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Gulf War
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Coalition involvement
C Company, 1 STAFFS, in a live firing exercise, during Operation Granby
(British name for the Gulf War), 6 January 1991.Members of the Coalition
included Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium,
Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Kuwait,
Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Korea, Spain, Syria, Turkey,
United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States of America.
Germany and Japan provided financial assistance and donated military
hardware instead of direct military assistance, which was later to be
known as a "checkbook diplomacy". United States asked Israel not to
participate in the war despite missile strikes on Israeli citizens. India
extended military support to the United States in the form of refueling
facilities situated in the Arabian Sea.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom was numerically the largest European nation to partake
in combat operations during the war. Operation Granby was the name for the
operations in the Persian Gulf. British Army regiments (mainly with the
British 1st Armored Division), Royal Navy vessels, and Royal Air Force
squadrons were mobilized to the Gulf. The Royal Air Force, using various
aircraft, operated from airbases in Saudi Arabia. Almost 2,500 armored
vehicles and 43,000 troops were shipped for action.
Chief Royal Navy vessels deployed to the gulf included a number of
Broadsword-class frigates, and Sheffield-class destroyers, other RN and
RFA ships were also deployed. The light aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal was
not deployed to the Gulf area, but was deployed to the Mediterranean Sea.
France
The second largest European contingent was from France. Operating on the
left flank of the US XVIII Airborne Corps, the main French army force was
the 6th Light Armoured Division, including troops from the French Foreign
Legion. Initially, the French operated independently under national
command and control, but coordinated closely with the Americans, Saudis
and CENTCOM. In January, the Division was placed under the tactical
control of the US XVIII Airborne Corps. France also deployed combat
aircraft and naval units. The French called their contribution Opération
Daguet
Canada
A column of M-113 APCs and other military vehicles of the Royal Saudi Land
Force travels along a channel cleared of mines during Operation Desert
Storm, Kuwait, 1 March 1991.Canada was one of the first nations to agree
to condemn Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and it quickly agreed to join the
U.S.-led coalition. In August 1990, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney sent the
destroyers HMCS Terra Nova and HMCS Athabaskan to join the maritime
interdiction force. The supply ship HMCS Protecteur was also sent to aid
the gathering coalition forces. The Canadian flotilla lead the coalition
logistics force at sea. A fourth ship, HMCS Huron arrived in theatre after
hostilies ceased. The ship was the first to visit Kuwait at the end of the
war.
After the UN authorized full use of force in the operation Canada sent a
CF-18 squadron with support personnel. Canada also sent a field hospital
to deal with casualties from the ground war. When the air war began,
Canada's planes were integrated into the coalition force and provided air
cover and attacked ground targets. This was the first time since the
Korean War that Canadian forces had participated in offensive combat
operations.
Norway
In recent years, the work of Norwegian intelligence personnel of during
the Gulf War has become public.
Norwegian intelligence personnel, at a listening post in the North of
Norway, were in secrecy presented with high ranking awards for their work
in saving shot down American pilots during the Gulf War.
During the Gulf War, 63 American pilots were shot down. Rescuing the 12
downed pilots trapped behind enemy lines, was a very high priority and the
United States devoted a large amount of resources to doing so. The pilots
were fitted with emergency beepers, so that the Americans, via satellite
could locate them.
However, the USA satellite coverage wasn't always present and American
officials, refusing to leave any man behind, started looking around for
other methods of locating their pilots. It was then that a small listening
post located in Norway, above the Arctic Circle proved helpful. The
Norwegian listening post continually listened to Soviet spy satellites,
which received the signals from the American pilots without a problem. The
Norwegian intelligence personnel "stole" the information they got by
spying on the Soviet satellites and forwarded it to American personnel
which could then get into the war theater at the correct location and save
the pilots.
Several American pilots were saved because of this listening post in
Norway. The personnel received diplomas signed by US President George H.
W. Bush himself.
Norway also deployed a Field Medical Company as part of Operation Granby
from January to May 1991. About 230 strong, this Army unit was stationed
in Al Jubayl for the duration of the war supporting the British units.
Luckily, the unit had very little medical work to do with allies, but some
Iraqi injured were sent there. There was plenty of scope for preventive
public health work for which the unit was also equipped.
Coalition forces.
Coalition military personnel deployment
List of Coalition forces by number of troops
Country Number of Troops, Comments / Major Events
United States 575,000 - 697,000 Operation Desert Shield
Battle of Khafji
Battle of 73 Easting
Battle of Al Busayyah
Battle of Phase Line Bullet
Battle of Medina Ridge
Battle of Wadi Al-Batin
Battle of Norfolk
Operation Desert Storm.
Saudi Arabia 52,000 - 100,000 Operation Desert Shield
Battle of Khafji
Operation Desert Storm
United Kingdom 43,000 - 45,400 Operation Desert Shield
Operation Granby
Operation Desert Storm
Egypt 33,600 - 35,000 Operation Desert Storm
France 14,600 Opération Daguet
Syria 14,500 Operation Desert Storm
Morocco 13,000
Kuwait 9,900 Operation Desert Storm
Oman 6,300 Operation Desert Storm
Pakistan 4,900 - 5,500
United Arab Emirates 4,300 Operation Desert Storm
Qatar 2,600 Battle of Khafji
Bangladesh 2,200
Canada 2,000 Operation FRICTION
Australia 1,800 Australian contribution to the 1991 Gulf War
Italy 1,200 Deployed Panavia Tornado strike attack aircraft
Netherlands 600
Niger 600
Senegal 500
Spain 500
Bahrain 400
Belgium 400
Afghanistan 300
Argentina 300
Czechoslovakia 200 Operation Desert Shield
Operation Desert Storm
Greece 200
Poland 200 Operation Simoom
South Korea 200
Denmark 100
Hungary 50
Norway 280
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