Description The Air Force Special Emergency Service Flight (AFSESF) protection and evacuation of the deposed Shah of Iran.
Lackland AFB, Texas and Contadora Island, Panama were two of the areas of operation.
"OPERATION EAGLE," was an AFSESF special tactical and protective service operation in conjunction with the United States Secret Service, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the 3700th Security Police Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas.
The mission consisted of evacuation and protection of the deposed Shah of Iran, his Queen, members of the royal family and members of what remained of the Shah's staff.
Once the Shah was under United States protection, The President of the United States ordered him moved to Lackland AFB. He would receive medical testing and treatment at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center for what turned out to be terminal cancer.
The special operations mission was incident to and part of the 1979 United States Embassy hostage crisis in Tehran, Iran.
The mission began on 2 December 1979 and ended on 15 December 1979, with the highly classified ground and air movement to Contadora Island, Panama.
I was the Flight Sergeant for the tactical response and protection phase at Lackland AFB. I was also a member of the special AFOSI/SP (now called SF) protection team during the special mission to Panama.
The Eagle was the Shah's symbol. Thus, the operation, which kicked off with no official name - because events were unfolding so fast - was designated, "OPERATION EAGLE," by the team. The designation stuck, and was later used in the official after action report as well as historical documentation.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
December / 1979
To Month/Year
December / 1979
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
People You Remember Fritzlo
Memories I remember leaving work with a full ramp of F-4Es one day and the next morning all the planes were dispersed to lolipops and fully loaded Air to Air. We also started 15 minute alert. The ramp we were on the day before was full of Cargo planes. I was young and naivea nd did'nt even know what was going on in the world.
