Norman Schwarzkopf , Jr . Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf , Jr . ( ; 22 August 1934 – 27 December 2012 ) , also known as H . Norman Schwarzkopf , was a United States Army general . While serving as Commander - in - Chief , United States Central Command , he led all coalition forces in the Persian Gulf War . Born in Trenton , New Jersey , Schwarzkopf grew up in the United States and later in Iran . He was accepted into the United States Military Academy at West Point and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army in 1956 . After a number of initial training programs , Schwarzkopf interrupted a stint as an academy teacher , and served in the Vietnam War first as an adviser to the South Vietnamese Army and later as a battalion commander . Schwarzkopf was highly decorated in Vietnam , being awarded three Silver Star Medal s , two Purple Heart s , and the Legion of Merit . Rising through the ranks after the conflict , he later commanded the U . S . 24th Infantry Division and was one of the commanders of the Invasion of Grenada in 1983 . Assuming command of United States Central Command in 1988 , Schwarzkopf was called on to respond to the Invasion of Kuwait in 1990 by the forces of Iraq under Saddam Hussein . Initially tasked with defending Saudi Arabia from Iraqi aggression , Schwarzkopf ' s command eventually grew to an international force of over 750 , 000 troops . After diplomatic relations broke down , he planned and led Operation Desert Storm — an extended air campaign followed by a highly successful 100 - hour ground offensive — which destroyed the Iraqi Army and liberated Kuwait in early 1991 . Highly regarded for these exploits , Schwarzkopf became a national hero and was presented with many military honors for what historians termed one of the most successful campaigns in U . S . military history . Schwarzkopf retired shortly after the end of the war and undertook a number of philanthropic ventures , only occasionally stepping into the political spotlight before his death from complications of pneumonia in late 2012 . Leaving a legacy as a hard - driving military commander with a strong temper , Schwarzkopf was nonetheless considered an exceptional leader by biographers and was noted for his abilities as a military diplomat and in dealing with the press . Early life and education . Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf , Jr . was born on 22 August 1934 in Trenton , New Jersey , to Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf , Sr . and Ruth Alice ( née Bowman ) . His father was a German - American 1917 graduate of the United States Military Academy and veteran of World War I . His mother was a housewife from West Virginia who was distantly related to Thomas Jefferson . The senior Schwarzkopf later became the Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police , where he worked as a lead investigator on the 1932 Lindbergh baby kidnapping case . In January 1952 , the younger Schwarzkopf ' s birth certificate was amended to make his name " H . Norman Schwarzkopf " , reportedly because his father detested his first name . The younger Schwarzkopf had two older sisters , Ruth Ann and Sally Joan . Norman Schwarzkopf was described by childhood friends as active and assertive , protective of his sisters and a skilled athlete . He spent his childhood attached to his father , who subsequently became the narrator for the " Gang Busters " radio program . When Norman Schwarzkopf was eight years old , his father returned to the military amid World War II . His continuous absence made home life difficult , particularly for his wife . In 1946 when Norman Schwarzkopf was 12 , he moved with his father to Tehran , Iran . In Iran , Norman learned shooting , horseback riding , and hunting . Schwarzkopf developed a lifelong interest in Middle Eastern culture . The family moved to Geneva , Switzerland , in 1947 , following a new military assignment for Herbert Schwarzkopf . The senior Schwarzkopf visited Italy , Heidelberg , Frankfurt , and Berlin , Germany during his military duties , and the younger Schwarzkopf accompanied him . By 1951 he had returned to Iran briefly before returning to the United States . Herbert Schwarzkopf died in 1958 . From a young age , Norman wanted to be a military officer , following his father ' s example . He attended the Community High School in Tehran , later the International School of Geneva , and briefly the Frankfurt High School in Frankfurt , Germany . He finally graduated from Valley Forge Military Academy . He was also a member of Mensa . Schwarzkopf graduated valedictorian out of his class of 150 , and his IQ was tested at 168 . Schwarzkopf then attended the United States Military Academy , where he played football , wrestled , sang and conducted the West Point Chapel choir . His large frame , in height and weighing , was advantageous in athletics . In his " plebe " year he was given the nickname " Schwarzie , " the same as his father , and he was often pushed by older cadets to imitate his father ' s radio show as a traditional act of hazing . Schwarzkopf also gained a great respect for certain military leaders at West Point , notably Ulysses S . Grant , William Tecumseh Sherman and Creighton Abrams , believing them excellent commanders who nonetheless did not glorify war . He graduated 43rd of 480 in the class of 1956 with a Bachelor of Science degree . Junior officer . Commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Infantry Branch , Schwarzkopf spent October 1956 to March 1957 at United States Army Infantry School at Fort Benning , Georgia , where he earned his Parachutist Badge . His first assignment was as platoon leader , later executive officer , of E Company , 2nd Airborne Battle Group , 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment , 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell , Kentucky . He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1958 . In July 1959 , Schwarzkopf was assigned his first overseas assignment ; as a staff officer alternating with duties as a platoon leader , liaison officer , and reconnaissance platoon leader with the 6th Infantry Division in West Germany . In July 1960 , Schwarzkopf was assigned as aide - de - camp to Brigadier General Charles Johnson , who commanded the Berlin Brigade in West Berlin . Schwarzkopf was promoted to captain in July 1961 and reassigned for Advanced Infantry School at Fort Benning for eight months . He also earned his Master Parachutist Badge in that time . In June 1962 , Schwarzkopf enrolled at the University of Southern California in a Master of Science in Engineering course studying missile mechanics . He graduated in June 1964 , having earned a Master of Science in mechanical and aerospace engineering . He then returned to West Point to serve as an instructor in the Department of Mechanics . He was originally intended to teach at the Military Academy for three years , but after his first year he volunteered for service in South Vietnam because he thought that career advancement could be most quickly earned in combat . West Point approved his request in early 1965 with the stipulation that he return and teach the remaining two years after his tour . Vietnam War . In Vietnam , Schwarzkopf served as a task force adviser to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam Airborne Division . He was promoted to major shortly after arriving in Vietnam . After an initial orientation at Military Assistance Command , Vietnam ( MACV ) , headquartered in Saigon , Schwarzkopf was sent north to Pleiku in the central highlands , in the II Corps Tactical Zone . He got his first combat experience on 3 August , when he was the senior adviser to a force of 1 , 000 South Vietnamese paratroopers sent to relieve a beleaguered South Vietnamese Army camp in Duc Co . The paratroopers took heavy casualties and a second , larger force was required to relieve them . That force too came into heavy contact on 5 August . Schwarzkopf and his group fought continuously for several days . At one point , he braved heavy North Vietnamese fire to recover and treat a handful of wounded South Vietnamese soldiers and escort them to safety . By 17 August the 173rd Airborne Brigade arrived and broke the siege , ending the Battle of Đức Cơ . General William Westmoreland later arrived to review the incident and congratulate Schwarzkopf . For his leadership in the battle , Schwarzkopf was awarded the Silver Star . On 14 February 1966 , Schwarzkopf led an ARVN paratrooper assault on a Viet Cong position , during which he was wounded four times by small arms fire . In spite of this , he refused medical evacuation or to relinquish command until the objective had been captured . For this , he was awarded a second Silver Star and a Purple Heart . After ten months of combat duty , Schwarzkopf was pulled from the front by MACV and reassigned as senior staff adviser for civil affairs to the ARVN Airborne Division . Then , he returned to the United States and finished his teaching assignment at West Point , where he was an associate professor in the Department of Mechanics . In 1968 , he attended the Army ' s Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas , completing the course in June 1969 . In this time back home , he also met Brenda Holsinger , a flight attendant for Trans World Airlines . They were introduced at a West Point football game in 1967 and married the next year . The couple would later have three children : Cynthia , born in 1970 ; Jessica , born in 1972 ; and Christian , born in 1977 . Schwarzkopf was promoted to lieutenant colonel and ordered to a second tour in Vietnam , leaving in June 1969 . He was assigned as executive officer to the chief of staff at MACV headquarters , based at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in Saigon . Schwarzkopf later recalled this second tour of duty was very different from his first ; there were 500 , 000 U . S . troops in Vietnam , though the Vietnamization strategy in effect , and recent events such as the Tet Offensive and My Lai Massacre