page_title: Operation Eastern Exit
section_title: Main evacuation
hierarchical_section_title: Operation Eastern Exit / Evacuation / Main evacuation
caption_attribution_description: English: A U.S. Navy CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter lifts off from the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) on July 7, 2004. Kearsarge is deployed to transport elements of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
context_page_description: Operation Eastern Exit was the codename given to the military evacuation of the United States embassy in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, in January 1991. In late December 1990, violence quickly enveloped the city as armed militants began clashing with government soldiers. On 1 January 1991, the US Ambassador to Somalia, James Keough Bishop, contacted the Department of State requesting an evacuation of the embassy, which was approved the following day. United States Central Command began planning and mobilizing forces that evening. The initial plan was to evacuate with a military transport plane through the Mogadishu International Airport, but this was later abandoned. A helicopter evacuation via the USS Guam and USS Trenton was the remaining option.
  On the morning of 5 January, a 60-person Marine and Navy SEAL security detail was dispatched from Guam aboard two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters to secure the embassy and prepare for the main evacuation. The two helicopters returned to Guam with the first 61 evacuees. Throughout the day, foreign diplomats and civilians sought refuge at the embassy.
context_section_description: The main evacuation occurred in the early morning hours of 6 January and consisted of four waves of five CH-46 helicopters. The timing of this phase was determined by range of the CH-46 Sea Knight, which lack aerial refueling capability; the ships were about 350–380 nmi (650–700 km; 400–440 mi) away during this phase. An AC-130 was sent from Saudi Arabia to provide gunfire support during the evacuation and two UH-1 Iroquois helicopters were on standby to provide gunfire support, but were not deployed.
  The first wave departed Guam at 23:43. As the second wave landed, Major Siad arrived at the embassy gate accompanied by two truckloads of soldiers and held a grenade in one hand and a radio in the other. His request to speak with the ambassador was granted. Major Siad demanded that the evacuation cease immediately because the Somali government had not granted the US permission to carry out such a military operation. He claimed that he would radio soldiers to shoot down the helicopters if the operation continued. The second and third waves were able to depart without incident as the ambassador negotiated with the Major, who finally agreed to settle the matter for several thousand dollars in cash and keys to the ambassador's armored car. Ambassador Bishop remained engaged in conversation with the Major until he reached the helicopter landing zone to depart with the final wave to prevent the Major from reneging on the deal. The final wave departed the embassy at 1:49 and landed on Guam at 2:23; twenty minutes later, Ambassador Bishop declared the evacuation complete.
caption: Two CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters departing USS Kearsarge, a ship similar to Guam
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