The life of Gen. H. Norman 'Stormin’ Norman' Schwarzkopf

Friday, December 28th, 2012

Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, more commonly known as Stormin' Norman, died Thursday at 78.

More from GlobalPost: Gen. H. Norman 'Stormin’ Norman' Schwarzkopf dies at 78

GlobalPost's Samantha Stainburn previously reported on the death of the general who commanded Operation Desert Storm in 1991. According to The New York Times, he died due to complications from pneumonia.

Schwarzkopf may have been given his nickname because of his curt nature, but a look back at his life and career in pictures shows that he wasn't always as abrupt as his reputation led the public to believe.

General Norm Schwarzkopf (R), central command forces commander for the 'Desert Shield' operations, sits besides US National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft (C) and the White House Chief of Staff John Sununu (L) 15 August 1990, at the Pentagon, Washington, DC, as they listen to US President George Bush.

(KEVIN LARKIN - AFP/Getty Images)

US Army General Norman Schwarzkopf (L), Commander of the US Forces in Saudi Arabia, talks with US General Colin Powell, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 23 December 1990 in Dahran. Iraq's invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990, ostensibly over violations of the Iraqi border, led to the Gulf War, which began January 16, 1991. A US-led multi-national force repulsed Iraq from Kuwait during the 'Desert Storm' offensive and a cease-fire was signed February 28, 1991.

(BOB SULLIVAN - AFP/Getty Images)

Gulf War commander, US four star general Norman Schwarzkopf (C), who commanded the international coalition which ousted Iraqi forces from Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm, leaves February 10, 1991 in Riyadh the Hotel Hayatt under the watchful eyes of his bodyguards.

(MICHEL GANGNE - AFP/Getty Images)

US Commander General Norman Schwarzkopf (L) salutes Iraqi Lt. General Sultan Hasheem Ahmad at the end of their talks, March 3, 1991, at a captured Iraqi desert air-base to set cease-fire terms in the Persian Gulf war.

(MIKE NELSON - AFP/Getty Images)

Gulf War commander, US four star general Norman Schwarzkopf, who commanded the international coalition which ousted Iraqi forces from Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm, waves to the crowd April 20, 1991 in Riyadh after being awarded by Saudi King Abdel Aziz the Order of Merit.

(PASCAL GUYOT - AFP/Getty Images)

General Norman Schwarzkopf, commander of Operation Desert Storm, is given a standing ovation May 8, 1991, Washington, DC in the House of Representative chamber, where he was honored by members of Congress. Schwarzkopf thanked the Congress and the American people for their support during the war.

(KEVIN LARKIN - AFP/Getty Images)

US General Norman Schwarzkopf (R) shown in a photo dated July 24, 1991 being decorated with the medal of Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor, the highest distinction awarded to a foreign policy figure by General Maurice Schmitt, who headed the French contingent to the allied operation against Iraq, at a ceremony at the Aubagne base, the French Foreign Legion base, in Southern France.

(ERIC CABANIS - AFP/Getty Images)

Retired U.S. Army General H. Norman Schwarzkopf (R) testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee May 11, 1993, as Major Kathleen Bergeron of the U.S. Marine Corps looks on. Both Schwarzkopf and Bergeron defended the ban on gays in the military.

(JOHN HARRINGTON - AFP/Getty Images)

US General Norman Schwarzkopf, the great figure of the 1991 Gulf War, gives the thumbs up in Kwait April 17, 1994 during the last day of joint Kuwaiti-American-British manoeuvres 'Native fury'. Schwarzkopf was invited to observe the exercises, the biggest in the emirate since the Gulf War.

(RAED QUTANIA - AFP/Getty Images)

Retired General Norman Schwarzkopf (R) tries to quiet the cheering crowd prior to his speech to veterans at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, September 7, 2000. Texas Governor and Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush (L) and retired General Colin Powell (C) stand behind Schwartzkopf onstage.

(PAUL BUCK - AFP/Getty Images)

Former U.S. President George Bush, right, speaks during a forum to discuss the 10th anniversary of the Gulf War, February 23, 2001 at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas as Norman Schwarzkopf, the former commander of the U.S. Forces in the Persian Gulf listens. On January 17, 1991, the U.S. and its allies launched Operation Desert Storm, expelling Iraqi forces from Kuwait.

(Joe Raedle - Getty Images)

Retired Army General H. Norman Schwarzkopf was honored by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society with the Patriot?s Award during the Society's annual National Patriot's Dinner on September 12, 2002 in Shreveport, Louisiana.

(Mario Villafuerte - Getty Images)

Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (R) greets Secretary of State Colin Powell (C) as former Commander in the Persian Gulf General Norman Schwarzkopf (Ret.) (L) looks on during a segmental break of the taping of NBC's 'Meet the Press' February 9, 2003 at the NBC studios in Washington, DC. Powell said on the show Saddam Hussein 'has only got a short period of time left to demonstrate compliance, or force will have to be used to bring him into compliance.'

(Alex Wong - Getty Images)

US President George W. Bush (L) stands with retired General Norman Schwarzkopf (R) during a campaign rally at Legend Field October 31, 2004 in Tampa, Florida. Bush and Democratic challenger John Kerry scrambled for votes in the key states of Florida and Ohio, keeping a bruising pace on the campaign trail in a race still too close to call with less than 48 hours until election day. Two tracking polls by The Washington Post and Fox television showed the candidates have evenly split the electorate, with little apparent change since the emergence of a video by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

(STEPHEN JAFFE - AFP/Getty Images)

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