Today, we recall that enduring legacy and remember him as one of the great military giants of the 20th century. . — Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I was lucky enough to lead a very successful war." When did Norman Schwarzkopf (Army general) die? From the age of 4, the younger Schwarzkopf determined that he would follow his father to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and pursue a career as a soldier. He returned for a second tour in 1969 commanding an infantry battalion. He … Schwarzkopf died of complications from pneumonia in Tampa, Fla., where he had retired, according to his sister Ruth Barenbaum. A distinguished member of that 'Long Gray Line' hailing from West Point, Gen. He seldom spoke up during the conflict, but in late 2004, he sharply criticized then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and the Pentagon for mistakes that included inadequate training for Army reservists sent to Iraq and for erroneous judgments about Iraq. The highlight of his career was the 1991 Persian Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm. Bush and senior members of his administration to end the ground war after just four days, allowing Hussein to remain in power and much of his Republican Guard to retreat from Kuwait unscathed. Schwarzkopf died … General Norman Schwarzkopf. At the peak of his postwar national celebrity, Schwarzkopf — a self-proclaimed political independent — rejected suggestions that he run for office, and remained far more private than other generals, although he did serve briefly as a military commentator for NBC. Share: Norman Schwarzkopf (Army general) died on Thursday, December 27, 2012. Gen. Schwarzkopf does not fare nearly as well in a new book by Thomas E. Ricks, “The Generals.” Ricks faults Schwarzkopf for failing to understand strategic aspects of the war, allowing much of the Republican Guard to escape from Kuwait, and for allowing the Iraqis to fly armed helicopters over Iraq following the end of the ground campaign. He was 78. Schwarzkopf and his wife, Brenda, had three children: Cynthia, Jessica and Christian. He was 78. "With the passing of General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, America lost a great patriot and a great soldier. Our prayers are with the Schwarzkopf family, who tonight can know that his legacy will endure in a nation that is more secure because of his patriotic service.". “All you have to do is hold your first soldier who is dying in your arms, and have that terribly futile feeling that I can’t do anything about it. In the late 1980s, with the Soviet empire collapsing, Gen. Schwarzkopf studied the likelihood of future wars and concluded that the Middle East would be the next hot spot. After retiring from the Army in 1992, Schwarzkopf wrote a best-selling autobiography, "It Doesn't Take A Hero." His sister says he died of complications from pneumonia. While focused primarily in his later years on charitable enterprises, he campaigned for President George W. Bush in 2000 but was ambivalent about the 2003 invasion of Iraq, saying he doubted victory would be as easy as the White House and Pentagon predicted. Gen. Schwarzkopf… The general, who retired soon after the gulf war and lived in Tampa, died of complications arising from a recent bout of pneumonia, said … The parents held Gen. Schwarzkopf responsible at first, but Bryan portrayed him as an officer of honor and compassion and concluded that the killing was accidental. Even before the rapid victory, the general was known as “Stormin’ Norman” for his sometimes volcanic temper. Best known for his role in the first Gulf War, Schwarzkopf was … Sign up for POLITICO Playbook and get the latest news, every morning — in your inbox. Gen. Schwarzkopf, who directed a chapel choir of cadets at West Point — one of his first command positions — had a lifelong love of opera and music. Norman Schwarzkopf Jr., the hard-charging U.S. Army general whose forces smashed the Iraqi army in the 1991 Gulf War, has died at the age of 78, a U.S. official said on Thursday. In July 1990, he led military troops in elaborate war games built around a theoretical invasion of Kuwait by Iraq. "Barbara and I mourn the loss of a true American patriot and one of the great military leaders of his generation. Bush. On Jan. 17, 1991, a five-month buildup called Desert Shield became Operation Desert Storm as allied aircraft attacked Iraqi bases and Baghdad government facilities. Schwarzkopf said afterward he agreed with Bush's decision to stop the war rather than drive to Baghdad to capture Saddam, as his mission had been only to oust the Iraqis from Kuwait. Initially Schwarzkopf had endorsed the invasion, saying he was convinced that former Secretary of State Colin Powell had given the United Nations powerful evidence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. Norman passed away on December 27, 2012 at the age of 78 in Tampa, Florida, USA. Bush, who remains in the intensive care unit at Methodist Hospital, released a statement on the passing of Schwarzkopf. After Saddam invaded Kuwait in August 1990, Schwarzkopf played a key diplomatic role by helping to persuade Saudi Arabia's King Fahd to allow U.S. and other foreign troops to deploy on Saudi territory as a staging area for the war to come. Bush. The son of a decorated Army officer, Gen. Schwarzkopf followed his father's legacy of service by enrolling in West Point in the 1950s. The four-star general and commander of a U.S.