1991 Gulf War

When my enlistment expired from the United States Navy in August of 1989, my intention was to attend the University of Tennessee at Martin and join the Tennessee Army National Guard to fulfill my 8-year obligation. I have served four years active duty and was stationed for a little over three years at Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. The Navy was not what I wanted to do but wisely, I had entered into the Montgomery G.I. Bill upon enlistment and the money would be very useful when I began college full time in August of 1989.
After some help from then Senator Albert Gore, Jr, I was transferred from the US Navy inactive reserve to the Tennessee Army National Guard and joined the 1174th Transportation Company in Dresden. I knew very little about the Army and had to be tutored about Army uniform regulations, drill and ceremony and customs. I quickly picked up on the changes. Not long being in the Guard, I went to the rifle range, I was given a M-16 assault rifle and the bolt. I asked if I needed the bolt? The armor had a surprised look on his face and asked me if I ever fired the rifle in basic. I explained, that I was in the Navy and only fired the .45 and .38 caliber handguns. And if Infantry type work was needed, Marines would do it. I was given about two minutes instruction, placed the bolt in the weapon and explained which end was the danger part. I will have to say that currently, my Class A uniform, I proudly display the expert badge for the rifle and sharpshooter for the handgun.
In August of 1990, I was out running around town and having a good time and dropped in at a another friends house and to see the Iraqi Army overrunning neighboring Kuwait. Some one commented, that I would be going to war. In November of that year, his prediction came true. When the 1st Infantry Division was alerted for deployment to Saudi Arabia, my unit received the call. Just before Thanksgiving, we were in training at Ft. Campbell, KY.
In early January, my unit was flown to Saudi Arabia and within a week, we were deployed 30 miles south border of Kuwait. Our routines quickly became working on trucks, guard duty at night. At that time, most National Guard units (like mine) were not equipped with night vision. Guard duty was boring and the January nights were very cold.
During the early morning hours of January 17, 1991, I had was given a break from guard duty and laid down for a quick nap. Just fell asleep when the commander entered the tent and said the war had begun. During the night, we could hear faint explosions and jets in the air.
The air war continued, out mission continued, we hauled fuel for the 1st Infantry Division. Later, the entire 7th Corps was moved 70 miles of our positions in order to secretly attack the Iraqi positions from the west and not from the south, where they expected.
In late February, the ground war began, being on the wrecker, I was not assigned to one of the forward transport platoons, but I do recall being at the forward positions when the ground war began. I was under a truck, hooking up the truck for transport and could feel the ground shake from the bombing of the B-52 bombers.
The ground war only lasted 100 hours. Later, our company was re-united in northern Kuwait. Our camp was surrounded by oil well fires. There is no telling how much smoke and oil I inhaled those couple of weeks. When the 101st Airborne was re-deployed home, the 1st Infantry Division was ordered to secure the western flank and our unit was moved to southern Iraq. A few weeks in southern Iraq made the days go be longer without much to do. We did play volleyball every afternoon. And the summer heat was beginning to show.
The unit received order to redeploy to home station, we move back to Saudi Arabia and then to King Faud Airport. We spent a few days washing trucks and equipment and lived in a parking garage. Our unit was unable to be all together on the same plane home. Married soldiers, solders with health problems were allowed to go home first. I was on the second flight and went home about a week later.
The 1174th Transportation Company hauled over 13 million gallons of fuel and logged almost 1 million truck miles in support of combat operations for the 1st Infantry Division. We suffered no KIA or WIA. However, the unit did have two soldiers MIA for a couple of days.