Special Ops: Four Accounts of the Military's Elite Forces
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PART 7: Hostage Rescue Efforts
The Air Force role in the effort to rescue the hostages from Teheran in 1980 is described in a fascinating account in Col. James H. Kyle, USAF retired, with John Robert Eidson, The Guts to Try (New York: Orion Books, 1990).
The postmortem on the failure of the rescue attempt is contained in the report of the Special Operations Review Group, usually referred to as the Holloway Commission Report. The text of the report was printed in the 15, 22, and 29 September 1980 issues of Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine. Although portions of the original report were deleted for security reasons before its public release, the report as released accurately reflects the conclusions of the panel.
Colonel John T. Carney, Jr., USAF retired, told me of his survey of the desert landing site in an interview at his office in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, on 6 October 1994.
Colonel Lee Hess, USAF retired, described his involvement in the planning for the raid during an interview at his office at Hurlburt Field, Florida, on 10 October 1944.
Sergeant Mike Hozenbackez described his training as a gunship crew member for the later phases of the operation, which were canceled because of the problems at Desert One. He was interviewed at Hurlburt Field on 14 October 1994.
General LeRoy Manor, who was a member of the Holloway Commission, discussed the hostage rescue attempt and compared it to the Son Tay raid, which he directed, in the interview cited in Part 6.
Colonel Ron Jones, in the interview cited in Part 6, told of his involvement in the deception operation in Egypt before the rescue attempt.
Gary Weikel, in the interview cited in Part 6, told me of his concerns about the failure of the hostage rescue planners to follow the successful model of the Son Tay raid. His views are further spelled out in “Just Cause and Desert Storm—New Paradigms or Aberrations?” a paper presented at the National War College, Washington, D.C., in January 1991.
Honey Badger and the preparations for another attempt to rescue the hostages in Teheran are described in Richard Secord’s Honored and Betrayed, cited in Part 4, and in Steven Emerson, Secret Warriors: Inside the Covert Military Operations of the Reagan Era (New York: Putnam’s, 1988).
I also discussed Air Force preparations for that renewed effort with John F. “Jack” Kelly, Frank Pehr, Lt. Col. Michael E. “Mike” Homan, and Col. Mike Damron in interviews at Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico, in November 1994, and with Col. John Roberts, USAF retired, at his Alexandria, Virginia, office on 22 November 1994.
Pehr was an especially valuable source of information about the development of the Pave Low III helicopter system.
That development is also described in detail in Leo Anthony Gambone, Pave Low III: That Others May Live (History Office, Aeronautical Systems Command, undated).
Colonel Ron Jones, in the interview cited in Part 6, told me of Credible Sport, the crash effort to modify a C-130 to land in a soccer stadium in Teheran.
Details of the Grenada invasion are described in detail in Donn-Erik Marshall, Urgent Fury: The U.S. Military Intervention in Grenada, a Master’s thesis presented to the graduate faculty, Corcoran Department of History, University of Virginia, May 1989, and in Mark Adkin, Urgent Fury: the Battle for Grenada (Lexington, Massachusetts: Lexington Books, 1989).
Personal reminiscences of the Grenada operation were obtained in interviews with Maj. Gen. James L. Hobson, Jr., at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, on 25 April 1995 and with Carney and Hozenbackez, cited in Part 7.
An account of Hobson’s involvement in Grenada, which won him the Mackay Trophy, is contained in “Hobson Takes AFSOC Reins” in Night Flyer, a publication of the Air Force Special Operations Command, for July-August 1994.
General George A. Gray III, commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing at the time of Just Cause—the invasion of Panama—discussed that operation with me in an interview at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, on 9 November 1994.
Other details of the Panama operation were provided in the interviews with Carney, Weikel, and Hozenbackez, cited in Parts 6 and 7, and in an interview with Maj. Bob Leonik at the Pentagon on 17 October 1994.
The development of the special tactics teams and their involvement in both Just Cause and Desert Storm and Desert Shield are covered in History of the 1720th Special Tactics Group, January 1990-De cember 1991. Volume I by Kenneth N. Rose, USAF historian, and Col. Robert W. Neumann, commander.
