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Philip Kamrass / AP
Max Karmazyn, right, sitting next to his grandmother Brenda Schwarzkopf, left, salutes during the burial of his late grandfather, Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, at the United States Military Academy on Feb. 28, in West Point, N.Y.
Norman Schwarzkopf, the general who commanded the 30-country coalition that drove Saddam Hussein’s forces out of Kuwait, was remembered both as a larger than life military figure and trusted adviser during his burial ceremony at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on Thursday.
A 1956 graduate of the military academy, “Stormin’ Norman” was remembered by family, friends, former Secretary of State Colin Powell and former Vice President Dick Cheney at a memorial service in the West Point chapel. The Desert Storm commander with a tough-as-tacks reputation died on Dec. 27 in Tampa, Fla., of complications from pneumonia. He was 78.
Powell, who delivered the general’s eulogy, called Schwarzkopf an "indispensable advisor" to Cheney and the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the lead-up to and during the invasion of Kuwait.
"When anyone thinks of Desert Storm, they think of Stormin' Norman, The Bear; ... he was a larger than life figure," Powell said.
Schwarzkopf served two tours in Vietnam, staying on after a conflict that left many former brothers-in-arms disillusioned with the military.
He was appointed commander in chief of the U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa in 1988. In 1990, he took command of the U.S.-led forces that drove back Hussein’s forces in Operation Desert Storm.
It was the first war televised in real time, and Schwarzkopf, a bulldog clad in desert camouflage, used his TV appearances to send a message to his adversary.
“With those cameras grinding away, I knew I wasn’t talking just to friendly audiences, but that Saddam and his bully boys were watching me on CNN in their headquarters,” Schwarzkopf wrote in his 1992 autobiography.
For the most part, Schwarzkopf receded from public life after Desert Storm, apart from a brief term as a military analyst for NBC. He lived out his retirement in Tampa, emerging to campaign for the re-election of President George W. Bush in 2004.
Despite the urgings of some of his supporters, Schwarzkopf never ran for public office. During the service his daughter, Cynthia, mused that her father was "too honest" to be a politician. She then apologized to Cheney, saying she wrote that before she knew he was attending.
Schwarzkopf “stood tall for the country and Army he loved,” President Obama said in a statement on the general’s passing in December.
The general was buried near his father in the West Point cemetery. Col. H. Norman Schwarzkopf was a 1917 graduate of the military academy who went on to help found the New Jersey State Police.
“I just would be very happy if the history books said that I was a soldier who served his country with honor and loved his troops and loved his family,” Schwarzkopf once said. “That’s enough for me.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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RIP Sir. You earned your stars, all of them.
A soldier's funeral, most fitting, rest easy General.
Good by and God bless to a real soldier
Obviously the straight forward honesty didn't rub off on the daughter. Iraq war being the first real time presented war ever positioned Schwarzkopf into a general's job with a Hollywood environment. He played both his parts well and will be long remembered.
well said General ...well said....R.I.P. ...
Ditto!!
lol...we 'stormed' Iraq/Kuwait in a matter of days. It's taken 64 days to lay the general to rest.
Scouts out Gen Schwartzkopf...
"Old Soldiers Never Die ... They Just Fade Away ..." ...... General Douglas MacArthur last speech...
RIP General Schwartzkopt .... well done ..
A great man and great life. Some leaders...you following them out of fear, no belief in them, of what the heck happens when you don't? Others you follow because you have faith in them - they are confident of their direction - you WANT to go with them - follow - help make that vision happen. The General was such a man. They are few and far between.
Let's us speak quickly of his death and linger on his life - his adventures - family - service...for that is where you will find the true greatness of General Schwartzkopf. Rest good Sir...rest easy General.
Thank you for your service General... Rest easy now.
You are an American Soldier.
Gm
One of my Heroes. Thanks for your service to our country sir!
You Sir are a true America hero RIP
Thank you sir for serving our nation,being a leader and showing the way!
You showed those pinkos and cry baby left wingers that American Pride,spirit and the will of the fighting man lives on despite their best efforts to kill it!
I think it would be fitting if after your ceremony we all gathered and then buried Obama next, this way we bury a HERO then we bury a ZERO!
I hope your health holds out so that we don't need to bury that zero.....you.
OMG you are so full of hate, you don't think Liberals respected that man, you sir are a idiot!
