Norman Schwarzkopf was in charge of Operation Desert Storm

At MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, Schwarzkopf held the position of commander in chief of the United States Central Command from November 1988 until August 1991. He also led the coalition forces in 1991 during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm in that capacity. This is one of the interesting facts about Norman Schwarzkopf.

Schwarzkopf created a strategy to counter Iraqi aggression in the Persian Gulf while serving as commander of USCENTCOM. Just 210 days after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, the U.S.-led coalition was able to defeat Iraqi forces thanks in large part to that strategy. Beginning on January 17, 1991 with the initial bombing campaigns, Operation Desert Storm barely lasted 42 days. The ground battle only lasted 100 hours, from the initial U.S. incursion into Kuwait on February 24 to the cease-fire, end of the war, and liberation of Kuwait on February 28.

Schwarzkopf's "left hook" strategy, a flanking maneuver where coalition forces entered Iraq from Saudi Arabia and then entered Kuwait from Iraq by moving west across the Iraq-Kuwait border, was crucial to the success of the ground war to liberate Kuwait. This strategy was used to attack Iraqi forces in Kuwait by crossing directly into that country from Saudi Arabia.

Schwarzkopf received several honors throughout his career, including a Distinguished Flying Cross, the Legion of Merit, three Silver Stars, and three Distinguished Service Medals. He is survived by his three children, Cynthia, Jessica, and Christian, as well as his wife of 44 years, Brenda.