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Due to the criticism Carter received for ignoring the safety of American citizens, he finally ordered a small-scale rescue mission on April 24, 1980, after 173 days of captivity. [[Operation Eagle Claw]], as it was codenamed, was a total and complete failure due to poor leadership and management.<ref>The mission was overly complex and lacked an overarching organizational structure to assume command and control of operational forces. These factors, coupled with a lack of planning and other operational mishaps encountered during the deployment phase, led to the mission being aborted at the initial landing site that was designated as “DESERT ONE.” [http://www.apc.maxwell.af.mil/text/excur/eagle.htm The Air & Space Power course] - U.S. Military</ref>

Due to the criticism Carter received for ignoring the safety of American citizens, he finally ordered a small-scale rescue mission on April 24, 1980, after 173 days of captivity. [[Operation Eagle Claw]], as it was codenamed, was a total and complete failure due to poor leadership and management.<ref>The mission was overly complex and lacked an overarching organizational structure to assume command and control of operational forces. These factors, coupled with a lack of planning and other operational mishaps encountered during the deployment phase, led to the mission being aborted at the initial landing site that was designated as “DESERT ONE.” [http://www.apc.maxwell.af.mil/text/excur/eagle.htm The Air & Space Power course] - U.S. Military</ref>

There is some speculation that since in late April 1980, President [[Jimmy Carter]] was losing ground to challenger [[Ted Kennedy]] in a close primary for the Democratic nomination for president.  Carter's main weakness was the ongoing [[Iran Hostage Crisis]], and Operation Eagle Claw was an attempt to free (or at least appear to try to free)those hostages.<ref>http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:67hJq9Z_RBUJ:sobek.colorado.edu/~isaacson/Research_files/Isaacson-%2520National%2520Interest%2520vs.%2520Re-election.pdf+%22Ted+Kennedy%22+%22Jimmy+Carter%22+%22Operation+Eagle+Claw%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us</ref>

There is some speculation that since in late April 1980, President [[Jimmy Carter]] was losing ground to challenger [[Ted Kennedy]] in a close primary for the Democratic nomination for president.  Carter's main weakness was the ongoing [[Iran Hostage Crisis]], and Operation Eagle Claw was an attempt to free (or at least appear to try to free)those hostages.<ref>http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:67hJq9Z_RBUJ:sobek.colorado.edu/~isaacson/Research_files/Isaacson-%2520National%2520Interest%2520vs.%2520Re-election.pdf+%22Ted+Kennedy%22+%22Jimmy+Carter%22+%22Operation+Eagle+Claw%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us</ref>

:The impetus for the rescue mission was not, as Carter had often claimed it would be, that the lives of the hostages were in immediate danger; in fact, Carter and all of his advisers believed that the hostages would be kept alive and unharmed for at least three months, as indicated by the memo above. Again, on April 23rd, only hours before the rescue mission was to commence, Carter received a last-minute intelligence report which Carter states in his memoirs that the heart of the memo was that "there was little prospect of the hostages' release within the next five or six months" (Carter 1982, pg. 513). Why was this time frame of five to six months so important to Carter? It is at least interesting to note that at the time of Carter’s decision, the November election was just over six months away.

:The impetus for the rescue mission was not, as Carter had often claimed it would be, that the lives of the hostages were in immediate danger; in fact, Carter and all of his advisers believed that the hostages would be kept alive and unharmed for at least three months, as indicated by the memo above. Again, on April 23rd, only hours before the rescue mission was to commence, Carter received a last-minute intelligence report which Carter states in his memoirs that the heart of the memo was that "there was little prospect of the hostages' release within the next five or six months" (Carter 1982, pg. 513). Why was this time frame of five to six months so important to Carter? It is at least interesting to note that at the time of Carter’s decision, the November election was just over six months away.

Eight U.S. helicopters were deployed in the Iranian desert before heading to Tehran. Despite requests from the mission commander, no spare helicopters were permitted, even though the commander warned that losing more than two helicopters would doom the mission.

Eight U.S. helicopters were deployed in the Iranian desert before heading to Tehran. Despite requests from the mission commander, no spare helicopters were permitted, even though the commander warned that losing more than two helicopters would doom the mission.

Due to flying too low, sand caused equipment failure in two of the helicopters, so the rescue mission was called off before it was even really started. When the Americans began retreating, a helicopter crashed, killing eight American servicemen. The bodies were recovered by Iranian forces, and used in a street demonstration protesting the “invasion.” Khomeini credited the “victory” to the divine intervention of [[Allah]] on his behalf. This increased Khomeini’s ever-growing support from the Iranian public.  

Due to flying too low, sand caused equipment failure in two of the helicopters, so the rescue mission was called off before it was even really started. When the Americans began retreating, a helicopter crashed, killing eight American servicemen. The bodies were recovered by Iranian forces, and used in a street demonstration protesting the “invasion.” Khomeini credited the “victory” to the divine intervention of [[Allah]] on his behalf. This increased Khomeini’s ever-growing support from the Iranian public.  

*... the helicopter pilots were told to fly at or below 200 feet to avoid radar. This limitation caused them to run into a haboob, or dust storm, that they could not fly over without breaking the 200 foot limit. Two helicopters lost sight of the task force and landed, out of action. [http://www.specwarnet.net/miscinfo/eagleclaw.htm]

<blockquote>... the helicopter pilots were told to fly at or below 200 feet to avoid radar. This limitation caused them to run into a haboob, or dust storm, that they could not fly over without breaking the 200 foot limit. Two helicopters lost sight of the task force and landed, out of action. [http://www.specwarnet.net/miscinfo/eagleclaw.htm]</blockquote>

A second rescue attempt was conceived but not implemented.

A second rescue attempt was conceived but not implemented.

An analysis published by Maxwell Air Force Base said:

An analysis published by Maxwell Air Force Base said: