Operation Eagle Claw

This article is about the operation during the Iran Hostage Crisis. For the operation during the Iraq War, see Operation Eagle Claw XI.
"Operation Rice Bowl" redirects here. Not to be confused with the Catholic Relief Services program to end hunger and poverty.

Operation Eagle Claw
Part of the Iran hostage crisis
Overview of the wreckage at the Desert One base in Iran
Location
Near Tabas, South Khorasan, Iran

33°04′23″N 55°53′33″E / 33.07306°N 55.89250°E / 33.07306; 55.89250
Commanded by
TargetEmbassy of the United States, Tehran
Date24–25 April 1980
Executed by United States Army

Central Intelligence Agency

Logistical support:

Mission failed
1 helicopter and 1 transport aircraft destroyed
5 helicopters abandoned/captured
Casualties8 US servicemen killed & 4 injured
1 Iranian civilian (alleged by Iranian Army) killed
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
75km
50miles
Desert One
Desert One
Desert 1 location in central Iran

Operation Eagle Claw (Persian: عملیات پنجه عقاب) was a failed operation by the United States Armed Forces ordered by U.S. President Jimmy Carter to attempt the rescue of 53 embassy staff held captive at the Embassy of the United States, Tehran, on 24 April 1980. The operation, one of Delta Force's first,[1] 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.[2] 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 upon arrival at the Desert One site, despite only four being absolutely necessary.[2] In a move that is still discussed in military circles, the field commanders advised President Carter to abort the mission, which he did.[3]

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.[2] 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. The American hostages were released the day of Ronald Reagan's inauguration.[4]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Gabriel106 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c Bowden, Mark (May 2006). "The Desert One Debacle". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  3. ^ "Operation Eagle Claw, 1980: A Case Study in Crisis Management and Military Planning". Ministry of Defence of Singapore. Archived from the original on 10 November 2003.
  4. ^ "Jimmy Carter: Iran hostage rescue should have and could have worked if the US was more prepared". USA Today. 17 September 2010. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2017.