The 5th Special Forces In Desert Storm Deployment Book

[bryang]

I consider myself to be very fortunate that I was able to find this on eBay this week.

 

This is a deployment book which was prepared for the 5th Special Forces Group after its redeployment from the first Gulf War in '91.

 

This means much to me because I was a member of the 2d battalion, 5th Group during the war, however when I returned I really didn't feel the need to be reminded of what I did via a book.

 

I didn't realize at that time that having this sort of keepsake would eventually mean so much to me. Its been 23 years, and I was very pleased to find it. I paid $60 for it and - while not cheap - I feel that this is worth every penny, as this will be something for me to pass on to my grandkids.

 

My wife flipped through it and pointed out a photo with me in it to our grandson!

 

 

I'm circled here. My buddy Joe (first guy standing on the left) introduced me to my wife.

 

[tarbridge]

Tough - Great book...Congrats on even locating one.Thanks for your service.

[Nkomo]

Great book, Bryan. I also have one and paid $50 for mine back in 1995, so $60 wasn't a bad price IMHO.

 

I bought mine off of George Marinos in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and he supposedly helped provide funds for this book to be printed. Not sure how true that story is, but I do know these books were not produced in large quantities.

[1SG_1st_Cav]

Nice score! You were responsible for helping to establish that history. I proudly salute you and say,

Hard Charger ~ Sir! Danny

[PriorityOne]

Very nice, love the picture!

[Ealbert]

Great photo....I recognize Dan Ross in the second row...one of the few guys that had a CIB (Vietnam) & a CMB after a long break in service...I use to always ask him questions about his time with RT Illinois....good guy - RIP

[raylemere]

great find and thats awesome your in it LOL! -ray

[bryang]

Great photo....I recognize Dan Ross in the second row...one of the few guys that had a CIB (Vietnam) & a CMB after a long break in service...I use to always ask him questions about his time with RT Illinois....good guy - RIP

 

Dan was an awesome guy. He was NCOIC of our Jump Battle Staff.

 

We accompanied the Egyptian ground forces into western Kuwait during the ground war, and drove north to Al Abrak. We spent the night there, while the USAF pounded the Iraqi Tawalkana Republican Guard division (about 30 or 40 miles north of us). The B-52 bombing was sustained and even from that distance, the roar of the bombs was deafening. The entire horizon was bright orange and pink. It was sobering, imagining the horror of having to be on the receiving end of this.

 

We were to push east towards Kuwait City early the following morning, and Dan was tasked to ensure we follow the best route through all of the Iraqi defenses and minefields.

 

Dan got me up as I was trying to catch some shut-eye in my vehicle - was about 2 am or so. He wanted me to go with him, and we got up another SF guy - Joe Garrett (the guy who introduced me to my wife).

 

Dan said that we'd take my vehicle and "reconnoiter" part of the eastward route. What we really wanted to do was hunt for a few souvenirs! True story! Dan told me that in Vietnam it was no big deal to simply grab a jeep and make a trip to Saigon, or whatever major community happened to be nearby, to grab a few beers and something to eat.

 

I drove the three of us a few miles - in a combat zone, alone and in the dark - to the east and we stopped when we came upon an Iraqi defensive site. A cluster of trenches and bunkers, which had been part of an Iraqi artillery battery. Dan, Joe and I took our weapons and quietly walked in the dark up to the bunker complex and found several AKs scattered upon the ground, as well as a small platter of rice.

 

The rice was still warm.

 

Iraqis had apparently scrammed when they saw our vehicle approach.

 

We looted the Iraqi bunkers to our heart's content! Came away with weapons, uniforms, berets and helmets, binoculars and a variety of other treasures. We made our way back to our assembly area in time to make the drive east, where we seized Ali Al Selem airfield.

 

We distributed some of the captured stuff we found among our guys. Of course, the ceasefire was called shortly after we took the airfield, and Kuwait City had been liberated. We then had a few days in which we all took advantage of the opportunity to pillage Iraqi fortifications, tanks and destroyed/abandoned vehicles for war trophies!

 

I'm sorry to hear of his passing.

 

 

Although somewhat grainy, here is a photo of (left to right) me, Joe Garrett and Dan Ross. This was taken up along the Kuwaiti border during the air campaign. We used to watch the B-52 striking Iraqi targets north of us ... generally flew in trios.

