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My persistent anxiety was to maintain secrecy. However, I was forced to share the news with one other Head of Government when I learned about disturbing stories originating with a former British officer in Oman employed by the Sultan. He had reported to London that we had planes in Oman and that they were loaded with ammunition and supplies for the Afghan freedom fighters. The British and the Omanis were getting nervous, and I had to send Warren Christopher to London to brief Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Foreign Secretary Lord Carrington about the true purpose of the planes. We heard only one other indication of a leak. In monitoring radio broadcasts all over Iran, we heard a story from up near the Iraqi border of an attempted rescue mission. It turned out to be a repeat of a conjectural story that had run earlier in the Washington Star. No damage was done.
On Wednesday, April 23, I received a last-minute intelligence briefing about Iran. The substance was that there was little prospect of the hostages' release within the next five or six months and that everything was favorable for the rescue mission. Our agents in and around Tehran were very optimistic. The next day I wanted to spend every moment monitoring the progress of the mission, but had to stick to my regular schedule and act as though nothing of the kind were going on. I asked Zbig to keep notes for me, while I tried to keep my mind on such routine duties as a private session with Israeli Labor Party Leader Shimon Peres and a briefing for Hispanic leaders about our anti-inflation program.
Here are some of Brzezinski's notes, using Washington time, with my own comments in brackets added later.
10:35 a.m. President briefed by Z.B. on latest intelligence and on the initial stage. Takeoff as planned.
12 p.m. Lunch: President, Vice President, Vance, Brown,
Brzezinski, Jordan, Powell. First indication that two helicopters may be down short of landing site. [Although the weather forecast had been good, the helicopters ran into severe localized dust storms. One returned to the carrier, and another was left in the southern desert. We never knew until it was over that this helicopter crew had been picked up. It was a major worry for me through the mission.] Iranian post noted two aircraft flying low, without lights. [Our intelligence services were monitoring radio broadcasts throughout Iran.]
3:15 p.m. Two helicopters down; naval task force thinks rest have landed and picked up crews, and thus six are on the way. Should know about Desert One in about half an hour. No upgrading of gendarmerie alert. [The Iranians had small police stations scattered in the villages and towns. We successfully avoided them.]
All C-130s have landed. Initial problem: three vehicles observed. One got away. One of the above, a bus with some 40 [44] people, presumably detained. Brown/ Brzezinski agree that no basis for abortion; will consult further and Brzezinski will brief the President and obtain his guidance.