Military Sealift Command in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm
Date: 1990-1991
Collection Number: AR/330 (Formerly COLL/521)
Historical Note
The Military Sealift Command (MSC) controls most of the replenishment and military transport ships of the Navy. The United States Military Sealift Command has the responsibility for providing sealift and ocean transportation for all US military services as well as for other government agencies. It first came into existence on 9 July 1949 when the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) became solely responsible for the Department of Defense's ocean transport needs. The MSTS was renamed the Military Sealift Command in 1970.
During the first Persian Gulf War, consisting of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, MSC distinguished itself as the largest source of defense transportation of any nation involved. Command resources delivered more than 12 million tons (11 million metric tonnes) of wheeled and tracked vehicles, helicopters, ammunition, dry cargo, fuel and other supplies and equipment during the war. At the high point of the war, more than 230 government-owned and chartered ships delivering the largest part of the international arsenal that defeated Saddam Hussein in Iraq.
Scope and Content Note
This collection comprises records of Military Sealift Command from 1980 through Operation Desert Shield, and Operation Desert Storm (1991). Topics include:
Desert Storm daily briefings
Ship readiness reports from Desert Storm and Desert Shield
Ship cargo records
Deployment status reports
N9 Dry Cargo Program records
Ship availability Projections
Ammunition logistics
Chronologies
Maps of confict zones
General histories
Captains' commentaries
MSC awards
Various MSC publications
Official statements from MSC officials
Note: Much of this collection is restricted due to classification.
Preferred Citation
This collection should be cited as Military Sealift Command in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Archives Branch, Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington, DC.