anchor of resolve

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A History of U.S. Naval ForceCentral Command/Fifth Fleet

AnchoroF resolve

Robert J. Schneller Jr.


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Without a decisivenaval orce we can

do nothing defnitive,and with it,

everything honorableand glorious. GeorGe WashinGton

to Marquis de Lafayette,

15 noveMber 1781.


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A History of U.S. Naval ForcesCentral Command/Fifth Fleet

AnchoroF resolve

Robert J. Schneller Jr.


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Published by

Na al His ical Cen e805 Kidde B eese S ee SE

Washing n Na y Ya d, DC 20374-5060www.his y.na y.milC n ac us a 202-433-9785

B k design by Dean Ga dei

FroNt CovEr: the ca ie Abraham Lincoln (CvN 72) slices h ugh he A abian Sea in supp pe a i ns in he Cen al C mmand hea e , 1 oc be 1993. PH3 William F. Duel BACK CovEr: New chie pe y ce selec ees pe m m ning c l s n b a d Na al Supp Ac i i y Bah ain, 16 Augus 2005. Phillip A. Nickerson Jr.

U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL EDITION NOTICE

Use of ISBN

this is he o cial U.S. G e nmen edi i n his publica i n and is he ein iden i ed ce i y i s au hen ici y. Use 978-0-945274-55 is U.S. G e nmen P in ing o ce

o cial Edi i ns nly. the Supe in enden D cumen s he U.S. G e nmen P in ingo ce eques s ha any ep in ed edi i n clea ly be labeled as a c py he au hen icw k wi h a new ISBN.

Lib a y C ng ess Ca al ging-in-Publica i n Da a

Schnelle , r be J hn, 1957-Anch es l e : a his y U.S. Na al F ces Cen al C mmand/Fi h Flee /

r be J. Schnelle J .p. cm.

Includes bibli g aphical e e ences and index.ISBN 978-0-945274-55-1 (alk. pape )1. Uni ed S a es. Na y. Flee , 5 hHis y. 2. Uni ed S a es. Na al F ces Cen al

C mmandHis y. 3. Middle Eas His y, Mili a y. 4. Middle Eas His y, Na al.5. Sea-p we Pe sian Gul regi nHis y. 6. Sea-p we A abian SeaHis y. I. ti le.vA63.F54S36 2007359.30973dc22 2007014381

the pape used in his publica i n mee s he equi emen s pe manence es ablished by heAme ican Na i nal S anda d In ma i n Sciences Pe manence Pape P in ed Lib a y Ma e ials(ANSI Z39.48-1984).

F sale by he Supe in enden D cumen s, U.S. G e nmen P in ing o ceIn e ne : B ks e.gp .g ; Ph ne: ll ee 866-512-1800; DC a ea 202-512-1800; Fax: 202-512-2104Mail: S p SSoP, Washing n, DC 20402-0001

ISBN 978-0-945274-55-1 (alk. pape )


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Contents

F ew d .................................................................................................... ii

Ch n l gy ..................................................................................................ix

In duc i n ...............................................................................................xiii

G wing Ame ican In e es s .........................................................................1

Es ablishmen he Middle Eas F ce ........................................................4

C ea i n Cen al C mmand and NAvCENt ...........................................7

the tanke Wa ..........................................................................................12

Dese Shield and Dese S m .................................................................20

En cing he Peace.....................................................................................31

Es ablishmen Fi h Flee and E lu i n NSA Bah ain .......................38

Humani a ian ope a i ns ...........................................................................47

Engaging Ame icas Allies ...........................................................................54

C n aining I aq ..........................................................................................59

Ma i ime In e cep i n ope a i ns ..............................................................63

A New th ea Eme ges ...............................................................................70

ope a i n Endu ing F eed m .....................................................................78

ope a i n I aqi F eed m ............................................................................88

Gl bal Wa n te ism: C n inuing he C mmi men ..........................100

C nclusi n ................................................................................................113

Ackn wledgmen s ....................................................................................114

Fu he reading ........................................................................................115

Ac nym Gl ssa y ....................................................................................117

Index ........................................................................................................119


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Lieutenant Commander Robert Lacy signals the launch o an F/A-18C Hornet or a mission in support o Operation Iraqi Freedom,4 September 2004.

P H A N T o m m y

G i l l i g a n


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the Na al His ical Cen e c mple ed his illus a ed his y U.S. Na al F ces Cen al C mmand/Fi hFlee acc mpany he exhibi i ins alled in he headqua e s building n b a d Na al Supp Ac i i yBah ain. In keeping wi h he Cen e s missi n supp ing he pe a ing ces, he pu p se his b k is in m isi s he headqua e s and Ame ican Sail s se ing in he Middle Eas ab u he Na ys p esencein A abian wa e s and he a ie y missi ns he Na y has c nduc ed he e, in peace and in wa.

F m he p esidency Ge ge Washing n h ugh he beginning he C ld Wa, Ame icans ha e ged andmain ained ies wi h he pe ples he Middle Eas . these b nds s eng hened in 1949 wi h he es ablishmen he Middle Eas F ce and a pe manen U.S. na al p esence in he A abian Gul . they g ew e en s nge

when Ame ica c mmi ed i sel he de ense i s iends in he egi n, es ablishing Cen al C mmand andi s na al c mp nen , Na al F ces Cen al C mmand, in 1983. the Uni ed S a es Na y emains an anch es l e in p m ing peace, s abili y, and p spe i y in he Cen al C mmand a ea esp nsibili y.

the au h , D . r be J. Schnelle J ., is well quali ed p esen his in ma i e and well-illus a ed his y. Heis c -au h a b k n he Na ys le in ope a i ns Dese Shield and Dese S m, and since 9/11 has been

esea ching and w i ing ab u he Na ys le in he Gl bal Wa n te ism. As wi h each u his ies, heiews exp essed he ein a e h se he au h al ne and n h se U.S. Na al F ces Cen al C mmand/Fi hFlee , he Depa men he Na y, any he U.S. g e nmen agency.

rea Admi al P. E. tbin, U.S. Na y (re .)Director o Naval History

ForEWorD

i i


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Crown Prince Saud bin Abdul Aziz presents a gi t to Captain R. W. Ruble during the visit o valley F ge (CV 45) to the Arabian Gul , March 1948. The ship was the rst U.S. carrier to enter the gul .

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Aramcos re nery at Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia,December 1952. That year the re nery produced 170,000 barrels o petroleum per day.

The oiler USNSSupply (T-AOE 6) conducts an underway replenishment in the Arabian Gul with the cruiser vella Gul (CG 72), 30 June 2004.The carrier Ge ge Washing n (CVN 73) steams in the background.

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Chronology

1833, Sep embe 21 Uni ed S a es and Musca sign ea y ami y and c mme ce.

1945, Feb ua y 14 P esiden F anklin D. r se el and King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud mee n b a dc uise Quincy.

1949, Augus 16 Na y es ablishes Middle Eas F ce.

1968, July 17 Baa h pa y seizes p we in I aq in a c up.

1971, Decembe 23 the U.S. Na y akes e pa he me B i ish na al base a Ju ai , naminghe acili y Adminis a i e Supp Uni Bah ain.

1979, July 16 Saddam Hussein bec mes p esiden I aq.

1979, N embe 4 I anian undamen alis e lu i na ies seize he U.S. Embassy in teh an and h ldi s s a h s age 444 days.

1979, Decembe 27 S ie Uni n in ades A ghanis an.

1980, Janua y 23 P esiden Ca e enuncia es d c ine ha c mmi s Ame ican mili a y ces he de ense he A abian Gul egi n.

1980, Ma ch 1 Depa men De ense es ablishes he rapid Depl ymen J in task F ce.

1980, Sep embe 22 I aq in ades I an, launching an eigh -yea wa .

1983, Janua y 1 Depa men De ense es ablishes U.S. Cen al C mmand (CENtCoM)and i s na al c mp nen , U.S. Na al F ces Cen al C mmand (NAvCENt).

1987, Ma ch 7 U.S. g e nmen au h izes Kuwai i anke s sail unde U.S. egis y, andope a i n Ea nes Will esc missi ns begin.

1987, May 17 I aqi Mi aqe je es w Ex ce missiles a he iga e Stark, nea ly sinking

he ship.1987, July 1 Depa men De ense es ablishes U.S. tansp a i n C mmand.

1987, Augus 21 Depa men De ense es ablishes J in task F ce Middle Eas .

1988, Ap il 14 F iga e Samuel B. Robertshi s an I anian mine in he A abian Gul .

1988, Ap il 18 Na y launches ope a i n P aying Man is and des ys hal I ans pe a i nalna y.

1990, Augus 2 I aq in ades Kuwai .

1990, Augus 6 Uni ed S a es launches ope a i n Dese Shield.

1991, Janua y 5 F ll wing a c up in S malia, NAvCENt ces c nduc ope a i n Eas e nExi , e acua ing 281 pe ple m he U.S. Embassy in he capi al, M gadishu.

1991, Janua y 17 C ali i n ces launch ope a i n Dese S m ai and na al campaigns.

1991, Feb ua y 24 C ali i n ces launch Dese S m g und campaign d i e I aqi cesm Kuwai .

1991, Feb ua y 28 C ali i n ces cease ensi e pe a i ns agains I aqi ces.

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1991, Ap il 5 C ali i n ces launch ope a i n P ide C m and es ablish a n -fy z nee n he n I aq.

1992, June 25 Adminis a i e Supp Uni Bah ain is enamed Adminis a i e Supp Uni S u hwes Asia.

1992, Augus 26 the Uni ed S a es, G ea B i ain, and F ance es ablish a n -fy z ne e

s u he n I aq and U.S. ces launch ope a i n S u he n Wa ch he nex day;he CENtCoM c mmande es ablishes J in task F ce S u hwes Asia manage ope a i n S u he n Wa ch and plan he c n ingencies.

1992, Augus 28 CENtCoM launches ope a i n P ide relie deli e humani a ian aid S malia.

1992, Decembe 4 Depa men De ense launches ope a i n res e H pe acili a e U.N.peacekeeping e s in S malia.

1993, Janua y 13 U.S., B i ish, and F ench ai c a a ack I aqi ai de ense sys em in s u he n n -fyz ne in esp nse I aqi a acks n ai c a engaged in ope a i n S u he n

Wa ch.

1993, Janua y 17 U.S. su ace ships launch t mahawk missiles agains he Zaa a aniyah ac y

c mplex nea Baghdad in esp nse I aqi a acks n c ali i n ai c a pa llinghe n he n n -fy z ne.

1993, Ap il 10 CoMUSNAvCENt fagship La Salle depa s a ea esp nsibili y andCoMUSNAvCENt s a m e ash e qua e s in Bah ain.

1993, June 26 U.S. su ace ships launch t mahawk missiles agains an I aqi in elligenceheadqua e s in Baghdad in esp nse an I aqi assassina i n a emp n meP esiden Ge ge H.W. Bush.

1993, oc be 3 task F ce range launches i s se en h pe a i n in M gadishu agains wa l dM hammed Fa ah Aideed, du ing which w U.S. helic p e s a e sh d wn and18 Ame ican s ldie s killed.

1994, Ma ch 25 U.S. ces c mple e wi hd awal m S malia.

1994, oc be 7 U.S. ces begin su ging CENtCoM a ea esp nsibili y in esp nse buildup I aqi ces n he b de wi h Kuwai .

1995, Ma ch 3 U.S. ces c mple e ope a i n Uni ed Shield, c e ing he wi hd awal U.N.peacekeepe s m S malia.

1995, July 1 Na y s ands up U.S. Fi h Flee .

1995, N embe 13 Al-Qaeda-ass cia ed e is ca b mb expl des in riyadh u side he o ce P g am Managemen he Ame ican- ained Saudi A abian Na i nal Gua d,

killing se en pe ple.

