The Arabian Peninsula & Persian Gulf: D+0 (9 July, 1987) Part I**
The Stage is Set On the morning hostilities broke out in Europe, the Soviet military forces in the Persian Gulf region consisted primarily of naval and air forces based in and around South Yemen. A...
View ArticleThe Arabian Peninsula & Persian Gulf: D+0 (9 July, 1987) Part II**
*Author’s Note: This will be the final timeline embed of 2018 😊* 9 July Note: All times posted here will be Riyadh Time (GMT+3) 0630- Upon receiving word that war has broken out in Europe, the USS...
View ArticleThe Arabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf: D+1 (10 July, 1987) Part I
Time was running out for the Soviets. Opportunities to interdict the MPS ships en route to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia had largely been exhausted as dawn broke on 10 July. Submarine attacks on MPSRON 2 and...
View ArticleThe Arabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf: D+1 (10 July, 1987) Part II
US Air Force assets on the ground in Saudi Arabia on the morning of 10 July were as follows: 2 squadrons of F-15A Eagles from the 49th TFW, 1 squadron of F-16C Falcons and a detachment of A-10...
View ArticleThe Arabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf D+2 (11 July, 1987)
With the 7th MAB now on the ground and marrying up to its equipment in Dhahran, the US military presence in eastern Saudi Arabia was consolidating quickly. The Marines would be combat-ready within...
View ArticleThe Western Pacific D+0 (9 July, 1987)**
World War III arrived in the Western Pacific with an anticlimactic whimper, not the violent crescendo that had been widely anticipated for days. It was 12:00 PM in Seoul and Tokyo when the first...
View ArticleThe Arabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf D+3-D+6 (12 July-15 July, 1987)
D+3 (12 July, 1987) The day passes relatively quietly. Soviet forces in Yemen continue to lick their wounds while awaiting guidance and orders from Moscow regarding the next phase of operations....
View ArticleThe Western Pacific D+1-D+6 (10 July-15 July, 1987)
D+1 (10 July, 1987) Skirmishes erupt on the DMZ in Korea between ROK and North Korean forces. The clashes are brief, and limited to exchanges of small arms fire. US B-52 bombers based at Andersen...
View ArticleCentral America/Caribbean D+0-D+6 (9 July-15 July, 1987)
D+0 (9 July, 1987) Eastern Bloc merchant ships are banned from entering the Panama Canal. Further, no East Bloc vessels can enter Limon Bay on the Atlantic side of the canal, or the Gulf of Panama on...
View ArticleArabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf D+7-D+9 (16-18 July, 1987)
D+7 The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) responds to Iraq’s intention to abrogate its financial debts to Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. The GCC does not accept Iraq’s reasons, pointing out quite correctly...
View ArticleThe Western Pacific D+7-D+9 (16-18 July, 1987)
D+7 A series of skirmishes break out between ships, submarines, and aircraft of the Soviet Red Banner Pacific Fleet and the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force throughout the day. Two Japanese...
View ArticleArabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf D+10 (19 July, 1987)
Saddam Hussein was a leader who had built his power from opportunities presented by chaotic, unpredictable situations. As global tensions rose in late June and early July of 1987, Hussein was already...
View ArticleThe Western Pacific D+10 (19 July, 1987) Part I
Hostilities officially erupted on the Korean Peninsula at 0423 hours, 19 July, 1987. The first overt clash between North Korean (NK) and South Korean (ROK) military forces occurred in the Yellow Sea. A...
View ArticleThe Western Pacific D+10 (19 July, 1987) Part II
The damage and chaos caused by North Korean sabotage, and commando raids on USAF and South Korean airbases earlier in the morning directly affected the number of fighters that were available to counter...
View ArticleCentral America/Caribbean D+7-10 (16-19 July, 1987)
D+7 (16 July, 1987) -US Navy personnel and civilian contract workers from the United States assume full duties at the Panama Canal. All Panamanian nationals, and other foreigners working there are...
View ArticleArabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf D+11 (20 July, 1987) Part I
Author’s Note: Apologies for breaking this post up into parts. I’m out of town for a day or two and writing time is limited. I’ll wrap this up on Saturday evening. Again, I’m very sorry. As dawn...
View ArticleArabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf D+11 (20 July, 1987) Part II
Meetings between Soviet diplomats and senior Iraqi government officials lasted through the morning. Around the noon hour military officials from both nations joined the discussions. Saddam Hussein was...
View ArticleThe Western Pacific D+11 (20 July, 1987) Part I
On the Korean Peninsula all of the major fighting took place north of the Han River on D+11. The North Korean first echelon divisions continued to drive south, seeking to create a hole in the Combined...
View ArticleThe Western Pacific D+11 (20 July, 1987) Part II
Sino-Soviet tensions did not materialize out of nowhere on 9 July, 1987. The World’s two dominant Communist powers had a long history of mutual distrust, and bitterness between them. China’s suspicions...
View ArticleThe Western Pacific D+11 (20 July, 1987) Part III
Conditions along the Sino-Soviet frontier on D+11 were precarious to say the least. Soviet and Chinese forces stationed along the border maintained their vigilance, sharply aware of how close their...
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