Wow! eBook
Mission Iran: Special Forces Berlin & Operation Eagle Claw, JTF 1-79
Author(s): James Stejskal (Author)
- Publisher: Casemate
- Publication Date: June 30, 2024
- Language: English
- Print length: 192 pages
- ISBN-10: 1636243339
- ISBN-13: 9781636243337
Book Description
On 4 November 1979, “student” supporters of the Ayatollah seized the U.S. Embassy with over 60 hostages. Although the Cold War was in full swing, the Iran hostage crisis was a watershed for the United States. The counterterrorism learning curve, both political and military, would be steep and often deadly.
Detachment A had been established in Berlin early in the Cold War to harass and delay any Soviet military advance west. This Special unit trained relentlessly for every aspect of unconventional warfare, and was later assigned a second mission of counterterrorism. Due to this mix of skills, Det A would be called upon to undertake additional missions, including providing protection to General Al Haig and General Frederick Kroesen following assassination attempts. When American planners were trying to work out how to rescue hostages being held at two sites in the middle of a hostile country, it became apparent that the unit—the only US military dual-capability unit—would be integral to the effort.
The plan for Operation
Eagle Claw, as it became known, was extremely complex. The first stage was intelligence gathering—no mean feat as most of the CIA’s capabilities in the country had been eliminated. With operatives trained in intelligence work, fluent in many languages and adept at blending in, Det A took on the advanced recon of the targets. Then, when Delta Force admitted that it could only manage the assault of the Embassy, Det A volunteered to rescue the three Americans at the Foreign Ministry. Meanwhile for security purposes, all existing training and exercise commitments in Berlin would continue with no Teams broken up. This caused some consternation as none of the men wanted to miss out on this mission reminiscent of Son Tay.Veteran and historian James Stejskal details Det A’s unique and integral role in Operation
Eagle Claw, based upon firsthand accounts of the operatives involved. Table of Contents IntroductionA Short History of Detachment “A” Berlin (39th SFD) Part I — Eagle Claw
1. Where it began: Tehran, November 4, 1979
2. Clem & Scotty
3. The Ground Force Prepares
4. The Second Insert
5. From Egypt to Masirah
6. Desert One to Abort
7. Desert Two & Escape
8. Home Again Part II — Storm Cloud
1. The New Plan
2. Berlin’s Plan (Revised)
3. “A New Intelligence Unit”
4. Little Birds
5. Florida
6. It’s All Over but the Shouting Appendices
Bibliography
Index
Editorial Reviews
Review
— Wade Ishimoto, Operation EAGLE CLAW SFOD-D Intelligence Officer and author of “The Intoku Code.”
“The topic of this history is very dear to me and my comrades and family. James has captured, in vivid detail, the history of this critical geopolitical event. James not only documents the story, he transports the reader into the action, the political complexities and the heartache felt by all of those involved. Truly a great read of a history that cannot be forgotten.”
— Ric Prado, NY Times Bestseller author of
Black Ops and Chief of Operations, CIA’s Counterterrorist Center (Ret)“Better than the best fiction. The story of 39th Special Forces Detachment or “Det A Berlin” and its pivotal role in the failed 1979 hostage rescue in Iran is a history as told by a Special Forces solder, former unit member, and one-in-million talent. In
Mission Iran, Jim Stejskalweaves a factual telling of events with a colorful account of the unique and powerful chemistry of Special Forces when given its head and allowed to practice unconventional warfare (UW) as only America’s Green Berets can. It is also the story of what was to be arguably America’s high water mark in UW as the growing U.S. special operations enterprise was undertaking a rapidly transition to counterterrorism, direct action or commando raids. Stejskal reminds us of the enduring relevance of a true UW capability, namely small teams of elite soldiers whose deep knowledge of targeted countries languages, histories, and customs provide decision makers with powerful options in crisis and below the threshold of war. Mission Iran is a primer for special operators, a missing part of the growing irregular warfare canon, and an enjoyable read for the general public.— LTG Charlie Cleveland (Ret), Commander US Army Special Operations Command
“James Stejskal’s latest book,
MISSION IRAN, is a must-have for any military library of the Cold War and special operators. Stejskal’s one-of-a-kind experience in the secretive Detachment “A,” and his unprecedented access, reveals new and previously classified information on what really happened during one of the U.S.’s most pivotal missions. If you thought you were familiar with Operation Eagle Claw and Det “A,” think again. Stejskal reveals the dramatic tick-tock of a crisis that changed America.”— Doug Stanton, #1 New York Times bestselling author of
Horse Soldiers and In Harm’s Way“A riveting, authoritative and fast-paced account that is brimful of new information and will give readers fresh understanding of a seminal moment in American military history.”
– Toby Harnden, Orwell Prize winnning author of
First Casualty, The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11
