Hostages reunite on anniversary
Was it really 30 years ago? 52 hostages held in the Iranian Islamic Republic for 444 days. They held a reunion today. From Fox News;
Rosen is one of fifteen former hostages attending a reunion this weekend at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where in 1981 they returned to recuperate and reunite with their families in a private setting.
This morning they were given a rousing welcome by the entire West Point corps of 4,400 cadets, who cheered and applauded as the former hostages walked down a long corridor to their first event.
Eight Air Force crewmen died in the failed rescue attempt several months before, eight more were badly injured. You can read Mark Bowden’s account of Desert One at Atlantic Monthly.
I happened to be at Rhein Mein in Frankfurt, Germany at the Rhein Mein Hotel when the hostages were brought from the hospital on an overnight stay to the airport to return to the States. So that was my brush with them as they waved from bus windows to the military folks lined up at the gate to welcome them back from their ordeal. Back when we had a President who struck fear in lawless governments in our early days of the war against Iran.
Category: Terror War
I was in the elementary school at West Point when they were brought into the cafeteria. Wow!
Before my time, but I think that no one would disagree that if anything Iran is worse than in 1979.
Correction- 5 USAF Personnel and 3 US Marines were killed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Eagle_Claw
I believe that was when all this shit with radical Islam started. And, courtesy of Carter, who did nothing except sacrifice some troops from his (then) gutted military in an abortive rescue attempt, and courtesy of Reagan who’s answer was to launch missiles @ Quaddaffi(sp?) and do shit when 241 Marines were killed in their sleep, and courtesy of George H.W. Bush, who failed then to annihilate Saddam and Iran when they were still cubs and they had everything in theater to do it…and, lest my diatribe fail, courtesy of Clinton, who’s form of U.S. defense was making sure none of his semen hit HIS clothing, we have the current “CRUISE MISSILE” form of engagement which is tickling Waziristan at this moment.
George W. Bush did one thing right. He called Iran what it is. The root of it all.
Before I get flamed, yes I’ve been to Iraq, and yes, I was in Desert Storm, and yes, I’m 3rd generation military, with a fourth currently in the A.F.
God Bless the hostages who have care enough today to have a reunion.
I hate to say it, but I will anyway, we’re all still hostages to this very day.
Sincerely,
GA Knight