On 4 November 1979, Iranian “student demonstrators” broke into and occupied the US Embassy in Tehran, Iran.\u00a0 The Government of Iran shortly afterwards backed the seizure, and took the US Embassy staff – plus one private citizen – prisoner.<\/p>\n
The seizure of the US Embassy in Tehran was not a “terrorist act”, as many have erroneously described it.\u00a0 A nation’s embassy overseas is that nation’s sovereign territory<\/span>.\u00a0 Forcibly occupying an embassy is thus technically the occupation of another nation’s sovereign territory – which is an act of war<\/em>.\u00a0 The only reason I can come up with that we did not go to war at some point in the next 444 days was that the\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A total of sixty-five US government employees and one other US citizen were held prisoner by the Government of Iran after the seizure of the US Embassy.\u00a0 An additional six US Embassy personnel evaded capture and were sheltered by foreign governments in their embassies in Tehran.<\/p>\n Of these, 26 individuals were military personnel.<\/p>\n Here is a by-name list of US personnel held prisoner by Iran<\/a> the Iranian seizure of the US Embassy in Tehran.\u00a0 With the exception of the six personnel who were sheltered by friendly foreign governments and later spirited out of Iran by the CIA (with a huge assist from the Government of Canada), all were taken prisoner by Iran on 4 November 1979.\u00a0 Military personnel on this list are in italics<\/em>.<\/p>\n Released by Iran on 19-20 November 1979<\/span><\/p>\n Kathy Gross, Cambridge Springs, PA. Secretary. Released by Iran on 11 July 1980 due to illness:<\/span><\/p>\n Richard I. Queen, New York, NY. Vice consul.<\/p>\n Released by Iran on 20 January 1981 – shortly after Ronald Reagan was sworn in as POTUS<\/span><\/p>\n Thomas L. Ahern, Jr., McLean, VA. Narcotics control officer. Spirited out of Iran by the CIA (with the assistance of the Canadian Government)<\/a> on 28 January 1980:<\/span><\/p>\n Robert Anders, Port Charlotte, FL. Consular officer. Anyone not listed above who claims to be one of the “1979 US Iranian Embassy Hostages” is, bluntly, a liar.<\/p>\n The vast majority of the US military personnel taken prisoner during the seizure of the Iranian Embassy were initially awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal<\/a> for their actions while in Iranian captivity.\u00a0 (One of them – SFC Hohman – also was awarded the Soldiers Medal for an act of noncombat heroism occurring during his captivity.)\u00a0 They were also later accorded formal POW status (and formally awarded the POW Medal) by DoD.<\/p>\n The sole exception was Joseph Subic, Jr., former SSG, US Army.<\/p>\n Then-SSG Subic received no award whatsoever for his time in Iranian captivity.\u00a0 He was later the sole former military Iranian hostage denied recognition as a POW by the Army in 2003 because “his character of service was determined not to be consistent with POW Medal policy.<\/a>”<\/p>\n During captivity then-SSG Subic apparently collaborated with his captors.\u00a0 He is known to have appeared in at least one propaganda film for them, and reportedly also cooperated in other ways.\u00a0 On return to US control, he was reportedly subjected to administrative sanctions, apparently over the objections of the Army Chief of Staff (who reputedly wanted to court-martial Subic)<\/a>, and was also apparently discharged from the Army well prior to the scheduled end of his enlistment.<\/p>\n In Subic’s case, it looks like the Army made the right call.\u00a0 According to the articles here<\/a> and here<\/a>, his post-Iran life has been somewhat less than stellar – even if he did apparently manage to con his way back into the Florida National Guard (one wonders if he disclosed all the pertinent details concerning his prior active duty when he reenlisted).\u00a0 He’s now a former LEO and a convicted criminal, having pleaded guilty to multiple counts of insurance fraud<\/a> in 2008.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Author’s footnote<\/span>:\u00a0 the following US military personnel died in a ground accident on 25 April 1980 after the decision was made to abort Operation Eagle Claw<\/span><\/a> at its planned intermediate landing site, Desert One. This cancellation was due to the loss of three of the mission’s eight RH-53D aircraft due to mechanical problems.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/p>\n Operation Eagle Claw was an attempt to rescue the 52 remaining US personnel held by Iran.<\/em><\/p>\n Capt. Richard L. Bakke, USAF, Long Beach, CA<\/em> Rest in peace, gentlemen.\u00a0 Rest in peace.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ball-less wonder, Jimmuh the Clueless, and the Group of Fools he called his Administration<\/del> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 “wonderfully righteous and peaceful man” named James Earl Carter, Jr., was POTUS.\u00a0 Apparently he made the determination that protecting America’s national honor was not worth a fight.<\/p>\n
\nSgt James Hughes, USAF, Langley Air Force Base, VA. Administrative Manager.<\/em>
\nLillian Johnson, Elmont, NY. Secretary.
