Prologue

On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. I was there on a business trip. From the first day of the invasion until I stepped off the plane in Detroit four and a half months later, I was never sure that I would see my wife and two daughters again. I kept a daily journal, thinking that it might be the only legacy I would leave behind if I didn't make it home. This blog will be an edited version of my journal, and may possibly include new comments after the fact.

At the time, I was employed by Cadillac Gage Textron as Manager of Integrated Logistics Support. We manufactured light armored vehicles, tanks, and turreted weapon stations. We had a pretty nice contract with Kuwait, which included a computer and software package to manage the vehicle maintenance and parts program. I had sourced the software for this program, and it was my job to deliver the package and provide initial training to the Kuwaitis. It should have been a walk in the park, had it not been for the Iraqi's rattling their sabres on the border of Kuwait about a week before I was due to travel. At the time, we were told that it was just a show of strength, but not a real threat. The Iraqi's eventually left the border, and I was given the 'all clear' to travel. I was scheduled to be gone for about two to three weeks. It was going to be a walk in the park, and a visit to part of the world where I had never been. Honey, I'll be back before you know it!