11. Operation Eagle Claw (1980)
Operation Eagle Claw was the high-stakes U.S. mission to rescue hostages from the American embassy in Tehran during the Iran hostage crisis. Hampered by mechanical failures and a deadly collision in the desert, the operation ended in failure and heartbreak. The mission’s shortcomings, however, became a catalyst for transformation, inspiring the creation of modern special operations forces and new approaches to joint military planning.