put them under heavy political scrutiny . In December 1969 he gained his first field command , taking over the 1st Battalion , 6th Infantry , 198th Infantry Brigade at Chu Lai . He later said these troops were initially demoralized and in poor condition , racked with rampant drug use and disciplinary problems as well as a lack of support from home . Despite the brigade ' s otherwise controversial performance record , Schwarzkopf was quickly regarded as one of its best combat commanders . He aggressively stepped up patrols and operations to counter Viet Cong infiltration in the battalion ' s sector . He developed his leadership attitudes during this command . Fellow commander Hal Moore later wrote that during his time in Vietnam Schwarzkopf acquired his well - known temper , while arguing via radio for passing American helicopters to land and pick up his wounded men . He also showed a preference of leading from the front and prided himself on avoiding the rear areas , which he called a " cesspool . " During this second tour , Schwarzkopf noted two incidents which haunted him . On 17 February 1970 , two men in C Company , 1st Battalion , 6th Infantry were killed by friendly fire from an American artillery shell that had been ordered by Schwarzkopf , but which had struck a tree near their position on its way to a target . The parents of one soldier blamed him for the death of their son , a claim which Schwarzkopf strongly denied and termed an accident of war . On 28 May 1970 , Schwarzkopf landed his UH - 1 Huey when discovering troops of B Company who had stumbled into a minefield . Two company officers had been wounded and two soldiers were trapped , fearful of setting off more mines . Although a medevac was on its way , Schwarzkopf ordered his helicopter to remove the wounded . As he attempted to help the troops back out of the field , one soldier struck a landmine , breaking a leg , and beginning to panic . Fearing he would set off another landmine , Schwarzkopf pinned the soldier to the ground while another soldier put a splint on the wounded man ' s leg . In doing so , another mine was set off , killing three and wounding Schwarzkopf ' s artillery officer . Returning to the United States in 1970 , Schwarzkopf was awarded a third Silver Star and a second Purple Heart for risking his life to protect the soldiers , as well as three Bronze Star Medal s and a Legion of Merit for his command performance . Still , his experiences in Vietnam embittered him to U . S . foreign policy . Upon returning to the United States , he remarked of a wariness of future conflicts to author C . D . B . Bryan in 1971 : He related these experiences under the assumed name of Lieutenant Colonel Byron Schindler . Rise to general . Disgruntled by the treatment of Vietnam veteran s in the United States after the war , Schwarzkopf considered leaving the military , but ultimately decided to stay , hoping to fix some of the problems encountered by the military during the war . He underwent surgery at Walter Reed Army Hospital shortly after his return from Vietnam to repair longstanding back problems exacerbated by parachute jumps . Between 1970 and 1983 , Schwarzkopf and his family lived primarily in Washington , D . C . , as he took on a number of different assignments . Promoted to colonel , Schwarzkopf volunteered for an assignment in Alaska , and in late 1974 became deputy commander of the 172nd Infantry Brigade at Fort Richardson , Alaska . In October 1976 , he moved to Fort Lewis , Washington , to command the 1st Brigade of the 9th Infantry Division , where he impressed his division commander , Major General Richard E . Cavazos . The two frequently hunted together and developed a close friendship . Having been very successful improving the combat readiness of the 1st Brigade , he was nominated to receive his first star as a brigadier general . His promotion ceremony occurred at Fort Lewis shortly after relinquishing command of the brigade . In July 1978 , Schwarzkopf became deputy director of plans at the U . S . Pacific Command in Hawaii . He then served a two - year stint as assistant division commander of the 8th Infantry Division ( Mechanized ) in Germany . He returned to Washington D . C . for an assignment as director of personnel management for the Army , subordinate to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel , General Maxwell R . Thurman . Schwarzkopf was promoted to major general . In June 1983 , he became commanding general of the 24th Infantry Division ( Mechanized ) at Fort Stewart , Georgia . He immediately established an extremely rigorous training regimen and became well known among the troops of the command for his strict training and aggressive personality . On 25 October 1983 , Schwarzkopf was appointed to the command group for the Invasion of Grenada . He was the chief army adviser to the overall operation commander , Vice Admiral Joseph Metcalf III , Commander , United States Second Fleet / Commander Joint Task Force 120 . The operation was plagued by logistical difficulties , exacerbated by poor communication and lack of cooperation between the branches of the United States military . Schwarzkopf was named deputy commander of the invasion at the last minute , leaving him with little say in the planning . Schwarzkopf helped lead the initial landing operations while aboard . Notably he was involved in an incident where the colonel commanding the 22nd Marine Amphibious Unit initially refused to fly Army troops in Marine helicopters . He flew into St . George ' s on the second day of the operation . While he initially did not think the U . S . should have been involved in the conflict , he later said he considered the mission a success because it re - asserted the dominance of the U . S . military after the Vietnam War . Following the invasion , Schwarzkopf returned to the 24th Infantry Division and completed his tour as its commander . He was subsequently among those leaders who were criticized for the poor inter - service cooperation in the operation , particularly poor communication between forces of the different branches in combat . The operation was a learning experience for Schwarzkopf , who saw the need to develop greater cooperation between the services for future joint operations . He would later push for more policies to make joint warfare and inter - service cooperation standard practice in warfare . Namely , the operation demonstrated a need for greater joint roles in planning , deploying troops , and communicating operations . Subsequent operations gave more authority to joint commanders in operations and doctrine emphasized joint warfare doctrine over service - centered doctrine . In July 1985 , Schwarzkopf began an 11 - month assignment as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans at the Pentagon . On 1 July 1986 , he was promoted to lieutenant general , and was reassigned to Fort Lewis as commander of I Corps . He held this post for 14 months before returning to the Pentagon as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans in August 1987 . In a second role , Schwarzkopf served as the Army ' s senior member on the Military Staff Committee at the United Nations Security Council , where he began to build diplomatic skills in dealings with representatives from other countries . As a part of his duties during the posting , he sat in on arms reduction talks with leaders from the Soviet Union . CENTCOM commander . In November 1988 , Schwarzkopf was named commander of United States Central Command ( CENTCOM ) , succeeding General George B . Crist . Schwarzkopf was selected over a more popular choice , Vice Admiral Henry C . Mustin , because commanders considered him an accomplished strategic thinker who had experience both in combat and with diplomacy , and who had great knowledge of the Middle East from his childhood experiences there . He assumed command of CENTCOM , with his headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa , Florida , and was promoted to general . At the time of this appointment , CENTCOM had overall responsibility for U . S . military operations in 19 countries , and had 200 , 000 servicemen on call should a crisis arise . Schwarzkopf immediately took to changing the focus of the command , which to that point had focused on the " Zagros Doctrine " , a hypothetical ground invasion by the Soviet Union through the Zagros Mountains which the U . S . would counter in Iran . Schwarzkopf was more concerned with the effects of the Iran - Iraq War on the stability of the region than of an external threat posed by the Soviet Union . In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee in March 1989 , Schwarzkopf maintained that the Soviet Union was a threat to the region , but when giving an overview of the countries in the region , noted that Iraq posed a threat to its weaker neighbors . He implored that the U . S . " seek to assert a moderating influence in Iraq . " With regional turmoil growing , Schwarzkopf became concerned about the threat posed by Saddam Hussein , focusing the attention of his command to prepare to respond to what he thought was a " more realistic scenario . " That year , his command began planning to counter an Iraqi invasion of Kuwait , seeing it as a likely conflict which would threaten the interests of the United States . In early 1990 he testified again before the Senate Armed Services Committee in threat - assessment hearings that the Cold War was ending and it was less likely the Soviet Union would exert military force in the region . Though he declined to identify Iraq specifically as a threat , he noted a regional conflict was the most likely event to destabilize the region , and noted Iraq ' s ceasefire with Iran meant it was continuing to grow and modernize its military . In early 1990 , he drafted a war plan , Operations Plan 1002 - 90 , titled " Defense of the Arabian Peninsula , " which envisioned an Iraqi invasion of Saudi Arabia through Kuwait . During CENTCOM military exercises in July 1990 termed Internal Look ' 90 , Schwarzkopf wrote up a scenario that tested