Veterans Voices: First Gulf War

Victoria Shadley: The Wash Rack

Victoria Shadley's job began after the First Gulf War ended. She and her crew ran a wash rack in Turkey, where they cleaned military vehicles returning from the war and then sent them on ships bound for home.

Shelby Setnikar: Two Bottles of Evian

Shelby Setnikar, Biwabik, set out on a caravan through the Saudi desert en route to Baghdad with the Army’s Third Infantry Division. They slept in their vehicles, ate MRE’s and were given two bottles of Evian water a day.

Paul Lesch: The Newbie

Paul Lesch was just a newbie nuclear machinist mate when he was helicoptered to the USS Theodore Roosevelt at the start of the First Gulf War. Even for someone in training, there was no downtime aboard the aircraft carrier that flew bombing missions to Iraq around the clock.

John W. Marshall: 73 Easting Tank Battle

John W. Marshall, Duluth, signed up for infantry because that’s what he wanted. On February 26, 1991, he and his unit encountered Saddam Hussein’s Republican Guard in the Battle of 73 Easting, the largest tank battle since World War II.

Jeff Hall: Scud Attack

Jeff Hall's ambulance group deployed to Saudi Arabia and, within a week, the war found them when scud missiles started heading their way.