# 15 years ago today........



## Pearson (16 Jan 2006)

The first gulf war started 15 years ago today... 
 :warstory:
Remember where you were?? What you were doing?

I was in Wainwright instructing recruits. We were spending the night on the range when it started. Had to pack up the troops and usher them back to the shacks so they could call their parents to reassure them that they would not be heading right to the gulf.

Share your memories.


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## Kat Stevens (16 Jan 2006)

Doing security patrols in the PMQ areas in Lahr, or scaring the crap out of kindergarteners by being fully bombed up on their buses. vehicle bomb checks at the main gate.  Good times, gooood times....


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## Michael Dorosh (16 Jan 2006)

I was at the Armouries, and when I got home my dad said "well, the balloon went up."

It was a tough war for me; the security check in at the armoury from the unarmed Commissionaire looking all aggressive with that big honking flashlight, the hassle of needing an ID card, the RSM parading us and saying "I'm tired of your moms phoning me and crying, get it into your heads nobody is f***Ing going anywhere!!!"

The lack of medals and respect despite the fact not a single Iraqi tank made it past Macleod Trail.  Oh, you're welcome Calgary, no thanks necessary, really...

It was an honour just to have served.


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## Dissident (16 Jan 2006)

13 years old, sitting in front of the TV naked, eating a giant cheezeburger, waiting for canada's turn to be invaded.

Yeah, back in the day when I thought wars were cool. I'm glad I grew out of that one.


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## Pearson (16 Jan 2006)

Dissident said:
			
		

> 13 years old, sitting in front of the TV naked, eating a giant cheezeburger, waiting for canada's turn to be invaded.



 :-X


Thanks for that visual..... :crybaby:


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## D-n-A (16 Jan 2006)

Frankie said:
			
		

> :-X
> 
> 
> Thanks for that visual..... :crybaby:



haha

When the war started I was 5, so don't really remember what I was up too.


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## condor888000 (16 Jan 2006)

I was all of 2 years old and turned 3 four days after it started. I think I was busy trying to drink the draincleaner cause it looked so tasty.....


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## Nfld Sapper (16 Jan 2006)

I was in Grade 8 and was watching it on CNN saying "Cool!"


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## Michael Dorosh (16 Jan 2006)

Frankie said:
			
		

> The first gulf war started 15 years ago today...
> :warstory:
> Remember where you were?? What you were doing?



I'm starting to be sorry you asked....yikes....all these whippersnappers...

Ask them what they thought of the original Star Wars when it came out, next....that'll really make ya feel old...


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## Blakey (16 Jan 2006)

Returned back to Baden on Dec 25th from the region, took a belated Christmas leave in Amsterdam/Canada. 
I was at a friends place, sucking back a few pop's (of course), got a holler that " it started!" and thought to myself "why couldn't I be a VanDoo?!). 
Little did I know at the time (being a young whipper snapper Pte.), that Canada and more or less, the VanDoo's that had replaced us, would be doing nothing more than "glorified" security guard work, just the same as we did on our tour.....


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## Jaxson (16 Jan 2006)

I was 5 And probably in kindergarten or at home, yep I'm young.  ;D


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## armyvern (16 Jan 2006)

I was a Pte doing a Duty Supply Tech in Halifax...got my posting message to Pet on this date in history...


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## Dissident (16 Jan 2006)

Frankie said:
			
		

> Thanks for that visual..... :crybaby:



Too young to remember the Denis Leary Monologue?


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## SCTE (16 Jan 2006)

I was about 4 and probably distracted by sesamy street and shiny stuff ;D


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## Pearson (16 Jan 2006)

Dissident said:
			
		

> Too young to remember the Denis Leary Monologue?



Too old....   ;D


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## Danjanou (16 Jan 2006)

Boy are there some yung uns on this site now :

I was still in and visiting my parents at the time war broke out. My father and I were watching the CDS (DeChastelain) on the tube making some noises about Canada providing ground troops initially 4CMBG and possible up to 10,000. I guess people actually thought the Iraqis intended to fight then.

The old man turned to me and said while if it’s 10,000 I guess your reserve unit (and every other militia type in the country) is going. I looked at him and said, me! if it’s 10,000 they’ll be calling you back into uniform. He left the service in 1951.


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## 3rd Horseman (17 Jan 2006)

Yes it would appear age is a factor here,

    I was sitting at home in Lahr watching Skynews wondering when we would get Snowballed. Then the call came and off to the base on bug out, never before had I felt so comfortable speeding through the streets of Lahr and not worrying about being stopped 150km/h if I remember. I found myself about 40 mins later fully armed and loaded for bear commanding the Kasiern defence force. After a night of setting up defensive positions and doing recces for the defence of the commander 4CMBG and Comd CFEs house at 3 in the morning I found myself having a coffee watching TV in the MPs shack at the front gate. As I sipped my well deserved coffee wondering if we had done everything right when my comfortable feeling about the whole night was shattered by the sight of my main gate defence force demanding the Comd CFE get out of his car and show proper ID at gun point. Oh and the day had just begun.


