Author: Deborah Guenther
Written: October 28th, 2013

A historical event that took place in the same years that our Uncle served.This story is meant as a tribute.

Commander Raymond J. Griep

During the Carter Administration in the 1976’s-1980’s the Carrier ship Nimitzs was part of what became a historical mission.

The mission took place in 1980 during the Iranian revolution.  It started in Spain where it took on four helicopters and began the long voyage sailing around the South of Africa. While in route the helicopters were painted and prepped for the mission. They sailed into the North Indian Ocean where they launched the helicopters in a rescue attempt to free 52 hostages that were being held in the embassy in Tehran.

USS Nimitz

This first rescue failed.  Why? Opinions of those involved would fly. One unpublished opinion was that there were too many alpha male personality types thrown together on top of the natural tensions that already exist between branches of the armed forces.  With each branch wanting to lead and nobody being able to follow the mission was doomed from the start.  Among the disasters that day one of the marine choppers collided with a C-130, downing both aircraft.  Only one of the four helicopters made it back to the ship that day.

The 52 captives remained in captivity until January of 1981, enduring a grueling 441 days without freedom.

Though this mission failed much was learned form it.  This Special Forces disaster would become the mission that would spawn a top secret team within the military’s Special Forces units; trained and funded far past the regular army, the unit was created to ensure that future failures would not occur.