how the command would respond to a regional dictator invading a neighboring country and threatening oil fields there , a scenario which closely mirrored the rising tension between Iraq and Kuwait . One week after the end of these exercises , Iraq invaded Kuwait on 2 August 1990 . Gulf War . Initially believing the Iraqi Army would only advance to the Ramallah oil field , Schwarzkopf was surprised when the Iraqis had captured Kuwait City . Fearing Iraq would next invade Saudi Arabia , Schwarzkopf ordered contingency plans put in motion , with the 82nd Airborne Division , 101st Airborne Division and 24th Infantry Division put on alert . He was then called to an emergency meeting with President George H . W . Bush , where his Internal Look ' 90 strategic plans were made the basis of a potential counteroffensive plan . By 5 August , Bush opted for an aggressive response to the invasion . Schwarzkopf then accompanied Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney to meet with Saudi King Fahd to convince him to allow U . S . troops into Saudi Arabia to counter the Iraqi military . With Fahd ' s consent , Bush ordered troops into Saudi Arabia on 7 August , initially tasked to defend Saudi Arabia should Iraq attack . U . S . commanders from the beginning wanted a quick conflict characterized by decisive , overwhelming force , as opposed to the gradual escalation of U . S . involvement as had been seen in Vietnam . Schwarzkopf in particular was very adamant that many of the policies governing military operations in Vietnam , especially slow escalation of air power and troop force , not reoccur . While his plan for direct and overwhelming force was criticized in Washington as uncreative , By 13 August , the news media began to heavily cover Schwarzkopf , who would be leading the operations . Desert Shield . From his headquarters in Tampa , Schwarzkopf began planning the operations to defend Saudi Arabia . Lieutenant General Charles Horner ran the headquarters in Riyadh . Schwarzkopf planned supply lines for the 50 , 000 troops initially sent to Saudi Arabia , tapping Major General William G . Pagonis as director of the logistical operations , with U . S . Air Force cargo aircraft landing supplies at Dhahran and U . S . Navy ships offloading troops and supplies at Dammam . By 20 August , 20 , 000 U . S . troops were in Saudi Arabia , with another 80 , 000 preparing to deploy , and a further 40 , 000 reserves tapped to augment them . Schwarzkopf arrived at the CENTCOM command in Riyadh on 25 August , and on 29 August he conducted his first front - line tour of the potential combat zone , accompanied by reporters . Over the next several weeks , Schwarzkopf spoke frequently with both reporters and troops under his command , conducting many high - profile press conferences and updates to the situation in Saudi Arabia . Internally , Schwarzkopf worked to help coordinate the contributions of the different nations contributing military forces to the effort . By mid - October , Schwarzkopf indicated he was confident the forces were of a sufficient level that they could defend Saudi Arabia if it was attacked . Through October , Schwarzkopf and his command were occupied with setting up facilities and supply lines for the troops streaming into Saudi Arabia . He also worked to minimize the culture clash among foreigners in sharia - dominated Saudi Arabia , such as the high visibility of women in military roles . Schwarzkopf remained at his command in Riyadh through December , making frequent frontline visits to the troops . On 29 December 1990 , he received a warning order from The Pentagon to be ready to attack into Iraq and Kuwait by 17 January . Initially , Operation Desert Shield involved a sea interdiction campaign that saw international warships detaining and inspecting tankers from Iraq . As the buildup continued , Schwarzkopf was occupied with planning an offensive operation against the Iraqi units along the border , sometimes working 18 - hour days in planning , assisted by a close group of aides . He frequently met with both subordinates and Saudi commanders . Schwarzkopf planned counters both for Iraq ' s large armored force s and air forces and for its well trained Republican Guard forces . While planning , Schwarzkopf remained in frequent contact with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Colin Powell concerning Schwarzkopf ' s plans for the offensive . Schwarzkopf devised an operational plan , dubbed " Operation Desert Storm , " to be based on overwhelming force and strong infantry attacks supported by artillery and armor , using the desert warfare strategies based on British commander Bernard Montgomery ' s defeat of German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel at the Second Battle of El Alamein in World War II . By 8 November , Bush agreed to commit 400 , 000 U . S . troops to Saudi Arabia at Schwarzkopf ' s insistence . Schwarzkopf believed larger numbers of troops would reduce the likelihood of high casualties . Schwarzkopf planned a strategic