goal.” 

— Rhonda Keck, AMCOM Logistics Center, Supply Chain Management, 

Requirements Branch

Operation Desert Storm Unit: 8th Motor Transport Battalion, 2nd Force

Service Support Group, Camp Lejeune, N.C., Marine Corps

Military Service: 4 Years (Corporal), 3 Years Army Reserves (Specialist) 

Thank you for your service, Ms. Keck! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“I remember sitting on guard duty in my chemical suit (Mission Oriented Protective Posture 4 gear) and watching all the NATO jets flying overhead with enemy tracer bullets flying in the night sky.”

— Retired First Sgt. Patrick Reese, AMCOM Aviation Field Maintenance Directorate

Operation Desert Storm Unit: Bravo Co., 8th Battalion, 101st Airborne Division

Military Service: 22 Years 

Thank you for your service, retired First Sgt. Reese! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“I remember the sand and its smell. It was everywhere and it damaged our aircraft engines. Also, the speed in which our unit was updated to the most current equipment the Army had. In one month, we had all new aviation life support equipment (I missed my old helmet). I was a maintenance supervisor on Black Hawk. We gave a lot of VIP tours. We couldn’t fly higher than 500 feet.”

— Retired Army Reserve Master Sgt. Edmund Cholewa

Operation Desert Storm Unit: 7th of the 158th Aviation Regiment (Reserves),

Scott Air Force Base, Ill. 

Military Service: 22 Years 

Thank you for your service, retired Master Sgt. Cholewa! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“The memories are too numerous to mention them all. However, seeing a Patriot SAM engage a SCUD-type missile within a half-mile from your position on an Airfield is an impressive sight. It provided an understanding of the security infrastructure in place and the important mission of supporting unites in the area that a young aviator like me had no idea about.”

— Mississippi National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 2 Stephen B. Hart, ALC 

matrixed to UH-72A Product Office, Utility Helicopter Program Officer, 

PEO-Aviation 

Operation Desert Storm Unit: “K” Co., 158th Aviation Regiment, 

Fort Hood, Texas

Military Service: 10 Years, 8 Years Mississippi National Guard (Still Serving)

Thank you for your service, CW2 Hart! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“I was a DART (Downed Aircraft Recovery Team) Tech Inspector. We picked up crashed helicopters and downed aircraft. We lived in a parking garage. The U.S. Army stationed in Germany was there and so were the Special Forces. We joked that you can fit one compact car or three GIs per parking spot. Then, we deployed out and north into tents. I can’t really decide what was better — a garage with no privacy or tents with a little privacy.” 

— Ret. Staff Sgt. Wendell Kelley, AMCOM matrixed to PEO-Aviation, Cargo PM, Sustainment

Operation Desert Storm Unit: C Co. 7th Battalion/101st Aviation Brigade,

101st Airborne Division

Military Service: 20 Years 

Thank you for your service, retired Staff Sgt. Kelley! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“My most significant memory of Desert Storm is realizing the truth of a quote I once heard — ‘You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don’t ever count on having both at once.'” 

— Phillip “Phil” Petri, USATA

Operation Desert Storm Unit: 53rd Quartermaster Detachment,

Fort Campbell, Ky.

Military Service: 10 Years (Sergeant)

Thank you for your service, Mr. Petri! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“Working for AMC, we were in charge of ammunition, vehicle shipments and other items that were shipped to places like Camp Doha, Kuwait, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. There were a lot of logistics involved in getting equipment where it needed to be. I remember how hard we all truly worked together as a team. We were supporting Soldiers without looking for a handout. We didn’t want anything but to just support Soldiers.”

— Ret. Sgt. First Class Rueben O. Barnes, Civilian Personnel Advisory Center 

in support of AMCOM

Operation Desert Storm Unit: Headquarters, Army Materiel Command, 

Southwest Asia

Military Service: 22 Years

Thank you for your service, retired Sgt. First Class Barnes! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“I remember driving to the crash site of “Spirit O3″ in Khafji, Saudi Arabia, where our AC-130H Gunship was shot down on 31 January 1991 while defending Marines in the Battle of Khafji. All 14 crew members were lost. I was able to come home, Maj. Paul Weaver and his crew were not.”

