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An Iranian Hostage Crisis: 1st SOW - sacrifices remembered

  • Published
  • By Dr. John Glover
  • 1st SOW chief historian
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  Recently, 15 British sailors and marines were held hostage in Iran. This scenario is familiar to many Americans, and in particular, to members of the 1st Special Operations Wing.

In November 1979, Iranian "students" seized the U. S. Embassy in Tehran. The embassy personnel were then held hostage for the return of the Shah of Iran and for other perceived offenses against the new Islamic government led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Over the next 444 days, the "hostage crisis" was a nightly item on news broadcasts and became a factor in the election defeat of incumbent President Jimmy Carter. The hostages were ultimately released at the same moment President Ronald Reagan took his oath of office.

For the better part of a year, however, the hostages were paraded on television, and news coverage began to focus on the inability of the Carter administration to free the American captives.

The situation was worsened by Iran's seeming delight at American uncertainty. People throughout the United States began to call for action. On April 24, 1980, highly-trained members of the four armed services made a valiant attempt to rescue the 44 diplomats and servicemembers held hostage in the Islamic republic of Iran.

What the vast majority of Americans did not know was that planning for an armed rescue attempt began almost immediately after the embassy was overrun. The code name for the overall operation was Rice Bowl, while the operational portion was known as Eagle Claw. The operation was complex and faced several limiting factors, among which were the relative isolation of Tehran and the available courses of action which involved an increased risk of equipment failure. One critical piece of the operation was a refueling and overnight stay at a mid-desert site named Desert One. When the operation finally launched on the night of April 24, 1980, equipment failures and unpredictable dust storms caused the on-scene commanders to abort the mission.

As the rescue force prepared to evacuate Desert One, an H-53 helicopter collided with a C-130. The collision caused a catastrophic fire that destroyed both aircraft. Although there were desperate attempts to save them, three Marines and five members of the 8th Special Operations Squadron died at the scene.

At the entrance to the Hurlburt Field Chapel is a memorial donated by the citizens of Okaloosa County to honor fallen members of the 1st Special Operations Wing.

The centerpiece of the memorial is a stained glass window that depicts eight diamonds curving upward in a rainbow of color, to a starburst that unites the lives of eight brave men who had the guts to try, men who met their death in defense of their nation and their fellow Americans, men who slipped the surly bonds of Earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings, men who put out their hands and together touched the face of God.