Book Review: On Wings of Eagles

Ken Follett's On Wings of Eagles is a documentary novel describing the rescue of two American executives held hostage during the early stages of the Iranian Revolution. What makes the book really interesting is not the fact that the men were rescued, but the fact that the rescue team consisted of a bunch of business executives from Ross Perot's company EDS. Although some of the executives were Vietnam veterans, all of them had been retired from the military for many years, and had moved on with their lives--they had young families, desk jobs, and the round waistlines of typical white collar employees. That they were able to actually get their fellow executives out of jail is impressive. That they were able to then get the two guys and the rest of their team out of Iran in the midst of revolution and civil war is even more impressive.

The two American businessmen, Paul Chiapparone and Bill Gaylord, had been arrested in December 1978 after an interview with a minor government inspector under the Shah. Paul and Bill were senior managers for EDS, a Dallas-based company owned by Ross Perot that had a contract to computerize Iran's social security system. Although they were never charged with any crimes, their bail was set at $13 million, and they were put in a chilly, cockroach-infested jail with a bunch of political prisoners. Their lawyers were repeatedly threatened and rebuffed, the U.S. State Department would not or could not help, and the Iranian government refused to cooperate with, or even meet with, representatives of the American company. And even if the company somehow came up with the $13 million ransom, the Iranian government had already taken their passports and would not let them leave Iran, and they would probably be re-arrested after their release in order to extort more money from the company.

As the Shah's regime began to lose power in the face of mob violence and military mutinies, Ross Perot became concerned that his men would not be released before the whole country collapsed. As anti-Americanism took hold in the country, he became concerned for their physical safety as well. So he called up retired Army Lt. Col. "Bull" Simons, a WWII and Vietnam vet who led a major prison break raid into North Vietnam towards the end of the war there. Perot then gave Simons the names of half a dozen senior executives with EDS who had prior military and/or karate skills, and asked him to select volunteer team to go into Tehran and get Paul and Bill out of the country, by force if necessary.

What follows is an incredible story of ingenuity, international intrigue, danger, and blind luck. Guns had to be shipped overseas in a suitcase with a double bottom; getaway cars and planes had to be procured from shady businessmen and petty thieves; government officials had to be bribed; rural warlords had to be appeased; and most importantly, the American team had to hide from both the Shah's secret police and the anti-American revolutionaries who were fighting for control of the country.

What makes the book amazing is the level of sacrifice and dedication shown by the American executives on the team. These men had a lot to lose if they were caught--but they volunteered anyway. Ross Perot himself even flew into Tehran on a chartered Jordanian jet in order to run the operation, trying to avoid attention in order to avoid giving the Iranian government an even better hostage in the extortion scheme. They put everything on the line in order to keep the trust with their fellow employees, held unjustly in a foreign jail by a hostile third-world government in the midst of a civil war.

It's a very good read. I came out of it with a new appreciation for Ross Perot, his whiny voice and big ears aside. Whatever you think about his abortive presidential run and economic proposals, he understood responsibility and what it means to be a leader--something today's government officials are sorely lacking. Col. Simons' thorough understanding of people and cultures more than made up for his lack of linguistic expertise (he spoke some Turkish but no Farsi), and made the operation successful. And of course, the escape would not have happened without the help of some brave Iranians, who literally put their lives on the line to save their American friends.