February 25, 1991
Status: Currently in Development
Logline: During Operation Desert Storm, a small United States (U.S.) Army Reserve unit of 69 soldiers based out of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, suffered the highest rate of casualties from any allied unit during the conflict. More than 30 years later, the impact of this loss was and still is greatly felt by the families and surviving soldiers in the small community where many members of the unit came from.
Synopsis: In mid-January 1991, the 14th Quartermaster Detachment, a U.S. Army Reserve water purification unit, based out of the small community of Greensburg in Western Pennsylvania, was mobilized in support of Operation Desert Storm. Arriving in Dharan, Saudi Arabia on February 19, 1991. The unit moved into a warehouse that would serve as their temporary barracks while awaiting their equipment and further orders. On the evening of February 25th, their barracks were hit by an Iraqi Scud missile, killing 13 soldiers and wounding another 43. This constituted 81% of the 14th Quartermaster Detachment, which would be the highest rate of casualties suffered by any allied military unit in the entirety of Operation Desert Storm. In all, 28 soldiers were killed and 99 were wounded in the attack, which would be the single deadliest recorded attack on all allied forces during the conflict.
For the first time in history, Americans would watch a war unfold on TV in real time. As the country watched and celebrated its decisive victory, the community of Greensburg, Pennsylvania struggled to come to grips with what had happened. Having seen the news reports of the barracks being hit, families anxiously awaited to hear any word. While some families heard directly from survivors, others dreaded what news may come. As Army Reservists, the “part-time” soldiers who were lost that day had lives that were interrupted and their dreams unfulfilled. For survivors, there would be years of guilt, Post Traumatic Stress, and other health issues. As the families tried to heal and bury their loved ones in PA, there would be ticker tape parades in New York City and celebrations across the country. The small community that had suffered so much came together to support each other. More than thirty years later that support is still strong as they ensure that those that were lost that day will never be forgotten.