-led international coalition drove Saddam Hussein’s forces out of Kuwait in 1991 in the Persian Gulf War, but the retired general kept a low public profile in controversies over the war against Iraq that began in 2003. While many career officers left military service embittered by Vietnam, Schwarzkopf was among those who opted to stay and help rebuild the tattered Army into a potent, modernized all-volunteer force. He held several more high-profile jobs, became a four-star general in 1988 and was named commander of the U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, the four-star Army general who led allied forces to a stunningly quick and decisive victory over Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi military in the 1991 Persian Gulf War and who became the most celebrated U.S. military hero of his generation, died Thursday in Tampa. A much-decorated combat soldier in Vietnam, Schwarzkopf was known popularly as "Stormin' Norman" for a notoriously explosive temper. . It's nice to feel that you have a purpose.". "In the final analysis I think we are behind schedule. Bush that succeeded in driving the Iraqis out. Barbara and I send our condolences to his wife, Brenda, and his wonderful family." 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 was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and honored with decorations from France, Britain, Belgium, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain. But he concluded that Schwarzkopf made “no significant error of strategy or tactic.”. Schwarzkopf was born Aug. 24, 1934, in Trenton, New Jersey, where his father, Col. H. Norman Schwarzkopf Jr., founder and commander of the … The thoughts and prayers of the Joint Chiefs and the Joint Force are with Gen. Schwarzkopf's family and friends." He was a good friend of mine, a close buddy. My wife, Alma, joins me in extending our deepest condolences to his wife, Brenda, and to her family." After returning to the United States, he spent a year at the Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, Pa., before entering West Point, where he played football, wrestled and sang in the choir. Those helicopter gunships were subsequently used to attack and decimate anti-Hussein Shiite uprisings in southern Iraq and Kurdish protests in the north. Schwarzkopf returned to the United States after the Gulf War as a national hero, and his ability to effectively deal with the press left him a positive image. Reaction to the death of Norman Schwarzkopf. Then you understand the horror of war.”. Broadcast to the nation nonstop on CNN, the war gave the nation and the world its first look at a new American military strategy that used precision-guided bombs dropped from hundreds of aircraft and Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from ships. "But I've always felt that I was more than one-dimensional. A distinguished member of that Long Gray Line hailing from West Point, General Norm Schwarzkopf, to me, epitomized the 'duty, service, country' creed that has defended our freedom and seen this great Nation through our most trying international crises. But in a desert tent meeting with vanquished Iraqi generals, he allowed a key concession on Iraq's use of helicopters, which later backfired by enabling Saddam to crack down more easily on rebellious Shiites and Kurds. In a television interview after his triumphant return to the United States, Gen. Schwarzkopf claimed that he wanted to continue the war. The six-week aerial campaign climaxed with a massive ground offensive on Feb. 24-28, routing the Iraqis from Kuwait in 100 hours before U.S. officials called a halt. His father, who was also an Army general, was named Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf, but he disliked his first name so much that he refused to pass it on to his son. He attended a military school in New Jersey, then spent time overseas with his family from 1946 to 1951. In 1946, when he was 12… Retired US General Norman Schwarzkopf died on Thursday. Rick Atkinson, in his 1993 book “Crusade: The Untold Story of the Persian Gulf War,” described Gen. Schwarzkopf as a volcanic figure who threatened to fire numerous subordinates and often behaved like an imperial dictator. He spoke in plain English, instead of