The Guts to Try; The Untold Story of the Iran Hostage Rescue Mission by the On-Scene Desert Commander

24 cm. xvi, 352 pages. Glossary. Illustrations. Footnotes. Maps. Index. Ex-library with the usual library markings. DJ in plastic sleeve, pasted to the boards. There are minor moisture stains on a few pages. Colonel James H. Kyle (1932-2020) graduated from Kansas State University in 1954 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force through the AFROTC program. A decorated Vietnam War combat veteran, Jim's flying career took him to a myriad of worldwide assignments. In 1980, he was called to the Pentagon to join a secret task force, developing plans to rescue 53 Americans held hostage in the U.S. Embassy, Teheran, Iran. He led a flight of elite Air Force Commandos transporting Special Forces into Iran for the rescue attempt. Although the mission was forced to terminate, it was nonetheless a valiant mission. He culminated his career as the Director of Special Operations, Pacific Air Forces Headquarters. He retired as a Colonel in 1984 after a distinguished 30-year career. Following retirement, Jim spent 10 years lecturing to Special Operations students about the lessons learned during the Iran rescue attempt. His book The Guts to Try, detailed his experiences and America's need to reform joint command and control to fight effectively against acts of terrorism. John R. Eidson was a journalist and editor with a major California newspaper at the time he collaborated with Colonel Kyle on this important and impressive work. From one of the highest ranking officers on the ground in Iran comes a no-holds-barred look at America's brave mission against terrorism. Colonel James H. Kyle was involved in every stage of the Iran hostage rescue operation. As Desert-1 Commander, he alone bore responsibility for the courageous mission. Now Colonel Kyle spares no one, including himself, in this riveting account that takes readers from the initial brainstorming sessions and training camps to the desert rehearsals, the forward staging areas in Egypt and Oman, and finally to the desert refueling site, where he decided to abort. Colonel Kyle provides honest answers to tough questions: Why were the pilots caught totally off guard by the weather? How did the CIA contribute to the mission's breakdown? And could such a failure happen again? The Guts to Try is a thrilling true-life adventure story, exploring America's ability to react quickly, forcefully, and effectively to acts of terrorism. Operation Eagle Claw, known as Operation Tabas in Iran, was a United States Armed Forces operation ordered by U.S. President Jimmy Carter to attempt to rescue 52 embassy staff held captive at the Embassy of the United States, Tehran on 24 April 1980. The operation, one of Delta Force's first, encountered many obstacles and failures and was subsequently aborted. Eight helicopters were sent to the first staging area called Desert One, but only five arrived in operational condition. One had encountered hydraulic problems, another was caught in a sand storm, and the third showed signs of a cracked rotor blade. During the operational planning, it was decided that the mission would be aborted if fewer than six helicopters remained operational, despite only four being absolutely necessary. In a move that is still discussed in military circles, the field commanders advised President Carter to abort the mission, which he did. As the U.S. forces prepared to withdraw from Desert One, one of the remaining helicopters crashed into a transport aircraft that contained both servicemen and jet fuel. The resulting fire destroyed both aircraft and killed eight servicemen. First Edition [Stated], First Printing [Stated].…