SAN ANTONIO – It’s been exactly 30 years since the start of the first Gulf War.
The war began after then Iraqi President Saddam Hussein invaded the oil rich nation of Kuwait in August, 1990. By Jan. 16, 1991, then President George H.W. Bush ordered Operation Desert Storm.
David Stewart, a Gulf War veteran, was then 22-years-old and formed part of the U.S. Army’s 101st airborne division. Exactly 30 years later, he remembers his mission preparedness as he headed into war.
Stewart said he didn’t know what to expect on January 17th, 1991, but one thing he was certain of was he, along with his fellow troops, were prepared for whatever the Iraqis were going to throw in their direction.
Operation Desert Storm has since been the largest and deepest air assault in history. As their aircraft took to the skies, it was only a matter of minutes before Stewart said he could feel the devastation U.S. bombs were causing just miles away.
“I can remember watching the B-52 bombers that would fly overhead and 20 minutes later after those aircrafts had passed overhead, you could feel the concussion from the bombs that they were dropping on Iraqi positions,” Stewart said.
On February 28th, Desert Storm came to an end. By Easter on Sunday, March 31, Stewart was back stateside.
The war lasted a total of 42 days.
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