One of the major reasons the mission failed is that Carter, a former Navy submariner, put the Navy in charge of the operation. The Navy opted to use their helicopters, which were built for sea operations, not desert, and the sand and dust caused them to fail. Enough of the helicopters failed or turned back that there weren’t enough to carry out the mission. The coup de grace was when the Navy helicopter crashed into the C130 on the ground, destroying both and killing a number of Delta Force people and aircrew.
Joint Task Force commander was U.S. Army Major General James B. Vaught.