One of our readers and avid AS players, Mark S. Pawlak is a Marine stationed at 29 Palms CA. He recently wrote us a letter about his experiences on the opening days of the ground war. The following is unedited.
- Dear Tony,
On the 21st of Feb., my battalion 3/7 moved into Kuwait under cover of darkness. Three days before the ground war started! On the 22d of Feb., we were about 1 km away from the first minebelt and Iraqi positions. At this time the Iraqis had no idea we were there (we were lucky that we found a depression in the terrain about a mile wide). They couldn't see us but we could see them and the minefield. Right at daybreak we called for our air.
Soon I found out that I had front row seats to the best air show I have ever seen! Marine Corps F/A-18's came out of nowhere and immediately started bombing the Iraqi positions. There were Iraqi bunkers, trenches, and the minefield itself. The ordnance the F/A-18s dropped were 500 and 1,000 lb. bombs, cluster munitions, napalm, and FAE. The sounds were incredible! Nothing will be able to copy the sound of live ordnance when you're a kilometer away. And nothing can beat the concussion of FAE (I nearly shit my drawers because that was how powerful FAE is). If yhou know anything about FAE, it causes an incredible overpressure/vacuum effect.
Needless to say, after the FAE was dropped, the Iraqis waved the white flag. About 90 - 100 came across and gave up. During this whole time the fast movers (F/A-18s) didn't stay above 10,000 feet hard deck! I know for a fact that they were making their runs around 2,000 feet. I wish I had more to say, but all the air that I saw was from F/A-18s and AV-8Bs. All day and all night I could hear our fighters going back and forth on their missions. I only wish I could'v seen Tornadoes fly.
Take care and Kill Migs! Mark Pawlak
Welcome back Mark, and glad you returned safe. I guess you have a better appreciation for Air Strike the game eh? Any other veterans out there, please share your stories with us. J.D.W.
Current Events 1991
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© Copyright 1991 by J.D. Webster
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