HJR 245

Commending the veterans of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 9, 2026
Agreed to by the Senate, March 11, 2026
WHEREAS, 2026 marks the 35th anniversary of the Persian Gulf War, when a coalition of nations spearheaded by hundreds of thousands of United States Armed Forces personnel liberated Kuwait from Ba'athist Iraq; and
WHEREAS, in August 1990, Ba'athist Iraq, then led by Saddam Hussein, invaded its neighbor Kuwait, drawing immediate condemnation from around the world; the United States responded by quickly deploying troops to Saudi Arabia to prevent further incursions and working to form a multinational military coalition; and
WHEREAS, as the military buildup in the region, known as Operation Desert Shield, continued, the United Nations Security Council issued a resolution demanding that Iraq withdraw from Kuwait by January 1991; and
WHEREAS, on January 17, 1991, a coalition of at least 35 nations launched Operation Desert Storm, beginning with an aerial and naval bombardment of Iraq and Kuwait that continued for five weeks; and
WHEREAS, on February 24, 1991, the coalition launched an overwhelming ground assault, which liberated Kuwait and advanced into Iraqi territory; the coalition halted its ground advance after one hundred hours and declared a ceasefire; and
WHEREAS, in addition to liberating the people of the independent nation of Kuwait, this decisive victory demonstrated the ability of the United States to build a broad international coalition in a time of crisis; and
WHEREAS, the Persian Gulf War also demonstrated the effectiveness of the all-volunteer military of the United States, as well as the technological superiority of the United States Armed Forces against a military that had been primarily supplied by the Soviet Union; and
WHEREAS, the Persian Gulf War marked a new era of the acceptance of women in the military and a greater awareness of their capabilities; and
WHEREAS, during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, 147 American service members were killed in combat or died as a result of their wounds sustained in combat, seven of whom were Virginians; and
WHEREAS, the Virginia War Memorial and the Virginia War Memorial Foundation have invited veterans of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm to reunite on March 21, 2026, to celebrate their military service and to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the veterans of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the Persian Gulf War; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to veterans of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for their outstanding service to the nation.