Office of the Historian

266. Chart Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency1

Washington, undated
[Page 725] [Page 726] [Page 727] [Page 728]
TIME (ZULU) PLANNED ACTUALEVENTS IRANIANREACTIONS
Tehran = ZULU + 4½
24 April
1410–1517 Three MC–130’s with DELTA team depart Masirah for Desert Strip 1 (DS1).
1500 Eight helo’s take off from carrier
1506 Seven helo’s depart carrier
1511–1519 Three SC–130’s depart Masirah for DS1, as refuelers for helo’s
1600 [9 lines not declassified]
ca. 1700 Two helo’s down in mountains about 275 miles inside Iran on flight path
1810–1917 3 MC–130’s with DELTA arrive DS1
ca. 1815 More aircraft down. No further details
ca. 1855 Second group up again. One of first two up again, may be on way to DS1.
1915 MG Vaught requests L70 stop filing situation reports
1920 3 SC–130’s with fuel for helo’s arrive DS1
1930 7 helo’s arrive DS1
1930 Bus with people on board has been stopped at DS1. Fuel truck stopped DS1. Two C–130’s on ground. Six helo’s en route.
TIME (ZULU) PLANNED ACTUALEVENTS IRANIANREACTIONS
1955 Trouble at DS1. Vehicle evaded roadblock. Injured
2010 7 helo’s depart DS1 for Helo Landing Strip
2020 Final MC130 departs DS1 for Masirah
2022 3 SC–130’s depart DS1 for Masirah
2055 DELTA and six helo’s at DS1. Tankers can stay to 2130Z. Op not yet abandoned. DELTA refueling and awaiting final decision.
2150 Provides report on Tabas Gendarmerie post to DELTA
2210 Mission has aborted. Forces being extracted.
2220 7 helo’s with DELTA land at HLS
2228 CHARLEY/1 notified of abort. He rogered on PT 25 and ceased transmission.
2235 Some aircraft have departed DS1. Milsat circuitry down. [1 line not declassified]
2243 Ground collision between helo and C–130. Order had already been given to destroy inoperable helo
2250 7 helo’s with DELTA depart HLS for mountain hideout
2327 Milsat circuitry up. Cease relaying NSA traffic
25 April
0157 Helo crews had map coordinates for warehouse.
TIME (ZULU) PLANNED ACTUALEVENTS IRANIANREACTIONS
0315 Recommends against destructive strike against abandoned aircraft.
0322 [24 lines not declassified]
0350
0427
0510
0621
0657
0700
0752
0752
0814
0944 Tehran Radio’s first report cites Press Secretary Powell’s statement
1000 Iranian Army says two US planes collided while Iran AF plane was chasing them.
1011 First commentary by Tehran Radio says planes down and helo’s stuck in mud.
1154 Khorassan Governor General put out widespread roadblock order
1154 Tehran Gend gets report that area has been inspected. Five helo’s plus another helo sighted. At least one other aircraft.
1155 Vienna Austria radio carries live report from its correspondent who claims Iran
TIME (ZULU) PLANNED ACTUALEVENTS IRANIANREACTIONS
JGS learned of event when he called them.
1425 Tehran Radio has report on bus passengers from Tabas Gendarmerie
1454 Students at Embassy say report is a lie.
2000 DELTA assaults Embassy
2100 77 Division reports 65 men ready to travel Tabas to relieve Gendarmerie
2210 C–141’s with hostages and DELTA depart Manzarieh
26 April
0211 CG, 77 Division files detailed report. Notes civilian tanker seen transporting fuel. Not captured. No traces this tanker
0545 Men of 148 Bn, 77 Div stopped at Tabas because of inoperable bus.
0631 Khalkhali in area
Evening CO and 200 men of 23 SpF Brigade at Tabas airport.
28 April
1906Z Iran intel reporter says 3 low-flying aircraft seen in Chah Bahar area on 24 April
TIME (ZULU) PLANNED ACTUALEVENTS IRANIANREACTIONS
2029Z Iranian Gendarmerie ordered to search for helo down about 60 km from coast.
  1. Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, Job 82M00501R: 1980 Subject Files, Box 13, Folder 1. No classification marking. The “Source of Data” column between the “Time” and “Planned” columns is omitted.↩