Mission Iran: Special Forces Berlin & Operation Eagle Claw, JTF 1-79

The unique role of Special Forces Berlin in the attempted rescue of the American hostages in Tehran. 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. AUTHOR: James Stejskal, after 35 years of service with US Army Special Forces and the Central Intelligence Agency, is a uniquely qualified historian and novelist. He is the author of Special Forces Berlin: Clandestine Cold War Operations of the US Army's Elite, 1956–1990; Masters of Mayhem: Lawrence of Arabia and the British Military Mission to the Hejaz; No Moon as Witness; and The Snake Eater Chronicles. 80 illustrations

Table of Contents:
Introduction A 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. FOG 4. Little Birds 5. Florida 6. It’s All Over but the Shouting Appendices Bibliography Index

About the Author :
James Stejskal, after 35 years of service with US Army Special Forces and the Central Intelligence Agency, is a uniquely qualified historian and novelist. He is the author of Special Forces Berlin: Clandestine Cold War Operations of the US Army's Elite, 1956-1990; Masters of Mayhem: Lawrence of Arabia and the British Military Mission to the Hejaz; No Moon as Witness; and The Snake Eater Chronicles.

Review :
"Through primary sources and his recollections, Stejskal does an excellent job of bringing this part of the Eagle Claw story to life, as well as the planned-but-never-executed second rescue attempt. Furthermore, the book's extensive appendices containing primary sources, to include photos and declassified documents, can assist scholars researching this topic."-- "Parameters" "Stejskal's book is the most current and most focused on the on-the-ground tactics, techniques and procedures necessary for a complex hostage rescue operation. It may be some years before the full record is declassified. For now, this is by far the best choice for any reader interested in reading about this operation."-- "The Journal of America's Military Past" "Stejskal's work is a worthwhile reading for anyone interesting in learning more about how the United States attempted to apply the military instrument of power during the Iran hostage crisis."-- "Military Review" "The book catalogs an extraordinary series of historical vignettes. It fills in earlier gaps in the EAGLE CLAW tale. It is a light, fast read and will keep the reader engaged. Historians, weapon aficionados, special operations devotees, and Cold War spy buffs will enjoy discovering new pearls. The magic lies not in the writing, but in the fresh, unearthed content that paints a richer picture of our warriors' yesteryear."-- "American Intelligence Journal" "The author served in the Berlin Detachment and writes with authority and clarity on the subject. The book is a quick and entertaining read, yet full of factual information on the operation from several points of view. It takes a complex story and makes it easy to follow."-- "Military Heritage Magazine" "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 winner & author of "First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11" "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 bestselling author of Black Ops and Chief of Operations, CIA's Counterterrorist Center (Ret.) "James Stejskal, a former Detachment A member, has written a marvelous description of a critical organization that has largely been unrecognized for its key role in Operation Eagle Claw. Superbly done!"--Wade Ishimoto, Operation EAGLE CLAW Assault Force Intelligence Officer "Mission Iran is well-written and documented by a man who was a member of the elite Special Forces team that trained and participated in the rescue attempt that failed through no fault of their own."--Barry Broman, Former CIA Chief of Station, author of "Risk Taker, Spy Maker" and "Indochina Hand" "In Mission Iran, Jim Stejskal weaves 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."--LTG Charlie Cleveland (Ret.), Commander U.S. 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."--Doug Stanton, #1 New York Times bestselling author of "Horse Soldiers" and "In Harm's Way"