1996, Janua y 1 Depa men De ense adds he CENtCoM a ea esp nsibili y heen i e A abian Sea and a p i n he Indian ocean.

1996, June 26 Al-Qaeda e is s b mb he Kh ba t we s h using c mplex in Dhah an,Saudi A abia.

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1996, Sep embe 4 In ope a i n Dese S ike, U.S. ships and ai c a launch c uise missiles agains su ace- -ai missile and c mmand and c n l acili ies in s u he n I aq, inesp nse an I aqi a acks n he Ku dish ci y I bil and c ali i n ai c a inhe s u he n n -fy z ne; he Uni ed S a es and he Uni ed Kingd m alsexpand he s u he n n -fy z ne m he 32nd he 33 d pa allel and p misea disp p i na e esp nse i he I aqis epai he damaged ai de ense si es.

1998, Janua y 18 CENtCoM launches ope a i n Dese thunde , a la ge-scale depl ymen U.S. and c ali i n ces p essu e I aq in c mpliance wi h U.N. weap nsinspec s.

1998, Augus 7 Al-Qaeda e is s de na e uck b mbs nea ly simul ane usly u side heU.S. embassies in he Eas A ican capi als Nai bi, Kenya, and Da es Salaam,tanzania, killing m e han 200 pe ple.

1998, Augus 20 U.S. ships launch ope a i n In ni e resp nse, a simul ane us c uise missiles ike agains he Zhawa Kili al-Bad e is acili ies in A ghanis an, and heal-Shi a pha maceu ical plan in Sudan, h ugh be p ducing a p ecu s he deadly vX ne e gas al-Qaeda, in e alia i n he 7 Augus embassya acks.

1998, Decembe 16 In esp nse I aqi n nc mpliance wi h U.N. weap ns inspec s, CENtCoMlaunches ope a i n Dese F x, a u -day puni i e ai campaign agains I aqiins alla i ns h ugh be ass cia ed wi h de el ping weap ns massdes uc i n, uni s p iding secu i y such p g ams, and I aqs na i nalc mmand and c n l and ai de ense ne w ks.

1999, Augus 5 Adminis a i e Supp Uni S u hwes Asia is edesigna ed Na al Supp Ac i i y Bah ain.

2000, oc be 12 Al-Qaeda suicide pe a i es de na e b a b mb al ngside he U.S. des yeCole du ing a b ie e ueling s p in Aden, Yemen, killing 17 Sail s andw unding 40.

2001, Sep embe 11 Al-Qaeda suicide pe a i es c ashed hijacked passenge ai line s in he W ld

t ade Cen e we s in New Y k Ci y, he Pen ag n in Washing n, and a eldnea Shanks ille, Pennsyl ania, killing nea ly 3,000 pe ple.

2001, oc be 7 U.S. ces launch ope a i n Endu ing F eed m em e he taliban egimeand des y al-Qaeda ces and in as uc u e in A ghanis an.

2001, Decembe 7 Kandaha , he las maj taliban s ngh ld in A ghanis an, su ende ed N he n Alliance ces unde he c mmand u u e A ghan P esiden Hamid Ka zai.

2003, Ma ch 19 C ali i n ces launch ope a i n I aqi F eed m em e he Saddam Husseinegime m I aq.

2003, Ap il 9 o ganized I aqi esis ance in Baghdad c llapses.

2003, May 1 P esiden Ge ge W. Bush ann unces he end maj c mba pe a i ns in I aq;Sec e a y De ense D nald rums eld decla es he end maj c mba pe a i ns in A ghanis an.

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Electricians Mate 2nd Class Chris Grahm stands ready to embark on a mission to clear shipping lanes or humanitarian relie operationsin the Arabian Gul , 17 March 2003.

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IntroduCtIon

A MErICAS INtErEStS IN tHE MIDDLE EASt, S u hwes Asia, and eas e nA ica da e alm s he unding he na i n. Since W ld Wa II, he Uni ed S a esNa y has been he s line de ense hese in e es s. F m he es ablishmen heMiddle Eas F ce in 1949 h ugh he beginning he wen y- s cen u y, he U.S. Na y se ed

as a ce s abili y and peace in he egi n. the Na ys p esence helped p e en egi nal c ises

m escala ing in wa s, en ce in e na i nal sanc i ns, and minimize damage d ne by egi nal

c nfic s Ame ican and allied in e es s. When he e has been n he al e na i e, he Na y has

g ne wa by sea, ai , and land de end hese in e es s. the Na ys p esence als esul ed in

peace ul pe a i ns such as humani a ian assis ance, ma i ime escue, and mili a y exe cises wi h

egi nal allies.

Ea ly in he wen y- s cen u y, he U.S. Na al F ces Cen al C mmand/Fi h Flee a ea

esp nsibili y enc mpassed ab u 7.5 milli n squa e miles he ea hs su ace, including he

A abian Gul , N h A abian Sea, Gul oman, Gul Aden, red Sea, and pa s he Indianocean. this expanse c mp ised 27 c un ies and h ee c i ical ch kep in s a he S ai H muz,

he Suez Canal, and he Bab al-Mandeb a he s u he n ip Yemen.

the Na y wes i s success in his egi n he pa i ism, p essi nalism, p ide, ha d w k,

and sel -sac i ce he ce s and enlis ed men and w men assigned U.S. Na al F ces Cen al

C mmand/Fi h Flee . this is hei s y.

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xi ANCHor oF rESoLvE

The screw slooptic nde ga at Venice, Italy, circa 18661869. When this ship passed through the Strait o Hormuz in 1879, it became the rst American man-o -war to sail in the gul .

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the s U.S. wa ship en e he Indian oceanwas he iga e Essex , which wice unded heCape G d H pe in 1800 esc a c n y me chan ships e u ning m he Du ch Eas

Indies. the Na y c nduc ed i s s pe a i n he A abian Peninsula in 1833, when he sl p--wa Peacockand he sch ne Boxer ca ied

an Ame ican dipl ma ic missi n oman, animp an hub Indian ocean ade. the missi n

culmina ed in a ea y ami y and c mme ce wi hSul an Saiyid Said Musca .the s eam sl p Ticonderogabecame he s

Ame ican wa ship sail in he A abian Gul a e ansi ing he S ai H muz in Decembe1879. He p esence c ns i u ed a l ng-delayedesp nse an in i a i n m he Shah Pe sia,wi h wh m he Uni ed S a es had signed a adeea y in 1856. Unde C mm d e r be Wils n

Shu eld , wh was en u e Asia n an ul ima elysuccess ul missi n pen K ea Ame ican

c mme ce, Ticonderogas pped a Busheh andBas a and s eamed 70 miles up he Sha -al-A ab.Shu eld und ha Ame ican c mme cial in e es sc ns i u ed w - hi ds Musca s ade. He alsdisc e ed ha A abs, tu ks, and Pe sians likedhe idea an he p we helping ameli a ehe e ec s agg essi e B i ish p licy in he gul ,

which G ea B i ain had de el ped in he c n ex i s g ea game wi h russia impe ial hegem nyin he egi n p ec ade u es India.

Wes e n in e es in he Middle Eas inc easedsigni can ly du ing he wen ie h cen u y, whenpe leum supplan ed c al as he uel ch ice indus ial na i ns. In 1901, B i ish nancie WilliamKn x DA cy gained an il c ncessi n c e ingnea ly all Pe sia. the s maj s ike se en yea s

la e a Masjid-i-Suleiman in wes e n Pe sia he aldedhe beginning he il age in he A abian Gul . theB i ish g e nmen s in e es in he egi n heigh enedn he e e W ld Wa I, when Wins n Chu chill,hen Fi s L d he Admi al y, decided base hec un ys na al sup emacy up n il. the ea e her yal Na y began eplacing c al-bu ning enginesin i s wa ships wi h m e e cien and ec n micalil-bu ning engines. Wi h n kn wn il ese es i swn, B i ains na al p we came es n MiddleEas pe leum.

Al h ugh he Uni ed S a es p duced m s he w lds il be ween he w ld wa s, Ame icanc mpanies in es ed in B i ish pe leum c ncessi nsin I an and Kuwai , k e he c ncessi n inBah ain, and es ablished an all-Ame ican c ncessi nin Saudi A abia. oil p duc i n in he egi ninc eased 900 pe cen be ween 1920 and 1939, as

growIng AmerICAn Interests

AFtEr tHE UNItED StAtES WoN INDEPENDENCE in 1783, Ame ican me chan s

s ugh b ade pp uni ies in e e y c ne he gl be. Al h ugh G ea B i ain

emained he p ed minan na al p we in he Indian ocean h ugh u he nine een hcen u y, en e p ising Ame icans s n eached ma ke s n he subc n inen India, al ng he

eas c as A ica, n he A abian Peninsula, and in he A abian Gul . Because he undamen al

missi n he Uni ed S a es Na y has always been p ec Ame ican in e es s a und he

w ld, U.S. wa ships ll wed he fag me chan sail s wh pu sued d eams iches in Asia.

Wi h G ea B i ains r yal Na y and ma i ime law p ec ing ee ade in he Indian ocean,

A abian Sea, and A abian Gul , he Na y nly ccasi nally sh wed he fag in h se wa e s du ing

he nine een h cen u y.

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2 ANCHor oF rESoLvE

Bah ain, Saudi A abia, and I aq j ined I an as majp duce s. In 1920 less han 5 pe cen he w ldsil was p duced u side he Uni ed S a es; by 1939he gu e had climbed 14 pe cen .

Ame ican s a egic in e es in he egi n sec nside ably du ing W ld Wa II, as Ge man cess ugh d i e eas m Libya h ugh B i ish-c n lled Egyp and link up wi h Nazi anks d i ings u h m he S ie Uni n h ugh he il- ichCaucasus. A e B i ain, russia, and I an signeda ea y in Janua y 1942, I an se ed as a majc id h ugh which he U.S. g e nmen shippedsupplies he S ie Uni n unde he Lend Leasep g am. App xima ely 4,159,117 ns ai c a ,ehicles, guns, ammuni i n, d, and he supplies

and equipmen

eached russiah ugh I an,nea ly 25 pe cen he al ca g

shipped heS ie Uni n

m he Wes e nHemisphe edu ing he wa.B i ish, russian,and Ame ican

ps ccupiedI an hedu a i n, wi hhe U.S. A myp esence peakinga nea ly 30,000

men. the Uni ed S a es p ided Lend Lease supp Saudi A abia as well.

the wa highligh ed he la en s a egicimp ance Middle Eas pe leum. In 1943,ge l gis s es ima ed ha he p en and p bable

ese es in Bah ain, Kuwai , Qa a , Saudi A abia,I aq, and I an numbe ed app xima ely 25 billi n 300 billi n ba els il. F Saudi A abia al ne,

es ima es anged m 5 billi n 100 billi nba els. one leading ge l gis p edic ed ha hecen e g a i y w ld il p duc i n w ulds n shi m he Gul Mexic he A abian

Gul . Indeed, he p s wa ec n mies he eew ld w uld c me depend n Middle Eas e n il.

on he way h me m he Feb ua y 1945c n e ence in Yal a, P esiden F anklin D. r se el en e ained King Fa uk Egyp , Empe HaileSelassie E hi pia, and King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud Saudi A abia. the mee ings k place n b a dhe hea y c uise Quincy (CA 71), anch ed inEgyp s G ea Bi e Lake n he Suez Canal.

the mee ing wi h King Saud, as P esiden r se el la e pu i , was pe ec ly amazing. theP esiden had a anged he des ye Murphy(DD 603) ca y he King and his e inue mJeddah, he p he h ly ci y Mecca n hered Sea, he G ea Bi e Lake. As he des yeapp ached he c uise , he sigh he yal

en u age n he deck Murphy, acc ding ne bse e , seemed like a spec acle u hepas . r yal b dygua ds a med wi h l ng ifes andunshea hed scimi a s lined he ecas le, while heKing sa in an na e an ique F ench chai a p ag ea pile o ien al ugs n he wa d gun deck.A en h using he King and his e inue m ehan y pe ple s d n he b w as a f ck sheep hei d milled ab u n he s e n.

the mee ing began amicably. King Saud, whhad ecei ed nine w unds in ba le and walked wi h

a n iceable limp, exp essed in e es in r se el swheelchai . In a pe s nal ges u e, r se el ga ehe King ne his wheelchai s, as well as a s a egi a C-47 ai c a . Ibn Saud bes wed up n heP esiden ich bes, pe umes, and a sw d in adiam nd-s udded scabba d.

tensi n g ew, h we e , as he discussi n u nedwa d he se lemen Jews in Pales ine becausehe w leade s held pp si e iews n he issue.Sensing ha A abs and Jews we e n a c llisi nc u se, r se el planned ee alua e Ame icas

Pales ine p licy in sea ch a mula p e en wa a e, bu didn li e l ng en ugh d s .Ne e heless, he mee ing dem ns a ed KingSaud ha he Uni ed S a es migh well play a m ep minen le in he egi n. the mee ing came symb lize Ame icas g wing in e es in he

Middle Eas .