using military jargon. Norm served his country with courage and distinction for over 35 years. Schwarzkopf indicated a desire to retire from the military in mid-1991. He earned three Silver Stars for valor — including one for saving troops from a minefield — plus a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and three Distinguished Service Medals. In January 1952, Schwarzkopf's birth certificate was amended to make his name "H. Norman Schwarzkopf". Short Biography. Norm Schwarzkopf, to me, epitomized the 'duty, service, country' creed that has defended our freedom and seen this great nation through our most trying international crises. He planned for the possibility that the United States could become embroiled in regional disputes that crossed the borders of U.S. allies. READ: Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf obituary. I don't think we counted on it turning into jihad (holy war)," he said in an NBC interview. Retired Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, who topped an illustrious military career by commanding the U.S.-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 Thursday. "With the passing of General Norman Schwarzkopf, we've lost an American original. “The most important thing is that he cares about ground troops and he’s not about to get them chewed up.”. He served in his last military assignment in Tampa as commander-in-chief of U.S. Central Command, the headquarters responsible for U.S. military and security concerns in nearly 20 countries from the eastern Mediterranean and Africa to Pakistan. In 1966 he volunteered for Vietnam and served two tours, first as a U.S. adviser to South Vietnamese paratroops and later as a battalion commander in the U.S. Army's Americal Division. The future general was born in Trenton, N.J., on Aug. 22, 1934. Gen. Schwarzkopf embodied the warrior spirit, serving with distinction in three conflicts over his 35 years of dedicated service. But the adulation he received from the American public quickly gave way to second-guessing by many historians, who questioned the decision by President George H.W. Less than a week later, real Iraqi forces marched across the Kuwaiti border. The soldier’s parents launched an investigation, which later become the inspiration for C.D.B. "The men and women of the Department of Defense join me in mourning the loss of Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, whose 35 years of service in uniform left an indelible imprint on the United States military and on the country. He was 78. 1 of 3 FILE - In this Sept. 14, 1990 file photo, U.S. Army Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, commander of U.S. forces in Saudi Arabia, answers questions during an interview in Riyadh. Dec 28, 2012 at 9:21 AM Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf in 1991, standing with his tank troops during Operation Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia. He was initially considered for promotion alternatively to General of the Army or to Army Chief of Staff, and was ultimately asked to assume the latter post, but he declined. Norman Schwarzkopf was a Vietnam War veteran, commander of the U.S. Central Command and a four-star general in the U.S. Army. In 1970, an errant artillery shell killed a sergeant under Gen. Schwarzkopf’s command. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. (/ˈʃwɔrtskɒf/; August 22, 1934 – December 27, 2012) was a United States Army general. Gen. Schwarzkopf’s sister, Ruth Barenbaum, told the Associated Press he had complications from pneumonia. In 1991, Schwarzkopf led a coalition of about 30 countries that drove … Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, a four-star Army general who led allied forces to a quick, decisive victory over Saddam Hussein's Iraqi military in the 1991 Persian Gulf War, died Dec. 27 in Tampa. Born in Trenton, NJ, Schwarzkopf graduated from West Point and rose through the ranks of the US Army eventually becoming a four-star General. He received a Silver Star and won the respect of his troops for his courageous efforts to rescue soldiers wounded by land mines. The campaign, designed to expel Hussein’s forces and liberate Kuwait, commenced in January 1990 with a 43-day high-tech air assault on Iraq before a massive armored assault force launched a 100-hour ground offensive that inflicted swift and heavy losses on the Iraqis. Retired Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf Dead at 78 The U.S. commander in the Gulf War served during the administration of President George H.W. Schwarzkopf became the head of the U.S. Central Command in 1988. The official wasn't authorized to release the information publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. He previously worked for publications in Washington, New York, North Carolina and Florida. 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