Over 300 Iranians stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran, on November 4, 1979, taking 66 Americans hostage in response to the 1953 coup. The hostages were held for 444 days, with 14 being released during captivity. The Iranians sought revenge for the coup, aiming to humiliate the United States and cause pain to the American people. The taking of the embassy was seen as an act of vengeance to ease the psychological scars still present in the Iranian people from the event.
On April 24, 1980, six months into the Iran Hostage Crisis, Operation Eagle Claw was set in motion in an attempt to rescue the hostages. Eight Navy helicopters took off from the USS Nimitz carrying Delta Force assaulters to rendezvous with other aircraft. The mission was aborted as one of the helicopters collided with an EC-130, resulting in the deaths of eight servicemen. The hostages were released on January 20, 1981, moments after Ronald Reagan was sworn in as president. The failed mission led to the establishment of JSOC, the Joint Special Operations Command.
Questioning how Delta was planning to assault the target and extract from Tehran, the lessons learned from the tragedy at Desert One directly led to the establishment of JSOC. The Joint Special Operations Command would later conduct Operation Neptune Spear, resulting in the death of Osama bin Laden. The story of the failed rescue mission in Iran holds important lessons that continue to shape special operations command, training, and planning to this day.
In the aftermath of the failed mission, the hostages were separated and moved to multiple locations across Iran. The failed rescue attempt marked a significant moment in U.S. history, with the hostages being released on the day of Ronald Reagan’s inauguration. The Carter White House acknowledged the failed mission the following day, and no further rescue attempts were made. The tragedy at Desert One had a lasting impact on U.S. military operations, leading to the establishment of JSOC and changing the landscape of special operations.
Despite the widespread knowledge of the failed rescue mission and its outcome, there is much more to the story that is not commonly known. The details of how Delta planned to assault the target, extract from Tehran, and acquire vehicles for the mission shed light on the complex nature of the operation. The lessons learned at Desert One continue to influence military operations, with JSOC playing a crucial role in subsequent missions, including Operation Neptune Spear, which resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden. The story of the failed Iran Hostage Crisis rescue mission serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made in the pursuit of national security.