The history of the special tactics teams is also covered in Frank Oliveri, “When the LZ Is Hot,” Air Force, February 1994.
Personal observations of special tactics team involvement were provided in an interview with TSgt. Gordon W. Tully and SSgt. Boyd Bowling at Hurlburt Field, Florida, on 5 October 1994.
Clay McCutchan, a lieutenant colonel in the reserves, described his decision not to fire the guns of his gunship during an interview at Hurlburt Field on 13 October 1994.
In response to a request under the Freedom of Information Act, I received a small collection of papers, mostly newspaper clippings and press releases, concerning the “friendly fire” incident involving another AC-130 gunship. The Air Force response to my request said all other documents concerning the incident had been routinely destroyed.
The incident, first disclosed by Newsweek magazine in the issue of 25 June 1990, was described in several news articles: Tracy Wenzel, “Crews Under Fire, ‘Friendly Fire’ Probe Centers on Gunships,” Northwest Florida Daily News, 21 June 1990; Christopher Clausen, “Hurlburt Crews Shot at GIs by Mistake,” Pensacola News Journal, 22 June 1990; Wenzel, “AC-130 Panama Goof Confirmed,” Northwest Florida Daily News, 22 June 1990, and Wenzel, “Hurlburt Aircrew Spared Discipline for Its ‘Mistake,’” Northwest Florida Daily News, 1 July 1990.
PART 8: New Challenges
A valuable overview of the participation of Air Force special operations forces in Desert Shield and Desert Storm is provided in Chapter V, “Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm,” in AFSOC History 1990–1991, prepared by the Command History Office at Hurlburt Field. That chapter was written by SSgt. Randy Bergeron.
The role of Air Force special operations in the beginning of Desert Storm was described to me in interviews with George Gray and Bob Leonik, cited in Part 7, and an interview with Maj. Ben Pulsifer, at Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico, on 30 November 1994.
Lieutenant Colonel Homan and MSgt. Timothy Hadrych told me of their perilous daytime foray into Iraq to rescue a downed Navy flier. Homan also described delivering a heavy load of Army Special Forces soldiers and their equipment deep in Iraq.
Sergeant Steve D. Jones told me of his participation with British special forces soldiers sent to blow up a communications line near Baghdad. He and Command MSgt. Wayne Norrad also described the scene at the Kuwait International Airport as the Special Tactics teams moved in to restore operations. Both men were interviewed at Hurlburt Field in October 1994.
The hectic scene at the AI Jouf airfield when planes returned from the first strike against Iraq was described by Gordon Tully in the interview cited in Part 7.
My account of the shootdown of Spirit 03, the AC-130 Spectre gunship, is derived from the report of the official investigation into the incident obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. The “Spirit 03 Report” is contained in 1SOW AFSOCCENT Deployed (Desert Storm) Part I and II, an undated Air Force Special Operations Command document. Additional information was contained in the interview with George Gray, cited in Part 7. The memorial service for the crew is described in David Tortorano, “Family, Friends Mourn Heroic Hurlburt Crew,” Pensacola Daily News, 16 March 1991.
The involvement of members of the 24th Special Tactics Team in the fighting in Somalia is described in MSgt. Philip F. Rhodes, “A Soldier’s Nightmare,” Night Flyer, first quarter, 1994.
Major Greg S. “Fritz” Buterbaugh gave me a useful insight into the operations of the MC-130 Combat Talons, and Lt. Col. John Bicket gave a similar description of the use of the MH-60 Pave Haw
k during interviews at Kirtland Air Force Base in November and December 1994.
I discussed the future of Air Force special operations in the interview with General Hobson, cited in Part 7. My thoughts on the problems and opportunities facing the command were also heavily influenced by my interviews with Gary Weikel and Lee Hess, cited in Parts 6 and 7, as well as Weikel’s National War College paper and a sharply critical, no-holds-barred farewell address delivered by Hess when he retired in December 1994. He provided me with a copy of the address.
