RIP Stormin' Norman

[Gob]

Retired US General Norman Schwarzkopf has died in Tampa, Florida, US media has reported. He was 78.




Gen Schwarzkopf - known as Stormin' Norman - was commander of coalition forces in the first Gulf War in 1990-91.

The US-led coalition drove Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's forces out of Kuwait.

Former US President George H W Bush described Gen Schwarzkopf as "one of the great military leaders of his generation".

Gen Schwarzkopf spent his retirement in Tampa, where he had served in his last military assignment as commander-in-chief of US Central Command.

The BBC's Ben Wright in Washington said his military success made him one of America's most famous modern generals although some criticised him for negotiating ceasefire terms which allowed Saddam Hussein to remain in power.

President Bush, who was in office during the first Gulf War, said he "mourned the loss" of Gen Schwarzkopf.

Mr Bush, who remains in intensive care at the Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, issued a statement, saying: "Barbara and I mourn the loss of a true American patriot and one of the great military leaders of his generation.

"A distinguished member of that Long Gray Line hailing from West Point, General Schwarzkopf, to me, epitomised the 'duty, service, country' creed that has defended our freedom and seen this great nation through our most trying international crises.

"More than that, he was a good and decent man - and a dear friend. Barbara and I send our condolences to his wife Brenda and his wonderful family."

[Lord Jim]

That's a damn shame, he was a real class act...

And also one of the best two or three military commanders this nation has produced since WWII...

I'll never forget the press conference he gave during Desert Storm, when some idiot asked him, "General, now that we have destroyed the Iraqi Air Force, is it really fair of us to continue to use air power?"

He fixed the questioner with a steely gaze, and waited a few moments before answering...(probably because he was trying to take in the fact that anyone would ask such an idiotic question) and then responded:

"We did not come here to 'fight fair'...we came here to engage the enemy with overwhelming force, and keep our losses as low as possible."

(I think it speaks well for Schwarzkopf that he didn't come down off the podium and bitch slap that imbecile ala George Patton...)

The idiotic questions that Schwarzkopf was peppered with became the subject of Saturday Night Live routines...

There's one routine they had where a reporter asked, "General, what's the single most demoralizing thing for the troops you could tell us about our military operation?"

And another one where a reporter identified himself as a representative of The Baghdad News:

"General, could you please be telling me where the soldiers are, and let me go there and count them"...

Trivia question...

Without Googling, what famous historical event was Norman Schwarzkopf's father directly involved with?

[Gob]

Didn't he invent luxury nutrashine shampoo?

[Lord Jim]

Wrong.

Try again...

[Joe Guy]

He discovered Marmite?

[Gob]

He coined the common name for "blackheads", though the English term proved more popular than the German.

[Lord Jim]

He discovered Marmite?

"No, But thanks for playing..."

[dales]

Without Googling, what famous historical event was Norman Schwarzkopf's father directly involved with?

The conception of his son, Norman.

[Lord Jim]

The conception of his son, Norman.

No, more famous than that...

Okay, here's a hint...

The Norman Schwarzkopf we know, was Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. .... (again...NO GOOGLING )

[Rick]

LJ I gotta tell ya if I don't know not Googling is not going to help.

So I'm going to Google I just won't post what I googled...

ETA: wow that's big I did not know that, and I can't believe you did with out Googling it. Unless it was some blurb while doing a jr. story...

[Lord Jim]

Keld, I did a research paper in college about this; which is where I first became familiar with him.


When Desert Storm took place, I remembered the name,(Schwarzkopf being a pretty unusual name) and looked it up and confirmed the connection.

Norman Jr. obviously learned how to deal with intense, relentless media scrutiny from a man with some pretty strong experience with it.

It's starting to look like nobody is going to get this one. If nobody gets it by this afternoon I'll post the answer.

[Grim Reaper]

I had to look it up as well. I've read about the story before too, just didn't remember the name.

[Lord Jim]

Okay, here it is:

Born in 1896, Col. H. Norman Schwarzkopf graduated from West Point in 1917 and left for Europe to serve in the First World War. After the armistice, he was appointed military police chief of an occupied German town – a position which would ultimately shape his career. In 1921, soon after leaving the service and returning to New Jersey, the Governor of New Jersey appointed Col. Schwarzkopf to organize and lead the New Jersey State Police.

Col. Schwarzkopf was tough. Of the first 116 recruits, he admitted only eighty-one. By March of 1932, he had shaped the New Jersey State Police into a sizable and effective law enforcement agency. Upon learning of the Lindbergh kidnapping, Col. Schwarzkopf established a command center at the Hopewell estate. Initially, he found his investigation impeded by the Lindberghs' desire to negotiate with the kidnappers for the return of their child. Once the child’s body was found, Col. Schwarzkopf took complete control of the investigation. At the request of the Governor, he reopened the investigation after Hauptmann was convicted.

As a result of the political fall-out which arose in the wake of the Lindbergh affair, Col. Schwarzkopf was replaced as superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. In the late 1930’s, he narrated “Gang Busters” – a popular radio show about true crime. Col. Schwarzkopf returned to military service in 1940, ultimately achieving the rank of Brigadier General, and later helped to organize and train the Iranian police force. He is the father of the Gulf War hero, “Stormin Norman,” who shares his name. Col. Schwarzkopf died in 1958.

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/f ... zkopf.html

[Long Run]

I'll second the accolades and the interesting trivia question. We lost a good one.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Yeah I remember that from a History Channel (or maybe Discover) "Lindbergh" documentary many years back. I think it possible that Sr. might be a better subject for a documentary than his son.

[rubato]

He got the dream job of a lifetime for a general. An overwhelming force against a weak enemy in a highly popular war.

He did his job pretty well but I suspect that there are a large number of others who would not do any differently, given the difference in weapons and personnel.

Nice enough guy but nothing special, really.

yrs,
rubato

[dales]

I'm afraid many in Kuwait would disagree with rubato.

[Gob]

I'm afraid many everywhere would disagree with rubato.

Fixed.

[rubato]

Biographies have said that "the outcome was never in doubt" referring to the lopsidedness of the forces in Desert storm which supports exactly what I said.

Facts don't support the mythology that he was crucial to success.

Bush I, on the other hand, did a superb job pulling together an international coalition and keeping his promises about limiting the conflict. Very few could have done as well.

yrs,
rubato