H. Norman Schwarzkopf (August 22, 1934-December 27, 2012) was Commander in Chief of the Coalition Forces in Operation Desert Storm, 1991. He served as Commander in Chief, U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, 1988-91; received the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal, 1991; and was knighted into the Hon. Order of the Bath by Queen Elizabeth II, 1991.
Having acknowledged during an interview, in 1991, that he kept a Bible by his bed, General Schwarzkopf was asked if he had a favorite verse. He replied:
<Actually, it's a prayer of St. Francis: "Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace."> 1934NS001
One of the key decisions of General Schwarzkopf's was an extreme flanking maneuver of the 101st Airborne, nicknamed Hail Mary, which cut off the retreat of the Iraqi Republican Guard. He commented:
<I began to believe that, when my forward commander radioed that they had reached the Euphrates River ahead of schedule. I waited for the other shoe to fall. "General," he said, "I've got to tell you about the casualties." I braced myself. "One man was slightly wounded." That's when I knew God was with us.> 1934NS002
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American Quotations by William J. Federer, 2024, All Rights Reserved, Permission granted to use with acknowledgement.
1934NS001. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). H. Norman Schwarzkopf, 1991, in an interview with David Frost. Peter Marshall and David Manuel, The Glory of America (Bloomington, MN: Garborg's Heart'N Home, Inc., 1991), 3.27.
1934NS002. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). H. Norman Schwarzkopf, 1991, in an interview with David Frost. Peter Marshall and David Manuel, The Glory of America (Bloomington, MN: Garborg's Heart'N Home, Inc., 1991), 5.29.