DESERT STORM CHRONOLOGY

                                               1991


        16 Jan            At 1900 (EST), White House announced that "the liberation of Kuwait has
                                begun!" The offensive action against Iraq, codenamed OPERATION
                                DESERT STORM, is being carried out under provisions of twelve
                                U.N. Security Council resolutions and resolutions of both houses of
                                the U.S. Congress.
                          Following President Bush's address to the nation, SECDEF Dick Cheney and
                                CJCS General Colin Powell announce at.Pentagon briefing hundreds of
                                U.S./coalition airstrikes on missile and anti-aircraft targets in Iraq and
                                Kuwait to "destroy Sad dam Hussein's offensive military capabilities";
                                Cheney reports "initial attack appears to have gone very, very well"; no
                                casualty reports provided.

        17 Jan            DOD announces that over 100 TOMAHAWK cruise missiles were launched at
                                pre-programmed targets by 9 U.S. Navy ships in the Arabian Gulf and
                                Red Sea. USS SAN JACINTO (CG 56) fired the first TOMAHAWK
                                missile from the Red Sea between 0100-0200 Gulf Time; moments later,
                                USS BUNKER HILL (CG-52) fired the first TOMAHAWK missile from
                                the Arabian Gulf. Then, over 1,000 aircraft sorties (E2-Cs/AWACs-con-
                                trolled) were flown by A-6s, A-7s, AV-8s, A-lOs, B-52s, EA-6Bs, EF-
                                ills, F-4s, F-14s, F-15s, F-16s, F/A-18s, F-Ills, F-ll7As, AH-64s,
                                Saudi/British Tornados, French Jaguars, Kuwaiti A-4s.
                          The Navy launched 228 combat sorties on the first day of OPERATION
                                DESERT STORM from six aircraft carriers in the Red Sea and Arabian
                                Gulf.
                          CJCS GENERAL Colin Powell reports TOMAHAWK cruise missiles "were ex-
                                tremely effective" (against precision targets where Iraqi air defenses
                                threatened manned aircraft); of all sorties, 80% were effective, 20% in-
                                effective due to mechanical/weather problems; Iraqi SCUD missile
                                fixed-sites destroyed, targeting SCUD launchers; Iraqi planes destroyed,
                                but "Iraqi Air Force is still intact"; U.S. engaged in air-to-air battles With
                                Iraqi aircraft; Iraq fired multiple SAMs and anti-aircraft artillery, little
 a                              or no effect; Iraqi elite Republican Guard units attacked in Iraq and
                                Kuwait; did not target President Hussein, focused on disrupting/destroy-
                                ing command/control network.
                          An F/A-18 is shot down, the first Navy aircraft loss in combat. The F/A-18
                                aewman, LCDR Michael Speicher of USS SARATOGA's Strike Fighter
                                Squadron 81, is listed as missing.


                                                 A-15

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