Mission Iran

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

by James Stejskal

Imprint: Casemate

192 Pages, 6 x 9 in, 80 illustrations

Paperback
9781636243337
June 2024
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Praise

"Mission Iran is a must-have for any military library of the Cold War and special operators...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

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.

“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

“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.)

"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"

“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"

“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.” ~Nicholas E. Reynolds, The Journal of America's Military Past

"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"