Arabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf D+15 (24 July, 1987) Part I

0015- The 328th Guards Airborne Regiment surrenders. In accordance with the agreement reached between the US and Soviet commanders, the Soviet paratroopers will be processed and interned as prisoners of war. US troops will be solely responsible for the welfare of the prisoners. CENTCOM has issued strict orders forbidding the Saudis from taking any role …

Arabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf D+14 (23 July, 1987) Part III

1145- The eastern prong of the Iraqi advance south is halted by US Marines outside of Khafji. Casualties are heavy for the attacking force and the surviving Iraqi troops and equipment start pulling back towards the border with elements of 1/7 Marines in pursuit. Reconnaissance flights, and reports from USMC Force Recon teams on the …

Arabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf D+13 (22 July, 1987) Part II

The Soviet effort to resupply the 328th Guards Airborne Regiment did not end well. Of the fifteen Il-76 Candid transport aircraft launched from Al Taqaddum just eight survived the wave of US and Saudi fighters, and SAMs to drop their pallets filled with equipment, ammunition, food, and other supplies. Unfortunately for the Soviet paratroopers on …

Arabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf D+13 (22 July, 1987) Part I

0000- Midnight came, heralding the start of D+13 on the Arabian Peninsula. In Kuwait, Iraqi forces continued to consolidate the gains made in the previous twenty hours. The battle for Kuwait was essentially over. Organized Kuwaiti resistance had come to a halt and surviving military units crossed into Saudi Arabia. A handful of Kuwaiti troops …

Arabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf D+12 (21 July, 1987) Part IV

0430-0545- A short period of time emerged when the airspace around Dhahran was void of US and Saudi fighters. When it became clear what was transpiring, Dhahran-based fighters still airborne were ordered to recover at Al Kharj, or sent to the air refueling tracks to hit the tankers and chase after the Soviet transport aircraft …

Arabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf D+11 (20 July, 1987) Part II

Meetings between Soviet diplomats and senior Iraqi government officials lasted through the morning. Around the noon hour military officials from both nations joined the discussions. Saddam Hussein was gradually coming around though it was unclear if this was the result of his own realizations, or from the evolving iron fist in a velvet glove approach …

Arabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf D+11 (20 July, 1987) Part I

Author’s Note: Apologies for breaking this post up into parts. I’m out of town for a day or two and writing time is limited. I’ll wrap this up on Saturday evening. Again, I’m very sorry.   As dawn approached it was evident to all Soviet diplomats and military officers presently in Iraq that Saddam’s much …

Arabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf D+10 (19 July, 1987)

Saddam Hussein was a leader who had built his power from opportunities presented by chaotic, unpredictable situations. As global tensions rose in late June and early July of 1987, Hussein was already looking to use it to his advantage. The attention of the United States and Soviet Union was diverted away from the Middle East …