Senior Military Iran Embassy Hostage Passes
Fox News reports that Col. Thomas E. Schaefer, USAF (Ret), has passed. He was 85.
Col. Schaefer was the senior US military officer taken prisoner by Iran during their act of war against the United States on 4 November 1979 – the seizure of the US Embassy. He was at the time performing attache duty at the US Embassy.
As the senior military officer captured, Schaefer was singled out for harsh treatment. He was held in solitary confinement for 150 of the 444 days he was held prisoner, and was subject to extensive interrogation by his Iranian captors.
Schaefer passed away in hospice care in Scottsdale, AZ, of congestive heart failure. He was 85.
Godspeed, Colonel. May you have been in heaven a half hour before the devil knew you were gone.
Category: Blue Skies
Rest in peace Colonel.
May he rest in peace and come back as the fiercest warrior ever.
THAT!
I was part of the team supporting the MWR aspect of the hostage’s return at the United States Military Academy where they were brought for rehab. Then a few years later, I met an Air Force Colonel at my clubs at Albrook AB in Republic de P who was one of the hostages. I don’t know if it was this officer or not but one heck of nice guy that I had the privilege of sharing an adult beverage with. RIP colonel.
RIP Sir. I was at his retirement ceremony at McChord in the Summer of 82. The AFROTC field training encampment I was helping out with provided a parade ceremony. Unbeknownst to the Cadets, a portable TACAN had been placed right behind the review stand to guide in a C-141 that was orbiting just a minute away. Well, just as they got to Col Schaefer in the reviewing stand, that 141 came roaring in just above the tree tops. It scared the crap out of the cadets, but not one of them could look up because they knew they would be busted by their FTO.