Well number seven at Dammam, Saudi Arabia,spewing oil, 1938.

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GroWING AMErICAN INtErEStS 3

the C ld Wa ushe ed in a new sense u gencyin Washing n wi h ega d Middle Eas dipl macy.Du ing W ld Wa II, he Uni ed S a es had been alliedwi h S ie dic a J seph S alin agains a c mm nenemy, Nazi Ge many. By he sp ing 1946, h we e ,U.S. leade s had c ncluded ha S alin was ben nexp ing C mmunis e lu i n w ldwide and nad ancing his ical russian in e es s al ng he S ie Uni ns Eu pean and Asian pe iphe y. De e mined c un e hese h ea s w ld peace, U.S. leade s

ad p ed a s a egy c n ainmen . Ame ica and i sallies w uld pp se he enc achmen he S ie Uni n and i s allies whe e e i migh ccu .

the C ld Wa s s c isis eme ged in he MiddleEas . S alin n nly e used wi hd aw his ps

m I an wi hin six m n hs he end W ld WaII as he had p mised, bu als se up he C mmunis

republic Aze baijan in n hwes I an. the Uni edS a es and B i ain p essu ed he russians in pullingu I an by he end May 1946, and he S ie -sp ns ed Aze i egime s n c llapsed.

the I anian c isis ma ked a maj depa u e inAme ican eign p licy. P esiden Ha y S. t uman,wh likened P esiden r se el s neg ia i ns wi hhe S ie s appeasemen , g ew i ed babyinghe russians and decided ha i was ime ge ugh. He c n inced C ng ess ha he Uni ed

S a es sh uld supp ee pe ples wh a e esis ingsubjuga i ns by a med min i ies by u sidep essu e. Pundi s dubbed his p licy he t umanD c ine.

the secu i y he Middle Eas w uld emainne Ame icas p ima y s a egic in e es sh ugh u he C ld Wa and bey nd.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt and King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud con er on board Quincy (CA 71). Their meeting symbolized the growing importance o the region to America.

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In he yea s immedia ely ll wing W ld WaII, he A abian Gul became an a ea i al c nce n he Na y. Ame ican na al ces based in he

Medi e anean and he Wes e n Paci c a e W ld Wa II bu ned uel p duced alm s exclusi ely inhe gul egi n. As U.S. fee ile s and cha e ed

anke s began m ing as many as 5 milli n ba els pe leum p duc s pe m n h m he gul he Medi e anean and

Paci c, he Na y pe cei eda need es ablish acili iesand a c mmand and c n ls uc u e manage he a c.Acc dingly, n 20 Janua y1948 he Na y es ablishedtask F ce (tF) 126 c n lhe d zens ships plying

gul wa e s and pe a ing u Bah ain and Saudi A abia.In subsequen m n hs, hisc mmand e l ed h ugh se e al i e a i ns and,n 16 Augus 1949, i was designa ed he MiddleEas F ce. the Na y has main ained a c n inu usp esence in he egi n e e since.

Unde he c mmand a ne-s a admi al, heMiddle Eas F ce s n included a fagship, a pai des ye s, ai c a , and supp essels. Be ween

1949 and 1965, du y as MEF fagship a ed am ng

seaplane ende s Duxbury Bay (AvP 38), GreenwichBay (AvP 41), and Valcour (AvP 55), each pain edwhi e defec he in ense hea he A abiansun. In 1950, he U.S. Na y leased ce space mhe B i ish na al base a Ju ai , l ca ed e miless u heas Manama, he capi al Bah ain. A ehe Na y eclassi ed Valcour as a miscellane us

c mmand fagship (AGF 1) and h mep ed hein Ju ai in 1966, he ship se ed six yea s asc mmand p s , li ing acili y, and c mmunica i nscen e C mmande Middle Eas F ce and hiss a 15 ce s. tha same yea MEF ships made128 isi s 34 p s l ca ed in 12 c un ies and 6

p ec a es p ssessi ns, while he fag ai c a l gged 77,328 miles ca ying he c mmande 40 di e en ci ies. In he sp ing 1972, he miscellane us

c mmand ship La Salle (AGF3) elie ed Valcour as fagship

he Middle Eas F ce.Pain ed whi e like he bea s,the G ea Whi e Gh s he A abian C as s eamed ana e age 55,000 miles annually

calling n p s in A ica, Asia,and he Middle Eas . She se edas he MEF fagship un il 1993.

the Na y ec gnized ha i n nly needed manage anke a c in he A abian Gul , bu alsmigh need c nduc c mba pe a i ns de endAme icas in e es s he e. In Ma ch 1948, Valley Forge(Cv 45) ansi ed he S ai H muz, bec minghe s Ame ican ai c a ca ie pe a e in heA abian Gul . Valley Forgeand he ships c nduc edex ensi e ec nnaissance and scien i c su eys,

which indica ed ha shall w wa e , ex eme hea and humidi y, bl wing sand, and he en i nmen alc ndi i ns in he gul p sed signi can pe a i nalp blems. the ca ie s isi included a p call ras tanu a, Saudi A abia. Na al ce s and enlis edmen enj yed A ab h spi ali y, while he sh w na al s eng h imp essed A ab leade s. tw m n hs

estAblIshment of the mIddle eAst forCe

WItH tHE CrEAtIoN oF tHE MIDDLE EASt ForCE (MEF) in 1949, he Na y

assumed he le as he s line de ense Ame icas in e es s in he egi n.

the unding he Middle Eas F ce als ma ked he ansi i n he Na ys

p esence in he A abian Gul m pe i dic pe manen .

Middle East Force fagshipDuxbu y Bay (AVP 38), mid-1960s.

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Arabian Gul Region.

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la e , he esc ca ie Rendova (CvE 114) anddes ye Charles H. Roan (DD 853) en e ed hegul . the ca ie paid a 52-h u isi Bah ain,he highligh which was a dinne 120 gues s,including 45 U.S. na al ce s, h s ed by SheikhSalman bin Hamad al-Khali a, Bah ains ule .va i us U.S. fee uni s isi ed he egi n pe i dicallyh ugh u he nex u decades.

Ame ican dipl macy and depl ymen la gefee uni s played a maj le in p e en ing ap ac ed wa ac ss he egi n ha he wise migh ha e a isen m c ises like I ans na i naliza i n

Wes e n il elds in he ea ly 1950s, he Suez C isis 1956, he I aq c up 1958, and he Leban n

in e en i n 1958. Al h ugh n sh s we e

ed, such c ises en had a di ec and s me imeshai - aising impac n Ame ican na al ces. In1963, MEF des ye s depl yed he red Seawhen ic i n de el ped be ween Saudi A abia andEgyp e ci il s i e in Yemen. In an ex emelyp ca i e ges u e, as he MEF c mmand his ypu i , Egyp ian gh e s and b mbe s wi h penb mb bay d s few e he ca ie Essex (Cv 9) as

she ansi ed he Suez Canal. In Ap il and May 1967,MEF ships helped e acua e Ame ican ci izens mYemen and pa lled ubled Aden.

the Na ys p esence du ing di cul imesdem ns a ed i s pe manence in he egi n andea med Ame icas in en i n de end i s alliesand in e es s in he Middle Eas .

Sheikh Isa bin Salman al-Khali a, ruler o Bahrain, departs the fagship valc u (AGF 1)a ter an o cial visit to Rear Admiral Earl R.

Eastwood, Commander Middle East Force,5 April 1967.

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Arabian guests, crewmen, and others observe fight operations romvalley F ge sisland structure, 25 March 1948.

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In Janua y 1968, B i ish P ime Minis e Ha ld Wils n ann unced ha G ea B i ain w uld end

i s de ense c mmi men s eas Suez and w uldwi hd aw i s ces m he A abian Gul by1971. the B i ishg e nmen c ncei edhe wi hd awal as am ney-sa ing measu e.In e ec , i swep awayhe las es iges heB i ish Empi e in heMiddle Eas .

Bah ain had been

a B i ish p ec a esince 1880, when heB i ish g e nmen assumed esp nsibili y

he islands de ense.on 14 Augus 1971,Sheikh Isa bin Salmanal-Khali a decla ed Bah ains independence andsigned a new ea y iendship wi h B i ain henex day. th ugh an ag eemen wi h he Bah ainig e nmen , he U.S. Na y k e pa he

me B i ish na al base a Ju ai , naming heacili y Adminis a i e Supp Uni Bah ain.

the B i ish wi hd awal c ea ed a g ea p weacuum in he A abian Gul , nce c nside ed aB i ish lake. De e mined ll he id in heegi n, he S ie s sen a ask ce in he Indianocean and launched dipl ma ic ini ia i es secu e

pe manen bases in c un ies in and a und he gul .the S ie na y main ained a c n inu us p esence

in he Indian ocean h ugh u he 1970s.the Uni ed S a es was in n p si i n c un ehe S ie m es.

Wi h Ame icaengaged in hevie nam Waand P esiden richa d M. Nix nc mmi ed ex ica ing U.S.

ces m

S u heas Asia,he adminis a i ns ugh a idnew c mmi men s.In 1969, heP esiden annuncia ed

a s a egy dubbed he Nix n D c ine, whichen isi ned ans e ing many secu i y esp nsibili ies egi nal U.S. allies. In he A abian Gul , he Nix n

D c ine esul ed in he s -called twin Pilla s p licy,

which depended up n I an and Saudi A abia p ide secu i y he egi n and c ns i u e abulwa k agains S ie expansi n he e. As a esul ,Ame ican mili a y assis ance f wed I an and SaudiA abia m s he 1970s.

the twin Pilla s p licy d e ailed nea lywi h he plans Muhammad reza Pahla i, he

CreAtIon ofCentrAl CommAnd And nAVCent

DUrING tHE 1970S AND EArLY 1980s, he Uni ed S a es supplan ed G ea B i ain

as he p ed minan Wes e n p we in he A abian Gul and A abian Sea. A he same

ime, h ea s peace and s abili y in he egi n sky cke ed. As he dange inc eased,

s did Ame icas c mmi men he egi ns secu i y. this c mmi men culmina ed in 1983 in

he es ablishmen a new uni ed c mmand, U.S. Cen al C mmand (CENtCoM), and i s na al

c mp nen , Na al F ces Cen al C mmand (NAvCENt).

