Gulf War General 'Stormin' Norman' dies

Last updated 14:30 28/12/2012

Retired four-star general Norman Schwarzkopf has died at his home in Florida. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).

Norman Schwarzkopf
TOP GUN: Norman Schwarzkopf, commander of allied forces in the Gulf War, testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee in 1993.

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Retired General H Norman Schwarzkopf, who topped an illustrious military career by commanding the US-led international coalition that drove Saddam Hussein's forces out of Kuwait in 1991 but kept a low public profile in controversies over the second Gulf War against Iraq, died today. He was 78.

Schwarzkopf died in Tampa, Florida, where he had lived in retirement, according to a US official, who was not authorised to release the information publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.



Schwarzkopf became "CINC-Centcom" in 1988 and when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait three years later to punish it for allegedly stealing Iraqi oil reserves, he commanded Operation Desert Storm, the coalition of some 30 countries organised by then-President George HW Bush that succeeded in driving the Iraqis out.





He seldom spoke up during the conflict, but in late 2004, he sharply criticised then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and the Pentagon for mistakes that included inadequate training for Army reservists sent to Iraq and for erroneous judgements about Iraq.


Schwarzkopf was born August 24, 1934, in Trenton, New Jersey, where his father, Colonel H Norman Schwarzkopf Jr, founder and commander of the New Jersey State Police, was then leading the investigation of the Lindbergh kidnap case, which ended with the arrest and 1936 execution of German-born carpenter Richard Hauptmann for stealing and murdering the famed aviator's infant son.

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The elder Schwarzkopf was named Herbert, but when the son was asked what his "H" stood for, he would reply, "H". Although reputed to be short-tempered with aides and subordinates, he was a friendly, talkative and even jovial figure who didn't like "Stormin' Norman" and preferred to be known as "the Bear," a sobriquet given him by troops.

He also was outspoken at times, including when he described Gen. William Westmoreland, the US commander in Vietnam, as "a horse's ass" in an Associated Press interview.


Young Norman studied there and in Switzerland, Germany and Italy, then followed in his father's footsteps to West Point, graduating in 1956 with an engineering degree. After stints in the US and abroad, he earned a master's degree in engineering at the University of Southern California and later taught missile engineering at West Point.

In 1966 he volunteered for Vietnam and served two tours, first as a US adviser to South Vietnamese paratroops and later as a battalion commander in the US Army's Americal Division. He earned three Silver Stars for valour - including one for saving troops from a minefield - plus a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and three Distinguished Service Medals.



On January 17, 1991, a five-month build-up called Desert Shield became Operation Desert Storm as allied aircraft attacked Iraqi bases and Baghdad government facilities. The six-week aerial campaign climaxed with a massive ground offensive on February 24-28, routing the Iraqis from Kuwait in 100 hours before US officials called a halt.








- AP

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