Norman Schwarzkopf, the retired American general who led coalition forces in the 1991 Gulf War, died of pneumonia Thursday in Tampa, Florida at the age of 78, the Associated Press reports.

Forces led by Schwarzkopf drove Saddam Hussein's Iraqi army from Kuwait during the US-led campaign.

Schwarzkopf's distinguished career, topped by the Gulf War victory, included an incident in 1970 in which he rescued several men under his command who were trapped in a minefield.

As he worked his way through the ranks, Schwarzkopf's infamous strictness and short temper led to the nickname "Stormin' Norman," which he was often called by the media during the Gulf War.

In 1988, Schwarzkopf was made general in charge of US Central Command (a position filled years later by notable generals Tommy Franks and David Petraeus), which led to his command of the Gulf War campaign. He retired from the Army in 1991.

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