PRINTER'S NO. 1492
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
291
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY MASTRIANO, BROOKS, K. WARD, ARGALL, AUMENT, BAKER,
BARTOLOTTA, BREWSTER, BROWNE, DINNIMAN, FONTANA, HUTCHINSON,
IOVINO, KILLION, LANGERHOLC, MARTIN, PHILLIPS-HILL, PITTMAN,
SABATINA, SANTARSIERO, SCAVELLO, TARTAGLIONE AND J. WARD,
FEBRUARY 3, 2020
REFERRED TO VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
FEBRUARY 3, 2020
A RESOLUTION
Commemorating Pennsylvania's contribution to Operation Desert
Shield and Operation Desert Storm.
WHEREAS, On August 2, 1990, the Iraqi Army, under orders of
Saddam Hussein, invaded and brutally occupied Kuwait; and
WHEREAS, The Iraqi attack was swift, with Baghdad ordering
the preponderance of its forces into Kuwait, which threatened
Saudi Arabia; and
WHEREAS, President George Herbert Walker Bush responded to
this invasion with a deployment of troops to the region, backed
by 256,000 Allied and Coalition military personnel; and
WHEREAS, The first portion of the deployment was called
Operation Desert Shield, which focused on the defense of Saudi
Arabia and the buildup of forces in the theater; and
WHEREAS, Operation Desert Storm encompassed offensive
operations to liberate Kuwait; and
WHEREAS, Operation Desert Storm began on January 16, 1991,
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with a concerted air campaign to attrite the Iraqi forces
occupying Kuwait; and
WHEREAS, The Coalition ground campaign began on February 23,
1991, with the movement of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment into
southeastern Iraq to lead the main attack against Saddam
Hussein's elite Guards Corps; and
WHEREAS, The general ground offensive kicked off in earnest
on February 24, 1991, and resulted in the complete liberation of
Kuwait by February 28, 1991; and
WHEREAS, Operation Desert Storm was a stunning display of
near perfection in conducting joint and combined military
operations based upon years of study to avoid the errors made by
leadership during the Vietnam War; and
WHEREAS, More importantly, Operation Desert Storm was the
single most important point of unification for the American
people since the Vietnam War; and
WHEREAS, The residents of this Commonwealth and our nation
were united in their support of military personnel, including a
spontaneous movement to prayer for protection of our deployed
troops, as well as an outpouring of generosity with care
packages; and
WHEREAS, Across Pennsylvania, this unique time for our nation
was observed with yellow ribbons decorating trees as a reminder
to pray for the safety of our men and women serving in Operation
Desert Storm; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's cost to liberate Kuwait was high, as
thousands of its sons and daughters served in Operation Desert
Storm; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania suffered the highest loss of life in a
single attack when an Iraqi scud missile exploded at Dhahran,
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Saudi Arabia, killing 13 and wounding 43 members of the
Pennsylvania-based 14th Quartermaster Detachment; and
WHEREAS, May we never forget those who served during
Operation Desert Storm; and
WHEREAS, Let us pause and remember those from Pennsylvania
who paid the last full measure of devotion in the cause of
freedom; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate commemorate Pennsylvania's
contribution to Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert
Storm.
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