Two RH-53 Sea Stallions rom the carrier Nimi z (CVN 68) participatein the ill- ated mission to rescue American hostages in Iran, 24 April 1980.Operational di culties underscored the need to improve how the armed orcesworked together.

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Shah I an, wh s ugh make his c un y hep eeminen p we in he gul . Emb ldened by hesu ge in il p ices du ing he mid-1970s and hef d a ms m he Uni ed S a es, he Shahplunged I an in a pell-mell na i nal m de niza i np g am ha esul ed in was e, infa i n, andwidesp ead c up i n.

Disgus ed wi h he Shahs seeming dis ega d adi i nal s cial and eligi us alues, I aniansm all walks li e u ned agains him and his

p -Ame ican g e nmen . In 1978, lab s ikes,s ee dem ns a i ns, and i s sp ead ac ss I anwi h inc easing equency and i lence. A e lu i nc alesced a und undamen alis I anians led by heAya llah ruh llah Kh meini. the Shah wen inexile n 16 Janua y 1979. He s wen Egyp ,hen M cc , he Bahamas, Mexic, he Uni ed

S a es, Panama, and hen back Egyp , whe e hedied n 27 July 1980 n n-H dgkins lymph ma.S n a e he Shah le I an, Kh meini en e edteh an in iumph and es ablished an an i-Wes e nIslamic he c acy. He and his ll we s exp essedhe desi e sp ead Shii e ex emism h ugh u he A abian Gul and expunge Wes e n infuencem he egi n. the I anian e lu i na ies ha b ed

a pa icula ly deep ha ed he Uni ed S a esbecause Washing n had been he Shahs leading

supp e . on 4 N embe 1979 I anian zeal sseized he U.S. Embassy in teh an and k i s s a h s age, ma king he beginning a 444-day c isis.

the si ua i n in he egi n w sened ha Decembe when S ie ces in aded A ghanis an insupp indigen us c mmunis s. N since W ld

Wa II had M sc w ca ied u a mili a y ac i n n

Somalian Brigadier General Mohammed Hashi Gani welcomes Lieutenant General Robert C. Kingston, commander o the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force, as he arrives to participate in Exercise Bright Star 82, 1 November 1981.

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esp nsibili y (Aor) c mp ised 19 c un ies, hered Sea, and he A abian Gul , and i s missi n was p ec ee ade, help de end iendly na i ns, andp ese e egi nal s abili y. CENtCoM e en uallyg i s wn assigned c mp nen ces and au -s a c mmande , pu ing i n an e en ing

wi h Eu pean C mmand, Paci c C mmand, andS u he n C mmand.

the iginal 19 c un ies in Cen al C mmandsAor included Egyp and Sudan in n heas A ica;Djib u i, E hi pia, Kenya, and S malia n neahe H n A ica; he Yemen A ab republic, hePe ples Dem c a ic republic Yemen, and heGul C pe a i n C uncil (GCC) s a es Bah ain,Kuwai , oman, Qa a , Saudi A abia, and he Uni edA ab Emi a es (UAE) n he A abian Peninsula; and

J dan, I aq, I an, A ghanis an, and Pakis an n heMiddle Eas e n and S u h Asian mainland.By 2005, changes he Uni ed C mmand

Plan, which g e ned he ganiza i n pe a i nal

his scale. U.S. leade s ea ed ha he S ie s h ped capi alize n he Ame ican-I anian c isis secu e

a wa m-wa e p n he Indian ocean and gainc n l A abian Gul il es u ces.

the S ie in asi n A ghanis an, ll wingha d n he heels he I anian e lu i n, c n incedAme ican leade s ake a m s and in he A abianGul . Le u p si i n be abs lu ely clea , P esiden Jimmy Ca e decla ed be e C ng ess n 23Janua y 1980. An a emp by any u side ce gain c n l he Gul egi n will be ega ded as anassaul n he i al in e es s he Uni ed S a es Ame ica, and such an assaul will be epelled by anymeans necessa y, including mili a y ce. this p licy,dubbed he Ca e D c ine, c mmi ed Ame icanmili a y ces he de ense he egi n.

this new p licy, inspi ed by he h ea s heA abian Gul m he I anian e lu i n and heS ie ccupa i n A ghanis an, spu ed P esiden Ca e c ea e he rapid Depl ymen J in task F ce (rDJtF). Es ablishedn 1 Ma ch 1980, he rDJtF was ac mp nen wha was hen calledU.S. readiness C mmand, and i smissi n was ush he gul a eain he e en a mili a y c isis. thes c mmande , Ma ine Lieu enan

Gene al P. X. Kelley, was hampe edby a lack bases and wa d-p si i ned equipmen , as well ashe l ng dis ance m he hea e .He als didn wn any ces andin a c isis w uld ha e b whem m he c mmands n sh n ice.

De ense cials in P esiden r nald reagans adminis a i nc nside ed he apid depl ymen

ce a p s lu i n. Acc dingly,n 1 Janua y 1983, he Depa men De ense eplaced he ask ce

wi h a new uni ed c mmand: U.S.Cen al C mmand, headqua e eda MacDill Ai F ce Base neatampa, Fl ida. Ini ially, i s a ea

Bradley ghting vehicles parked on the pier beside the ast seali t ship USNSAn a es(T-AKR 294) at Savannah, Georgia, during Exercise Bright Star 97. The capabilityto deploy combat-ready orces quickly across vast ocean distances enables Central Command to exist.

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j in ces, had expanded he Aor 27 c un ies.on 22 May 1990, he Yemen A ab republic uni edwi h he Pe ples Dem c a ic republic Yemenand became he republic Yemen. E i ea came

unde Cen al C mmands pu iew a e he c un ygained independence m E hi pia n 27 Ap il1993. Because i s cul u al and p li ical simila i ies he Eas A ican mainland, he island na i n

Seychelles was added he Aor n 1 Janua y1996. Because hei p ximi y and p li icalin e ac i n wi h I an, A ghanis an, and Pakis an,he e me S ie Cen al Asian epublics Kazakhs an, Ky gyzs an, tajikis an, tu kmenis an,and Uzbekis an became pa Cen al C mmandsAor n 1 oc be 1999. on 10 Ma ch 2004,

Sy ia and Leban n we e shi ed m Eu peanC mmands ju isdic i n Cen al C mmands

ju isdic i n because Ame ican c nce n ab u Sy ian-based e is s pe a ing in I aq.

CENtCoMs na al c mp nen c mmandewas designa ed C mmande U.S. Na al F cesCen al C mmand (CoMUSNAvCENt).

C mmande Middle Eas F ce, wh hadep ed he C mmande in Chie , U.S. Na alF ces Eu pe du ing he 1970s, was eassignedunde C mmande in Chie , Cen al C mmand

(CINCCENt).the new uni ed c mmand aced en m usdi cul ies. N ne he c un ies in he A abianGul egi n all wed he Uni ed S a es baseg und ces land-based ai ces pe manen lyn hei s il. U.S. mili a y leade s knew hey w uldha e depl y sizable, c mba - eady ces heA abian Gul egi n as en ugh c pe wi h aneme gency. the p blem was h w d s .

the s lu i n hey ch se was ma i imep ep si i ning, a c ncep ha had eme ged du ing

he vie nam Wa. In his app ach, he De enseDepa men main ained equipmen , supplies, andehicles n b a d Mili a y Seali C mmand (MSC)ships ha se ed as f a ing dep s in wa d a eas.In an eme gency, hese ships w uld s eam as cl se asp ssible he c isis sp and unl ad hei ca g , e ena p s wi h nly udimen a y acili ies. Meanwhile,

Aerial view o the Indian Ocean island o Diego Garcia, 9 December 1998. Naval Station Diego Garcia serves Central Command as a vital air hub, logistics hub, and base or Maritime Prepositioning Squadron Two.

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the tAnker wAr

WHILE tHE UNItED StAtES rEorGANIZED i s secu i y s uc u e in he A abian

Gul , he si ua i n in he egi n g ew c nside ably da ke . on 22 Sep embe 1980,

I aq launched an ensi e in wes e n I an, ma king he beginning a wa ha d agged n eigh yea s and c s he w c un ies a milli n dead and a illi n d lla s. Al h ugh

ugh m s ly n land, he wa als included ma i ime pe a i ns, wi h each side a acking me chan

shipping in he A abian Gul . In wha became kn wn as he tanke Wa , be ween 1980 and 1988

he p ag nis s a acked hund eds essels, killing m e han 400 ma ine s and infic ing l sses

in he ens milli ns d lla s n ship wne s, cha e e s, and insu e s. When he tanke Wa

escala ed he p in h ea ening ee ade in he A abian Gul , he Na y s epped in de end

Ame icas in e es s and allies and keep he sea lanes pen.

j ined he pa y as a eenage, Baa his s had seizedp we in I aq in a July 1968 c up, and Saddam hadbec me leade he pa y and head s a e in1979. He main ained p we by u ning I aq in ap lice s a e and u ing and mu de ing p li icalpp nen s and I aqi ci izens wh displeased him.

Despi e making signi can s ides in ging anI aqi na i n-s a e, Saddam ea ed ha I ans newleade ship w uld h ea en I aqs delica e Sunni-Shia

balance and expl i i s ge -s a egic ulne abili ies,pa icula ly i s minimal access he A abian Gul .Finally, Saddam gu ed I an w uld be easy p ey,belie ing ha Kh meinis pu ges I ans a myand ai ce had a ally weakened hei mili a ycapabili ies.

As i was, he in asi n b gged d wn quickly.I aqs ai ce p ed incapable pu ing dnancen a ge wi h any s accu acy eliabili y,while I aqi g und ce ac ics p ed incapable e c ming esis ance e en by ligh ly a med

de ende s wi h any s alac i y. As a esul , hewa degene a ed in a s alema e ea u ing enchlines, human wa e assaul s, chemical a acks, andmassi e a ille y b mba dmen s eminiscen

W ld Wa I. As casual ies m un ed, I anian s a egyshi ed m epelling Saddams in asi n pplinghis egime.

r ed in ancien Sunni- e sus-Shia andA ab- e sus-Pe sian eligi us and e hnic s i e andueled by wen ie h-cen u y b de dispu es, heI an-I aq Wa has been called he g ea wa hehi d w ld. I aqi dic a Saddam Hussein claimed ha e launched he in asi n because a dispu ee he Sha -al-A ab, he wa e way ha ms he

b unda y be ween I an and I aq and emp ies inhe A abian Gul .

His eal eas ns, h we e, s emmed mdelusi ns g andeu, a pa an id sense ulne abili y, and a bad p li ic -mili a y assessmen his eas e n neighb . Saddam s ugh c ns lida e

his ising p we in he A ab w ld, eplace I an ashe d minan s a e in he A abian Gul egi n, ande en ually bec me a gl bal gu e like his he ,J seph S alin. Saddam belie ed ha A ab Shii es ins u hwes e n I an w uld welc me he in asi n aslibe a i n m Pe sian pp essi n, and he h ped g ab he wes e n I anian p ince Khuzes an,

which c n ained he bulk I ans il indus y.A he same ime, Saddam pe cei ed I ans

undamen alis agenda as a h ea he isi n e lu i na y pan-A abism a icula ed by he Baa hA ab S cialis Pa y. the Baa h Pa y was a seculaA ab na i nalis p li ical pa y and m emen ha had a isen in Sy ia in he 1930s. Saddam had

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N w gh ing his li e, Saddam u nedseawa d. F he s h ee yea s he wa , a acks

n shipping in he A abian Gul had been sp adicand gene ally unc dina ed, wi h 48 essels c mingunde e. Because il and he c n l i s exp c ns i u ed he li ebl d b h sides, c n l me chan shipping u es, des uc i n enemy andenemy allied me chan ships, and p ec i n ilexp asse s became key bjec i es in I aqs s a egyand pe a i ns. By 1984, he I aqi ai ces g wingp ciency a hi ing a ge s enabled Baghdad escala e pe a i ns agains I anian il acili ies andanke s. thus began he sec nd phase he I an-I aq

Wa s s -called tanke Wa. I aq h ped weakenI ans ec n my by educing i s il-exp capaci y, in e na i nalize he wa in an a emp gain eignsupp , educe p essu e n i s g und ces, and b ing I an he neg ia ing able.