Index
Aircraft: Apache helicopter, 296, 319; A-10, 303, 304, 310, 317; A-1E, 145, 148, 186, 214, 215, 317, 319; A-1H, 148; A-20, 15; A-26 Invader, 96–100, 176, 196, 197, 199–203, 319, 322, 328; A-37 Dragonfly, 149; A-7, 181, 258; AC-119G, 160; AC-119K, 160, 204; AC-130 (Spectre), 161, 162, 203, 205, 206, 258, 269, 282, 286, 308, 314, 324, 336; AC-47 gunship, 145, 329; AD-5, 148; AD-6, 148; AWACS, 302, 308–10, 320; Black Hawk, 256, 313; B-17, 45, 62, 84, 320; B-24 Liberator, 45–46, 48, 50, 56–59, 60, 62, 67–69, 70–71, 73–77, 80, 81, 85, 87, 93, 94, 95–96, 100, 320; B-25, 5, 23, 29, 32, 45, 85; B-26, 96, 110, 124, 127–29, 135–37, 147, 196, 319, 322; B-26 Marauder, 96; B-52, 181, 227, 333; C-118, 126; C-119, 113, 119, 160; C-123, 140, 197, 323; C-130, 126, 158, 181, 238, 241, 244, 248–53, 262, 319; C-141, 242, 247; C-47, 3, 4, 12, 19, 23, 25, 28, 63, 64, 66, 75, 83, 89–92, 124, 131, 132, 136, 140, 149, 150–53, 156, 158, 177; C-54, 113; DC-6, 126; F-100, 149; F-105, 149, 186, 189, 221, 222; F-111, 181; F-4, 149, 221; F/A-18, 300; FC-47, 151; Halifax bomber, 47; HC-130 tanker, 231; HH-3, 213, 215, 219, 220; HH-53, 213, 215, 220, 259, 275; JU-88, 57; MC-130, Combat Talon, 141, 214–16, 219, 238, 241, 247, 267, 311, 320, 324; ME-110, 58; Mosquito, 96, 99, 100, 108, 322; O-1 Bird Dog, 149, 182; O-2, 149; OV-10 Bronco, 149; P-40, 13, Porter Pilatus, 177; Pave Hawk, 277, 283, 316, 323, 337; Pave Low, 256–60, 262, 264, 273, 275, 277, 282–84, 288, 293, 295, 297, 298, 301, 302, 305, 313, 316, 317, 323, 335; P-51 Mustang, 23, 29, 62, 108, 317; SA-16, 113, 116, 309, 310; Skyraider, 148; Spitfire, 15, 94; Super Jolly Green Giant, 213, 229, 232, 256; Tornado, 300, 301; U-10, 141, 197; U-2, 119; V-22 Osprey, 316; Waco glider, 89
A Shau valley, 144
Aderholt, Brig. Gen. Henry “Heinie,” 104–08, 111, 126–29, 155, 171, 172, 179, 182–83, 184, 200, 201, 226, 328, 331, 333
Agent Orange, 140
Air America, 171, 177, 180, 319
Air commandos, 32, 35, 40, 43, 86, 89, 103, 105, 108, 110, 126, 139, 140, 141, 143, 144, 147–49, 153, 157, 163, 168, 175, 177, 204, 206, 212, 214, 252, 256, 260, 267, 269, 270, 287, 288, 304, 307, 311, 312, 318, 352 326, 328
Air Force Cross, 314
Air Force Special Operations, 3, 70, 114, 118, 124, 126, 151, 159, 163, 176, 225, 226, 228, 234, 241, 242, 253, 254, 256, 257, 264, 273–75, 277, 284, 287–88, 305, 306, 312, 316, 317, 322, 326, 327, 335–37
Air Resupply and Communications Service (ARCS), 104, 112–13, 116–19, 212, 241, 319, 328
Air Transport Command, 83
Al Jouf, 299, 337
Alabama Air National Guard, 129
Albee, Lt. Gene, 197–98, 331
Alconbury airfield, 49