\nSgt Ladell Maples, Earle, USMC. Marine Guard.<\/em>
\nElizabeth Montagne, Calumet City, IL. Secretary.
\nSgt William Quarles, USMC, Washington, DC. Marine Guard.<\/em>
\nLloyd Rollins, Alexandria, VA. Administrative officer.
\nCapt Neal (Terry) Robinson, USAF, Houston, TX. Administrative officer.<\/em>
\nTerri Tedford, South San Francisco, CA. Secretary.
\nSgt Joseph Vincent, USAF, New Orleans, LA. Administrative Manager.<\/em>
\n Sgt David Walker, USMC, Prairie View, TX. Marine Guard.<\/em>
\nJoan Walsh, Ogden, UT. Secretary.
\n Cpl Wesley Williams, USMC, Albany, NY. Marine Guard.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nClair Cortland Barnes, Falls Church, VA. Communications specialist.
\nWilliam E. Belk, West Columbia, SC. Communications and records officer.
\nRobert O. Blucker, North Little Rock, AR. Economics officer specializing in oil.
\nDonald J. Cooke, Memphis, TN. Vice consul.
\nWilliam J. Daugherty, Tulsa, OK. Third secretary of U.S. mission.
\nLCDR. Robert Englemann, USN, Hurst, TX. Naval Attach\u00e9.<\/em>
\n Sgt William Gallegos, USMC, Pueblo, CO. Marine Guard.<\/em>
\nBruce W. German, 44, Rockville, MD. Budget officer.
\nDuane L. Gillette, 24, Columbia, PA. Navy communications and intelligence specialist.
\nAlan B. Golancinksi, 30, Silver Spring, MD. Security officer.
\nJohn E. Graves, 53, Reston, VA. Public affairs officer.
\nCWO Joseph M. Hall, US Army, Elyria, OH. Military attach\u00e9 <\/em>
\n Sgt Kevin J. Hermening, USMC, Oak Creek, WI. Marine Guard.<\/em>
\n SFC Donald R. Hohman, US Army, Frankfurt, West Germany. Medic.<\/em>
\n COL Leland J. Holland, US Army, Laurel, MD. Military attach\u00e9.<\/em>
\nMichael Howland, Alexandria, VA. Security aide, one of three held in Iranian Foreign Ministry.
\nCharles A. Jones, Jr., Communications specialist and teletype operator. Only African-American not released by Iran in November 1979.
\nMalcolm Kalp, Fairfax, VA. Position unknown.
\nMoorhead C. Kennedy Jr., Washington, DC. Economic and commercial officer.
\nWilliam F. Keough, Jr., Brookline, MA. Superintendent of American School in Islamabad, Pakistan, visiting Tehran at time of embassy seizure.
\nCpl Steven W. Kirtley, USMC, Little Rock, AR. Marine Guard.<\/em>
\nKathryn L. Koob, Fairfax, VA. Embassy cultural officer; one of two women hostages.
\nFrederick Lee Kupke, Francesville, IN. Communications officer and electronics specialist.
