Operation Eagle Claw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Operation Eagle Claw |
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| Part of the Iran Hostage Crisis | |
Overview of the wreckage at the Desert One base in Iran
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| Location | Near Tabas, South Khorasan, Iran 33°04′23″N 55°53′33″E / 33.07306°N 55.89250°E |
| Commanded by |
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| Target | Embassy of the United States, Tehran |
| Date | 24–25 April 1980 |
| Executed by |  United States Army
Logistical support: |
| Outcome | Mission failed 1 helicopter and 1 transport aircraft destroyed 5 helicopters abandoned/captured |
| Casualties | 8 US servicemen killed & 4 injured 1 Iranian civilian killed |
Operation Eagle Claw, known as Operation Tabas (Persian: عملیات طبس) in Iran, was a failed operation by the United States Armed Forces ordered by U.S. President Jimmy Carter to attempt the rescue of 52 embassy staff held captive at the Embassy of the United States, Tehran on 24 April 1980.
The operation, one of Delta Force's first, encountered many obstacles and failures and was subsequently aborted. Eight helicopters were sent to the first staging area called Desert One, but only five arrived in operational condition. One had encountered hydraulic problems, another was caught in a sand storm, and the third showed signs of a cracked rotor blade. During the operational planning, it was decided that the mission would be aborted if fewer than six helicopters remained operational, despite only four being absolutely necessary. In a move that is still discussed in military circles, the field commanders advised President Carter to abort the mission, which he did.
As the U.S. forces prepared to withdraw from Desert One, one of the remaining helicopters crashed into a transport aircraft that contained both servicemen and jet fuel. The resulting fire destroyed both aircraft and killed eight servicemen.
In the context of the Iranian Revolution, Iran's new leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, stated that the mission had been stopped by an act of God ("angels of God") who had foiled the U.S. mission in order to protect Iran and his new Islamist government. In turn, Carter blamed his loss in the 1980 U.S. presidential election mainly on his failure to secure the release of the hostages. Finally, the American hostages were released shortly after Reagan's inauguration.
Contents
Aftermath
The White House announced the failed rescue operation at 01:00 a.m. the following day (25 April 1980). Iranian Army investigators found nine bodies (eight Americans and one Iranian civilian). The American bodies were later returned to the United States and buried at various locations across the country. The 44 Iranian civilians taken hostages on the bus were released and subsequently gave eyewitness accounts of the operation.
Casualties
The eight servicemen who died included three Marines (Sgt. John D. Harvey, of Roanoke, Virginia; Cpl. George N. Holmes Jr., of Pine Bluff, Arkansas; Staff Sgt. Dewey Johnson, of Dublin, Georgia) and five Air Force personnel (Maj. Richard L. Bakke, of Long Beach, California; Maj. Harold L. Lewis Jr., of Fort Walton Beach, Florida; Tech. Sgt. Joel C. Mayo, of Harrisville, Michigan; Capt. Lyn D. McIntosh, of Valdosta, Georgia; Capt. Charles T. McMillan of Corryton, Tennessee). On 25 April 1980, Major General Robert M. Bond read a message from President Jimmy Carter at a memorial service commemorating them in Niceville, Florida. A memorial honoring them was erected in the Arlington National Cemetery and Carter attended a memorial service there with the families on 9 May. Three of the servicemen who died – Maj. Richard Bakke, Maj. Harold Lewis Jr., and Sgt. Joel Mayo – were buried in the Arlington National Cemetery in a grave marked by a common headstone, located about 25 feet from the group memorial. In addition, five servicemen were injured, including USMC Majors Jim Schaefer, pilot, and Les Petty, co-pilot.
After the termination of the operation and the abandonment of equipment by the infiltration team, the Iranians became aware of the landings as well as the subsequent accident and firefight. Mohammad Montazer al-Qaim, Commander of the Yazd Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) went to the scene to investigate reports from locals. At the same time, without knowing of the investigation activities of the IRGC, the Iranian Air Force conducted two observation flights over the incident area. During the first flight, two F-14s flew over the abandoned US equipment and the flight requested permission to fire on the equipment. This was refused by the Iranian command. The next day, Iranian Air Force F-4 fighter jets patrolling the area thought that the American helicopters were about to fly and they fired at the remaining American equipment, killing Mohammad Montazer al-Qaim.
Political consequences
President Carter continued to attempt to secure the hostages' release before his presidency's end. On 20 January 1981, minutes after Carter's term ended, the 52 US captives held in Iran were released, ending the 444-day Iran hostage crisis. US Secretary of State Cyrus R. Vance, believing that the operation would not work and would only endanger the lives of the hostages, opted to resign, regardless of whether the mission was successful or not. His resignation was confirmed several days later.