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## Michael Dorosh (17 Jan 2006)

3rd Horseman said:
			
		

> Yes it would appear age is a factor here,
> 
> I was sitting at home in Lahr watching Skynews wondering when we would get Snowballed. Then the call came and off to the base on bug out, never before had I felt so comfortable speeding through the streets of Lahr and not worrying about being stopped 150km/h if I remember. I found myself about 40 mins later fully armed and loaded for bear commanding the Kasiern defence force. After a night of setting up defensive positions and doing recces for the defence of the commander 4CMBG and Comd CFEs house at 3 in the morning I found myself having a coffee watching TV in the MPs shack at the front gate. As I sipped my well deserved coffee wondering if we had done everything right when my comfortable feeling about the whole night was shattered by the sight of my main gate defence force demanding the Comd CFE get out of his car and show proper ID at gun point. Oh and the day had just begun.



Well don't stop there!


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## TCBF (17 Jan 2006)

"
Ask them what they thought of the original Star Wars when it came out, next....that'll really make ya feel old..."

-- You mean "Star Trek", right?  Hey I remember, in Grade 3, when our teacher came in crying because JFK had been shot.  That was after Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missiles, Francis Gary Powers...

But, I was a WO Tank Troop Leading  in A Sqn 8CH(PL) in Lahr, and got the call at my apartment in Grafenhausen, drove like mad (105 mph) on the A5 Autobahn to the airfield, then we deployed to ..... 

.....guard Westend School 24/7.

Considering that during the gun camp in Graf during Nov/Dec, we thought we were getting ready to go (it was a really good gun camp, TOPP HIGH battle runs, etc), and kept getting bumped off the washracks by M1 'heavy' Tank bns whose tank trains to Bremerhaven had a priority over ours to Lahr, we were a bit let down.  Professionally speaking.

Tom


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## JBP (17 Jan 2006)

I was 9, watching it on TV just AFTER I watched Star Trek, the next generation and thinking to myself...

God! And I'm not even doing anything? Heck, I haven't even joined up yet! I'm a useless civilian, SOMEONE GET ME A GUN!!!

I was pretty gung-ho as a kid, I wanted to be in the action just like the rest of you, except I was obviously far too young and naive!

I remember it though, and being amazing by Stealth technology also...


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## 3rd Herd (17 Jan 2006)

Hey this is great I recall "war by CNN" and all those marvelous shoots of 'high tech' bombs hitting their target. Two buddies from the 2/75 up in Vic on leave trying to figure out the quickest way back to Lewis and a daughter demanding her bottle.


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## dutchie (17 Jan 2006)

I was in High School in downtown Vancouver. All the pinkos were losing their minds over it, crying in the hallways. I couldn't wait to get home to watch CNN. I remember the big build up to the invasion, and seeing as this was the first time I had seen something like this, it was very memorable. I was excited and happy (?) that the invasion had started.

Being quite young and naive (17), and wanting to be a part of it, I enquired at the US embassy about joining the USMC, US Army, etc. After many phone calls & letters, I was told that by the time I was in a position to go over, it would be 1993. Seeing that the Iraqis were beeing pummelled at an amazing rate, I dropped the idea.


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## Pte. Bloggins (17 Jan 2006)

SCTE said:
			
		

> I was about 4 and probably distracted by sesamy street and shiny stuff ;D



Me too!  ;D


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## camochick (17 Jan 2006)

I was 11 and I remember coming home from girl guides and my dad said the war had started. We watched some of the news coverage. My memory is vague but i recall my father flew supplies and such over there during that time. For the most part I just remember being scared.


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## GGHG_Cadet (17 Jan 2006)

I was 8 months old and in the UK, probably sleeping or maybe eating.


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## VanZeumeren (17 Jan 2006)

I was in grade two and I had no real idea of what a war was.


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## darmil (17 Jan 2006)

I was in grade 6 and watched  the war on CNN.


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## teltech (17 Jan 2006)

In college in London...
Every person who knew I was in the army (reserves) was asking me when I was leaving. Got to the point I asked my OC if any of us was deploying. He asked if I was worried about that. I said "Hell no sir, I just want to tell everyone that I am not going, once and for all, and to quit asking!"
On a side note, does anyone remember the protesters that handcuffed themselves to the chain link fence around CFB London?


