Military Operations
Operation Eagle Claw
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Operation Eagle Claw was a failed United States military attempt on 24-25 April 1980 to rescue 52 American hostages held at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran. A joint Delta Force, Army Ranger, Air Force and Navy task force was to stage through a desert site codenamed Desert One before assaulting the embassy, but helicopter mechanical failures and a sandstorm forced the mission to be aborted; during withdrawal, a helicopter collided with a transport aircraft, killing eight American servicemen.
Facts
Operation TypeSpecial-forces hostage rescue (aborted) 1 LocationDesert One staging site, near Tabas, Iran (planned target: U.S. Embassy, Tehran) 1 ParticipantsDelta Force, U.S. Army Rangers (75th Infantry), U.S. Air Force and Navy aircrews, CIA Special Activities Division 1 ObjectiveRescue 52 American hostages held at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran 1 OutcomeMission aborted after helicopter failures; a helicopter-aircraft collision during withdrawal killed eight U.S. servicemen; the hostages were not rescued 1 Sources
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