The Persian Gulf War, more commonly known simply as the Gulf War, was sparked when Iraq invaded the small nation of Kuwait. Kuwait is an independent country located between Iraq and Saudi Arabia and bordering on the Persian Gulf. The United States formed a coalition of thirty-four countries against the governmental forces of the Iraqi Republic and its allies, Yemen and the Palestine Liberation Organization. The Coalition of the Willing was comprised of Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Kuwait, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Spain, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
The first phase of the Gulf War was code-named Operation Desert Shield and lasted from 02 August 1990 until 17 January 1991. The second phase of the Gulf War was code-named Operation Desert Storm, which lasted from 17 January 1991 until 28 February 1991.
While the Iraqi forces sustained combat deaths amounting to between 25,000 and 50,000 and injuries numbering over 75,000, the Coalition Army sustained only 292 combat deaths and 1,243 wounded. The Kuwaiti army recorded 4,200 killed.
Individuals from Bedford County who are known to have served during the Gulf War included the following: Eric Arcq, Scott Ross Barefoot, Jason Baumgardner, Steven W. Barton, Scott A. Brodbeck, Marvin L. Colburn, Brian E. College, Clay L. Corle, Russell O. Dalton Jr., Eric Dennison, Larry S. Diehl, Steven E. Donivan, Mark D. Eichelberger, Cynthia Emerick, Jesse Emerick, Dennis Ferrell, James Focht Jr., Robert L. Focht, William F. Gordon, Jason Gunnett, Robert E. Hanks, Kenneth T. Householder, Dan Housel, Donald A. Humbertson, Corenna Jones, James Jones, Kent L. Kagarise, Mark A. Kegg, Robert Kronenberg, Kenneth Lockard, Matthew Brian Lohr, Victor McGlaughlin, Ben H. Miller, Edward F. Miller, Corrie Q. Morris, Brian K. Moyer, John A. Murray, Margaret O'Rourke, John A. Parsons, Dale Plummer, David M. Reed, Susan G. Reed, Michael E. Ritchey, Charles Roland, Donald W. Rush, Earl F. Schooley Jr., N. Scott Sill, Bradley A. Small, Perry A. Small, Jeffrey L. Smith, Michael S. Smouse, Mark Snyder, Ann Marie Taracatac, Jacob C. Vance, Nathan Vore, Kevin Wallace, Irvin T. Way, Terry S. Weaver, Quintin T. Weicht, Rex A. Wertz, Gary L. White, Stephen M. Witt, Paul G. Wyman and Micheal T. Zeth.
Individuals born outside of Bedford, but who made Bedford their home included: Daniel E. Burkett and J. LeRoy Foor.
It should be noted that many of the young men and women who joined the armed services and took part in either Operation Desert Shield or Operation Desert Storm also participated in various of the other conflicts that broke out in the Middle East.
