With the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq on 2 August 1990, USS "Ranger" and CVW-2 deployed on 8 December to take in Operation Desert Shield, transiting the Strait of Hormuz on 15 January 1991. At around 4:00 am on 17 January 1991, while USS "Midway's" air wing were striking targets in Iraq on the first night of the war, the "William Tell Overture" was broadcast around the "Ranger" as CVW-2 launched to strike targets that morning. During the strike, CVW-2's aircraft struck the port of Umm Qasr and the Mina al-Bakr oil terminal with cluster bombs. For the next 75 hours, they flew more strike missions against Iraqi military targets. During war, the "Grumman Air Wing" was well suited as the primary night Air Wing, with 75 percent of their 10,500 hours being flown at night. With the war over in February 1991, the Ranger and CVW-2 returned to San Diego on 8 June 1991.