Be e 1984, I an emained c n en accep ma i ime l sses while seeking ic y n land. Bu

I aqs escala i n an ishipping pe a i ns besiegedI ans ec n my and p ecipi a ed a change in I ans

ma i ime s a egy. I ans leade s ealized ha wi h heexcep i n I aqs ld i als, Sy ia and Libya, m s he A ab w ld was p iding nancial and mili a yaid Saddam. Since I aq p ssessed ew i s wnma i ime asse s w h a acking, I an esp nded inkind I aqs ma i ime nslaugh by a ge ing shipsading wi h I aqs gul allies. Se en y- ne me chan

ships we e a acked in 1984 al ne, c mpa ed wi h 48in he s h ee yea s he wa .

In Ma ch 1984, I aq ini ia ed sus ained na alpe a i ns in a sel -decla ed 1,126-kil me e

ma i ime exclusi n z ne, ex ending m he m u h he Sha -al-A ab I ans p Busheh . the

in ensi y he ma i ime pa he I an-I aq Wawaxed and waned e he ensuing m n hs.

In 1986, I aq s epped up i s ai aids n anke sse ing I an and I anian il-exp ing acili ies. I anesp nded by escala ing i s a acks, using ai c a ,

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The guided missile rigateS a k (FFG 31) lists to port a ter being struck by two Iraqi-launched Exocet missiles on 17 May 1987. N a v a l

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speedb a s, sea mines, and land-based Silkw man iship missiles, agains anke s se ing A ab

p s in he gul . Because Kuwai was de ing asigni can p p i n i s il e enues supp I aqs wa e , he I anians cused hea ily nKuwai i anke s and me chan ships ading wi hKuwai . tha all, he Kuwai i g e nmen beganseeking help m he in e na i nal c mmuni y indealing wi h he I anian nslaugh .

on 13 Janua y 1987, he Emi s g e nmen asked he U.S. g e nmen pe missi n Kuwai ianke s fy he Ame ican fag in he gul , he ebyenabling hem ecei e he same p ec i n

as me chan men unde Ame ican egis y. theKuwai is gu ed ha Ame ican na al p ec i nw uld de e de ea I anian agg essi n agains he efagged anke s. the Kuwai i g e nmen hadal eady made simila inqui ies he g e nmen s he Uni ed Kingd m, China, and he S ie Uni n,and B i ain had al eady begun efagging ships.

F m he U.S. pe spec i e, he I an-I aq Wap sed a di cul dilemma. While he land wa made

li le immedia e impac bey nd I anian and I aqie i y, s ikes n sh e-based il p duc i n andexp acili ies, sh e pla ms, and anke sc ea ed a ipple e ec ha eached a und he w ld.Al h ugh he Uni ed S a es was n dependen ngul il, i s allies we e. Ame ica imp ed less han10 pe cen i s il m he egi n du ing he mid-1980s, bu Wes e n Eu pe imp ed app xima ely30 pe cen and Japan app xima ely 60 pe cen hei il m gul s a es. By 1986, he tanke Wahad signi can ly educed shipping in he gul and had

caused insu ance a es n anke s sky cke . W ses ill, he gh ing impeded he f w gul il hees he w ld and had he p en ial damage hegl bal ec n my. U.S. leade s we e als ala med byhe p spec an I anian ic y and i s p en ial sp ead Shii e undamen alism h ugh u he egi nand des abilize Ame icas gul allies.

Crewmembers stand watch at a 50-caliber machine-gun station on board the amphibious shipokinawa (LPH 3) during Operation Earnest Will, 1 November 1987.

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Bu i was he spec e he S ie s using heesc missi n p jec p we in he egi n ha nally p ecipi a ed U.S. g e nmen ac i n. A abianGul sea lanes, declaed P esiden reagan, willn be all wed c me unde he c n l heS ie Uni n. on 7 Ma ch 1987, he Uni ed S a esg e nmen ann unced i s decisi n au h ize 11Kuwai i anke s sail unde U.S. egis y. the wg e nmen s signed a efagging ag eemen n 2 Ap il.

the g e nmen s G ea B i ain, F ance, I aly,Belgium, and Ne he lands likewise g asped heimp ance p e en ing I anian dep eda i ns ceang ing c mme ce and main aining eed m he seas, s hey dispa ched ships he gul .Bah ain, Kuwai , Saudi A abia, and he Uni ed A abEmi a es c n ibu ed uel he e and g an ed

access gul p acili ies and ai bases.Because Ame ican na al leade s emainedunce ain ab u h w I an w uld esp nd, he U.S.Na y depl yed a subs an ial ask ce, he la ges he na al c n ingen s in l ed in esc ing Kuwai i

anke s. By he end 1987, he Na y had depl yed13 wa ships inside he gul ca y u he pe a i n,c de-named Ea nes Will. A U.S. ca ie ba leg up s eaming in he Gul oman inc eased heNa ys s eng h in he hea e be ween 25 and 30wa ships and p ided he means s ike a ge sinside I an, i i became necessa y.

the Na y did n , h we e , c nside pe a ingca ie s inside he A abian Gul . N Ame icanai c a ca ie had pe a ed ex ensi ely inside heS ai H muz since Constellation (Cv 64) k pa in Midlink 74, he la ges na al exe cise heldin he A abian Sea ha p in . th ugh u he1980s, na al leade s belie ed ha he bene s pe a ing ca ie s inside he gul we e n w h heisks p sed by uncha ed haza ds, a pe cei ed lack

su cien deep wa e c nduc figh pe a i ns,and I anian mines and an iship missiles. Ai c a ca ie s we e kep in he deepe and less h ea eningA abian Sea, despi e being hund eds miles a heaway m p en ial a ge s.

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A line o refagged Kuwaiti tankers steams through the gul under U.S. Navy escort, 1 September 1987. P H 3 H e n r y

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the Na ys unwillingness pe a e ca ie s

inside he gul exace ba ed c mmand and c n lp blems ha a se du ing Ea nes Will. Pa hedi cul y lay in he ac ha he pe a i n un ldedn he b unda y w uni ed c mmands. theMiddle Eas F ce pe a ed inside he A abian Gul unde CINCCENt, while he ca ie g up s eamingin he Gul oman pe a ed unde CINCPAC.Na y leade s in l ed in planning he pe a i nwan ed a Paci c Flee admi al c mmand hena al ces pe a ing in Cen al C mmands a ea esp nsibili y. the ac ha he c mmande in chie

Cen al C mmand was a Ma ineGene al Ge geB. C is pe u bed na al leade s wh belie ed ha nly ne hei wn had he aining necessa y lead na al pe a i ns. the Chie Na al ope a i nse en p p sed eassigning he red Sea and A abianGul m CINCCENt CINCPAC. the J in Chie s S a declined.

technically, Cen al C mmands na al

c mp nen c mmande sh uld ha e led he na alces in he hea e , pa icula ly in he wake he passage he G ldwa e -Nich ls

Depa men De ense re ganiza i n Ac 1986.C n used c mmand ela i nships, inc mpa iblec mmunica i ns, inadequa e in elligence sha ing,and di e en se ice app aches ac ical p blemshad hampe ed j in pe a i ns du ing he ailed I anh s age escue missi n 1980, he peacekeepingmissi n in Leban n 19821984, and he G enadain e en i n 1983. G ldwa e -Nich ls s ugh

es l e hese p blems. I inc eased he p we heJCS chai man, he J in S a , and he c mmande s inchie he c mba an c mmands while educing hep we he se ice chie s.

F m he Na ys pe spec i e, h we e , hisemphasis n j in ness came a he expense hese ices adi i nal independence. Na al ce s

A lookout scans the horizon rom the bridge o the cruiser F x (CG 33), escorting the refagged Kuwaiti supertankersGas P ince and B idge n , 21 July 1987.

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c nside ed se ice n a j in s a de imen al nes ca ee . the Na y e en had de el ped i s wns a egy, he Ma i ime S a egy, publicly a icula edin Janua y 1986, which i used jus i y i s ces uc u e.

Paci c Flee s claims he Indian ocean a eaand he Na ys esis ance j in ness made hese ice eluc an sub dina e ces Cen alC mmand. In 1987 CoMUSNAvCENt was reaAdmi al (Selec ) Philip F. Du y, wh , in p ac ice,managed nly he l gis ic and adminis a i e supp na al ces in he gul . Al h ugh he Na y had

cl se ies c un ies in he egi n, CINCCENtseques s ha he Na y assign a m e seni ce he NAvCENt bille made n headway in he o ce he Chie Na al ope a i ns (oPNAv).

Ne e heless, Gene al C is pe suaded Admi al William J. C we, he chai man he J in Chie s S a , ha CINCCENt needed ha es le c n l na al pe a i ns in he hea e .they a anged a c mp mise wi h oPNAv. on20 Sep embe 1987, he Depa men De ensees ablished he J in task F ce Middle Eas (JtFME), a emp a y c mmand and c n lganiza i n ail ed speci cally he

needs ope a i n Ea nes Will. owing hep ed minan ly ma i ime na u e he missi n,and sa is y he Na ys sensibili ies, as Admi alC we pu i , rea Admi al Dennis M. B ks, fyinghis fag wi h he ca ie ba le g up in he N hA abian Sea, was designa ed C mmande JtFME.B ks answe ed C is pe a i nal di ec i n.

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Iranian ship I an Aj , captured while laying mines o the coast o Bahrain, with a U.S. Navy landing cra t alongside, 22 September 1987. P H 3 H e n r y

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the c mmand s uc u e s ill did n unc i nsm hly because C mmande Middle Eas F ce,rea Admi al Ha ld J. Be nsen, e ained a deg ee au n my, and he and B ks clashed epea edly.

t es l e his p blem, C we c mbined JtFMEand he MEF unde B ks success , rea Admi alAn h ny Less.

U.S. na al ces pe a ing in he gul acedpe a i nal as well as ganiza i nal di cul ies. on17 May 1987, an I aqi Mi age F-1 pil mis k heU.S. iga e Stark (FFG 31) an I anian essel ands uck he wi h w Ex ce ai - -su ace missiles.the nigh a ack killed 37 Ame ican Sail s, bu hei su i ing shipma es sa ed Stark m sinkingwi h a d gged and skill ul damage c n l e .

on 24 July, du ing he U.S. Na ys s Ea nes Will c n y esc missi n, an I anian-laid seamine damaged he efagged anke Bridgeton. theNa ys mine c un e measu es ces in he a ea,c nsis ing eigh MH-53 helic p e s and a smallf illa cean minesweepe s, und and des yednume us mines du ing hese and la e pe a i ns in

he gul . N ne heless, he ai c a we e ew andhe minesweepe s ld, ha ing seen alm s yyea s ha d se ice, acc mplish he clea ancemissi n adequa ely. Ame ican na al leade s h ped

c mpensa e his de ciency by empl yinga adi i nal mine wa a e ac icp e en ing heenemy m laying he weap ns. In ha ega d,Ame ican ces in he gul sc ed a maj successn 21 Sep embe , when U.S. A my AH-6 Seaba helic p e s, pe a ing m he deck guided missileiga e Jarrett (FFG 33), in e cep ed he I anianessel Iran Ajr in he ac d pping mines in hewa e . In a swi ac i n, he j in eam cap u ed heminelaye . tha oc be , he j in iga e-Seaba eam sank a speedb a and cap u ed w he s when

he I anians pened e n he ai c a .Unde e ed, he I anians s uck and damaged

he efagged anke Sea Isle City wi h a Chinese-supplied Silkw m missile. In e alia i n, he Na ydes yed w I anian il pla ms being used asmili a y u p s s. on 14 Ap il 1988, guided missileiga e Samuel B. Roberts(FFG 58) s uck an I anian

The destroyer J hn Y ung (DD 973) shells a pair o Iranian command and control plat orms in response to an Iranian attack on arefagged Kuwaiti tanker, 19 October 1987.

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mine ha blew a 22- h le in he side andw unded en Sail s.

t d i e h me he p in ha he Uni ed S a esw uld n le a e such a acks and emainedde e mined p ec i s allies and in e es s inhe gul , he Na y launched agains I anian cesan he e alia y s ike, c de-named ope a i nP aying Man is. on 18 Ap il, su ace ships andca ie -based ai c a des yed w gul ilpla ms used by he I anian mili a y. In his ba le,U.S. na al ces sank damaged hal I anspe a i nal na y. E en h ugh a ew I anian as a ack c a c n inued e n Ame ican wa shipsand me chan men, P aying Man is g ea ly educedhe h ea shipping.

then, n 3 July, guided missile c uise Vincennes

(CG 49) mis k an I anian ai line an a ackingwa plane and sh i d wn, killing 290 passenge sand c ew. this sad epis de seemed be he las s aw he I anian pe ple, eeling m alm s adecade e lu i n and wa . teh ans g und ces

e ed n he b ink c llapse unde he weigh an I aqi ensi e. An iwa dem ns a i ns had

b ken u in Is ahan and tab iz. the ec n mywas in uins, he easu y bank up . on 18 July, heI anians ag eed accep a U.N. cease- e p p sal.the wa wi h I aq, and wi h i he tanke Wa , s n

came an end.ope a i n Ea nes Will had succeeded, andhe Na ys ships, ai c a , weap ns, and pe s nnelgene ally pe med well in c nduc ing li alpe a i ns. Bu p blems had a isen in w a easmine wa a e and c mmand and c n l. Na alleade s ec gnized ha he mine c un e measu es

ce needed m de niza i n and k s eps acqui enew ships and equipmen . they we e less inclined expl e new app aches melding hea e and

na al pe a i ns. I any hing, na al leade s asc ibed

he di cul ies ha C mmande JtFME expe iencedwi h c mmand and c n l pe a i ns in he gul u side in e e ence.

Despi e hese di cul ies, he U.S. Na y-ledJ in task F ce Middle Eas , w king wi hAme icas Eu pean and A abian Gul allies,acc mplished he missi n p ec ing he i al

gul anke a c. Ea nes Will had als aken s me he s ing m I ans e lu i na y m emen .

Finally, he Uni ed S a es s and in he gul du ing19871988 e ased he nega i e images esul ing

m he ailed I anian escue missi n andwi hd awal m Leban n, pe suading he egi nsleade s ha hey c uld c un n he Uni ed S a es.

Meanwhile, ela i e quie e u ned heA abian Gul . the Uni ed S a es g adually educedi s ces in he egi n. By he summe 1990,nly e na al essels pa lled he gul , he smalles c n ingen since he la e 1970s.

Lieutenant Dan Taylor climbs down rom the rigateNich las(FFG 47) into a motor whaleboat or trans er to a refagged Kuwaiti tanker, where he will serve as liaison o cer during a

tanker escort mission, 1 July 1988.

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desert shIeld And desert storm

tHE QUIEt DIDNt LASt LoNG. Saddam Husseins megal maniacal d eam

bec ming he S alin he Middle Eas su i ed he wa wi h I an, despi e he wa s

ex bi an c s I aq in bl d and easu e. this ime, h we e , he dic a s ugh

sa is y his lus c nques by ch sing wha he h ugh w uld be a much easie a ge . on 2

Augus 1990, I aqi republican Gua d a m ed and mechanized uni s lled in Kuwai . Six days

la e , Saddam ann unced he annexa i n Kuwai , decla ing i I aqs nine een h p ince. Saddam

gu ed n b dyn A ab na i ns, he Uni ed Na i ns, he Uni ed S a esw uld c n es he

in asi n. He belie ed Ame ica p ssessed nei he he will n he abili y g wa in S u hwes

Asia. I was an he bad p li ic -mili a y assessmen . Wi hin se en m n hs, he Uni ed S a es had

aken he lead in an in e na i nal c ali i n ha had p e en ed u he I aqi c nques s and hadd i en Saddams ces u Kuwai . the Na ys abili y c n l he sea and p jec p we

ash e p ed c i ical he success Dese Shield, while i s wa gh ing capabili ies played a key

le in he c ali i ns ic y e I aq du ing Dese S m.

Ame ican na al ces esp nded immedia ely I aqs in asi n Kuwai . Wi hin an h u , he

Independence(Cv 62) ca ie ba le g up, c uisingin he Indian ocean nea Dieg Ga cia, headed

he Gul oman, while he Dwight D. Eisenhower (CvN 69) ca ie ba le g up, nea ing he end a depl ymen he cen al Medi e anean, se ac u se he red Sea. Wi hin h ee days ca ie -b ne ai c a had c me wi hin s iking dis ance Saddams ank c lumns.

on 4 Augus , P esiden Ge ge H.W. Bushdecided ha mili a y p we e ed he bes h pe de e ing hal ing u he I aqi agg essi n. on 6

Augus , a he in i a i n Saudi King Abdul AzizIbn Fahd, he P esiden de ed Ame ican ces

Saudi A abia.Cen al C mmands ope a i n Plan (oPLAN)

1002-90, he la es in a se ies U.S. wa plans de ense he gul egi n, guided he depl ymen .

Wi h he end he C ld Wa in 1989, he esul an shi in U.S. s a egic cus m gl bal wa egi nal c nfic , and he eme gence I aq as he

p eeminen mili a y p we in he gul , Depa men De ense and CENtCoM planne s had based

1002-90 n a scena i in l ing a p en ial I aqia ack d wn he A abian Peninsula. the plan called

he depl ymen Ame ican na al, ai , andg und ces de e c un e a ack an I aqiin asi n Saudi A abia.

ope a i n Dese Shield, as he depl ymen Saudi A abia was called, un lded in w phases.the s a de ensi e phaselas ed h ugh 31oc be 1990. the sec ndp epa a i n an

ensi elas ed m 1 N embe 1990 16Janua y 1991. the nex day Cen al C mmandlaunched ope a i n Dese S m push I aqi

ces u Kuwai . t ge he hese pe a i ns

became kn wn as he Gul Wa .Like he tanke Wa , c mmand and c n l

na al pe a i ns du ing he Gul Wa p edp blema ic. Al h ugh he Sec e a y De ensehad ied es l e Paci c C mmands b unda ydispu e by eassigning he Gul s Aden andoman CENtCoMs a ea esp nsibili y n

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26 June 1989, n hing had changed in he Na ysganiza i n a i ude wi h ega d Cen al

C mmand. on he e e he in asi n Kuwai ,CoMUSNAvCENt, rea Admi al (Selec )r be Su n, was s ill juni he h ee-s ac mmande s Cen al C mmands he se icec mp nen s. F a la ge-scale pe a i n like Dese Shield, na al leade s s ill expec ed Paci c C mmand supply an admi al lead na al pe a i ns in

supp Cen al C mmand, a he han as ac mp nen Cen al C mmand. As a esul his a i ude, h ee-s a ce s m he hese ices had played maj les in he s a w k andexe cises de el p oPLAN 1002-90, bu he Na yhad p ided n such inpu .

once again, he Depa men De enseb ke ed a c mp mise. the c mmande Paci cC mmands Se en h Flee , vice Admi al Hen y H.Mauz J ., was designa ed CoMUSNAvCENt undeGene al H. N man Schwa zk p J ., CENtCoMsc mmande in chie . Su n emained in Hawaii

unde he i le CoMUSNAvCENt Pea l Ha band e ained esp nsibili y seali c dina i n,l gis ics, and pe s nnel supp h ugh u heGul Wa . rea Admi al William F ga y, wh hadbeen c mmande J in task F ce Middle Eas nhe e e he I aqi in asi n, became C mmandeMiddle Eas F ce. While he he c mp nen

c mmande s es ablished wa d headqua e s a riyadh, Saudi A abia, wi h Gene al Schwa zk p ,Admi al Mauz decided exe cise c mmand mhe Se en h Flee fagship Blue Ridge(LCC 19).

Admi al Mauz assigned ela i ely juni na alce s j in du ies wi hin Cen al C mmand.

F liais n du y wi h CENtCoM headqua e s,he c ea ed he bille NAvCENt riyadh, which he app in ed rea Admi al tim hy W.

W igh . F liais n du y wi h Ai F ce Lieu enan Gene al Cha les H ne, he Ai F ce c mp nen c mmande and J in F ce Ai C mp nen C mmande (JFACC), Admi al Mauz assigned ag up ce s designa ed he Flee C dina ingG up and led by a Na y cap ain. Al h ugh hese

c mmand a angemen s

efec ed he Na ysadi i n independence,he c mmi men ela i ely juni ce s CENtCoMs

j in eam and helack a p minen le in p ewa j in

planning and exe cisings ained NAvCENtsela i nships wi h he

he c mp nen s andadded undue di cul ies he c nduc j in pe a i ns, pa icula lyin adjus ing he ai

c mp nen c mmande s Ai tasking o de (Ato)sys em figh pe a i ns managemen . the ac ha he daily Ato i sel had be f wn u he ca ie s ins ead ansmi ed elec nicallysymb lized he Na ys j in ganiza i nal andpe a i nal p blems du ing Dese Shield and

Dese S m.F una ely, hese p blems c ea ed nly min

bumps n he ad ic y. Ame ican ces begana i ing in Saudi A abia n 7 Augus . In gene al,S ldie s, Ma ines, Ai men, and Na y rese is seached he hea e by ai , while m e han 90pe cen hei equipmen and supplies came by sea.

The cruiser Bunke Hill (CG 52) launches a Tomahawk land attack missile (TLAM) toward a target in Iraq, January 1991. Operation Desert Storm marked the TLAMs combat debut. The destroyer PaulF. F s e (DD 964) steams at right

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F m mid-Augus ea ly Sep embe , na al cesaf a and ash e made up he bulk allied mili a yp we acing Saddam Hussein. on 15 Augus , hes h ee ships Ma i ime P ep si i ning Ship

Squad n tw eached he Saudi p Jubayl.MPSroN-2 ca ied he equipmen and 30 days supplies he 7 h Ma ine Expedi i na y B igade.the Ma ines, wh had begun a i e a Jubayls aiacili ies n he 14 h, ma ied up wi h hei ship-deli e ed equipmen and s d eady c mba 11 days la e . By 1 Sep embe , U.S. na al ces inhe A abian Gul , N h A abian Sea, and red Seaincluded h ee ca ie s, ne ba leship, six c uise s,e des ye s, and eigh iga es.

Allied na i ns als depl yed ships and ai c a pp se I aqs agg essi n. E en ually, na al

ces m A gen ina, Aus alia, Belgium,Canada, Denma k, F ance, Ge many,G eece, I aly, Kuwai , he Ne he lands,N way, P land, P ugal, Spain, heS ie Uni n, and he Uni ed Kingd mpa icipa ed in ne way an he inDese Shield, Dese S m, and hea e ma h he wa .

