13Feb              At D+ 28, DOD announces that the 24-hour air campaign continues with
                          67,000 sorties flown (2,800 today) focusing on battlefield preparation
                          (700+ sorties), the Republican Guards (200 sorties), counter-SCUD
                          strikes (170 sorties), and restrikes on selected strategic targets (missile
                          propellant plants, storage facitlities, air fields, and command and
                          control facilities).
                   Navy and Marine Corps aircraft have flown over 15,000 combat sorties
                          during OPERA~ON DESERT STORM.
                   USS AMERICA (CV-66) Carrier Battle Group transits Strait of Hormuz
                          enroute Arabian Gulf redeployment.
                   U.S. aircraft fire 2 laser-guided bombs on a Baghdad target in the residential
                          al-Amerieh district, labeled a camouflaged fortified command and
                          control bunker ("a legitimate military target") by DOD. Iraq claims
                          site was a bomb shelter inhabited by civilians, claims hundreds were
                          killed during the 0400 (local time) strike.
                   Naval aircraft destroyed an Exocet missile-capable Frelon helicopter on the
                          ground. U.S. aircraft destroy 4 Iraqi transport aircraft on the ground.
                   Navy aircraft are assisting in the Arabian Gulf oil clean-up by providing
                          information on the extent and movement of the spill.
                   Air campaign in Kuwait is complicated by smoke from over 50 oil field fires,
                          mainly in Al-Wafra area. DOD suspects Iraq is placing charges on
                          many wells to cloud battlefield and mask troop movements.
                   Marines again exchange sporadic border fire, continue patrols and counter-
                          reconnaissance deployments.
                   To-date, there have been 40 U.S. fatalities: 12 KIA, 28 Non-Combat Fatali-
                          ties; 10 Wia; 26 MIA (7 Navy, 2 USMC); 2 Missing; 8 POW.
                   U.S. troop strength is over 510,000(80,000+ Navy, 90,000+ USMC), other
                          coalition forces exceed 205,000.
                   U.S. has lost 28 aircraft (18 fixed-wing in combat, 3 fixed-wing in non-combat
                          mishaps, 7 helicopters lost in non-combat). Coalition has lost 10
                          aircraft. 40 Iraqi aircraft and 4 helos have been shot down in air-to-
                          air engagements with no U.S. losses. 136 Iraqi aircraft flown to Iran.
                   DOD announces 1,300 Iraqi tanks, 800 armored vehicles and 1,100 artillery
                          pieces have been destroyed in verified bomb dfamage assessments
                          (approximately one-third of the initial Iraqi inventory of 4,280 tanks,
                          1,870 APCs and 3,110 artillery pieces). Also, 25 Iraqi naval craft have
                          been sunk or damaged, and 66 mines destroyed.

14 Feb             DOD announces that 70,000 sorties have been flown (2,800 today). Air
                          campaign objectives remain unchanged with 24-hour focus on Repub-
                          lican Guards (200 sorties) and strikes in the KTO (800 sorties).
                   USN A-6s attacked and sank an Iraqi Osa patrol boat in Kuwait City Bay.
                          Naval forces continue mine countermeasures and maritime' intercep-
                          tion operations. U.S. aircraft destroy 2 SCUDs/equipment.
                   USS AMERICA Carrier Battle Group arrives in Arabian Gulf.
                   DOD states Iraq's "military situation is precarious."


                                           A-32

| Table of Contents | First Page | Prev Page | Next Page | Src Image |