James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies
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Iraq Special Collection

A pertinent issue that these documents help explain is the fate of the captured US pilots. For example, an Iraqi document issued on January 27, 1991, mentions, "Officers will be promoted if they capture an enemy and retrieve important information from them."

Incentives for Officers to Capture POWs

January 27 1991
From The 45th Div

To the 6th Co/841st INF BDE

Memo: Officers will be promoted if they capture an enemy and retrieve important information from them.

Signed,
Asst Cdr, 1 LT 841st INF BDE[1]

On January 20, 1991, the Iraqi Air Force Command issued a financial reward from Saddam Hussein, for Iraqi soldiers who are successful in striking allied pilots. It says, "The president leader (God save him) has ordered that the following financial rewards be distributed, 30,000 Dinars for taking down an enemy aircraft, 10,000 Dinars for a live enemy pilot, and 5,000 Dinars for a dead enemy pilot."

In fact, there was a breakdown for what percentage of the reward would be distributed to a missile or anti-aircraft brigade that took down an enemy aircraft. The combat unit that took down the target would receive 50% of the reward, the remaining members of the battery that took down the target would receive 35%, while the brigade command would take the remaining 15%.

January 20th 1991
from the Air Force and Air Defense Command to Air Defense Zones # 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Regarding financial rewards for Iraqi soldiers who are successful in striking allied forces:

Financial Rewards

1. The president leader (god save him) has ordered that the following financial rewards be distributed.

2. The financial rewards are to distributed as follows:
   1. 30,000 Dinars for taking down an enemy aircraft.
   2. 10,000 Dinars for a live enemy pilot.
   3. 5,000 Dinars for a dead enemy pilot.
   4. 20,000 Dinars for taking down a Cruise Missile.
   5. 10,000 Dinars for taking down an unmanned drone airplane.

3. The downed aircrafts are to be technically examined and certified by a special committee.

Please look into the matter and inform us by sending a signed copy.

Instructions for Financial Reward Allocations for Taking Down an Enemy Plane

1. Interceptors Fighter Airplanes
   1. The pilot that carried out the interception 50%.
   2. The fleet that interception plane belongs to 15%.
   3. The controller that directed the interceptor 20%.
   4. The technicians in the control center 10%.

2. Missiles Brigades
   1. The combat units that took down the target 50%.
   2. The remaining members of the battery that took down the target 35%.
   3. Brigade Command and all members of the special technical battery 15%.

3. Missiles Battalions of all kinds
   1. The combat unit that takes down the target 50%.
   2. The remaining members of the battery 35%.
   3. Battalion Command including all members 15%.[2]

A similar report also gives a reward for enemy pilots:

The Bodies of Enemy Pilots

9 February 1991
From Command of Seventh Corps to Commands of Infantry Division 26 Re the bodies of enemy pilots:
The following has been decided:

1. Any person who brings in a body of an enemy pilot will be paid 5000 dinars.
2. Upon receiving the body of the enemy pilot, his name, identity, numbers and address should be written down and put into a sealed bottle that is to be buried with the body.
3. The information should also be recorded with the concerned party, including the place of burial.[3]

One letter states the urgency for all patrols to find American forces in Kuwait:

Status of POWs

TOP SECRET, PERSONAL AND URGENT

From: Republic of Iraq
Republic Headship

29 January 1991

To: Minister of Defense
Minister of Interior
Popular Army Command

The Commander and Chief of the Armed Forces looked over the status reports of our Air Forces, dated 27 Jan 91, from 1300 hours to 1900. They included information that the 2nd Air Defense section has arrested five Americans in Basateen al-Qaem area. A meeting between members of the 2nd Air Defense Section and the arrested Americans took place. As a consequence, one American was killed, and another was wounded, and the other three were captured. His Excellency, the Commander and Chief of the Armed Forces has ordered the following:

This group of Americans may be part of other groups that haven't been discovered yet. These groups' goals are to find the hiding places and movements of our surface to surface missiles in order to destroy them, and to give up-close information about the missiles and any other possible goals. Therefore the Party, Popular Army, Police, and Armed Forces should be instructed to be alert and to patrol all open and dense areas, especially in al-Anbar, Karbala, Najaf, Muthana, Qadisia, Basara, and Northern Provinces. And let it be known for all, that there will be no existence for any foreigners in our country now, especially for Westerners and imposters. A diplomat or media person should be arrested and given to the nearest security center.

Signed,
Lt General Alaa Aldeen Kadhem (Hamad)
Secretary of the General Command of the Armed Forces
Dated: 29 Jan 91[4]

Another command from Saddam on February 9, 1991, states, "The president leader (may God save him) commanded, "Enemy casualties are to be buried with numerical codes placed on their graves, while the real names of those who will be damned in the next life, are to be written down in special notebooks."

Burial of Allied Killed In Action

9 February 1991
From Seventh Corp Command to Division 26 Commands re Enemy Pilots:
The president leader (may God save him) commanded the following on the 3rd of February.

It is requested from all the units to remove enemy casualties to the designated place in the Basra Province. They are to be buried with numerical codes to be placed on their grave, while their real names of those who will be damned in the next life (and matching codes) are to be written down in special notebooks. This is to be carried out in all provinces except in Kuwait were no enemy casualties are to be buried.[5]

On February 13th, an order is given for a downed officer in a hospital in the south of Iraq to be transferred to Baghdad immediately.

Enemy Pilots

Top Secret, Personal and Urgent

Follow up: 1st Regt HQ, 13 February 1991.

To all companies and platoons. Subject: Enemy pilots.

The leader, our President, had ordered in a letter by the Council of the Defense Ministry, classified Top Secret, Personal and Urgent, Number 927 and dated 3 Feb 91 which was forwarded to us by a letter from the command of Kathima Forces classified Top Secret, Personal and Urgent Number 175 dated 9 Feb 91.

Concerning the two killed pilots whose bodies have not been brought to the Western area transportation command. Those two bodies should be brought to the area designated for bodies. Concerning the wounded prisoner in Al-Qa'im hospital. He must be transferred to Baghdad. Please implement these two orders as fast as you can.

Signed,
Brigadier General Abdulhaddi Aziz Abdullah,
Commander of the Follow Ups 1st Regt,
Dated Feb 91[6]

The hope of a kind Iraqi family taking in a downed American POW is unlikely. On August 8, 1990, Saddam Hussein issued a decree regarding hiding foreigners. It says, "Sheltering foreigners for the purpose of hiding them from the authorities will be considered a crime of espionage. Any person, who commits the above described crime, will be executed. Effective immediately.

The following are orders by Saddam Hussein

August 8th 1990
Order by Saddam Hussein regarding hiding foreigners:

1. Sheltering foreigners for the purpose of hiding them from the authorities will be considered a crime of espionage.
2. Any person, who commits the above described crime, will be executed. Effective immediately.
3. This order is to be effective its first publication in the official newspaper until further notice.

Saddam Hussein[7]

The way in which Iraq treated the subject of allied POWs was almost callous in nature. The fact of whether these pilots were tortured remains undocumented. Such files are likely to be found in the vast vaults of Iraq's intelligence headquarters in Baghdad.

[1] KDS Folder CD008 File 068-7-008 p. 2.
[2] KDS Folder 010702-1314 File 597-1-011 p. 17
[3] KDS Folder CD07 File 096-4-001b. p. 3
[4] KDS Folder Iraq Docs File 554-001 p. 9.
[5] KDS Folder CD07 File 096-4-001 p. 53
[6] KDS Folder Iraq Docs File 534-004 p. 6.
[7] KDS Folder CD 7 File 106-7-011 p.4

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