Admi al Mauz s n ealized he w uldha e pe a e ca ie s in he A abianGul i he Na y we e c n ibu e

e ec i ely he wa. Success ul la eC ld Wa expe imen s place ca ie sin c n ned wa e s like h se su undinghe N wegian j ds and he Aleu ian,Aegean, and Japanese islands sugges ed ha ai c a ca ie s c uld, in ac , c nduc sa e pe a i nsin shall w wa e s cl se land. By Mauzs de ,he Independenceba le g up ansi ed he S ai H muz n 2 oc be and p ed ha figh pe a i ns we e easible in he gul . F m hen n,he ques i n was n whe he ca ie s c uld pe a e

in he gul , bu h w many.Du ing he s phase Dese Shield, ships

pe a ed by Mili a y Seali C mmand deli e ed1,034,900 ns equipmen , 135,100 ns supplies, and 1,800,000 ns pe leum p duc s he A abian Gul egi n. o he 173 ships

in l ed, 124 we e U.S.-fag essels, and hese

acc un ed 85 pe cen he nnage. E enh ugh Phase I ended mally n 5 Decembe ,i ually all CENtCoMs planned equi emen shad been sa is ed by 11 N embe. A he sameime, he Uni ed S a es depl yed m e han 60na al essels, 1,000 g und-based ai c a , and240,000 mili a y men and w men he hea e .on 1 N embe Gene al C lin P well, chai man he J in Chie s S a , ep ed he P esiden ha Gene al Schwa zk p had he c mba capabili y in place, in he egi n, success ullyde end agains any I aqi a ack.

Saddams nega i e esp nses U.N. p li icalini ia i es du ing he all 1990 made i inc easinglyclea ha an ensi e pe a i n w uld be necessa y

d i e I aqi ces m Kuwai . In Augus , AiF ce and CENtCoM planne s w ked up hes d a a plan a u -phase ai , land, and

sea campaign ejec I aqi ces m Kuwai ,c de-named Dese S m. on 31 oc be, P esiden Bush decided depl y an addi i nal 200,000 Sail s,S ldie s, Ai men, and Ma ines he hea e .

M s U.S. ai and na al ces depl yed du ingPhase II a i ed in he hea e by mid-Janua y. Asin Phase I, pe ple came la gely by ai and ca g bysea. Du ing Phase II, 220 MSC-c n lled shipsdeli e ed 1,270,300 sh ns equipmen ,235,400 m e han in he ea lie e . the404,700 ns supplies deli e ed in Phase II alm s

Lieutenant Commander Mark Fox, the rst coalition pilot to shoot down an Iraqi MiG, in the cockpit o the F/A-18C Hornet he few during the mission.

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ipled ha Phase I. Finally, MSC deli e ed hea e ces 3,500,000 sh ns uel,

1,700,000 m e han in Phase I. While me chan men deli e ed supplies and

equipmen , c mba an s p epa ed wa . on 1Decembe 1990, vice Admi al S anley A hubecame CoMUSNAvCENt in a u ine u n e .

Admi al A hu di ided he ca ie ba le g upsin w ba le ces, designa ed Zulu and Yankee,which pe a ed espec i ely in he A abian Gul andred Sea. Na al ai wings ehea sed s ike pe a i nsa Fall n, Ne ada, be e depa ing he hea e .Ba le F ce Yankee c nduc ed mi -images ike exe cises wi h Ai F ce uni s. o he na aluni s c nduc ed c mba sea ch and escue, su acewa a e, an iai wa a e, gun e supp , amphibi uslanding, and a wide a ie y he exe cises.

E en as c ali i n ces p epa ed wa , he

allies s ugh a peace ul exi he I aqi a my inKuwai . Bu a e Saddam e used wi hd aw, hec ali i n launched ope a i n Dese S m n 17Janua y 1991.

A ha ime, I aq elded he w lds u hla ges a my and six h la ges ai ce. I aqi g und

ces in he Kuwai i thea e ope a i ns

numbe ed 43 di isi ns. twen y- e hem ccupiedw maj de ensi e bel s al ng he Kuwai i-Saudib de . the emaining 18 di isi ns s d by inese e, including eigh republican Gua d di isi nsp si i ned n h and wes Kuwai . the I aqi na ys165 essels, including 13 missile b a s, we e si ing inp pe a ing al ng he Kuwai i c as . I aqs ai

ce numbe ed app xima ely 950 ai c a .on he c ali i n side, se en U.S. A my di isi ns,w Ma ine C ps di isi ns, a B i ish a m eddi isi n, a F ench ligh a m ed di isi n, and heequi alen u A ab di isi ns s d eady ac i n. M e han 2,400 xed-wing ai c a m12 c ali i n c un ies few m bases and ai c a ca ie s h ugh u he hea e and a und hew ld. In all, m e han 600,000 men and w men

m 31 na i ns p epa ed libe a e Kuwai .the c ali i n na al a mada numbe ed m e

han 150 ships m 14 na i ns. the Uni ed S a esNa y c n ibu ed 108 hese ships, including eca ie ba le g ups, w ba leships, 13 subma ines,and he la ges amphibi us ce mus e ed since heK ean Wa , ca ying nea ly 17,000 Ma ines. theJohn F. Kennedy (Cv 67), Saratoga (Cv 60), and

America (Cv 66) ba le g ups pe a ed in he red

Two A-7 Corsair II jets loaded with cluster bombs and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles streak toward a target in Iraq, 1 February 1991.The Navy retired its last A-7s in May 1991.

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Sea while he Ranger (Cv 61) and Midway (Cv41) ba le g ups s eamed in he A abian Gul . theTheodore Roosevelt (CvN 71) ba le g up a i edn s a i n in he gul in Janua y 1991. the Americaba le g up unded he A abian Peninsula inFeb ua y, b inging he numbe ca ie s pe a ingin he gul u . the na al a ay als ea u edspecial wa a e ces, na al c ns uc i n ba ali ns,medical uni s, ca g handle s, l gis ics ships andai c a , expl si e dnance disp sal (EoD) uni s,mine c un e measu es (MCM) ships, sal age andepai uni s, and ha b de ense ces.

CENtCoMs u -phase hea e campaignplan ope a i n Dese S m s ugh expelhe I aqi a my ccupa i n m Kuwai and des y I aqs ensi e capabili ies p e en u u e

agg essi n. Phase I was a s a egic ai campaign aimeda ende ing I aqi ces blind, dea , and imm bile,while lea ing he basic ec n mic and indus ialin as uc u e he c un y in ac . In Phase II, allied

ces w uld es ablish ai supe i i y in he Kuwai ithea e ope a i ns. In Phase III, ai and na alp we w uld p epa e he ba le eld by is la ing andeducing enemy ces in he hea e . Phases IIII he hea e plans a egic a ack, ai sup emacy, andba le eld p epa a i nmade up he ai campaign. I Saddam e used capi ula e du ing Phases IIII, hec ali i n w uld launch Phase Iv, a g und ensi eaimed a ejec ing he I aqis m Kuwai .

Na al ces had w p ima y missi ns in Dese S m: supp he ai campaign and c n inceSaddam ha he allies in ended launch anamphibi us assaul n his le fank. U.S. leade shad c nside ed making a Na y-Ma ine amphibi uslanding in Kuwai s u he n I aq in supp he main g und h us , bu s a s udies and

simula i ns un in he all 1990 aised he spec e hea y casual ies in he ace enemy beachde enses and sea mine elds. the e e, Gene alSchwa zk p ne e se i usly c nside ed a maj

U.S. Marines roll into Kuwait International Airport in light armored vehicles, 27 February 1991. T S g t

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amphibi us landing n he I aqi-held sh e. Bu a he han disemba k he amphibi us ces, heused hem decep i n pe a i ns.

the t mahawk Land A ack Missile (tLAM)made i s c mba debu du ing he s wa e c ali i n a acks. the t mahawk was a l ng angec uise missile, launched by su ace ships andsubma ines a a ge s n land. the missiles few

a l w al i udes a high subs nic speeds, guidede e asi e u es by di e en na iga i n sys ems.va ian s c uld ca y 1,000-p und high-expl si e,b mble -dispensing, nuclea , and he kinds wa heads. Na y su ace ships and subma inessuccess ully launched 122 tLAMs n he s dayand 282 h ugh u he c u se he wa . these

weap ns s uck a ge s wi h ema kableaccu acy hund eds miles m he seain hea ily de ended Baghdad wi h u isking he li e a single na al a ia .t mahawks added a new dimensi n he adi i nal Na y missi n

p jec ing p we ash e.In he s ew days Dese

S m, c ali i n ai ces w n aisupe i i y and agmen ed Saddamss a egic ai de enses and c mmand,c n l, and c mmunica i ns ne w k.F he es Janua y he c ali i ncused he bulk i s ai p we

agains s a egic a ge s. on 27 Janua y,Schwa zk p ann unced ha he

c ali i n had w n ai sup emacy eI aq and Kuwai . I aqi ai de ensese ained he abili y eac piecemeal allied s ikes bu c uld n l nge

c dina e de ensi e ac i ns.In he ea ly e ening 29 Janua y

1991, I aqi a m and mechanizedin an y in eas e n and s u he nKuwai a acked U.S. Ma ine and A abc ali i n uni s al ng he Kuwai i-SaudiA abian b de . A he same ime, I aqi

c mmand s emba ked in 15 small pa lb a s s ied s u h al ng he c as wi hde s in l a e and c ea e ha c in

he c ali i ns ea . Saddam s ugh p ke amaj g und engagemen , h ping infic s manycasual ies n Ame ican ces ha c ng essi naland public pini n w uld u n agains he wa . theI aqis achie ed ac ical su p ise and ccupied heSaudi A abian il and es wn Kha ji, wh sep pula i n had been e acua ed l ng be e becausehe wn lay wi hin ange I aqi a ille y in Kuwai .

C ali i n xed-wing and a y-wing ai c a s uck back ha d, decima ing he a acking I aqic lumns, p e en ing ein cemen engaged I aqiuni s n land, and sinking sca e ing all heI aqi pa l b a s. By he ime he ba le ended n2 Feb ua y, he c ali i n had ced elemen s wI aqi di isi ns e ea in disa ay back Kuwai ,

An Iraqi patrol boat lies dead in the water a ter a Sea Skua missile attack by aBritish Lynx helicopter based on the destroyer HMSGl uces e (D 96).

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des yed s me 600 enemy ehicles, and ec e edall l s e i y wi h minimal iendly l sses. Kha jiwas he nly maj I aqi ensi e he wa andi s u c me dem ns a ed he imp ence I aqsa my in he ace c ali i n ai p we .

Al h ugh Phase I pe a i ns c n inuedh ugh u he wa, by ea ly Feb ua y he weigh he allied ai a ack had shi ed m s a egica ge s in I aq Phase III a ge sI aqi g undcesin he Kuwai i thea e ope a i ns. F m

Schwa zk p s pe spec i e, his phase was in ended s en up enemy g und ces in p epa a i n

Phase Iv, he g und ensi e. the plan he nalassaul en isi ned he main a ack as a le h kby a m -hea y ces wheeling a und he enemyigh fank, cu ing I aqi ces in Kuwai , and

des ying he republican Gua d. the amphibi usdecep i n pe a i ns we e designed di e I aqia en i n m he main h us and pin I aqi uni s he c as . Supp ing a acks by he I Ma ine

Expedi i na y F ce (MEF) and A ab uni s al nghe Kuwai i-Saudi b de w uld x and des yI aqi ces in Kuwai .

Na y and Ma ine C ps a ia i n p ed essen ial he success he 43-day ai campaign, du ing

which allied ai ces few m e han 100,000s ies a an a e age 2,500 s ies pe day. the 600ai c a c n ibu ed by he na al se ices acc un ed

28 pe cen he c ali i ns 2,300-plane a madaand few an a e age 650 s ies pe day.

