The Gulf War

by Joey Davis

Jason Wade Sellards was a tank driver during the Persian Gulf War. Being from Barboursville, Kentucky, he was raised in the buckle of the Bible Belt. In a letter to his father, written immediately after the final assault on the Iraqi army, he told of some unique taken place during that "fateful" circumstances that had assault.

According to United Nations strategists, the official battle casualty estimate for this action was 60,000 UN lives lost. The night before the ground assault the soldiers were gathered together for those talks that commanding officers give at times like these. Then New Testaments, donated by the Gideons, were passed out to the soldiers who wanted them. There was much prayer and some baptisms. After this the soldiers prepared themselves for the next day.

As you know, these men were in the Saudi Desert. It hardly ever rains there. Yet before the infantry advanced, began to fall in the Saudi Desert, washing away the sand from the tops of the land mines planted by the Iraqis. This allowed the soldiers to make their way safely through the minefields.

As they approached the Iraqi soldiers, there was much concern regarding Iraq's probable use of chemical weaponry. The wind had been blowing in the faces of the Marines all day, making them a perfect target for these weapons. However as the Marines advanced. the wind changed from their faces to their backs. This meant that if the Iraqis used their weapons the chemicals would have blown back towards them.

The Iraqis surrendered in droves! And on a day when the United Nations expected to lose 60.000 boys, fewer than 50 lives were lost. A "fateful" day in history? I think not! Fate had nothing to do with it. I believe without a doubt that God's providential care was with these young men!

As soldiers of the cross, we must realize that the same God that was with our boys in the Saudi Desert is with us today when we stand for his truths. May we be as courageous!

*The facts from this article were borrowed from an article by Kenneth House as published in the Carthage Courier.

• Courage to Fight -Feb 20, 1994
• God Has Blessed the U.S.A. -Mar 10, 1991
• The Carnage of War -Jan 20, 1991