I was in the Air Force at that time. It was rumored that Mr. Reagan had sent word thru a friendly embassy that, “If the hostages were still on the ground after he was sworn in, his first act would be to make Tehran a glass parking lot.”
I was in the Air Force at the time as well, statiioned on Guam. I pulled sentry duty on the C-5A that we found out later was carrying the helicopter used in the ill-fated rescue mission.