NAVY TALKING POINTS OFFICE IF INFO DESERT STORM

File: 970327_dec96_decls37_0001.txt
Page: 0001
Total Pages: 19

Subject = NAVY TALKING POINTS OFFICE IF INFO DESERT STORM

Folder Title = MAJ GALLOWAY S MATERIAL

Parent Organization = MARCENT

Unit = 1 MEF

Box ID = BX600094

File Cabinet = Week-51

File Room = dec96_classified

UNCLASSIFIED
MU I 'd I
NAWTALKING POINTS

NAW-MARINE CORPS TEAM - DESERT STORM 1991

RESPOMPLNG TO CRISIS 1990-91

The 1990-91 Middle East crisis, launche d by the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on August 2,
1990, has resulted in the largest U.S. deployment of naval forces since World War 11. As OPERA-
TION DESERT STORM commenced on January 16, 1991 (EST) with coalition air strikes against
Iraq, six Navy carrier battle groups, two battleships and a 31 ship amphibious task force were
operating in the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea areas. The Navy had more than 100 ships
in the area and 75,000 Navy personnel afloat and ashore, while more than 67,000 Marines ashore
comprised a Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) and nearly 18,000 Marines embarked aboard
naval vessels brought the Marine Corps presence to nearly 85,000.

OPERATION DESERT STORM began when TOMAHAWK cruise missiles were launched
for the first time in combat, from ships in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea to targets in Iraq and Ku-
wait. The cruise missile wave was followed by carrier and ground-based air strikes. Navy and
Marine Corps forces were also involved in reactions to Iraqi artillery and anti-aircraft fire with
suppression operations. For example, on January 18, USS NICHOLAS, supported by U.S. Army
helicopters and a Kuwaiti patrol boat, attacked eleven occupied Kuwaiti oil platforms being used
as anti-aircraft sites. On January 19, USS LOUISVILLE (SSN-724) became the first U.S. Navy
submarine to launch a TOMAHAWK cruise missile in combat while submerged in the Red Sea.
Also, on January 19, another Navy "first" was the combat use against Iraqi targets of the new
Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM) from A-6 Intruder and A-7 Corsair II aircraft based on
USS JOHN P. KENNEDY (CV-67) and USS SARATOGA (CV-60). The battleship USS MIS-
SOURI (BB-63) used its 16-inch guns in action on February 3 for the first time since the Korean
War providing naval gunfire support for Marines against Iraqi emplacements.

LffAf4AT1@TWVZCUA7Y0NS 1990-91

Following the August 2,1990 4aqi invasion of Kuwait, the build-up of U.S. and allied
forces was called OPERATION DESERT SHIELD. At the same time DESERT SHIELD build up
was underway, the Navy-Marine Team was involved concurrently in two major humanitarian
emergency evacuation operations. OPERATION SHARP EDGE lasted from June 1990 through
January 1991 with Navy amphibious ships'and Marine helicopters evacuating 2,609 people includ-
ing 330 Americans from Liberia's strife-torn capital city of Monrovia. On January 4, 1991, OP-
ERATION DESERT SHIELD amphibious ships and Marine helicopters commenced the evacu-
ation of Americans and foreign nationals from Mogadishu, Somalia during a civil war. The evacu-

UNCLASSIFIED

Document 19 f:/Week-51/BX600094/MAJ GALLOWAY S MATERIAL/navy talking points office if info desert storm:03249710492938
Control Fields 17
File Room = dec96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-51
Box ID = BX600094
Unit = 1 MEF
Parent Organization = MARCENT
Folder Title = MAJ GALLOWAY S MATERIAL
Folder Seq # = 207
Subject = NAVY TALKING POINTS OFFICE IF INFO DESERT STORM
Document Seq # = 10
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 24-MAR-1997