\nL. Bruce Laingen, Bethesda, MD. Charg\u00e9 d’affaires. One of three held in Iranian Foreign Ministry.
\nSteven Lauterbach, North Dayton, OH. Administrative officer.
\nGary E. Lee, Falls Church, VA. Administrative officer.
\nSgt Paul Edward Lewis, USMC, Homer, IL. Marine Guard.<\/em>
\nJohn W. Limbert, Jr., Washington, DC. Political officer.
\nSgt James M. Lopez, USMC, Globe, AZ. Marine Guard.<\/em>
\n Sgt John D. McKeel, Jr., USMC, Balch Springs, TX. Marine Guard.<\/em>
\nMichael J. Metrinko, Olyphant, PA. Political officer.
\nJerry J. Miele, Mt. Pleasant, PA. Communications officer.
\nSSgt Michael E. Moeller, USMC, Quantico, VA. NCOIC of Marine Guard unit.<\/em>
\nBert C. Moore, Mount Vernon, OH. Counselor for administration.
\nRichard H. Morefield, 51, San Diego, CA. U.S. Consul General in Tehran.
\nCapt Paul M. Needham, Jr., USAF, Bellevue, NE. Air Force logistics staff officer.<\/em>
\nRobert C. Ode, Sun City, AZ. Retired Foreign Service officer on temporary duty in Tehran.
\nSgt Gregory A. Persinger, USMC, Seaford, DE. Marine Guard.<\/em>
\nJerry Plotkin, Sherman Oaks, CA. Private businessman visiting Tehran.
\n MSG Regis Ragan, US Army, Johnstown, PA. Defense Attach\u00e9 staff.<\/em>
\n Lt Col David M. Roeder, USAF, Alexandria, VA. Deputy Air Force attach\u00e9.<\/em>
\nBarry M. Rosen, Brooklyn, NY. Press attach\u00e9.
\nWilliam B. Royer, Jr., Houston, TX. Assistant director of Iran-American Society.
\nCol Thomas E. Schaefer, USAF, Tacoma, WA. Air Force Attach\u00e9.<\/em>
\n COL Charles W. Scott, US Army, Stone Mountain, GA.\u00a0 Military Attach\u00e9.<\/em>
\n CDR Donald A. Sharer, USN, Chesapeake, VA. Naval Air Attach\u00e9.<\/em>
\n Sgt Rodney V. (Rocky) Sickmann, USMC, Krakow, MO. Marine Guard.<\/em>
\n SSG Joseph Subic, Jr., US Army, Redford Township, MI.\u00a0 Defense Attach\u00e9 staff.<\/em>
\nElizabeth Ann Swift, Washington, DC. Chief of embassy’s political section; one of two women hostages.
\nVictor L. Tomseth, Springfield, OR. Senior political officer; one of three held in Iranian Foreign Ministry.
\nPhillip R. Ward, Culpeper, VA. Administrative officer.<\/p>\n
\nMark J. Lijek, Falls Church, VA. Consular officer.
\nCora A. Lijek, Falls Church, VA. Consular assistant.
\nHenry L. Schatz, Coeur d’Alene, ID. Agriculture attach\u00e9.
\nJoseph D. Stafford, Crossville, TN. Consular officer.
\nKathleen F. Stafford, Crossville, TN. Consular assistant.<\/p>\n
\n Sgt. John D. Harvey, USMC, Roanoke, VA<\/em>
\n Cpl. George N. Holmes, Jr., USMC, Pine Bluff, AR<\/em>
\n SSgt. Dewey L. Johnson, USMC, Jacksonville, NC<\/em>
\n Capt. Harold L. Lewis, USAF, Mansfield, CT<\/em>
\n TSgt. Joel C. Mayo, USAF, Bonifay, FL<\/em>
\n Capt. Lynn D. McIntosh, USAF, Valdosta, GA<\/em>
\n Capt. Charles T. McMillan II, USAF, Corrytown, TN<\/em><\/p>\n