# Where were you when the Gulf War was declared? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 18, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149 "2003-03-18T00:08:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/41 "2003-03-18T15:46:20Z")
I was in my then girlfriend’s house; she was out, but her very attractive roommate was in. She came running into the room in just her nightdress and I went :dubious: hello! Then she started crying and said that the bombs had started falling. This was the same girl who alerted me in similar circumstances to Thatcher’s political demise by running up and down the corridor outside the room, whooping with delight and banging a saucepan with a wooden spoon. ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/42 "2003-03-18T15:47:21Z")
I believe it was a Wednesday night. I had an Astronomy lab that night and so did my friend, Corey, who I usually gave a ride to. I had a TV, but I never turned it on, so I was happily packing my books for lab. Corey called and said, “Hey, I’m not going to lab tonight.” I asked how come and he said, “Well, we just went to war.” I turned on the TV and said, “Holy crap. Come on down, we’ll watch it.” And we did. ---
**Author:** ![Zoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/6de8d8/32.png) [@Zoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoff)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/43 "2003-03-18T15:47:29Z")
I was at a Model United Nations meeting. Our sponsor came in and announced that the bombing had begun. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/44 "2003-03-18T16:04:40Z")
In August 1990, I was working at Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon when one of the mule packers bringing in our supplies said that the bombing had started. ---
**Author:** ![welby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@welby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/welby)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/45 "2003-03-18T16:08:33Z")
At a blackjack table in Atlantic City with my uncle. We left and drove into D.C. to watch all of the protesters. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/46 "2003-03-18T16:10:20Z")
August 1990? I was working as senior writer and editor at _Art Direction_ magazine; the woman who sat next to me was the mother of a reservist. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/47 "2003-03-18T16:19:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zoff \* > \*\*I was at a Model United Nations meeting. Our sponsor came in and announced that the bombing had begun. \*\* Out of interest, had you been considering the Iraq/Kuwait situation, and if so, did you pass any resolution/s? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/48 "2003-03-18T16:22:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rilchiam \* > Well, I meant January 15th, 1991, when it ceased to be “Desert Shield” and became “Desert Storm”. This is what I was thinking, so I’ll mention what I was doing that January night. And don’t feel old, **Rilchiam** ; you may have been in your college dorm room, but I was past my college years at the time. Actually, it was karaoke night at my usual pub, so that’s where I was. We knew nothing about the start of the shooting because all the TVs were showing the karaoke lyrics. When I got home after the pub closed (I didn’t have to get up early for work the next day, so I could have a late Tuesday night out), I flipped on CNN, just to see if anything had happened. Of course, it had, and so I remained glued to the TV the rest of the night. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/49 "2003-03-18T16:41:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Well, I meant January 15th, 1991, when it ceased to be “Desert Shield” and became “Desert Storm”. Actually it wa the 17th. Jan. 15 was the deadline. From **Magickly Delicious** ’ link: _“Early in the morning of January 17, Baghdad time, the U.S.-led coalition launched air attacks against Iraqi targets.”_ And on Jan. 17, 1991, I was in front of the TV eating lasagna with my mom. I believe we were watching Wheel of Fortune. I was 15, almost 16. Happy ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/50 "2003-03-18T17:06:19Z")
I was in high school, running at an indoor track meet. It was the 2-mile. Right after I started, everyone watching started talking and paying no attention to the race. Soon they all cleared out of the gym to go watch a TV that someone had set up in the atrium (well, except for the officials). Meanwhile, I’m running my butt off, thinking, What the heck? It was a long 2 miles. ---
**Author:** ![Winnie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e480ec/32.png) [@Winnie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winnie)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/51 "2003-03-18T17:42:23Z")
I was 16 years old and working at a local pet store. We were trying to get the store closed and they made they announcement so we did all the feedings, cage cleanings, water refills, etc. solemnly while we listened to the stereo. I vividly remember being pissed off because some boppy cheerleaders came in at about 10 minutes to close, giggling and shrieking all over the place, obviously having not heard the news but I was pissed off at them anyway and told them to leave at 9:30 sharp. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/52 "2003-03-18T23:19:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LilyoftheValley \* > \*\*I was in high school, running at an indoor track meet. It was the 2-mile. Right after I started, everyone watching started talking and paying no attention to the race. Soon they all cleared out of the gym to go watch a TV that someone had set up in the atrium (well, except for the officials). Meanwhile, I’m running my butt off, thinking, What the heck? > > It was a long 2 miles. \*\* [Edith Bunker]Did’ja win?[/Edith Bunker] ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/53 "2003-03-19T04:01:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rilchiam \* > \*\*[Edith Bunker]Did’ja win?[/Edith Bunker] \*\* [Enron]I don’t recall[/Enron]…except that I honestly don’t recall. Probably that’s a no then, huh? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JavaMaven1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@JavaMaven1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JavaMaven1)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/54 "2003-03-19T04:24:58Z")
I was working retail at a Plus-size clothing store in Southern California. After my shift, I was walking through the mall to leave, when I noticed a rather large crowd gathered in front of the Electronics/Big Screen TV shop. I stopped to watch Peter Jennings give his report on the start of the bombings. It was a long drive home. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/55 "2003-03-19T05:36:56Z")
I was in middle school. The only thing I really remember is that “The Simpsons” was preempted because of it which thoroughly pissed me off. ---
**Author:** ![yola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/48db29/32.png) [@yola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yola)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/56 "2003-03-19T09:27:48Z")
I was getting ready for my volunteer weekly radio show on Public Radio. The news people were still there and showed me how to broadcast the live satellite feeds every 15 minutes. So in between war feeds that night I played songs like “Eve of Destruction”, MIck Jaggers “War Babies” and Skynards “Whats That Smell?” ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/57 "2003-03-19T20:02:49Z")
Depends which start we’re interested in… In either case I was 13. August I was in my dad’s office watching TV when everything was pre-empted to talk about this Hussein dude taking over Kuwait. In January I remember going over to a friend’s house but I forget why, maybe to do homework. Then his dad came in and told us the bombs were dropping, so we turned on the TV and watched for more hours than I can recall. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/58 "2003-03-19T20:46:35Z")
I was also in High School, also an athelete, but I was on the basketball court running full-court-press drills with my team. Someone from the school office ran up to our coach and they spoke briefly. Coach blew his whistle to stop the drill, “Just want you to know, we’ve apparently started bombing. Let’s try to move the ball a little faster this time.” The whistle blew again, and practice continued despite my world spinning. ---
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/59 "2003-03-19T20:52:54Z")
I was enlisted in the US Navy on board the USS DIXON (AS-37). ---
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149/60 "2003-03-19T21:21:48Z")
Forgot to say in the Print Shop (37A) / Lithographer - LI3, working on a Printing Press. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-were-you-when-the-gulf-war-was-declared/162149.md?page=4)