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## Spr.Earl (17 Jan 2006)

Me and my future Memsahib had just set up house,I had just gotten home from work and sitting down to eat when all hell let loose,both Militarily and domestic. : 
My future got all upset thinking that we would be sending troops as she hates the Military,she's a Philippina and went through Martial Law under Marcos.
It took me 2 day's to calm her down and reassure her I'm staying home,but inside wished we had gone.
On the Military side of it was the increased Security State at the Armouries(pain in the arse) and same as Teltech,the guy's at work asking questions from the norm to off the wall :


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## Zartan (17 Jan 2006)

Cpl Bloggins said:
			
		

> Me too!  ;D



Me three (literally)! Shite, we're strapping young lads and lassies, aren't we? ;D

I don't remember the Gulf War, but I have a collection of editorial cartoons from '91, and all I can say was that the public appeared more polarised than in the current engagement (ex. a smouldering Saddam crying "mommy!" as he flees the MOTHER OF ALL battles, vs. President Bush, Sr. serving Death at the cafeteria of the New World Order).


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## Danjanou (17 Jan 2006)

Earl I also remember the increased state at the armouries in FYA and Moss Park. Some of the Commisionaires weere less than amused by the over zealous juniour officer types.

Ok As I said too many rugrats around here for us ole dinosaurs. ;D Lets start a where were you when The US pulled out of Vietnam ( the last Huey form the roof of the embassy) or when the Delta raid in Iran failed, or The Falklands war started thread etc......


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## 3rd Herd (17 Jan 2006)

Okay Danjanou I'll bit
1) US pull out- finishing high school
2)Delta raid-battleschool in Wainwright
3)Falklands- on ex with 2Para when it started, pissed when told we could not 
   go with them 

and I remember the vicious battles with the 52nd Fantasian Motorized Rifle Brigade


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## Kat Stevens (17 Jan 2006)

Fall of Saigon- 14 years old
Desert One- leaving high school
Falklands Invasion- Exercise River Run '82/ 041 TQ 5A crse


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## Michael Dorosh (17 Jan 2006)

1) US pull out - Grade I; by Grade V we were assimiliating large numbers of "boat people" into our schools - in Junior High we had entire classes of "ESL" kids, mostly Vietnamese (or Cambodian)

2)Delta raid - Grade V.  A year later we were all scared stiff that Ronald Reagan would bring the sky down on our heads.  We had no idea it would be him to bring the US diplomats home (though we were all aware of Ken Taylor's heroics in that regard) nor that Ronnie would win the Cold War

3)Falklands - junior high school.  Closest I got to it was being in the Mad Dog Saloon in Wainwright in 1988 during BANDCON (yes we really called it that - 88 was "Exercise CHOPIN"  : ) and hearing some of the Brit soldiers calling it "a nice little exercise."  In 1990, I had a trip to hospital in the UK, at the Guards Depot to be precise, and was watching soccer on the television.  A Brit orderly was expressing delight at the fact Argentina's national team was losing.  "Are you still mad at them?' I enquired.  The orderly replied - "I'll never forgive them.  Why should I, they killed my brother."  I left the subject alone after that.


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## shaboing (17 Jan 2006)

i was 5 years old, i remember watching it on the tv seeing the night vision view of baghdad and all the AA fire going up into the sky..... kinda like the last invasion, i swear the cameras were in the same spots


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## Danjanou (18 Jan 2006)

Alright to answer my own

US pullout- 15 years old watching it on TV (see like I was like some of the others here too).

Delta Raid- drinking beer in the Seaforths Junior Ranks It happened on Parade night and we’d just finished and trooped up the stairs for a couple of well deserved wobbly poops. One of the Sgts came in and told us about it.

As an aside I was in Yakima Washington on the live fire completion of my mortar course when the Ken Taylor escape broke. No Canadian was buying beer in the mess that night ;D

Falklands- On my Section Commanders course and yeah we were pissed we couldn’t go either. Most guys were asking to check with their affiliated sister British Regiments to ask about temp exchange postings. I’m serious I guess like the Gulf we thought it would last a bit longer.


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## Fishbone Jones (18 Jan 2006)

US Pullout - Centurion maintenance, North Margerite, Lahr

Delta raid - 409 Sqn Snags - Comox

Falklands - Working for BAMEO Trenton


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## Danjanou (18 Jan 2006)

So recceguy where were you on VE day? 8)


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## Fishbone Jones (18 Jan 2006)

Swimming


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## AmmoTech90 (18 Jan 2006)

Back in Borden from Baden where we shipped ammo down to the Gulf and very happy it was now CCoC stagging on at the gate of CFAD Angus in a staff car with a big flashlight instead of us.

