Kuwait City, mid-1991
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In 1991, MERRILL arrived in the Arabian Gulf after the DESERT STORM ceasefire, but in time to be the second US warship to tie up in the Kuwait City harbor since the Iraqi invasion (the somewhat dubious honor of being first went the USNAVCENT command ship, USS LA SALLE (AGF 3)). The crew had the sobering and somewhat surreal experience of visiting the “Highway of Death” before it had been completely cleared (accompanied, of course, by British Army sappers to prevent unfortunate accidents).