Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

MCRD museum has the booty from Operation Desert Storm

Operation Desert Spoils

Nuclear-biological-chemical mask. "The stuff is still coming into our railroad depot on flatcars."  - Image by Jennifer Kolsky
Nuclear-biological-chemical mask. "The stuff is still coming into our railroad depot on flatcars."

Before leaving the Kuwaiti desert. Camp Pendleton Marines collected enough war trophies to field a small army — everything from automatic rifles to Soviet-built tanks — and brought them stateside.

Iraqi rifle scope. Iraqi soldiers modify their rifles by sawing off the barrel at a 45-degree angle. This changes the velocity of the bullet, giving it more power at shorter ranges.

Camp Pendleton was the staging point for the First Marine Expeditionary Force during the Gulf War. The First Marines fought back attacking Iraqi forces at Khafji and led the thrust into Iraqi-occupied Kuwait.

Iraqi desertwear and AK47 tanker gun. The museum display features a Soviet-made 81mm mortar and a number of AK-47 assault rifles, including models manufactured in the USSR.

According to Pendleton's Gunnery Sergeant John Farrell, Marine Corps units are authorized to bring home items of historical significance. Among the Iraqi hardware that has already arrived at Pendleton are an Iraqi ZSU-23-4 self-propelled anti-aircraft cannon, a D-20 howitzer, a Soviet-made T-72 tank, an armored personnel carrier, a Chinese-made 55mm mortar, two Soviet 60mm mortars, an 82mm mortar, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers, and an 85mm anti-aircraft gun. The hardware is part of the SK) billion worth of weapons Iraq purchased from the Soviets between 1980 to 1987.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Some of the armored vehicles might have been captured in the battle for Khafji, a seaside Saudi town overrun by Iraqi forces shortly before the push to liberate Kuwait began. Other equipment was probably captured during the drive into Kuwait.

More hardware is still on the way. "The stuff is still coming into our railroad depot on flatcars." said Pendleton's Farrell, who added that the weapons' historical significance has yet to be determined by the base historian.

The U.S. Marine Corps Command Museum at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot off Pacific Highway displays dozens of these personal war mementos. Among the items donated by various Marines are a complete Iraqi uniform, three Iraqi flags taken from captured bunkers, a Kuwaiti flag, propaganda and surrender leaflets from both sides, and an Iraqi gas mask.

More than 20 different kinds of leaflets were dropped by American soldiers onto Iraqi lines. According to Gunnery Sergeant Sharon Piseno, “because [the Iraqis] are such religious people, most of [the pamphlets] were written to affect them religiously." Countering Saddam Hussein's claims that the allies would torture captured soldiers, the leaflets promised Iraqi soldiers good treatment and freedom to practice their religion. Thirteen kinds of leaflets were dropped on U.S. troops. One showed a Scud missile aimed at the head of a U.S. soldier, promising that such a fate would befall GIs if they did not surrender.

Also on display are a series of photographs showing an Iraqi tank unit surrendering. The photos were donated by the commander of a Marine tank unit that became lost in a sandstorm in the early hours of the ground war. When the storm finally lifted, the Leathernecks found themselves nose-to-nose with an entire Iraqi tank battalion. The outgunned Marines braced themselves for a firefight. but in moments they were overrun — by surrendering Iraqis.

The museum display features a Soviet-made 81mm mortar and a number of AK-47 assault rifles, including models manufactured in the USSR. Yugoslavia, and Iraq. The rifles are quite unusual. Piseno said, because “the Iraqis do strange things to their weapons." Iraqi soldiers modify their rifles by sawing off the barrel at a 45-degree angle. This changes the velocity of the bullet, giving it more power at shorter ranges. They also replace the standard-issue wooden stock with a folding metal stock, making the rifle easier to carry. Names and religious symbols are often engraved on their weapons.

In the high desert of Riverside County, the Marine base at Twentynine Palms has also received shipments of war trophies. Among them are three different types of Soviet-built, desert-tan colored Iraqi tanks, an armored personnel carrier, a command trac (like a mobile command center), a tank retriever (similar to a tow truck for a battle-damaged tank), and a quad (four-barrel) anti-aircraft gun.

A third display sits on the quarterdeck of the U.S.S. Tripoli. The Tripoli's crew put together an Iraqi floating mine to commemorate their service in the Persian Gulf. Photographs of the amphibious assault ship's mine-sweeping operations are displayed along with some Iraqi small arms. But it's the jagged, twisted steel next to the floating mine that holds the most significance for the ship's crew.

While the Tripoli was sweeping for mines off the Kuwaiti coast, an Iraqi mine tore a gaping hole in her side. Many of her compartments were flooded, and toxic fumes from a shattered paint locker spread throughout the below-deck areas. Damage-control parties battled the water that rushed through the hole. The crew shored up the damage and kept the hull from buckling further. Their efforts not only kept the Tripoli afloat but allowed the ship to continue her sweeping activities until she was able to put into Bahrain for repairs.