Alison, Brig. Gen. John R., 4–6, 13–16, 17–21, 27–29, 34, 86, 218, 326
Allen, Col. Keith, 75, 76
Alternate, 20, 221
Ambrose, Lt. George W., 56
An Loc, 162, 206
Antisubmarine warfare, 45
Armed reconnaissance, 126, 323
Army Air Forces, 4, 100, 103, 326
Arnold, General of the Army Henry H., 4, 12–18, 20–21, 26, 34–38, 43, 45, 86, 218
Baghdad, 293, 300–301, 306, 307, 337
Baker, Leo, 130 Baldwin, Air Marshal Sir John E. A., 4
Balkan Air Force, 87, 90
Balkan Air Terminal Service, 90
Ban Leboy ford, 197
Barrel roll, 172
Barrel Roll, 222, 320
Bay of Pigs, 129–31
Beckwith, Col. Charles, 237, 243, 247, 249, 272—73
Bicket, Lt. Col. John, 337
Bien Hoa, 133, 134, 138, 139, 154
Binh Thuy, 154
Black, Tim, 203, 332
Blida airdrome, 85
BLU-82 Daisy Cutter, 311
Blue Spoon, 277, 278, 320
Bosnia, 89, 315
Bovingdon air base, 46
Box-and-one, 238, 248, 286
Bray, SSgt. Jeffrey, 313, 314
Brindisi, 89–92
Brink, Dale, 187
Broadway, 4–6, 26–29, 30, 32, 63, 320
Broma airport, 74
Bronze Star, 314
Brown, Col. Royal A., 221, 222, 333
Brunner, Ssgt. Frederick J., 98
Burma, 3, 4, 8–12, 14, 15, 18, 21, 23–24, 27, 29, 33, 34, 36, 38, 40, 43, 83, 84, 86, 89, 105, 108, 110, 114, 149, 182, 218, 241, 305, 317, 319, 320, 323, 324, 325
Buterbaugh, Maj. Greg G., 331
Butterflies, 168, 176–79, 183, 189, 190, 320, 331
Buzz bomb, 75
Callahan, 2nd Lt. Robert, 58–59, 80
Cambodia, 175, 217, 225, 227
Campbell, Dwight S., 201
Carney, Col. John J., 237–39, 241, 243, 247–51, 265–67, 271–73, 286, 333, 334, 335
Carpetbaggers, 40, 43, 48–51, 53, 57, 58, 60, 61, 62–71, 74, 75, 79–83, 85, 86, 91, 94–96, 98, 103, 104, 111, 112, 127, 149, 212, 320, 322, 326, 327
Cavanaugh, Maj. Michael E., 170, 174, 184, 185, 186, 187–88, 332
Cavelli, 1st Lt. A. F., 197
Central Intelligence Agency, 44, 77, 107, 177, 237, 320, 322
Cetnik, 87
Chaophakaow!, 172
Cheney Award, 312
Chiang Kai-Shek, 9
China, 9, 12, 15, 29, 105, 106, 107, 108, 117, 169, 218
Chindits, 11, 12, 18–25, 28–34, 63, 320, 322
Chindwin river, 25, 27
Chinnampo, 115
Ch’o Do, 115
Choisin reservoir, 107
Ch’olson, 117
Chowringhee, 5, 28, 29, 320
Churchill, Winston, 12, 16, 86, 88, 324
Civil Air Transport, 119, 126–27
Civil War, 153
Cochran, Col. Philip, 4–5, 13–16, 17–24, 26, 27, 29, 31, 35, 36–40, 86, 218, 325
Colby, William, 77
Cold War, 104, 114, 294, 313
Collins, Capt. Willard M., 145
Combat Control Teams, 207, 237
Comer, Lt. Col. Richard L., 295, 296, 298
Commando Club, 191, 321
Credible Sport, 262, 264, 321, 335
Cuba, 129, 130, 131, 132, 270
D-day invasion, 60
Da Nang, 134, 141, 154, 218, 222, 259
Dalai Lama, 126, 127
Dalton, Col. Roy C., 136, 329, 331
Darby, James, 81
