A girl called Grace has shared a letter from her dad written during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. Items from the 1990 invasion always interest me but this specific letter offers a little glimpse of life of an American trapped in Kuwait during that time.
Check out the letter in a larger format [Here]
13 replies on “A Letter from my Dad”
This might sound stupid, but mark how did they manage to sent letters? was sending letters easier than making a phone call to his family?
I swear this is not sarcasm. I really want to know.
no idea, this was sent via fax. my guess is specific people might have access to a phone line and this letter was passed onto them to send.
Yes, the Kuwaiti resistance had access to faxes and telephone lines.
They were taking care of my grandmother at her house because she was alone with my handicapped aunt and then teenage uncle. They were checking up on them every once in a while to make sure they’re okay, bring them food and even did pluming work at some point.
Every once in a while they’d bring a satellite phone of some sort so my grandma could speak to us abroad. They were allowed to speak for only few minutes my grandma was told so they don’t trace them.
When things got really rough, they put grandma, my uncle and aunt in a car, drove them behind the Saudi borders, gave my uncle a fake driving license, some cash and directions to the nearest shelters. My uncle ended up driving all the way to Dubai!
Its worth mentioning that to date non of those resistance men and women identified themselves. Just heroes living among us and other maybe killed.
The system was more complex than you might think, the Americans, British, Germans and other hostages in hiding had build up a warden system via local Phone/Fax ( which was tapped by the Iraqi’s) some Nationals from Australia and New Zealand Passports could not leave, but where able move around.(John Levins, “Day’s of Fear”)this people together with Kuwaiti resistance and many other brave nationals not only in occupied Kuwait, where helping the many 1000 “Living Sandbags” we called our self morally and practical. I was the last German Warden taking over 27 Germans in hiding, from a German Embassy who left us behind, because we did not want to give up to the Iraqi’s ! I communicated with American and British Embassy (who was still there with their very limited resources)
we where helped by brave Kuwaiti’s like Ali and his Wife Monika ( my Heroe’s) who distributed Food and more to People in Hiding. We got new’s via short Wave every Day at 3:00 and 7:00 pm for 15 minutes from 2 Short Wave Amateurs from Germany. I will never forget the call sign from Vera ” DL2NCW an die ganze Runde im Norden und den Sueden ” which means, the Group in the north and south
(Iraq and Kuwait) they where a husband and wife team doing, as if they where talking about us (SW Listeners), transmitting with high power to us, with New’s and we could report, via the British or American Embassy ! This 2 Hero’s kept that system going until end of November. At one point I heard my own wife on the SW and my then 2 year old son with ” Papa I love you!” The “Deutsche Welle” was doing a small service once a week,and we got some more feedback and heard People’s massages which we where able to get with all kind of strange trick’s, out of Kuwait.(that would fill a book ) Photography and Instant photo material, photo copiers, Computer’s with early touch up software, helped to fake documents etc. etc.! Nothing to be proud of, but it helped and saved many people. I could have escaped like many others , but we got a baby son 2 Day’s before the 2nd August and I had picked up my wife and baby the night before, from the Adan Hospital and had a lot of shooting during the 2nd around our House in Ras Samiyah, we did not think that it would be good to go with 2 small kid’s in August through the Desert, off road to Saudi ! Who knew then that it would get worse .
On the 11.11.1990 my small sister got a call, from the American Embassy in Paris with a young Embassy Personal singing for her “Happy Birthday ” from me, the Kuwait Hostage hiding in Kuwait! Then I knew, that our System somehow worked. By the end of November we had to give up ( the last 5 Germans, out of occupied Kuwait)to be released via Bagdad, to a then reunited Germany.
R.I.P Fritz Cameron.
May he rest in peace.
He was the Athletic Director at ASK.
When did he pass away?
Last weekend, September 25th. And I agree with Sharifa, May he rest in peace.
I worked at ASK with Fritz. He was a kind, friendly man. May God bless him and have mercy.
Coach Cameron was my varsity basketball coach at ASK for two years. He taught me a lot about commitment, hard work, and taking responsibility and pride in your job. I grew up a lot in those two years.
Rest in Peace coach and god bless. It was a privilege to be coached by you.
best,
Motez
Sometimes letters were passed on to anyone who was leaving; either via Iraq or through the desert.
May he rest in peace.
This is very interesting ,
I actually know the writer of the letter since he taught me PE at ASK . I also know him and the elderly gentleman that he mentions through a different story . During the invasion my father hid them in a house and brought them food and supplies till they were evacuated . After the liberation the older man came back to kuwait and I met him . This brings back a lot of memories. Mostly sad memories .
Sad to hear Couch Fritz passed away .
coach*