Op Eagle Claw

RonnyMarl

New Member
I have just watched a BBC doco/drama on Op Eagle Claw. For those unfamiliar with the name, it was the US military attempt to release the US Emabssy hostage personnel in their Tehran Embassy in late 1979/early 1980. I have never understood the tactics involved with this Op and from the Doco/drama, I am more mistified. There are some points that I would like to ask about - a couple that has mystified me for years and one arising from tonights progamme. What follows in inverted commas is my synopsis of the doco/drama.

"8 choppers were required for the mission (2 of them were in case there were problems). They required refueling on-route so a secret airfield for C-130s was required to bring in the fuel. The secret airfield seemed to be close to a fairly well used road, ie the recon party that laid down the IR airfied markers ducked for cover on a number of occasions. When the C-130s landed, a bus was stopped and a petrol tanker had to be taken out, but the driver escaped. 70 troops were to be aboard the choppers on arrival in Tehran."

From the doco/drama, why would you put a "secret" landing field close to a road - well used or not?

What I would like to know is:

Remembering when it was happening, I always had questions:

Where were the choppers going to land in Tehran/the Embassy (given that the Embassy compound (I presume) would not have the room to land up to 8 aircraft at the same time)?

Should they have been successful in geting the 70(?) troops in there, what was the next move? Evacuation? Defending the Embassy? 70 versus millions doesn't seem like good odds to me.

It was a valiant atempt and men were lost. They did their duty.
 

renjer

New Member
RonnyMarl said:
Where were the choppers going to land in Tehran/the Embassy (given that the Embassy compound (I presume) would not have the room to land up to 8 aircraft at the same time)?
They were supposed to extract the rescue force and hostages at a nearby soccer(?) stadium.

RonnyMarl said:
Should they have been successful in geting the 70(?) troops in there, what was the next move? Evacuation? Defending the Embassy? 70 versus millions doesn't seem like good odds to me.
The helicopters were then supposed to fly to an Iranian military airfield that was to be captured by a second force of paratroopers(?). The entire American force and the hostages were then to fly out of Iran on C-141s.
 
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