Wow! On November 4th, 1979, I was stationed at a radar site (PAVE Paws) on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
I was over a girlfriend’s house, who lived some distance away, watching the Patriots play, back when they sucked (hey, she was a fan). I remember after the breaking news interruption, kissing her goodbye and saying I was leaving.
She: “Why are you leaving?!”
Me: “Taking an embassy over and everyone in it is an act of war. I gotta go back to the base. (this was before cell phones and nobody knew I was over her house). There’s gonna be a recall of all personnel.”
She: “OMG! We’re at war?!”
Me: “Yes!”
So I drove back, got on my fatigues, and went into the station. It was dead. Sunday afternoon, already getting dark. No body over a Lt. there. I went up to the TOR and spoke to the LT in charge. No word from anybody. “This has happened before Sarge, and they let ‘em go soon afterwards. Go home.” He said.
I was on duty in April of 1980 when Operation Desert Cluster @#$$! took place in the Iranian desert. What a mess!
444 Days later when Reagan was being sworn in, they let them go.
What a great day!