bombing campaign to precede an offensive into Kuwait , simultaneously striking the forward Iraqi forces and their supply lines . In the meantime , diplomatic solutions began to break down , and the deadline established by the United Nations Security Council , 15 January 1991 , passed without a solution . By this time , Schwarzkopf commanded an international army of 750 , 000 , including 500 , 000 U . S . troops as well as 250 , 000 troops from other nations , as well as thousands of main battle tank s , combat aircraft and six carrier battle group s . Most of the U . S . and allied forces , however , were not combat veterans , and Schwarzkopf and the other allied commanders wanted to fight cautiously to minimize casualties . Schwarzkopf ' s experience in the Middle East allowed him to understand the factors surrounding the conflict , including allied commanders , with greater ease . He had a good relationship with Saudi commander Khalid bin Sultan , who in turn helped Schwarzkopf win over the Saudi Arabian populace . In spite of the cooperation , he later said he considered the Arab troops to be the least effective of the war . Schwarzkopf also had an agreeable relationship with his deputy commander , Lieutenant General Cal Waller , who handled much of the administrative burden . Peter de la Billière , commander of the British contingent , and Michel Roquejeoffre , commander of the French contingent , also cooperated well with Schwarzkopf . The good relationship between the allied commanders meant their forces were able to cooperate effectively during the operation . Desert Storm . The air campaign against Iraq began on 17 January 1991 , after 139 days of planning and buildup . Schwarzkopf sent a prepared statement to the troops ahead of the first airstrikes , which were timed to hit their targets at 02 : 40 . He oversaw the strikes from his war room in Riyadh , then emerged from his command center late in the day on 18 January to speak to the press for the first time as airstrikes continued , in which he contended the air war had gone " just about exactly as we had intended it to go " . He then began making frequent briefings to the media to increase press coverage of the results . He declined to measure the success of the campaign by counting suspected Iraqi casualties , believing this would undermine his credibility . The air campaign proved to be a success at both achieving air superiority and destroying the Iraqi military ' s communications network and supplies , as well as many tanks and armored vehicles . By 20 January he announced Iraq ' s nuclear test reactors had been destroyed , and by 27 January he announced that the coalition had total air superiority in Iraq . Bush then gave Hussein an ultimatum to withdraw from Kuwait by 12 : 00 on 23 February or Schwarzkopf ' s ground forces would attack . Schwarzkopf began his ground campaign in earnest at 04 : 00 on 24 February , with the Saudi - led Arab forces attacking into Kuwait City , while two U . S . Marine Corps divisions struck at the oil fields , and the VII Corps and XVIII Airborne Corps on the left flank struck quickly to cut off the Iraqi forces from the west , which would later be known as his " Left Hook " strategy . Schwarzkopf anticipated the war to last several weeks , and had anticipated chemical weapons attack by Iraq , which did not occur . Resistance was lighter than Schwarzkopf expected , and Iraqi troops surrendered in large numbers . Within 90 hours , his force had destroyed 42 of 50 Iraqi Army divisions at a cost of about 125 killed and 200 wounded among American troops , and about 482 killed , 458 wounded among all of the coalition . He ordered his forces to destroy as much Iraqi armor and equipment as possible in order to ensure the country ' s military would be weakened for the long term . Schwarzkopf , who had ordered a media blackout during the ground offensive , finally appeared before journalists on 27 February to explain his strategy . On 3 March he arrived in Kuwait City to survey the aftermath of the Iraqi occupation and negotiate a ceasefire with Iraqi military leaders , as well as work out the return of prisoners of war on both sides . With this in place , he then began the process of overseeing U . S . troops returning from the conflict . For his services during the war , he was welcomed back to America with a large parade down Broadway in New York , along with other honors . Schwarzkopf led a highly publicized homecoming parade in Washington , D . C . , on 8 June 1991 , where he was greeted by Bush amid thousands of onlookers . His accomplishments were praised in a manner much differently from commanders who returned from the Vietnam War and the Korean War , as he became an instant national celebrity and the source of great curiosity by the general public . He was also quick to award praise and medals to the troops who fought in the Gulf War after the engagement , part of what he saw as restoring pride in the U . S . armed forces which had been low since Vietnam . Later life . Retirement . Schwarzkopf returned from the Gulf War as a national hero , and his ability to deal with the press effectively left him a positive image . Following his success in the Gulf War , Schwarzkopf indicated a desire to retire from the military in mid - 1991 . He was initially considered for promotion alternatively to General of the Army or to Army Chief of Staff , and was asked to assume the latter post , but he declined . He was later questioned about running for political office , but , considering himself an Independent , expressed little interest in doing so . Schwarzkopf was not vocal about his political opinions during his military career . He retired from the military in August 1991 , moving to Tampa , Florida . Following his retirement from the military , Schwarzkopf attained a status as celebrity , and was highly praised in the news media . He was profiled by the Associated Press , the " Washington Post " , and " Newsday " , " People " , as well as praised in a Random House publication on the war , " Triumph in the Desert " . Schwarzkopf ' s speaking fees topped $ 60 , 000 per public appearance . In 1992 , Schwarzkopf published a memoir , " It Doesn ' t Take a Hero , " about his life ; it became a bestseller . Schwarzkopf sold the rights to his memoirs to Bantam Books for $ 5 , 000 , 000 . In 1993 , Schwarzkopf was found to have prostate cancer , for which he was successfully treated . Following his military career , Schwarzkopf received many honors . He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002 . Queen Elizabeth II honorarily knighted Schwarzkopf , among many other military accolades from foreign countries . He led the Pegasus Parade at the Kentucky Derby and was an honorary guest at the Indianapolis 500 . He supported several children ' s charities and national philanthropic causes , and he was a spokesperson for prostate cancer awareness , recovery of the grizzly bear from endangered species status , and served on the Nature Conservancy board . Schwarzkopf otherwise sought to live out a low - profile retirement in Tampa , though he briefly served as a military commentator for NBC . At first , Schwarzkopf was ambivalent regarding the Iraq War , initially endorsing the invasion after Colin Powell ' s presentation to the United Nations on 6 February 2003 . After the invasion , though , he changed his stance when weapons of mass destruction were not located in the country . He was critical of the lack of a reconstruction plan after the fall of Baghdad , feeling the initial offensive operations plans did not take into account the cultural complexities of Iraq . In 2004 , he was critical of Donald Rumsfeld and his handling of Operation Iraqi Freedom . Notably , he felt it was a mistake to send National Guard and Reserve troops into the country without adequate training . Although he never sought political office , Schwarzkopf endorsed George W . Bush in the 2000 U . S . presidential election and the 2004 U . S . presidential election . He supported John McCain in the 2008 U . S . presidential election . He was at several times suggested to run for United States Senate or President of the United States as a member of the Republican Party but showed no interest . Death . Schwarzkopf died at age 78 on 27 December 2012 of complications following a bout of pneumonia . A memorial service for him was conducted on 28 February 2013 at the Cadet Chapel at West Point , which was attended by Colin Powell , Schwarzkopf ' s family , and others . Schwarzkopf was cremated and his remains were buried near to those of his father in the West Point Cemetery in a ceremony attended by cadets , military leaders , and New Jersey State Police officers . Among reactions to Schwarzkopf ' s death , George H . W . Bush said of him ; " General Norm Schwarzkopf , to me , epitomized the ' duty , service , country ' creed that has defended our freedom and seen this great Nation through our most trying international crises . More than that , he was a good and decent man and a dear friend . " In a statement , Barack Obama said of Schwarzkopf , " From his decorated service in Vietnam to the historic liberation of Kuwait and his leadership of United States Central Command , General Schwarzkopf stood tall for the country and Army he loved . " In a letter , Secretary of the Army John McHugh and Army Chief of Staff General Raymond T . Odierno wrote in a joint statement , " Our nation owes a great debt of gratitude to General Schwarzkopf and our Soldiers will hold a special place in their hearts for this great leader . While much will be written in coming days of his many accomplishments , his most lasting and important legacies are the tremendous Soldiers he trained and led . " Legacy . During his tour in Vietnam , Schwarzkopf developed a reputation as a commander who preferred to lead from the front , even willing to risk his own life for his subordinates . His leadership style stressed preparedness , discipline and rigorous training , but also allowed his troops to enjoy the luxuries they had . His rehabilitation