Colonel Hancock revisits Desert Storm in new book and urges preservation of soldiers’ stories

Operation Desert Storm occurred 35 years in the past, following the sooner defensive part referred to as Operation Desert Shield. WGAL’s Susan Shapiro talked to retired Colonel Frank Hancock on “In Focus” as a result of of his management function in the course of the struggle and as a result of he had lately written an in depth book, Operation Desert Storm: How Two Young Intelligence Analysts and an Infantry Battalion Changed the War in Iraq. The interview additionally highlighted Hancock’s ongoing work with the Army Heritage Center Foundation, which supported the preservation of troopers’ experiences for public studying. You can watch the complete interview in the video participant above. Hancock’s path to the Army Hancock defined that his choice to pursue a navy profession had been formed by household historical past and alternative. His father had flown B-24 bombers throughout World War II, and a reserve lieutenant colonel later inspired Hancock to think about West Point. Although he initially dismissed the thought, Hancock utilized, was accepted, and graduated in 1972. He then accomplished a roughly 30-year profession, selecting the infantry and attending airborne and Ranger faculties. His assignments included service in Germany and with the one hundred and first Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, the place he ultimately assumed command of an infantry battalion of about 700 troopers in June 1990. How Desert Shield grew to become Desert Storm Hancock summarized the geopolitical set off for the battle. After a expensive struggle with Iran, Saddam Hussein had confronted heavy debt and sought a manner out by invading Kuwait. Iraqi forces then positioned themselves close to the Saudi border, elevating fears that Saudi Arabia might be subsequent. Hancock mentioned President George HW Bush had not been prepared to permit Iraq to grab each Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, which might have given Hussein management over roughly half of the world’s oil. The United States mobilized quickly, starting with Desert Shield because the defensive buildup. Forces began flowing into the area in August 1990, and the coalition in the end amassed greater than 600,000 service members to confront what Hancock described as a big, well-equipped Iraqi navy influenced by Soviet doctrine and materiel. A battalion story pushed by intelligence and communication Hancock mentioned he wrote his book partly as a result of he had been close to the “epicenter” of occasions and believed the battalion’s expertise supplied classes about management and communication. He traced the undertaking again to a War College technique paper he wrote in 1992, later digitized by the Army Heritage Education Center. In 2023, he gathered enter from 26 troopers who had served with him to assist inform the story precisely. A central episode concerned two younger intelligence analysts—Sergeant Jesus Gonzales and Captain Jose Patino—who detected a hazard others had missed. They concluded that an meant helicopter touchdown zone was not empty, as higher-level intelligence urged, however occupied by Iraqi forces positioned in a manner that hid them. The analysts briefed Hancock, who then pressed the priority up the chain of command regardless of resistance. The touchdown plan was adjusted by a couple of mile, and when the air assault occurred, the initially deliberate space confirmed heavy fight exercise. Hancock later realized that lots of of Iraqi troops had been dug into the terrain, together with substantial ammunition shops. He credited the analysts’ persistence and reasoning with stopping catastrophic losses. Lessons, Legacy, and Ongoing Service Hancock mirrored that desert circumstances had been punishing and demanded fixed management consideration. He argued that the US navy of 1990 had differed sharply from the post-Vietnam drive, having develop into a extremely educated, skilled volunteer navy with robust management and gear benefits that helped cut back casualties. He additionally expressed confidence in at this time’s Army, describing it as a descendant of that period’s drive. Beyond the navy, Hancock described remaining lively via education schemes, refereeing, and educating ballroom dancing, which he linked again to management and teaching expertise. Hancock emphasised the worth of preserving soldier stories via establishments just like the Army Heritage Center Foundation. His book is on the market at main book retailers and via Amazon.