The Gulf War, also called Operation Desert Storm, featured soldiers from all branches of the U.S. military, including the Navy. The Gulf War began in August of 1990 and officially ended in February of 1991. The Navy contributed to the victory in the Gulf in a number of different ways, including providing ships and manpower for the multinational embargo, which was basically a naval blockade that prevented Iraq from receiving supplies and from attacking from the ocean. If you were a part of the navy at this time, you may want to add a Gulf War Veteran Navy Patch to your jacket. It can be found in the Iraq War Patches category.
The U.S. naval forces spent the six months of Operation Desert Shield intensively training and preparing for Operation Desert Storm. During this time, they carried out a number of anti-air, anti-surface, gunfire support, and search and rescue operations. Once the actual attack against Iraq began, the joint U.N-U.S. fleets did not lose a single ship and lost only a half-dozen of their aircraft. Only six naval air crewmen were killed during the operation. Following the defeat of the Iraqi forces and the dissolution of Saddam Hussein's government, the navy was critical in post-war operations and keeping peace in the region.
This patch recreates the pin given to veterans of the Gulf War. The striped pin is placed on a black background that says 'Gulf War Veteran' over it and 'U.S. Navy' below it. It measures 4 by 1.5 inches and can be ironed on to your clothing or, if you're putting it on leather, sewn on.
