1 - The Black Vault

The prototype Benson tank was operating well in
aircraft 64-0572, but it could only be used for
ground refueling of the helicopters or to replenish
the aircraft’s own fuel supply.
The next dress rehearsal began on 24 March
when Jubelt, in aircraft 64-0565, and Fleming, in
aircraft 64-0568 (nonair-refuelable), departed Eglin
AFB for Pope AFB.* With their now-standard
Sealy configuration, they would transport Delta
Force the following night to Twenty-Nine Palms
for the Night One transload to the helicopters.
Indian Springs would serve as the night two rehearsal
site. On 25 March Jubelt was the first to
take off out of Pope AFB, with Brenci in aircraft
64-0551 (nonair-refuelable) and his ranger force
the next to get airborne at Eglin AFB. At Pope
AFB Fleming was the third aircraft in the flow to
take off, followed by Uttaro (64-0572), Lewis (64-
0567), and Meller (64-0562) in two-minute trail
formation out of Eglin AFB. Lewis and Meller
were both delayed slightly but made up the lost
time en route to the tanker track. Uttaro’s aircraft
had the Benson tank installed, with Lewis
and Meller in the standard Exxon configuration
with a rubber fuel bladder in each aircraft. Jubelt
refueled over Abilene, Texas, as Brenci and
Fleming pressed on to their low-level entry
points. Uttaro, Lewis, and Meller also refueled
from a KC-135 tanker. 82
At Twenty-Nine Palms the airfield assault
went like clockwork, with each Talon executing
its approach and landing exactly as planned. Lewis’s
crew, participating as a formed crew in a
joint exercise for the first time, performed like old
heads. Even the helicopters arrived as planned
and were refueled without incident. After departure
from Twenty-Nine Palms, both Brenci and
Fleming stopped for fuel before returning to Eglin
AFB. The other four aircraft refueled over Texas
during their return leg. 83
For the Night Two rehearsal, four Combat Talons
and one C-141 were used. Meller had trained
a C-141 crew in NVG operations at Hurlburt
Field back in February, and the crew had been
working on its own aircraft-specific procedures
since that time. As Beckwith’s Delta Force team
expanded to 120 personnel to execute the complex
hostage-rescue plan, JTF planners turned to
the larger and faster C-141 aircraft to accommodate
the increased load. The C-141 could also deliver
any wounded personnel to a medical facility
THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION
almost twice as fast as could the C-130. Like the
ABCCC aircraft, however, it had limited low-level
navigational capability, and it required additional
navigational aids on the airfield to make a successful
approach and landing. 84
Four Combat Talons, one C-141, and one AC-
130H gunship were used for the Night Two rehearsal.
All aircraft, except the C-141, originated
from Eglin AFB, with Gallagher in the AC-130H
being the first to depart. The four Combat Talons
were in the Sealy configuration with rangers on
board and were commanded by Jubelt, Meller, Uttaro,
and Lewis. All four Talon aircraft refueled in
cell with two KC-135 tankers three hours after
takeoff. After an extended low-level route, Jubelt
again made a FLIR pass at Indian Springs, with
Meller landing one minute later. Uttaro followed
Meller 60 seconds later, with Lewis two minutes
behind Uttaro. Jubelt landed last, two minutes
after Lewis touched down. 85
As the aircraft were landing at Indian Springs,
Gallagher’s AC-130 was orbiting some 20 miles
from the airfield. Beckwith transmitted the code
word Ornament over secure radio, signaling that
Delta Force was going over the embassy wall to
rescue the hostages. The call came just before
Jubelt’s FLIR pass. Indian Springs was secure
within 20 minutes of Meller’s landing, and the
C-141 was cleared for its approach. The CCT had
installed a portable TACAN near the approach
end of the runway and portable landing lights
down the runway to help the larger aircraft to
land. As the C-141 crew approached the airfield,
the pilot initiated a go around and made a low
approach. The aircraft flew a second approach
with the same results. After several tries, and
with the helicopters landing, Vaught called time
out and had the regular airfield runway lights
turned on for safety purposes. With the C-141
finally down, the transload operation was completed.
The remainder of the rehearsal went
smoothly. One of the helicopters had gotten lost
en route to the embassy objective area and had
impacted Beckwith’s timing. The helicopters
were again late to arrive at the airfield for
transload of personnel to the C-141 and to the
Combat Talons. 86
All aircraft departed Indian Springs as
planned, with the four Combat Talons and the
gunship refueling for a second time en route
back to Eglin AFB. The C-141 returned Delta
__________
*Turczynski did not participate in the 24–25 March dress rehearsal. He was tasked to remain at Kadena AB and be prepared to launch the Elbow
Rub mission if that option was selected. Kyle was not read into the Elbow Rub mission and was quite perturbed when he found out that Turczynski
could not return to the United States for the final rehearsal. The next time Turczynski would join the JTF would be at Masirah Island, Oman,
during the execution phase of the rescue mission.
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