While na al a ia i n did i s pa disman leI aqs wa machine, Admi al A hu ca ied u his missi n c n incing Saddam ha he alliesin ended launch an amphibi us assaul n I aqsle fank. t pull his decep i n, A hu planneda w -s age ma i ime campaign: es ablish sea andai c n l in he n he n gul , and hen c nduc insh e pe a i ns in he n he n gul .

the s s age in l ed clea ing a pa h he

c as Kuwai al ng Saddams seawa d fank. thebs acles included he I aqi na y and enemy psp s ed n il pla ms and islands in he n he ngul . rea Admi al r nald J. Zla pe , C mmandeCa ie G up Se en and an isu ace wa a ec mmande in he gul , de ised an agg essi e llback c ncep neu alize I aqi na al essels

Oil well res rage outside Kuwait City in the a termath o Operation Desert Storm, 21 March 1991. Iraqi orces torched the wells be orecoalition orces drove them rom Kuwait.

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p si i ns ash e while he amphibi us ask ceeigned assaul s and c nduc ed aids. task G up151.11, c nsis ing amphibi us ship Tripoli (LPH10), ba leships Wisconsin(BB 64) and Missouri(BB 63), 13 U.S., B i ish, and Saudi MCM essels,and 15 U.S. and B i ish c uise s, des ye s, iga es,and supp ships, s eamed in he n he n gul n13 Feb ua y.

Mine c un e measu es pe a i ns c mmencedh ee days la e . U.S. ces c nsis ed henewly c mmissi ned minehun e Avenger (MCM1), h ee 40-yea - ld minesweepe s, and sixMH-53E helic p e s based n Tripoli. the r yalNa y depl yed e Hun -class essels, he m s s phis ica ed minehun e ships in he w ld.

Since ea ly all NAvCENt had been ecei ing

ep s ha he I aqis we e placing mines in Kuwai iand n he n gul wa e s. Un una ely, he Na yc uld d li le m ni he si ua i n becauseGene al Schwa zk p had p hibi ed allied ai c a

m fying n h 2745' n h la i ude and na alces m s eaming n h 2730' n h la i ude,

ea ing ha ec nnaissance pe a i ns cl se ccupied Kuwai migh igge a wa p ema u ely.As a esul , allied na al ces c uld nly guess a hel ca i n I aqi mine elds. the ini ial in elligenceassessmen , based n limi ed in ma i n, led he

MCM s a belie e ha he mine elds lay muchcl se he c as han hey ac ually did.the MCM ships began pe a i ns a a p in

hey belie ed be u side he I aqi mine elds, bu hey ac ually passed h ugh he main mine eldsbe e u ning n hei equipmen . thei ini ialmissi n was clea a 15-mile-l ng, 1,000-ya d-wide ansi lane and a 10-mile by 3.5-mile esupp a ea s u h Failaka Island, in p epa a i n

an amphibi us aid he e.on 18 Feb ua y, Tripoli and he c uise Princeton

(CG 59) b h s uck mines. N ne died as aesul , bu b h ships ecei ed ex ensi e damage.Ne e heless, he c ali i n g ela i ely ligh lyin Saddams mine elds. P i he mine s ikes,se e al di e en allied wa ships had als beenpe a ing unkn wingly in mined wa e s. And i Tripoli and Princetonhad n s uck mines, he es task

G up 151.11 w uld ha e s eamed wes wa d inmine-in es ed wa e s. F una ely, many he I aqimines had been imp pe ly depl yed, ende ingmany hem ine ec i e. Ne e heless, he ecen lydisc e ed mine elds led Schwa zk p cancel heFailaka Island aid and ein ced his decisi n n launch a maj amphibi us assaul .

A e leading he es task G up 151.11eas mined wa e s, he MCM g up esumedchannel-clea ing pe a i ns m a p in a he u sea, bey nd he mine elds, and w ked wes wa d.

By he e ening 23 Feb ua y, he MCM g uphad clea ed a na w, 1,0002,000-ya d-wide, 31-mile-l ng swa h wa e , enabling Missouri, he ask g ups new fagship, c mmence b mba dmen enemy p si i ns ash e. F m 24 28 Feb ua y,

MCM ces w ked clea a channel heKuwai i p Ash Shuaybah.Despi e he ac ha Phase III ai pe a i ns

we e s eadily educing he c mba p en ial heI aqi a my, Saddam sh wed n sign capi ula i n.Gene al Schwa zk p launched he g und ensi en 24 Feb ua y.

on he e e he nal assaul , c ali i n cess d al ng a line s e ching 300 miles wes mhe A abian Gul in he dese , a ayed in umaj ma i ns. the A mys XvIII Ai b ne

C ps and vII C ps held he wes e nm s p si i nand w uld launch he main a ack. the J in F cesC mmand-N h, c nsis ing Egyp ian, Sy ian,Saudi, and Kuwai i ces, ccupied he cen e he line. t hei igh s d he I MEF p ised d i e in he hea Kuwai . the J in F cesC mmand-Eas , c nsis ing uni s m all sixGCC s a es (Bah ain, Kuwai , oman, Qa a , SaudiA abia, and he Uni ed A ab Emi a es) anch ed hec ali i n line n he c as . ou in he A abian Gul ,he 4 h and 5 h Ma ine Expedi i na y B igades

emained emba ked in he 31 ships Amphibi usG ups tw and th ee, eady launch eignlandings as necessa y.

A 0800 n 23 Feb ua y, Wisconsinc mmencedshelling a ge s in Kuwai jus n h he b de supp he J in F ces C mmand-Eas , which

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p jec iles ained d wn n I aqi a ille y andin an y p si i ns, ammuni i n s age acili ies,and l gis ics si es. A 2315, Missouri began shellingFailaka Island c ea e he imp essi n ha a ull-scale landing was c ming in de eeze I aqim bile ese es in p si i n. tha same nigh , SEALsc ea ed a simila imp essi n wi h a m ck a ack nhe Kuwai i c as nea Mina Saud.

the g und assaul libe a e Kuwai begana 0400 n 24 Feb ua y. I MEF h us di ec lywa d i s ul ima e bjec i e, he al-Mu la Pass

and he ads leading m Kuwai Ci y. o e henex u days, he Ma ines b eached b h I aqide ensi e bel s in Kuwai , ugh hei way h ughp cke s s i enemy esis ance, and ended se e al a m ed c un e a acks n hei d i e n h.

the A mys XvIII and vII C ps execu ed heimassi e en el pmen maneu e , umbling n hin I aq hen eas a ack he republican Gua duni s a ayed n h Kuwai . By 0800 n 28Feb ua y, A my uni s had w n se e al e ce ank ba les and had eached a p si i n 30 miles wes Bas a. Meanwhile, A ab ces he J in F cesC mmandsN h and Eas had secu ed m s hei bjec i es in Kuwai and had libe a ed heKuwai i capi al.

Cen al C mmand dedica ed nume us ai c a

s ies supp he g und ensi e. Al h ughn U.S. Na y n n-U.S. c ali i n xed-wingai c a pa icipa ed in cl se ai supp , heydid fy in e dic i n missi ns du ing he g undcampaign. A s , in e dic i n missi ns aimed a dis up ing c un e a acks n allied g und ces.La e , he cus shi ed des uc i n a feeingenemy. By he end he s 48 h u s, he n lines had m ed s a n h ha Na y pil sshi ed hei a acks I aqi ces n h Kuwai Ci y. Ai c a m Ba le F ce Zulu als s uck

a ge s n Failaka Island supp amphibi usdecep i n pe a i ns.

on 25 Feb ua y, he amphibi us ask cec nduc ed a ake amphibi us landing jus n h he Kuwai i p Ash Shuaybah, in l ing gun em he ba leship Missouri, a ein by helic p e s he 13 h Ma ine Expedi i na y Uni (MEU),

and cha ges de na ed by SEALs al ng he beach.A 0452, an I aqi Silkw m ba e y nea al-Fin ased w missiles a he b mba dmen g up. one he Silkw ms splashed d wn nea Missouri,

p ssibly alling sh because c un e measu esaken by he ships. the B i ish des ye Gloucester sh d wn he sec nd Silkw m wi h w Sea Da missiles. Na al ai ces des yed he Silkw mlaunch si e. the nex m ning, helic p e s mamphibi us ships Nassau (LHA 4), Guam (LPH 9),and Iwo Jima (LPH 2) made ein s wa d Bubiyanand Failaka islands. the amphibi us decep i npe a i ns w ked. Cen al C mmand la ees ima ed ha he pe a i ns pinned d wn 70,00080,000 I aqi psm e han six di isi ns.

By dayb eak n 27 Feb ua y, I MEF had secu ed

all i s bjec i es. Lea he necks c ns lida ed heip si i ns and began m p up he las p cke s enemy esis ance. o ganized I aqi ac i n wi hinKuwai Ci y ceased. A ab ces passed h ughMa ine lines libe a e Kuwai Ci y. P esiden Bush de ed he cessa i n ensi e pe a i nsa 0800 n 28 Feb ua y 1991 (A abian Gul ime)100 h u s a e he nal assaul had begun.

C ali i n ces ceased ensi e mili a ype a i ns a he app in ed h u bu s d by esume gh ing i necessa y. Cen al C mmand and

he De ense In elligence Agency assessed 33 I aqidi isi ns as c mba ine ec i e. M s I aqi a my uni shad su ende ed, had been des yed, had fed. U.S.l sses we e mi acul usly ew. In all, be ween 3 Augus 1990 and 15 Decembe 1991, he Uni ed S a es l s 313 dead as a esul ope a i ns Dese Shield andDese S m. o hese, he Na y l s 56 Sail s. Ine u n hei sac i ce, he c ali i n had w n ne he m s decisi e ic ies in mili a y his y.

Dese Shield and Dese S m we e pi alpe a i ns in he his y Na al F ces Cen al

C mmand. N nly did na al ces play a decisi ele in he c ali i ns ic y, bu he Gul Wa

accele a ed he Na ys ansi i n m a C ld Wa ,blue-wa e cus a p s -C ld Wa li al cus,c n inced he Na y bec me a be e playe in he

j in a ena, and ea med he Na ys c mmi men he A abian Gul egi n.


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enforCIng the PeACe

SADDAM HUSSEIN WorKED EXtENSIvELY e ade he ec n mic sanc i ns and

mili a y es ic i ns imp sed n his egime by he U.N. c ali i n a e Dese S m.

vi lence e up ed pe i dically as he Uni ed S a es implemen ed i s p licy c n ain and

disa m his egime. Na al F ces Cen al C mmand played a key le in en cing he peace.

In Ma ch 1991, Ku ds in n he n I aq andShii es in he s u h ebelled agains he Baa his g e nmen . the e l e ealed he ha ed Saddam ha yea s ep essi n, u e, andmu de had buil up am ng I aqs Shii es and Ku ds.

the up ising

c n n ed he egimewi h he m s se i usin e nal challenge i had e e aced. F aime he ebels seemed be winning. Ku dish

gue illas gained c n l h ee n he n

p inces and heimp an il cen e Ki kuk, while ebelli n

sp ead h ugh all he maj Shii e ci iesand wns he s u h,including Bas a and heh ly ci ies Naja andKa bala. Ang y I aqis ldie s e u ning mhe debacle in Kuwai k pa in he ebelli n.

Saddam Husseine alia ed by infic ing

massi e a ci ies nhis pe ple. En ugh I aqi hea y equipmen hadsu i ed Dese S m equip se en ninedi isi ns, and s me wen y I aqi di isi ns had n seen c mba du ing he wa. Al h ugh I aqs a myhad been i ually imp en agains Wes e n ces,hese emnan s c ushed he ligh ly a med Ku ds

anchor of resolve

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