Day 38: 23 Feb 1991

23 February 1991 (Saturday): DAY 38

GENERAL:

v Noon EST Deadline for Saddam to start pulling out went by. Heavy Air Attacks put on Bagdad just prior to the deadline. Gen Schwartskropf has been given the

authority to start the ground campaugn when he sees fit The Iraqi's fired two Scud's at Israel and two at Saudi Arabia. The "G" Hour arrived with the ground assault beginning as US and Saudi screening forces poured into Kuwait.

v 10 minutes prior to Bush's ultimatum Iraq fires a SCUD at Israel.

v Iraq should have around 533,000 troops in the Kuwait theater

v The Iraqi Revolutionary Council proposes democratic rule for Kuwait

v Iraq is transporting over 20,000 Kuwaiti's on the roads to Bagdad

v over 190 oil wells are fired

v BDA Totals include:

- 1685 tanks

- 1485 artillery pieces

- 925 APC's

v CentCom announces that it is using FAE weapons

- CBU-55A/B comprised of (3) BLU-73A/B Bomblets in the SUU-49A/B

dispensor and the BLU-82 "Daisy Cutter" 15,000 pound bomb for

minefield clearing utilizing a 96 cm nose extention to create 1000

lbs/sq-in overpressure

v 2nd Armoured Calvary cuts berms into Iraq as 1st Inf Div conducts Apache

raids along the berm lines

v Iraqi strength estimated at 533,000 in Kuwaiti Theater

AIR WAR:

v USAF announced that the F-16's in the theater are flying between 300 &

400 missions daily in the Gulf War maintaining a 92% readiness rate.

- F-16 missions are listed as: interdiction, offensive counterair,

and close air support

v Coalition surpasses 94,000 sorties

v Worst night of the War for US POW's in that the building that they were housed,

referred to as the "Bagdad Biltmore", was hit by US Bombs and the roof fell in.

- Slade, Wetzel, Zaun, Storr, Small, Berryman, Sanborn

F-117 HIGHLIGHTS (23Feb/Day 38):

v Day 38/Wave Three: 6 x F-117's from the 416th TFS

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

- takeoff during the p.m. of Day 38/23rd to hit targets on Day 38/23rd

- 1 x F-117 air aborted, the remaining 9 x reached their targets

- Scored 15 hits with 16 PGM attempts (94%), 2 no-drops

- Iraqi Intelligence & Special Operation Headquarters in Bagdad

v Day 39/Wave One: 6 x F-117's from the 416th TFS

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

- takeoff during the p.m. of Day 38/23rd to hit targets on Day 39/24th

- just before sunset 31 x F-117's were airborne in 44 minutes

- Scored 44 direct hits with 53 PGM attempts (83%), 9 no-drop

- The Bagdad Bomb Assembly Plant in Cardoen

- A Chemical Warfare Site at Samarra

- A Possible Nuclear Facility in Tarmiya

- An Arms Production Plant in Al Iskandariyah

- A Special Security Services Headquarters in Bagdad

- The Regular Intelligence Services Headquarters in Bagdad

LOSSES:

v (1) AV-8B from VMA-542

- BURNO 161573, based at King Abdul Aziz Naval Base

- Capt James N. Wilbourne, ....KIA

- possible SAM impact and total destruction

Gulf War 1991 Chronology

Day 38: 23 Feb 1991