Joey
Shouldn't you be in school now?
Creepy right wingers even take an occasion to laud a great man to post their anti Obama venom. They are some sick people Rip General. loved you as a military man.
We could use a lot more like him. Honor, Integrity, Duty, Selfless Service, pretty much sums him up.
Those values are sorely lacking both in the civilian world and more and more in the military. He has been missed.
Joey, I would place you squarely at the top of the list of those who are lacking.
Joey, what is you malfunction?
Seriously...
Don't bother Joey while he is playing with his GI Joes.
Are you sure it's his GI Joes, or is it his 'Pocket Rocket'?
I speak as a retired Colonel from the Army Medical Corps, it was my privilege to have been assigned to the 24th ID and actually get to meet him and ask why must politics enter this discussion, just remember the great General and forget the politics, at least for a little while.
He kept a copy of Sun Tzu in his office.
My husband served under the General during Desert Storm.
God Bless you Sir. Thank you for all you have done for our country.
Janine, Thank your husband for his service to this country from me.
It was a pleasure to serve under you sir, God's Speed to you and your family.
Thank you for your service as well Sir.
He served us well. He was an inspiration to his troops and the rest of America. May God bless him.
What a Great Man! What a Leader. Wish we had some more of those types today. He will be missed by everyone.
God said, No greater offer of a man than to lay down his life to save another. You Gen. offered yor life to save millions. Rest in peace General God bless you and your family.
Sure don't make 'em like they used to!
Walked it and talked it, no draft-dodger here....the realest of the real.
A True American Hero, RIP
Semper Fi sir. It was an honor to have served under you. RIP.
Thank you for your service as well.
What a fitting final resting place for this great and honorable man. Rest in Peace, General Schwarzkopf!
Since the General did not like to be called "Stormin Norman" leave it to some hack journalish to do so at the time.
Rest in Peace, General Schwarkpoh.
Our soldiers serve with the high caliber of honor. Our dolt,corrupt politicians mess things up.
RIP, General - !!
Very fitting that your final resting place is West Point : "Duty, Honor, Country: - you were a powerful example of each.
God Bless you and your family, and thank you for your service.
(82 ABN DIV 86-91)
Too bad they didn't let the General Storm All the Way to Baghdad,origionally! We wouldn't have had to go back!
Studio
Who would we put in Saddams place after storming Bagdad? Thats why we stopped, history has proven that was a wise choice, or we would have been bogged down there for a decades like the last time.
The General was a leader, something we seem to be in short supply nowadays.
Tailwinds and fair skies, sir, RIP
He wanted to win that war but was cut off at the knees by the DOD and the leapfrogging, politically correct, Chief of Staff. Several very good Generals were also shoved under the bus for wanting to do the same thing.
I'm sure the General wanted to finish off the Republican Guard but I'm also sure he, like George HW Bush realized the value of a buffer between Iran and Israel...a buffer we now sorely miss. But enough political crap...we're honoring a brave and honorable soldier.
RIP my General.
We were the thunder and the lightning of Desert Storm because of YOUR great leadership.
Military leaders, men of faith, love of country, willing to defend country with life and full heartiness, Generals who will lead men forward to victory and not pay their attention to politicians who prefer a limited war,, Bold men like General Norman Schwarzhopf are a lost breed, sad to say,, one of Norman's quotes is " it's a lot simpler to just do your job than to listen to politicians who can't even define your job" One of the few true Military Leaders of modern times,, I put General Norman Schwarzkopf up their with the likes of General Dwight D. Eisenhower who was one of our if not the best Presidents we ever had bar none,,,, RIP General you deserve it,,,,,,
One of the rare few that didn't play Washington politics to rise to general. Rest in peace SIR. My Navy salutes you.
He was a great leader. Some of the CEO's should try to follow his example of caring for his troops.
That's for sure--heard him say once the one thing that terrified him about the "hail Mary" was that a**hole Saddam had WMD's out there in that God-forsaken desert and he was sending troops into a trap. Didn't happen sir. God speed.
Your leadership still carries on. RIP
UNlike my self who got turned off to America in Viet Nam and stupid leaders in Washington, General Schwarzkopf kept up the faith and went forward with his job,, gotta respect that,,,,,
you are a TRUE hero sir. RIP General. Thank you for your service.