Day 20: 5 Feb 1991

05 February 1991 (Tuesday): DAY 20

GENERAL:

v Iraq broke diplomatic relations with coalition countries

v Syrian Ground Forces have their first "contact" with Iraqi's

v Iraq announces suspension of all fuel sales to the population

v UK sources state that two-thirds pf all bridges over ther Tigris

Euphrates have now been destroyed

v US Forces now total over 350,000

v 817 x enemy POW's accounted for

v Missouri destroys Iraqi artillery site

v King Hussein says the US Gulf War is against All Arabs

AIR WAR:

v 2800 sorties flown

v F-111F aircraft based at Taif AB reconfigure with 4 x GBU-12's per aircraft to start

their "tank plinking" program of attacking tank and artillery concentrations

v "leadership" strikes are authorized against the town of Tikrit

v B-52 cells are hitting the Republican Guards every three hours

v the first B-52's arrive at RAF Fairfield in England while their KC-135

tankers are based in France at Mont de Marsan Air Base near Bordeaux and at

Avord Air Base.

- B-52's came from un its in Lousiana, N. Dakota, and Maine

v French Jaguars attack Republican Guard logistics centers with LG Rockets

v 10 x more Iraqi aircraft escape to Iran, bringing the total to 110

v the Al Joumhouriya Bridge in Bagdad is destroyed

v 2 x A-6's destroy a Silkworm Site at Uum Qasabah with hits on 2 launchers

F-117 HIGHLIGHTS (05Feb/Day 20):

v Day 20/Wave Three: 4 x F-117's from the 416th TFS

5 x F-117's from the 415th TFS

- takeoff during the p.m. of Day 20/4th to hit targets on Day 21/5th

- Scored 16 hits with 20 PGM attempts (80%)

- concentrated attack against chemical and biological warfare research

laboratories at Salmon Pak

- Short Range Ballistic Missile Assembly Plant in Bagdad (416th TFS)

- The Presidential Grounds at Abu Ghurayb (416th TFS)

- The Iraqi Air Force Headquarters (415th TFS)

v Day 21/Wave One: 4 x F-117's from the 416th TFS

6 x F-117's from the 415th TFS

- takeoff before sunset on Day 20/5th to hit targets on Day 21/6th

- Scored 17 direct hits with 18 PGM attempts (94%) 1 no-drop

- SCUD/SAM Missile Production & Assembly Plants at Al Maiden and in Bagdad (415th TFS) and sites at Iskandiriyah and Al Taqaddum (416th TFS)

- Steel Fabrication Plant at Taji

v Day 21/Wave Two: 6 x F-117's from the 416th TFS

6 x F-117's from the 415th TFS

- takeoff before sunset on Day 20/5th to hit targets on Day 21/6th

- Scored 18 hits with 20 PGM attempts (90%)

- Hardened Aircraft Shelters at Balad Airfield

- Telecommunications Center at Jenoub

- The Al Jumhuriya Fiber Optics Bridge

- Biological Warfare facility at Taji

- Several Targets in Bagdad: ammunition depot, Ministry of Military Industry,

and the Headquarters building for Iraqi Intelligence Service, Security Service,

and the Republican Guards

KILLS:

v 59 x Iraqi aircraft have been assessed by Centcom Intell to have been destroyed to date inside of shelters that were destroyed by coalition aircraft (AFM 3/91, p52)

LOSSES:

v Iraq claims downing 5 aircraft

v 1 x F/A-18C non-combat loss from VFA-87

- CVW-8, USS Theodore Roosevelt, became the 17th US Combat Loss

- Lt Robert J. Dwyer (32) of Worthington, Ohio....KIA

-29Jul91 "Inside the Navy" (Tom Breen) said that the F-18 ran out of gas after

flying off course. The Wingman lost contact and recovered at the Roosevelt

alone. Could the pilot have had problems or were there equipment problems.

- Considered a non-combat loss following a strike mission, but counted as a

combat loss by the press.

- The Hornet failed to return to the ship. It has been postulated that the

pilot lost his INS for unspecified reasons, possibly combat damage, and in the

ensuing egress stress lost his way and basically ran out of gas. Combat was definitely a factor in the loss but not the direct cause.

- 1 x F/A-18A. (AIRLANT).

- Source: NWMB Nr. Week of 3 - 9 Feb 91 NMB 6-91

v 1 x A-10 Damaged, USAF 926th Reserve Squadron from Louisania

- large holes repaired in one week

Gulf War 1991 Chronology

Day 20: 5 Feb 1991