April 24th, 1980 - The Beginning

scoutpilot

scoutpilot

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On 24 April, 1980, Operation Eagle Claw was undertaken to rescue American hostages. The operation was aborted after a Navy RH-53 piloted by Marines collided with a USAF C-130 at the Desert One refuel site, killing 8 servicemembers--a disaster which led to the creation of greatly expanded US special operations capability.
 
I remember that day as well. If I recall, a highly decorated soldier died in that accident.
 
actually 8 guys died at Desert One.
a good summary of the raid can be found in the Atlantic written by Mark Bowden. For those who know something about SOF and the subsequent formation of JSOC and USSOCOM, several really well known names including Charlie Beckwith, Jerry Boykin, Dick Meadows, Wayne Long and Bucky Buress were all on the ground there with Delta and with the Ranger company was Dave Grange. All of these guys played a huge role later in the formation of JSOC.
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2006/05/the-desert-one-debacle/304803/
 
bruno said:
actually 8 guys died at Desert One.
a good summary of the raid can be found in the Atlantic written by Mark Bowden. For those who know something about SOF and the subsequent formation of JSOC and USSOCOM, several really well known names including Charlie Beckwith, Jerry Boykin, Dick Meadows, Wayne Long and Bucky Buress were all on the ground there with Delta and with the Ranger company was Dave Grange. All of these guys played a huge role later in the formation of JSOC.
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2006/05/the-desert-one-debacle/304803/
Click to expand...

Tough day. Great sadness
 
I also remember that fateful day in the desert. Years later I had the honor of meeting and talking to Kenneth Taylor the Canadian Ambassador who got some of the Americans out. A very unassuming man. He has never been given the recognition he deserved. "Argo" doesn't give him enough credit.
 
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