(CNN) -- Retired Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, who led allied forces to a routing of Iraq in the 1991 Persian Gulf War and became one of the nation's most celebrated military heroes of the era, died Thursday, a U.S. defense official said. He was 78. The death of the retired four-star Army general was confirmed by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who described Schwarzkopf as "one of the great military giants of the 20th century." President Barack Obama called the death of Schwarzkopf a loss of an "American original." "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," Obama said.NEW: Colin Powell says Schwarzkopf's leadership inspired a nationSchwarzkopf once told Larry King that he hated warSchwarzkopf commanded U.S. led-coalition forces during the 1991 Gulf WarHe was decorated combat veteran of the Vietnam War
" 'Stormin' Norman' led the coalition forces to victory, ejecting the Iraqi Army from _ and restoring the rightful government," Powell said in a statement.