of the 1st Battalion , 6th Infantry stressed survival as well as offense . Like Rommel and George S . Patton , Schwarzkopf highly regarded decisiveness and valued determination among his commanders . He pushed for offensive combat over defensive operations in the Gulf War . He was known to be extremely critical of staff officers who were unprepared , but was even more contentious with other generals whom he felt were not aggressive enough . His frequently short temper with subordinates was well known in his command . This leadership style was sometimes criticized by subordinates who felt it reduced their ability to solve problems creatively . Army Chief of Staff Carl E . Vuono , a lifelong friend of Schwarzkopf , described him as " competent , compassionate , egotistical , loyal , opinionated , funny , emotional , sensitive to any slight . At times he can be an overbearing bastard , but not with me . " While Colin Powell would say Schwarzkopf ' s strengths outweighed his weaknesses , Dick Cheney personally disliked what he considered Schwarzkopf ' s pretentious behavior with subordinates . Cheney doubted Schwarzkopf ' s ability to lead the Gulf War , and so Powell dealt with Schwarzkopf instead . The quick and decisive results of the Gulf War were attributed to Schwarzkopf ' s leadership . Historian Rick Atkinson considered Schwarzkopf " the most theatrical American in uniform since Douglas MacArthur . " Atkinson further contended that in his leadership during the Gulf War , Schwarzkopf conducted one of the greatest campaigns of all time , providing America with its " first battlefield hero in decades . " His accomplishments were later compared favorably to that of General Tommy Franks during Operation Enduring Freedom . However , in an analysis of the effects of the Gulf War , several historians , including Spencer C . Tucker , contended that Schwarzkopf ' s ceasefire agreement allowed Iraq to continue to fly armed helicopters , which allowed it to later conduct operations against its Shia Arab and Kurdish populations . Schwarzkopf later wrote it would have been a mistake to continue the offensive and capture all of Iraq , noting that the U . S . would likely have had to pay the entire cost of rebuilding the country . In a 2012 book , historian Thomas E . Ricks wrote Schwarzkopf ' s lack of experience with politics were disadvantageous to his conduct of the war . Ricks said that Schwarzkopf was overly cautious in the execution of his plans because of his fear of repeating mistakes in Vietnam , which meant his troops failed to destroy the Iraqi Republican Guard . Ricks further criticized Schwarzkopf for failing to relieve General Frederick M . Franks , Jr . , as well as other subordinates who Schwarzkopf later said in his memoirs were ineffective . Ricks concluded that the Gulf War was a " tactical triumph but a strategic draw at best . " In his memoirs , Schwarzkopf responded to these kinds of criticisms by saying his mandate had only been to liberate and safeguard Kuwait , and that an invasion of Iraq would have been highly controversial , particularly among Middle Eastern military allies . Schwarzkopf sought to change the relationship between journalists and the military , feeling that the news media ' s negative portrayal of the Vietnam War had degraded troops there . When he took command of the Gulf War , he sought an entirely different strategy which was ultimately successful , where he favored greater media coverage , albeit subject to strict controls on the battlefield . Schwarzkopf favored the intense press surrounding the Gulf War conflict , feeling that blocking the news media as had been done in Grenada would contribute to negative public perception of the war in the United States . His dealings with the press were thus frequent and very personal , conducting regular briefings for journalists . He would usually not attack media coverage , even negative coverage , unless he felt it was blatantly incorrect . He staged visible media appearances which played to patriotism . In fact , Schwarzkopf believed extensive press coverage would help build public support for the war and raise morale . In some press conferences , he showed and explained advanced war - fighting technology the U . S . possessed to impress the public . These also had the side effect of distracting the public from focusing on U . S . casualty counts or the destruction wrought in the war . Schwarzkopf ' s strategy was to control the message being sent , he therefore ordered media on the battlefield to be escorted at all times . In spite of this , several high - profile reports publicized the CENTCOM strategy . However , after the war Schwarzkopf noted he was very critical of military analysts who scrutinized his operation , feeling that some of them were poorly informed on the factors involved in his planning , and that others were violating operational security by revealing too much about how he might plan the operation . Awards and decorations . Schwarzkopf was awarded the following military decorations :