On November 4, 1979, 53 Americans were taken hostage by militant Iranian "students" at the American Embassy in Tehran, Iran. Thus began a period of 444 days in which these Americans were held captive. That same day, the highest levels of the United States government made a commitment to return the Americans to freedom.

It was decided that a combination of helicopters and specialized airlift aircraft would be used to accomplish the planned rescue mission. The military assembled a rescue team comprised of highly skilled personnel from all four military services. All of the men, both aircrew members and the assault force, were volunteers. By the end of November, these men began training at a desert site in the western United States where the terrain and climate were similar to those of Iran. By December, all the various mission components were being integrated into a cohesive rescue force.

As training progressed, the operational plan was to use a remote site well away from Tehran to refuel the helicopters carrying the rescue force for the planned mission. This site became known as Desert One.

Rigorous training and exacting mission practice continued through January, February, and March. Training demands were considerable. Total secrecy was demanded, so special procedures under conditions of radio silence had to be rehearsed and special night visual devices employed. The men's confidence grew, and their readiness was constantly evaluated. At the end of March, the rescue force was alerted to be ready to execute the mission on short notice.

The President gave the authority to launch the mission on the night of April 24, 1980, when visual illumination and weather appeared most favorable. At dusk that evening, eight RH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters took off from the deck of the aircraft carrier Nimitz. Their mission was to fly in darkness at low altitude, in formation, across hostile Iranian territory and rendezvous with the special C-130 aircraft at Desert One. A total of six C-130 aircraft had already departed another location for Desert One.

The mission was about two hours old when the first trouble occurred. Because of severe mechanical problems, one helicopter was forced to land and transfer crew and equipment to another helicopter. A short time later, the C-130s followed by the RH-53s encountered an unexpected dust storm that dangerously degraded visibility and made navigation nearly impossible. As a result, a second helicopter aborted the mission, reversed its course, and returned safely to the carrier Nimitz.

The C-130s arrived first at the Desert One refueling site followed by the six remaining Sea Stallion helicopters. Unfortunately, a third helicopter had developed a hydraulic problem enroute to Desert One. The mission plan required a minimum of six operational helicopters to continue after the planned refueling. With this third helicopter out, the decision was reluctantly made to abort the rescue mission. Preparations were begun to complete the refueling of the helicopters and evacuate the site at Desert One.

Tragically, while an RH-53 helicopter was being repositioned on the ground, its rotary blade struck the fuselage of a C-130, setting the two aircraft ablaze. Though courageous efforts were made to save lives, three Marines in the helicopter were killed, and five Air Force crew members died on the C-130.

We Remember Them... 8 Who Died

U.S. Marine Corps

SSGT Dewey L. Johnson, age 31
SGT John D. Harvey, age 21
CPL George N. Holmes, Jr., age 22

U.S. Air Force

MAJ Richard L. Bakke, age 33
MAJ Harold L. Lewis, age 35
CAPT Lyn D. McIntosh, age 33
CAPT Charles T. McMillan, II, age 28
TSGT Joel C. Mayo, age 34

Remarks By President Ronald Reagan At A White House Reception For The Freed American Hostages And Their Families

East Room at the White House
January 27, 1981

Now, don't get worried. There's not going to be a lengthy speech here.

I've been in office now for 1 week, and one of the things I've found out is that there are a few orders that I can give. So, tonight I am officially ordering that all of you have a good rest, catch up with your families. And as much as Nancy and I and George and Barbara enjoy having you as our guests, we simply don't want to keep you from the privacy that you now deserve.

I know that a great many historic events have happened in this house and there have been many thousands of important people hosted here. But right at this moment I can't think of anyone more distinguished than you.

So, God bless all of you. Thank you again. Thank you for serving your country, for doing your duty. We're all very happy to have you back where you belong. And we're now going to go, and you have just received your second freedom. [Laughter]

A Legacy Of Heroism

During the Iran Rescue Mission, the Air Force Special Operations/Air Commando crew members named above sacrificed their lives at Desert One Iran so that many of their comrades could survive. After a Marine RH-53 helicopter collided with their C-130 aircraft, their individual actions contributed to the survival of over 53 mission personnel trapped in the cabin of the aircraft. [Learn More]

Click image to enlarge.

Source: AP
Comment: Rifle-bearing Iranians stand inside the gate of the U.S. Embassy compound in Tehran, Nov. 6, 1979, on their third day of occupation of the embassy. Embassy staffers were held hostage for 444 days by the militants demanding concessions from the United States and the former Shah of Iran.

Source: AP
Comment: A blindfolded American hostage is paraded in front of the American Embassy in Tehran on Nov. 8, 1979, four days after rioting students stormed the embassy gates and took about 90 people hostage. The captors later freed women, blacks, and non-Americans, leaving the U.S. to negotiate for the remaining 52.

Source: AP
Comment: Following the lead of Penelope Laingen, wife of one of the hostages, Americans from coast to coast adorned trees in their yards with yellow ribbons as a symbol of the captives and the nation's desire to bring them home again.

Source: AP
Comment: The remains of a burned-out U.S. helicopter lie in front of an abandoned helicopter in the eastern desert region of Iran in this April 27, 1980, photo, taken just after the aborted American commando raid to free the 52 U.S. Embassy hostages. President Jimmy Carter said he took full responsibility for the failed mission.

Source: AP
Comment: Freed American hostages cheer as they arrive from Tehran at Rhein-Main Airbase, Frankfurt, Germany, on Jan. 21, 1981. The 52 Americans were released the previous day after being held hostage in Iran for 444 days.

Source: AP
Comment: Former President Jimmy Carter waves as he looks at former hostage Bruce Laingen, from Bethesda, Md., former charge d'affaire at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, on the balcony of the U.S. Air Force hospital, Jan. 22, 1981, in Wiesbaden, Germany. Carter paid a three-hour visit to the hostages from Iran at the hospital.