Defense Intelligence Agency, 216
Delta force, 237, 239, 241–44, 256, 321
Desert One, 241, 244, 247–48, 252–54, 255, 260, 271, 278, 285, 286, 295, 315, 321, 334
Desert Shield, 289, 312, 335
Desert Storm, 312, 313, 317, 334, 335, 336
Devers, Lt Gen. Jacob L., 46
Distinguished Flying Cross, 116, 281, 304
Donovan, William J., 44, 45, 84
Doolittle, Gen. James, 62–64
Dudley, Capt. C. G., 197
Easter offensive, 162
Eisenhower, Gen. Dwight D., 39–40, 60, 61, 86, 118
Emmel, Lt. Oliver H., 98, 99
Estes, Capt. James E., 47
Everett, Wade, 132, 328
Fales, MSgt. Scott, 313–14
Farmgate, 133, 134, 136–39, 144, 168, 172, 177, 196, 255, 321, 328, 329
FARRP, 241, 321
Firefly, 189
Fish, Col. Robert, 46, 48, 50, 51, 55, 66, 72, 77–79, 85, 97–98, 112, 113, 118, 327
Fisher, Maj. Bernard F., 145–47, 330
Fitzpatrick, Lt. Ernest B., 57
Flexman, Ralph E., 152
FLIR, 214, 298
&
nbsp; Flying Tigers, 15
Ford, President Gerald R., 225
Fort Belvoir, 211
Fort Bragg, 212
Fort Rucker, 182
Fort Walton Beach, 104, 326, 328, 331, 332, 334
Forward air controller (FAC), 108, 135, 144, 148, 162, 168, 170, 171, 173, 179, 180, 181, 182, 184, 185, 190, 198, 201, 280, 320–22, 331
Free French, 52, 84
Freiburg, 81
Fulton Recovery System, 125, 239, 321
Gast, Lt. Gen. Philip, 246
Gee box, 54, 321
Geneva, 59, 64, 73, 85, 134
Geneva accords, 134
Gliders, 3, 5, 6, 19, 21–23, 24–25, 27, 28, 89, 92
Gorski, Maj. Frank J., Jr., 138, 139, 196–98, 202, 328, 332
Gray, Brig. Gen. George A. III, 281, 293–95, 309, 310, 317, 335, 337
Gray, Wade, 130
Green Berets, 131, 145, 213, 220, 221, 281, 293, 305, 306
Grenada, 265, 266, 270–72, 274, 278, 279, 287, 317, 335
Griffiss, Col. Townsend, 15
Guam, 133, 244
Hadrych, MSgt. Timothy, 304, 312, 337
Haig, Alexander, 216
Hamilton-Merritt, Jane, 330
Hanoi, 119, 143, 191, 206, 207, 211, 212, 215, 218, 323, 324
Hanoi Hilton, 207, 211
Happy Valley, 129, 130
Harman, Lt. Carter, 31
Harrington airdrome, 49
Heddleson, SSgt. James J., 56
Heflin, Col. Clifford J., 46, 49, 50–51, 64–66, 85
Hellfire guided missile, 294–95
Henderson, Sgt. George W., 56
Hess, Col. Lee, 240, 244, 334, 338
Hobson, Maj. Gen. James L., 267, 268, 271, 275, 317, 318, 335, 337
Holloway Commission, 252, 315, 321, 334
Homan, Lt. Col. Michael E., 301–06, 334, 337
Honey Badger, 260–62, 264, 321, 334
Hopkins, Harry, 14, 20
Hotel Beau Rivage, 71
Howard, Clyde, 172, 174, 180, 181, 200, 207, 227, 331, 333
Howard Air Force Base, 276–79, 284
Hozenbackez, MSgt. Mike, 269, 270, 334, 335
Hudson, Lieutenant William H., 77
Hue, 144
Hurlburt Field, 124, 260, 277, 316, 327, 328, 331, 334, 336
Igloo White, 204, 321, 333
Imphal, 11, 33