MarquezRazor

I was reading a book -The Fist of God- by Frederick Forsyth.The story is based around the Gulf War.In the story there were some anecdotes about the interaction between the British and US soldiers.I dont know whether these are true or not,there are many experienced members here who will be able to tell...but Forsyth is usually very factually correct so I am guessing they might well be true.

Anyway here goes:

1.The USAF and the RAF had the same maps and communication was very informal.On a training mission a Tornado was asked whether it had reached a certain point,when the Brit pilot replied that he was still over MMFD.As time went by many American pilots heard the location repeated...and looked in their maps but couldnt find that area named MMFD.They thought it could be the KKMC for King Khaled Military City but that was discounted.Eventually through a Brit pilot they came to know that MMFD stood for "miles and miles of fckin desert".

2.The UK MoD supposedly placed an order for half a million of condoms for the Brit soldiers in the Gulf.The US soldiers were thinking that the Brits might know something that would explain the ordering of such huge numbers in the desert.Later they found out that the Brits had used the condoms to cap their gun-barrels to keep them clean.

3.Another one which I had heard before in WAB itself.

Drinking was prohibited ..it being the month of Ramadan.The Brit soldiers recieved large crates of shampoo.So ppl wondered wherfrom they would get enough water to utilise those shampoo.Later the British soldiers were caught sitting in the shades of their tanks and taking swigs from their shampoo bottles.

4.During the build-up the French defence minister was jean piere Chevenement who appeared to have a sympathy for Iraq and asked the French allied commander to pass on all the allied planned decisions to Paris.the defence minister,at that time was also the chairman of France-Iraq Friendship Society!So the french commander,General Michel Roquejoffre was excluded from all planning councils.Later the defence minister was replaced by Peirre Joxe when this situation ended.

I found those quite humourous. The above are written from the British view-point.May be our experienced members here would share some funy stories as well.

gunnut

USAF General Chuck Horner, leader of the allied air power during the Gulf War, was tasked to destroy Iraqi ground forces, especially tanks, before the ground war phase was to start. His superiors stated to him explicitly not to refer to this mission as "tank plinking." So he made sure all his pilots refer to this mission as "tank plinking."

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dundonrl

I know from talking to my dad in Vietnam condoms were used too cap the end of rifle muzzles.. also, the old alchohol in a shampoo etc bottle has been around for quite awhile.. (being in a "dry" Navy, it's used onboard my ship from time too time)

TopHatter

I agree with dundonrl, a lot of those stories are probably apocryphal, as I've read plenty of U.S. accounts of troops using condoms long before the Gulf War to keep their rifle barrels clean and also the various methods used to bring in alcoholic beverages to Saudi Arabia (like Listerine bottles, not to mention making their own right there on the spot.)

MarquezRazor

But why on earth are the French like this?

Stan187

A long line of bad genetics and unfortunate socio-cultural development.

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Gun Grape

I doubt that actually happened, Gen Roquejoffre not being in on the planning.
The 6th Light Armored Div, with the 82d Airborne's 2d Bde attached,
were the extreme left flank of the "Left Hook". They had some mission critical task (As-Salman airbase in Iraq)that you don't just wing-it.

Also French AF planes were integrated in the ATO and flew CAS and reconnaissance missions.

If they did that without being in on the planning, All I can say is that they must have one heck of a military.

The hang up had nothing to do with the French military "Spying" for the Iraqis. There was disagreement on French troops being under US Command. This was the First time that French Soldiers had deployed (except FFL) outside of the home country. Same argument that they had about NATO control of French troops.

Lots of talk between the 2 Presidents which was OBE when Gen Roquejoffre placed his Units under Stormin Norman.

Expat Canuck

I want more stories!!!

MarquezRazor

Interesting theory.Genetics..hmm..could be a reason.Socio-cultural development?Not sure on that one..how are the French socio-culturally too much different from any other western european country?

MarquezRazor

Well sir,you could be right.Just that Frederick Forsyth has been very accurate in the past...and even humiliated the Brit govt. once or twice by exposing facts.

Btw,were you there during GW?

Bluesman

In 2000, when I was assigned to Operation SOUTHERN WATCH at Al Kharj, Prince Sultan Royal Suadi Air Force Base, we were explicitly told to have NO CONTACT with the French during our in-brief. We were not to accept rides offered to/from Ops Town, we were not to sit with them at meals, we were not to associate with them off-duty AT ALL.

And the reason was explicitly stated: the entire French contingent held an intel-collection brief. They were there for one reason: to spy on us, and that's what they did. They were excluded from ALL briefings, and anything they needed to know re: life on PSAB, they were breifed apart in a sanitized version, as befitted their status of an adversary collection threat.

And it got worse: there WERE examples of French contact and intel sharing with Iraqi military, DURING the period of actual engagements between Iraqi and Alied air component forces. Let me make this clear: the French were discussing Allied operations while those ops were being engaged by Iraqi air defense forces.

http://www.worldaffairsboard.com/political-discussions/6282-france-enemy-democracy.html

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Expat Canuck

I'm not surprised, doesn't Monsier Chirac have some friends in high places in Syria for example?

I forget it was awhile ago I read that.

Stan187

Jokes are jokes, sir. Don't read too deeply into one-liners.

MarquezRazor

Ah..so that is true indeed.Thanks for confirming that MSgt.Always glad to hear from the experts.

MarquezRazor

Number one,I am not a "Sir"

Number two..oh come on Stan..I thought we had a nice theory going...