 Operation Eastern Exit was the <unk> 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 <unk> with government soldiers . On 1 January 1991 , the US Ambassador to Somalia , James <unk> 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 <unk> 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 <unk> was the remaining option . 