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Memories of bonfires amid the pits off Palm

Before it was Ocean View Hills, it was party central
Next Article

Big kited bluefin on the Red Rooster III

Lake fishing heating up as the weather cools
Nuclear-biological-chemical mask. "The stuff is still coming into our railroad depot on flatcars."  - Image by Jennifer Kolsky
Nuclear-biological-chemical mask. "The stuff is still coming into our railroad depot on flatcars."

Before leaving the Kuwaiti desert. Camp Pendleton Marines collected enough war trophies to field a small army — everything from automatic rifles to Soviet-built tanks — and brought them stateside.

Iraqi rifle scope. Iraqi soldiers modify their rifles by sawing off the barrel at a 45-degree angle. This changes the velocity of the bullet, giving it more power at shorter ranges.

Camp Pendleton was the staging point for the First Marine Expeditionary Force during the Gulf War. The First Marines fought back attacking Iraqi forces at Khafji and led the thrust into Iraqi-occupied Kuwait.

Iraqi desertwear and AK47 tanker gun. The museum display features a Soviet-made 81mm mortar and a number of AK-47 assault rifles, including models manufactured in the USSR.

According to Pendleton's Gunnery Sergeant John Farrell, Marine Corps units are authorized to bring home items of historical significance. Among the Iraqi hardware that has already arrived at Pendleton are an Iraqi ZSU-23-4 self-propelled anti-aircraft cannon, a D-20 howitzer, a Soviet-made T-72 tank, an armored personnel carrier, a Chinese-made 55mm mortar, two Soviet 60mm mortars, an 82mm mortar, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers, and an 85mm anti-aircraft gun. The hardware is part of the SK) billion worth of weapons Iraq purchased from the Soviets between 1980 to 1987.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Some of the armored vehicles might have been captured in the battle for Khafji, a seaside Saudi town overrun by Iraqi forces shortly before the push to liberate Kuwait began. Other equipment was probably captured during the drive into Kuwait.

More hardware is still on the way. "The stuff is still coming into our railroad depot on flatcars." said Pendleton's Farrell, who added that the weapons' historical significance has yet to be determined by the base historian.

The U.S. Marine Corps Command Museum at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot off Pacific Highway displays dozens of these personal war mementos. Among the items donated by various Marines are a complete Iraqi uniform, three Iraqi flags taken from captured bunkers, a Kuwaiti flag, propaganda and surrender leaflets from both sides, and an Iraqi gas mask.

More than 20 different kinds of leaflets were dropped by American soldiers onto Iraqi lines. According to Gunnery Sergeant Sharon Piseno, “because [the Iraqis] are such religious people, most of [the pamphlets] were written to affect them religiously." Countering Saddam Hussein's claims that the allies would torture captured soldiers, the leaflets promised Iraqi soldiers good treatment and freedom to practice their religion. Thirteen kinds of leaflets were dropped on U.S. troops. One showed a Scud missile aimed at the head of a U.S. soldier, promising that such a fate would befall GIs if they did not surrender.

Also on display are a series of photographs showing an Iraqi tank unit surrendering. The photos were donated by the commander of a Marine tank unit that became lost in a sandstorm in the early hours of the ground war. When the storm finally lifted, the Leathernecks found themselves nose-to-nose with an entire Iraqi tank battalion. The outgunned Marines braced themselves for a firefight. but in moments they were overrun — by surrendering Iraqis.

The museum display features a Soviet-made 81mm mortar and a number of AK-47 assault rifles, including models manufactured in the USSR. Yugoslavia, and Iraq. The rifles are quite unusual. Piseno said, because “the Iraqis do strange things to their weapons." Iraqi soldiers modify their rifles by sawing off the barrel at a 45-degree angle. This changes the velocity of the bullet, giving it more power at shorter ranges. They also replace the standard-issue wooden stock with a folding metal stock, making the rifle easier to carry. Names and religious symbols are often engraved on their weapons.

In the high desert of Riverside County, the Marine base at Twentynine Palms has also received shipments of war trophies. Among them are three different types of Soviet-built, desert-tan colored Iraqi tanks, an armored personnel carrier, a command trac (like a mobile command center), a tank retriever (similar to a tow truck for a battle-damaged tank), and a quad (four-barrel) anti-aircraft gun.

A third display sits on the quarterdeck of the U.S.S. Tripoli. The Tripoli's crew put together an Iraqi floating mine to commemorate their service in the Persian Gulf. Photographs of the amphibious assault ship's mine-sweeping operations are displayed along with some Iraqi small arms. But it's the jagged, twisted steel next to the floating mine that holds the most significance for the ship's crew.

While the Tripoli was sweeping for mines off the Kuwaiti coast, an Iraqi mine tore a gaping hole in her side. Many of her compartments were flooded, and toxic fumes from a shattered paint locker spread throughout the below-deck areas. Damage-control parties battled the water that rushed through the hole. The crew shored up the damage and kept the hull from buckling further. Their efforts not only kept the Tripoli afloat but allowed the ship to continue her sweeping activities until she was able to put into Bahrain for repairs.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

3 Tips for Creating a Cozy and Inviting Living Room in San Diego

Next Article

Too $hort & DJ Symphony, Peppermint Beach Club, Holidays at the Zoo

Events December 19-December 21, 2024
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader