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The timeline shows the major events of the United States' involvement in the United Nations' action to liberate the nation of Kuwait from occupying Iraqi forces.
Source: 1991 "Defense Almanac"
18,466 as of June 7, 1991:
- 3,980 by C-5 Galaxy transports
- 9,085 by C-141 Starlifter transports
- 1,193 by C-130 Hercules transports3
- 95 by KC-10 Extender aerial refuelers
- 3,813 by Civil Reserve Air Fleet carriers
- 509,129 passengers and 594,730 tons of cargo carried
147 battle deaths, 145 non-battle deaths, 1 missing in action:
- Army: 98 battle; 105 nonbattle
- Navy 5 battle; 8 nonbattle; 1 missing in action
- Marines: 24 battle; 26 nonbattle
- Air Force: 20 battle; 6 nonbattle
- Women killed, 15
- Wounded in action: 467
- Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, USA, commander in chief
- Lt. Gen. Calvin Waller, USA, deputy commander in chief
- Maj. Gen. Robert B. Johnston, USMC, chief of staff
- Lt. Gen. John J. Yeosock, USA, Army commander
- Lt. Gen. Walter Boomer, USMC, Marine commander
- Vice Adm. Stanley Arthur, USN, Navy commander
- Lt. Gen. Charles Horner, USAF, Air Force commander
75 (63 U.S., 12 Allied):
- Fixed wing: 37 combat, 15 non-combat
- U.S. losses: 28 combat, 12 non-combat
- No U.S. Losses in air-to-air engagements
- Helicopters: 23 (all US); 5 combat, 18 non-combat
- 36 fixed-wing aircraft in air-to-air engagements
- 6 helicopters in air-to-air engagements
- 68 fixed- and 13 rotary-wing aircraft destroyed on the ground
- 137 Iraqi aircraft flown to Iran
- 3,700 of 4,280 battle tanks
- 2,400 of 2,870 assorted other armored vehicles
- 2,600 of 3,110 assorted artillery pieces
- 19 naval ships sunk, 6 damaged
- 42 divisions made combat-ineffective
U.S. forces released 71,204 to Saudi control
Relief to Kurdish refugees in eastern Turkey and northern Iraq:
- Operation conducted by U.S. European Command, Army Lt. Gen. John M. Shalikashvili commanding
- 11,936 U.S. personnel engaged at peak: May 21, 1991
- 21,701 total allied coalition personnel involved at peak
- Relief supplies delivered:
- 4,416.6 tons by ground transports,
- 12,683.2 tons in 3,901 air sorties
- Maximum Kurdish refugee count in tent cities: 57,350, May 24, 1991
- U.S. relief provided:
- 4.79 million prepackaged ration meals
- 2,687.5 tons of bulk food
- 200,717 gallons of water
- 211,788 blankets
- 23,500 tents.
August 7, 1990
Operation Desert Shield Begins
August 7, 1990
First U.S. Forces—F-15 Eagle fighters from Langley Air Force Base, Virginia—arrive in Saudi Arabia
August 1990
U.S. Navy preventive-medicine personnel and scientists began evaluating disease risks among deployed troops
August 12, 1990
First Operation Desert Shield-related U.S. death
August 22, 1990
First call-up of Selected Reservists to active duty for 90 days authorized by executive order.
September 1990
First large-scale, in-theater painting operation established at the port of Ad Dammam
September 1990
Team from Walter Reed Army Institute of Research arrives to discuss stress and psychological status with soldiers
November 12, 1990
Call-up widened in subsequent authorizations; period of service extended to 180 days by executive order
December 21, 1990
FDA issues the Interim Rule, "Informed Consent is Not Feasible" (FR 52814)
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Last Updated: July 11, 2023