Ruhollah Khomeini condemned Jimmy Carter, and in a speech after the incident, credited God with throwing sand to protect Iran. He said:
Who crushed Mr. Carter's helicopters? We did? The sands did! They were God's agents. Wind is God's agent ... These sands are agents of God. They can try again!
The embassy hostages were subsequently scattered across Iran to preclude any second rescue attempt and were released on 20 January 1981, minutes after Ronald Reagan had taken the oath of office after winning the election against Carter.
Investigation and recommendations
Retired Chief of Naval Operations Admiral James L. Holloway III led the official investigation in 1980 into the causes of the operation's failure on behalf of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Holloway Report primarily cited deficiencies in mission planning, command and control, and inter-service operability, and provided a catalyst to reorganize the Department of Defense.
The various services' failure to cohesively work together prompted the establishment of a new multi-service organization several years later. The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) became operational on 16 April 1987. Each service now has its own special operations forces under USSOCOM's overall control.
The lack of well-trained Army helicopter pilots who were capable of the low-level night flying needed for modern special operations missions prompted the creation of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) (Night Stalkers). In addition to the 160th SOAR's creation, the US Defense Department now trains many military helicopter pilots in low-level penetration, aerial refueling and use of night-vision goggles.
In addition to the formal report, various reasons for the mission failure have been argued, with most analysts agreeing that an excessively complex plan, poor operational planning, flawed command structure, lack of adequate pilot training and poor weather conditions were all contributing factors and combined to the failure of the operation.
Units involved in the operation
US Air Force
- 1st Special Operations Wing: 8th Special Operations Squadron (EC-130)
- 436th Military Airlift Wing
- 437th Military Airlift Wing
- 438th Military Airlift Wing
- 322d Airlift Division
US Army
- 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta ("Delta Force")
- Special Forces Detachment "A" Berlin Brigade
- 75th Infantry Regiment (elements from 1st and 2nd Ranger Battalions)
- USS Nimitz (CVN-68) with Carrier Air Wing 8
- USS Coral Sea (CV-43)
- USS California (CGN-36)
- USS Gridley (CG-21)
- USS Okinawa (LPH-3)
- USS Alamo (LSD-33)
- USS San Bernardino (LST-1189)
- USS Mobile (LKA-115)
- USS Barbey (FF-1088)
- USS William H. Standley (CG-32)
- USS Texas (CGN-39)
Commemoration
United States
The official Operation Eagle Claw Memorial is at Arlington National Cemetery and is described by cemetery literature as:
Dedicated in 1983, the Iran Rescue Mission Memorial consists of a white marble column with a bronze plaque listing the names and ranks of those who lost their lives during the mission. Three of the men – Maj. Richard Bakke, Maj. Harold Lewis Jr. and Sgt. Joel Mayo – are buried in a grave marked by a common headstone, located about 25 feet from the group memorial.
Iran
The incident is considered as a US defeat and is commemorated annually in Tabas where government officials, religious leaders and people gather and display wreckage of the American planes and helicopters from the incident. A mosque called "gratitude mosque" was built at the crash site. On the road from Ashkezar to Tabas, at the location of Desert One there are several remnants of the operation, including wreckage and mock-ups of the RH-53D helicopters.
An Iranian air-defense system is named Tabas, in commemoration of the crash site. At the old Tehran Airport, there is the shell of a RH-53D airframe on display.
Aircraft
- The abandoned Bluebeards 2 and 8 were inducted into service with the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy.
- RH-53D Bluebeard 5 is immortalised at Wrightstown Gate Joint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst, New Jersey
- EC-130E Republic 5 which returned successfully, was retired by the USAF in June 2013 and is now on display at the Carolinas Aviation Museum.
Popular culture
- Sand Storm (Persian: توفان شن), 1997 Iranian film directed by Javad Shamaghdari
- "Ham Avaz-e Toofan" (Persian: همآواز طوفان, "Singing with the Storm"), a song by Hamed Zamani
- The Delta Force (1986) – the incident is dramatized during the prologue
- This incident is referenced a few times in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic book, in particular as the source of the injuries sustained by the popular masked character Snake Eyes
- Desert One, 2019 US documentary by Barbara Kopple about the operation
- The Canadian Caper, the successful joint Canadian-CIA covert extraction operation of six fugitive American diplomats out of Iran
- "O Superman" (1981) – the song by Laurie Anderson "is directly related to" the incident.
- Argo (2012 film) makes reference to this event and the 1979 revolution.