 

 

[Ealbert]

Thanks for sharing the info on Dan...I worked with him in Hawaii...I was 1 of 2 Rangers assigned to to the unit & Dan was unflappable...always calm in his demeanor...nothing at this point in his life was going to get him excited:)

[mattsmilitary]

Thanks for sharing the book and your great story!

[PriorityOne]

WOW, amazing story and picture, thanks for sharing!

[Combat Diver]

Bryan,

 

Glad you finally got a copy. I got mine after they were offered for sale. I was on the dive team in A/1/5. We conducted one of the deep SR missions in support of 7th Corps going into Iraq. Got pulled back after we got compromised and then went into Kuwait City.

 

 

CD

[firefighter]

Great book, Bryan. I also have one and paid $50 for mine back in 1995, so $60 wasn't a bad price IMHO.

 

I bought mine off of George Marinos in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and he supposedly helped provide funds for this book to be printed. Not sure how true that story is, but I do know these books were not produced in large quantities.

LOL. Small world.I got mine from George too.I love his museum, even though he downsized it a bit.Very nice guy.

[bryang]

LOL. Small world.I got mine from George too.I love his museum, even though he downsized it a bit.Very nice guy.

 

 

 

I didn't buy one when we returned from the war. At the time I was simply glad to be home again, and didn't really feel that I needed this sort of souvenir.

 

I didn't realize way back then what I know now: That this was a historic event I was part of and that I'd one day want such a keepsake that I could pass on to my family.

 

 

At that time, however, I really had an issue with this book being published in that I felt I laid out all of our guys - the teams they're on, names, photos, etc - which I feared was simply handing a potential adversary a "who's who" of the 5th Special Forces Group. I was an Intelligence NCO and personnel security was one of the functions I was part of.

 

 

 

 

 

Early last year I reconnected with my wartime Battalion Commander (2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group) and we've talked frequently over the phone as well as through email. I'm sad to say that he's very sick, suffering neurological problems. The once enthusiastic and outgoing Colonel I worked for now is forced to concentrate on what he's saying, and suffers lapses in memory. When we talk he occasionally gets extremely excited and tickled that something I'd just said opened a memory for him which he'd had difficulty remembering.

 

Over half of the men I served with have since become sick with varied ailments, which we believe are tied to our service in the Gulf War. Colonel Davis told me that it had been confirmed that at some point our element (who had been part of the ground invasion into western Kuwait) had been exposed to Sarin agent, likely the result of destruction of a site in which chemical munitions had been located.

 

I also learned from a few of my former 5th SF Group comrades that a disproportionate number of our guys had since come down with thyroid problems. I learned this after I, myself, was suddenly struck by a hyperactive thyroid. I was diagnosed with Grave's Disease and treated with radiation at Walter Reed Army Hospital.

 

 

 

 

 

During the course of one of my conversations with Colonel Davis, he informed me that our former Operations Officer had become a successful motivational speaker and had written and published a book. The Colonel sent me a copy which was inscribed by both he and the author. I was honored to learn that I was in this book by way of a photograph taken with me and Colonel Mark Johnson (who was a Captain when we served together during the war).

 

 

These are photos from his book. In the third photo is our Jump Battle Staff in Kuwait taken just after the ceasefire was called (we were outside Kuwait City). The sign "Red Dragon Lounge" was my art work. "Red Dragon" was a code word during the war when the Iraqis launched SCUD missiles. This term was called out over the radio, along with the zone the missile was directed towards.

 

The fourth photo is of me and (then) Captain Johnson during the ground assault into Kuwait - we were advisors to the Egyptian ground forces. In this photo, Captain Johnson is wearing his Gortex desert coat. I kept mine and have it hanging on a coat hook in my "man cave."

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bryang]

This my 5th SF Group issued Gortex desert coat and bottom. Reversible with the night pattern.

 

 

 

[doyler]

BRYAN

Great you got a copy and thanks for sharing some history.

[firefighter]

This my 5th SF Group issued Gortex desert coat and bottom. Reversible with the night pattern.

 

Thank you for sharing and sorry to hear about your CO and comrades. I was already out when DS happened but had some friends over there.One is still suffering from Gulf War Syndrome.Glad you made it home safe.