386th Marauders remember Desert Storm, liberation of Kuwait

Published March 2, 2011
By Capt. Heath Allen
386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- A bleak future awaited Kuwait 20 years ago.

Saddam Hussein's Iraqi forces bulldozed past the Kuwaiti border and invaded its neighbor's backyard, occupying the small but proud nation. Iraq's actions prompted the United States and its coalition partners to defend Kuwait's sovereignty.

The mission to free Kuwait from the tyranny of Iraq's leader was quickly dubbed Operation Desert Storm. Aptly named, the Coalition required just 100 hours of combat to dismantle Iraq's forces.

Twenty years has transpired since Kuwait regained its freedom, and posture as a nation among its Middle Eastern cohorts.

Last Saturday, Kuwait celebrated the 20th anniversary of its liberation from Iraq with a festive parade packed full of patriotic elation. Kuwaiti flags waved and slapped at the wind. Helicopters hovered, tanks rumbled and marching feet pelted the pavement amid a backdrop of sandy, desert haze and above it sundry coalition aircraft sailed past the celebration and into the transparent blue distance.

Many Americans who fought in Operation Desert Storm still tote the memories of that brief but active war with them every day. Some are more vivid than others - many happy while others quite grim. Last Saturday's conclusion to the week-long 50/20 commemoration seemed to heighten those emotions for many American service members who helped deliver Kuwait to its present state.

"It reminded me of when I was a kid in 1976 and it was America's bicentennial year," said Tech Sgt. Ron Brown of Kuwait's 50/20 celebration. "It makes me have a lot of respect for what they've started here and being able to share in that even as a spectator is special. To see the Kuwaitis showing this kind of patriotism makes me feel proud to be a part of that even if it was a small part."

Sergeant Brown is currently deployed as a member of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing at an undisclosed air base in Southwest Asia. He functions as an air transportation craftsman for the 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron and is the passenger terminal NCOIC for the night shift.

Sergeant Brown said Kuwait's 20-year celebration carries a special meaning for him. He celebrated his 20th birthday while serving in Operation Desert Storm. And now Sergeant Brown finds himself back in the desert 20 years later celebrating his 40th birthday much like he did his 20th, in a war zone. He even missed the birth of his second child during his current deployment.

"It's ironic that 20 years ago I was also celebrating a birthday and fighting a war and now I'm back 20 years later celebrating another birthday in the desert," Sergeant Brown said.

Sergeant Brown, an Orange, Calif., native who now calls Parker, Colo., home, joined the Air Force Reserves in 2004 after a 13-year break in service. He served from 1988-1991 in the active duty Air Force.

While now a full-time Air Force Reservist with the 302nd Airlift Wing's 39th Aerial Port Squadron, located at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., Sergeant Brown was an active duty Airmen with the 7th Bombardment Wing at Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, when his wing received the call for volunteers to deploy in early 1991. He was a weapons loader on B-52 Bombers during his time in Operation Desert Storm.

"I had just graduated tech school right before Iraq invaded Kuwait," Sergeant Brown recalled. "Our base was looking for people to volunteer for deployments. There were two of us from my unit that went."

Staff Sgt. Tyler Ford, who works in the water/fuels system maintenance shop at the 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, also fought in Operation Desert Storm. He served in the U.S. Navy as an aviation electrician aboard USS John F. Kennedy.

Like Sergeant Brown, Sergeant Ford also had a long break in service before returning to the military. Sergeant Ford joined the 184th Intelligence Wing of the Kansas Air National Guard in 2005.

Sergeant Ford, who resides in Newton, Kansas, said he harbors fond memories of returning home after Operation Desert Storm concluded.

"I was proud to be part of it," he said. "I participated in the victory parade in Washington D.C., and lots of enthusiastic patriots were there at that time."

While the war appeared to reach a quick conclusion, both Sergeants Ford and Brown remember the toil involved in the preparation leading up to the fight.

Sergeant Ford said the USS Kennedy had just returned from another deployment and was scheduled for routine maintenance.

"Two days after that Saddam invaded Kuwait and our ship's captain announced we had four days to get underway for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm," he said. "We worked 15- to 16-hour days helping the supply department restock the ship before we left."

Sergeant Ford said USS Kennedy navigated through the Mediterranean Sea and Suez Canal to the Red Sea where it operated from August 1990 until January 1991.

"Our air wing participated in the first airstrike," he said. "We were in the Red Sea for the duration of the mission. Our air wing was the only one to still have A-7 Corsairs; all other air wings had the FA-18 Hornets to replace the Corsair."

Sergeant Brown said his first stop was Barksdale Air Force Base, La., where he hopped on a flight to Moron Air Base in Spain. Then on Jan. 17, Brown's group packed up its operation and traversed to Jeddah Air Base in Saudi Arabia.

Sergeant Brown said while at Jeddah his squadron was responsible for 25 B-52s. He recalled an arduous work schedule. A two-hour break separated back-to-back eight-hour shifts, leaving crews haggard yet somehow focused.

"We loaded up 54, 500-pound bombs on each B-52 and every time they're coming back empty," he said. "It started hitting home when you realize you're not downloading any bombs."

Sergeant Brown said that seeing the empty B-52 bomb racks wasn't the only memory of Operation Desert Storm that hit home.

"We carpet bombed the western desert of Iraq and many of the Kuwaiti bases occupied by the Iraqi forces," Sergeant Brown said. "The Iraqis who surrendered, a lot of them were processed though Jeddah and you could tell it was obviously a sad time for them. Just looking at some of them they were in dress clothes and wanted nothing to do with the fight but they were told to. They had blood coming from their ears because of the [percussion of the] bombs."

Sergeant Brown said it's those recollections that make him truly comprehend the value and necessity of freedom.

"It means a lot to me to see Kuwait enjoying 20 years of liberation," Sergeant Brown said. "I played a role in that, not a big one but I did do my part, and it's interesting to see what they've gone through and how they're still trying to be a model for the Middle East. It makes you wonder what would have happened to Kuwait had we not stepped in. And when you look around with what's happening in Egypt and Libya - things are starting to topple - you realize how important Kuwait's success is to the area."