America Remembers Desert One Heroes

Defense Link ^ | April 25, 2005 | Jim Garamone

[Vetvoice]

WASHINGTON, April 25, 2005 – America today honored eight American servicemen who died trying to rescue American hostages in Iran 25 years ago.

A ceremony here, on the 25th anniversary of their deaths, brought together the families of those killed, their comrades and those servicemembers who carry on the special operations mission.

In November 1979 Iranian militants took 53 Americans in the U.S. Embassy in Tehran hostage. It was the most egregious violation of the principles of diplomacy in the history of statecraft, L. Bruce Laingen, the highest-ranking American taken hostage, said at today's ceremony.

On April 25, 1980, the rescue attempt, dubbed "Operation Eagle Claw," came to a flaming end on the floor of the desert near Tehran. Eight Americans -- five airmen and three Marines -- were killed when the rotor of a helicopter sliced into the fuselage of a C-130 transport aircraft.

[Vetvoice]

The birth of the Delta Force and the MSM ignored it

[T. Buzzard Trueblood]

the memory of Desert One propelled a generation, of which I am a part, to assure that America would never again repeat that searing, transforming experience of the 25th of April 1'80," Schwartz said.

"Never again would we be so unprepared, so ill-equipped...

I will never forget that day. I wonder if Jimmy Carter had anything to say about the occasion...scummy little POS.

Thank God for Ronald Reagan. I don't think you can fully appreciate how great Reagan was until you fully appreciate how awful Carter was.

[T. Buzzard Trueblood]

BTTT

[CyberAnt]

I'm surprised the little weasel wasn't at the event .. Clinton had the nerve to show up at the OKC bombing memorial and then - all he could talk about was himself - another disgusting DEMOCRAT.

[Leisler]

I was a medic in 3/4 ADA, which at the time was in the 82nd. I remember three senior NCO's, all good Redeye missile guys, coming in the medic shack. I had been given a call from our Headquarters Company captian to get and do everything necessary to get them and their shot cards up-to date, and give them anything they wanted out of supplies, which we usually were stingy with. I had to call around to a few other battalion aid stations to find, one series of shots. The lead Sargent said they were going out in the field for a month or so and asked for a grab bag of medical supplies. I asked "field or shooting?" He said maybe a little of both. I packed him a new new medic bag, leaving out the SOP crap no one ever asked for or used, packed a range of general spectrum antibiotics, went to the deployment fridge, signed out per the captains instructions 6 morphine surrets, and 50 codines.

I meet one of the Sargent's again almost a year latter and asked what happened to him. He said they had dirt-bikes with the anti aircraft missiles on them and rode out the ramps of the C-130's, then in different directions rode out a few miles into the dessert and set up a perimeter and were out there when the explosions happened.

[Leisler]

I was a medic in 3/4 ADA, which at the time was in the 82nd. I remember three senior NCO's, all good Redeye missile guys, coming in the medic shack. I had been given a call from our Headquarters Company captian to get and do everything necessary to get them and their shot cards up-to date, and give them anything they wanted out of supplies, which we usually were stingy with. I had to call around to a few other battalion aid stations to find, one series of shots. The lead Sargent said they were going out in the field for a month or so and asked for a grab bag of medical supplies. I asked "field or shooting?" He said maybe a little of both. I packed him a new new medic bag, leaving out the SOP crap no one ever asked for or used, packed a range of general spectrum antibiotics, went to the deployment fridge, signed out per the captains instructions 6 morphine surrets, and 50 codines.

I meet one of the Sargent's again almost a year latter and asked what happened to him. He said they had dirt-bikes with the anti aircraft missiles on them and rode out the ramps of the C-130's, then in different directions rode out a few miles into the dessert and set up a perimeter and were out there when the explosions happened.

[T. Buzzard Trueblood]

I'm surprised the little weasel wasn't at the event

He was probably still upset at not being given a place of honor at the Pope's funeral...

[Vetvoice]

Thye caught a bus that was on a regular schedule but happened to see our operations in their desert. Our guys held them until we were finished and wished them adieu.

[Vetvoice]

I would argue the same about Bush and Clinton. Clinton's faults will make Bush a GREAT President.

[Vetvoice]

I understood Carter when I watched him give amnesty to all Vietnam draft dodgers, give away the Panama Canal (now it has both ends in the hands of Chinese companies), and when he got nimble kneed over the hostages. I remember the 20% bank interest on my accounts receivable and what it cost this nation in terms of lost business oppportunity.

No, you can't lecture me about Carter. He was a true POS and I watched the entire thing from the perspective of a former Special Forces soldier in Vietnam.

[sargunner]

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