“Are You Ready To Fight Tonight?”: Taking Battalion Command In The Persian Gulf War

Tom Goedkoop grew up in Elmont, Long Island. His father, who was born in Holland in 1905 and enlisted during World War II, was in the restaurant business. His mother was a homemaker. As a boy, Tom enjoyed sports like soccer, lacrosse, and basketball, and was a good student. He remembers taking a Circle Line tour up the Hudson River to West Point in 1963 and watching a West Point soccer game. Tom remembers “reporting to the man in the red sash” on R-Day. Upon graduation he commissioned into the “mounted arm of decision,” the armor branch. While at West Point, he met his wife at Mt. St. Mary College, having been introduced by Marty Dempsey. His first assignment was at Ft. Hood, Texas, and he participated in Brigade ’75, admitting “Germany was the place to be.” After a second company command, he served as an Armor Small Group Instructor. He was an XO for an Infantry Battalion and completed two NTC (National Training Center) Rotations. He graduated from the Command and General Staff College and SAMS (School of Advanced Military Studies). Following SAMS, he served as the VII Corps Plans Officer. He participated in several REFORGER (Return of Forces to Germany) exercises, notably in 1982 (the first time M1s were used) and in 1988 or 1989. Describing the two corps stationed in Germany, he explained that V Corps was focused on the German Defensive Plan while VII Corps was focused more on maneuver. He participated in Operation Agile Warrior, which served as a classroom for Corps Leadership. That period in Germany was a wonderful environment focused on Cold War preparedness, where units received newer equipment, which was maintained better, and personnel readiness was higher. He describes participating in Lariat Advance, a three week no-notice field exercise. Following Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990, he took trips to Riyadh in November to plan for VII Corps’ role in the war. XVIII Airborne Corps had deployed, but it was “a deterrent… you need combat power.” He felt very well prepared for war planning by his SAMS experience. He notes that “flexibility was a way of life” as the Corps prepared to deploy. In early December, he deployed with the Corps Headquarters and consolidated in the King Khalid Military City (KKMC). He recalls working with the British 1st Armoured Division and being the Corps left flank unit. In the desert, he took command of 4th Battalion, 66th Armor. He recalls checking weapons, zeroing, and test firing in preparation for the war. His units also rehearsed moving from the Tactical Assembly Area to the Forward Assembly Area. One concern was maintaining enough fuel for the advance. In the final days of preparation, he focused on maintaining morale in his battalion and seeing all of his troops through battlefield circulation. He describes events on February 15, 1991, when American forces reached the border, and on February 24, 1991, when his unit crossed the LD (Line of Departure) at about 1500. His command vehicle mounted a third radio so he could monitor both the Division and Brigade command nets. His battalion advanced until about 2100, requiring fuel every eight hours. He recalls fighting Republican Guard units and the battle of Medinah Ridge on the 27th. When the hostilities ended, his battalion was in Ramallah, where they spent their time repairing their equipment. He was amazed at how quickly the Soldiers transitioned from killing. He remembers encountering refugees and Iraqi families in the desert. Following the Persian Gulf War, he took part in Task Force XXI, and served in Korea, Ft. Lewis, and Ft. Drum. In this interview, he talks about his childhood and briefly about his West Point experiences. He focuses on Corps-level preparation and commanding a battalion in the Persian Gulf War. At the end of the interview, he outlines his post-war career. He has been to several VII Corps reunions, enjoying engaging with fellow veterans and reuniting with his former battalion. He concludes by reflecting on his service and on what West Point means to him.