European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 1, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                1 a a year of drama the Gulf Wah a a b-52 bomber retracts its Landing gear As it lifts off on a bombing  War High tech fury stuns Iraq As great showdown begins by Ron Jensen staff writer the Post Midnight darkness that enveloped Baghdad hid the approaching aircraft carrying War on their wings. When their fury descended on the sleeping City on Jan. 17, it began a conflict that would grip the world for the next six weeks. A the great showdown has begun a railed Saddam i Hussein on a radio address to his nation now besieged by the very showdown he had invited. A Pilot returned from the wars first strike to a report that the City in Central Iraq was a lit up like a Christmas  the pummelling would continue throughout the War. Radar Sites missile launchers Oil storage tanks command Headquarters foot soldiers massed in the desert a All were on the receiving end of the greatest combat air Armada in the history of warfare. Hundreds of sorties were flown daily from land bases and Navy carriers in the persian Gulf. From the North warplanes carried their deadly cargo out of Turkey depositing it on selected targets within Iraq. Iraq s response was pitiful. In the first few Days a handful of Allied coalition aircraft went Down victims of ground fire. Saddam s air Force was seen turning Tail and running and soon disappeared from the iraqi skies altogether. Some iraqi aircraft retreated to Iran where they remained for the wars duration. Others were spotted hunkered Down next to civilian Sites As Protection from the falling bombs survivors of the War but far from warriors. The response in fact was so weak there was fear among commanders that Allied pilots would become too lax. A fight complacency was a sign hanging on the Wall of the ready room aboard the aircraft Carrier Kennedy in the persian Gulf. A they need to guard against it a said the ship s commander. Cd Apt. John p. Gay five Days into the War. A Navy Pilot was asked if he was disappointed about not having enemy planes to Battle. A the ego in you says yes Quot he said. A the sanity in you says  another Pilot summed up iraqis landlocked air Force this Way a an air Force on the ground is no better than having a Bunch of  by the end of the first week of the persian Gulf War Allied aircraft had flown More than 12,000 sorties Over Iraq and Kuwait. Quot tonight after one week of Allied operations i am pleased to report that operation desert storm is right on schedule a president Bush said. Near the end of the wars second week the emphasis of the air bombardment shifted slightly from strategic targets to Battlefield preparation. Despite some predictions it appeared that the War would not be won strictly from the air. To soften the enemy for a possible ground offensive More sorties were directed at the iraqi troops in the desert. The attacks on the troop positions were As devastating As those on strategic targets. In one Day 25 iraqi tanks were listed As a a killed by military spokesmen. Other ground vehicles went up in smoke beneath the High flying Allied aircraft. Missing from the daily dispatches of the War was a body count. If the military knew How Many iraqi soldiers lie dead on the Battlefield As a result of the bombing it Wasny to saying. Gen. I. Norman Schwarzkopf stood fast on his edict that the effectiveness of the War would be measured in the number of vehicles guns and helicopters destroyed. Quot if i have anything to say about it we re not going to get into the body count business a the general said. On feb. 12, Bush said the air War would continue a for a  speculation was growing that it would give Way to a ground attack but Bush and Pentagon officials continued to express pleasure with the air War and assured America that there was no hurry. The ground War was necessary of course. On feb. 24. Coalition forces in thousands of vehicles rushed across the desert of Southern Iraq toward a confrontation with Saddam s army. There was furious fighting from some defenders. But the two week Battle expected by some ended in 100 hours As the bruised and battered iraqis softened by More than 100,000 sorties were unable or unwilling to mount much of a fight. Scud Missius ineffective weapon has some dumb Luck by Ron Jensen staff writer the pre War publicity Given the scud missile made it a monster of a weapon capable of carrying deadly Gas and explosives into the civilian population with the same tragic results As in iraqis War with Iran. All of the Mideast would be threatened. A Gas mask became a common accoutrement. Alerts were practice. Shelters were identified. When the scuds did come they received a fan continued on Page 12 a it the skies Over Baghdad erupt with anti aircraft fire As Allied warplanes struck targets in the City. Wednesday thursday january 1/2, 1992 the stars and stripes Page 9