— Ret. Air Force Lt. Col. William “Tol” Singer, deputy to the commander,

Aviation Center Logistics Command, Fort Rucker

Operation Desert Storm Unit: 1st Special Operations Wing, Air Force

Military Service: 20 Years

Thank you for your service, retired Lt. Col. Singer! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“Early morning on Feb. 24, I was tying my Apache down after being on the night shift. Suddenly, the platoon leader was running across the runway, yelling and giving the sign to crank. I quickly untied my aircraft, I cranked the APU, turned the front seat electronics on and then began an alignment. After two or three minutes, the commander arrived. As I was starting the engines, I gave the radio call to the company to go to 100 percent. As the commander strapped in, our blades were now 100 percent. He gave me the sign to head north as he put his helmet on. We launched heading north at about 0720 hours to conduct movement to contact across the burm at Wadi al Batin and engage the enemy. On the 25th of February, we supported the 2nd ‘Blackjack’ Brigade’s ‘feint’ attack where on this day they shot back (Operation Quick Strike).”

— Retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 David Sickmeier, PEO Aviation, PM UAS, 

International Programs Office

Operation Desert Storm Unit: A Company, 1sst Battalion, 3rd Aviation 

Regiment, 2AD (Attached to 1st Cav)

Military Service: 22 Years 

Thank you for your service, retired CW4 Sickmeier! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“My best memory is the day I shook hands with Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf (who led all coalition forces during Operation Desert Storm). I was working at the 22nd Headquarters and he was there giving an update. He was coming out of a meeting and I happened to be walking by. One guy I knew happened to have a camera, so I muscled my way into the crowd. Then, Gen. Schwarzkopf happened to shake my hand.”

— Anita Epps, PEO Missiles & Space, C-RAM Program Directorate

Operation Desert Storm Unit: 22nd Support Command, Dhahran, 

Saudi Arabia

Military Service: 13 Years (Major) 

Thank you for your service, Ms. Epps! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“I remember how fast we were moving and jumping almost daily during the 100 hours in MOPP (Mission Oriented Protective Posture) gear. I remember flying into Kuwait and seeing the oil well fires. It was like night turned into day and day turned into night. I remember flying over many Iraqi soldiers who were waving anything they had that was white. All they wanted when they surrendered was water and MREs. And, sadly, I remember the loss of an aircraft and its crew, to include two close friends of mine.”

— Ret. Chief Warrant Officer 4 Charles Haseltine, AMCOM Logistics Center 

(matrixed to MDA on THAAD)

Operation Desert Storm Service: Black Hawk crew chief, 4-1 Aviation 

Brigade, OPCONED as part of an augment team from 10th Mountain 

Division, 3-25 Aviation

Military Service: 23 years

Thank you for your service, retired CWO4 Haseltine! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. 

“I was the Q Troop Maintenance Test Pilot on the AH-1 Cobra. My most significant memory is the night of Jan. 16th, when they announced the kickoff of the war. It became very personal for me that the aircraft I was responsible to maintain would now carry my friends into combat.”

— Ret. Chief Warrant Officer 4 Tom Sandner, International Apache PM, 

PEO-Aviation

Operation Desert Storm Service: Q Troop, 4th Squadron, 3rd Armored 

Cavalry Regiment

Military Service: 20 years 

Thank you for your service, retired CWO4 Sandner! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“I was proud to be a crew chief on the Apache Helicopter as it conducted missions over the desert and I was always on advance party setting up before the main party arrived.”

— Retired Master Sgt. Jerry Cameron, Aviation Center Logistics Command, Fort Rucker 

Operation Desert Storm Unit: B Company, 1-1 Aviation, Fort Riley, Kansas 

Military Service: 23 Years

Thank you for your service, retired Master Sgt. Cameron! AMCOM and its employees are appreciative of all that our service members sacrificed for the nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

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