This Military Service Page was created/owned by
SGM Mike Vining
to remember
Yancey, John M., Jr. (Butch), MSG.
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Contact Info
Date of Passing Feb 24, 1982
Location of Interment Willow Cemetery - Haskell, Texas
MSG John M. Yancey, Jr. was killed during a night fire sniper-training event on Range 19B, Fort Bragg, North Carolina on 24 February 1982. John and another person were down range and off to the side of a line of targets. After shooting at their targets John and the other person walk over to check targets. Using a radio they would call back to the line and tell the shooters how well they did. John and the other person would then walk back to the side and clear the range to go hot. One of the new snipers missed lining up and mistook John’s silhouette as a target and fired. John was shot in the throat and died almost immediately. The soldier that accidentally shot John was cleared of any wrong doing and left the unit. The mistake made that night is that the left and right range limits weren't adequately marked with a light.
Other Comments:
This remembrance profile is maintained by Mike R. Vining, SGM USA (Retired).
Email: sgmmvining@gmail.com
Operation Eagle Claw (Iran)
From Month/Year
January / 1980
To Month/Year
December / 1980
Description Operation Eagle Claw (or Operation Evening Light or Operation Rice Bowl) was a United States Armed Forces operation ordered by US President Jimmy Carter to attempt to end the Iran hostage crisis by rescuing 52 embassy staff held captive at the Embassy of the United States, Tehran on 24 April 1980. Its failure, and the humiliating public debacle that ensued, damaged US prestige worldwide. Carter himself blamed his loss in the 1980 US presidential election mainly on his failure to win the release of U.S. hostages held captive in Iran.
The operation encountered many obstacles and was eventually aborted. Eight helicopters were sent to the first staging area, Desert One, but only five arrived in operational condition. One encountered hydraulic problems, another got caught in a cloud of very fine sand, and the last one showed signs of a cracked rotor blade. During planning it was decided that the mission would be aborted if fewer than six helicopters remained, despite only four being absolutely necessary. In a move that is still discussed in military circles, the field commanders advised mission abort, which President Carter accepted and confirmed.
As the U.S. force prepared to leave, one of the helicopters crashed into a transport aircraft which contained both servicemen and jet fuel. The resulting fire destroyed both aircraft and killed eight servicemen. Operation Eagle Claw was one of Delta Force's first missions.