Remember many nights prior to that wondering how far the Dodge Shadow staff car would make down the fire break in hot pursuit of a camel...


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## axeman (18 Jan 2006)

finishing off ISCC


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## Haggis (18 Jan 2006)

15 years ago today I was co-driving the last load of CF equipment from Akwesasne to CFB London following the closeout of Op FEATHER/AKWESASNE.

We had left Cornwall early that morning, in freezing rain, not knowing what was going on outside the cab of our 5/4 ton truck.  Just outside of Milton we stopped at a truck stop for a coffee and a pee.  An old man came up and started yelling at us for the illegal war we were in.  We told him we weren't in any war and we drove off.

When we arrived at Wolseley Barracks it was hard to find anyone.  We went by the CQ's lines and I found the CQMS of Charles Coy, an old friend, furiously packing "for an op", I was told.  I also found out that he was to get the contents of our truck the next morning.  So we left it with him (Locked of course... Old friend or not, he's still a shady Infantry CQ after all), got our room keys then went to the mess.

In the Sgts Mess we found the majority of the battalion's WOs and Sgts crowded around a TV set watching the war unfold on CNN.  They quickly brought us up to speed on what we'd missed by being trapped in an SMP truck with no radio.


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## the 48th regulator (18 Jan 2006)

Watching it in the Nuke bunker in Borden.

It was only Barracks avaialbe that weekend for ISCC....I was in my underwear prepping a lecture with the rest of the gang with the TV on and cheering...

Then it was off to bed to make sure things were ready for inspection....


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## BernDawg (19 Jan 2006)

Hey Toad!
     Well there we were all set up in an overwatch posn above the Pat Bay highway in our TOW carrier (55E IIRC) on a Pl level ex.  We had permission to use private land and we were set up on a farm property just outside of Sydney.  We were doing veh patrols and area security low lvl type stuff.  We return to our posn and the property owner comes over and informs us that it's started.  I can only imagine what the locals thought when we were driving around that night as they were watching it on the news and the M113's were burning around their sleepy little neighbourhood.  Later that night the old farmer set up a TV in his barn and we supplied the refreshments.  From out of the hay-loft he produces an old bar that had once been in his rec-room and boom there we were...  Propped up on the bar, Having a cold one watching the world explode on CNN, critiquing the AAA and cheering the hits.


As for the derailment issues....

I vaguely remember watching helos being pushed into the sea on the news.

I do remember the failed mission in Iran from the news as well and I was in high school itchin to join-up during the Falklands campaign.


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## TCBF (19 Jan 2006)

"critiquing the AAA and cheering the hits."

- You were cheering the AAA hits?

 ;D

Tom


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## DG-41 (19 Jan 2006)

15 years ago... in the 5 Sqn common room at CMR, watching a snowy TV tuned to CBC news, and wondering if that meant I was going to go right to war after graduation.

I remember a lot of heated discussion with my friends over just how long it would take. Much emphasis being placed on the sheer size of the Iraqi army, and the fact they were equipped with nearly-modern Soviet equipment. None of us ever expected the answer to be "three days".

We had a similar poor record with the consequences of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I remember a heated argument between Kurt Hoppe and Kevin Luke, with Kevin arguing vehemanetly that the Soviets would never allow reunificatiuon to happen, and that invasion of West Germany was imminant right after the wall came down. Wrong!

Now the funny CMR story is about the Vandoo Major, tasked with seeing to the defense of the college grounds, whose plan included 50 cal HMGs on the roof of the Vanier building (for AA fire) and a dug-in emplacement at the marina on the Richelieu (we will fight them on the beaches...) and armed groups of OCdts patrolling the perimeter 24 hours a day.

As I recall, the commiissionaires started checking ID cards. 

DG


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## BernDawg (20 Jan 2006)

Upon re-reading the post I realized that I should have clarified my statement.  We were critiquing the AAA and cheering the smart bomb hits we saw through the night vision camera shots.  By critiquing the AAA I mean to say we laughed uproarsly when we saw the tracers swaying back and forth in the air in random patterns.
 ;D


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## TCBF (21 Jan 2006)

I knew that was what you meant all along.

 >

Tom


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## gnplummer421 (23 Jan 2006)

Like at least one other member in here, I was in Lahr and went to the Gutenburg school at 4 am for about three weeks with a couple of other guys and checked out the outside of the school, checked out cars parked in front, sent two guys into the school to look for anything suspicous and then deploy across the street, behind the school, and by the entrance and waitrd for the kiddies to arrive. One soldier in the bus would come out first, look around, get the nod and rush the kids inside. We stayed outside and watched out for them when they came out for recess. It was a tasking I felt was important and worthwhile, after all, Sadam had threatened to harm us, and these were Canadian kids.


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