January 1991 - Gulf War at King Abdul Aziz Air Base, Dhahran, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia

Dhahran International (DHA) Airport

Formerly one of Saudi Arabia's three major international airports, Dhahran Airport (DHA), which opened in 1946 as Dhahran Airfield, is now a Royal Saudi Air Force air-base. Today, King Fahad International Airport (DMM), which replaced Dhahran International for commercial and cargo, serves the entire Metropolitan Area of Dhahran, Dammam, and Khobar, the distance to the airport terminal is about 40 km (25 Miles) from Dhahran. Saudi Aramco Aviation has its own buildings and terminal where all Saudi Aramco flights originate

Dhahran International Airport (IATA: DHA, ICAO: OEDR) in Dhahran formerly served the Ash Sharqiyah Province (Eastern Province) in Saudi Arabia. In 1999, after the opening of King Fahd International Airport, all scheduled flights were shifted out of Dhahran and the airport now serves as the King Abdulaziz Air Base of the Royal Saudi Air Force.

The airport terminal building is one of the architectural works of Minoru Yamasaki, and was completed in 1961. The architecture is a blending of traditional islamic forms with modern technology, for example the flight control tower has the appearance of a minaret. Images of the terminal have been used on Saudi banknotes and is viewed as having influenced the design of a number of important buildings throughout the Middle East.

King Khalid Royal Saudi Air Base

King Khalid Air Base, located south of KKMC was used during the 1991 Gulf War as a fighter base. F-117 Nighthawks from the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional), operated from the airfield from early August 1990 until April 1991. Also E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft from the 552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing (Provisional); KC-135 Stratotankers and B-52D Stratofortess bombers of the 1700th Strategic Wing (Provisional) along with Military Airlift Command VIP executive aircraft for senior coalition leaders operated from the facility.

Gulf War

During the Gulf War, KKMC was used to house thousands of American and other coalition soldiers. Its airport was one of the most used during combat operations, along with bases in Dhahran and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

During the war, KKMC was protected from ballistic missiles by the U.S's Patriot missile system. On February 21, 1991 Iraq fired three Scud missiles at King Khalid Military City, which were reportedly destroyed by Patriot interceptors. [3]

American soldiers during the Persian Gulf War referred to the post by the nickname "The Emerald City".

Present use

At its peak, hundreds of US Army Corps engineers and personnel made KKMC their home, and a small American city evolved within the Saudi military city. Today, US presence at KKMC is minimal with only a small number of US government personnel still working and living there.