James Vaught - Army Ranger

James Vaught was a distinguished Army commander who was a veteran of the Korean and Viet Nam wars as well as a graduate of Army Ranger school.

His biggest challenge came on April 24, 1980 when he lead an aborted rescue mission of 52 American hostages being held in Iran. It was a risky attempt and had the approval of President Jimmy Carter and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.    

Problems developed very early when a couple of helicopters became disabled. An accidental crash lead to the death of eight Americans. The mission was scrubbed after that.

The military took a big hit in the eyes of the public. As a result of the mission failure, an elite group of Navy fighters was formed to focus on counter terrorism. Thus began the history of the Navy SEALS.

Mr Vaught, 86, died on September 20, 2013 in Conway S.C. from an accidental drowning after falling out of his boat. It was revealed that he suffered from cardiac disease which most likely caused his death.