Ronald Reagan: Terror Aboard Flight 847
“They are beating the passengers. They are threatening to kill the passengers. We want fuel
now. Immediately. Five minutes at most, or he is going to kill the passengers.”
~John L. Testrake, Captain TWA Flight 847,
June 14, 1985
The Morning of June 14, 1985 - ATHENS
Terrorism did not begin on 911.
On June 14, 1985 Phyllis Testrake checked her watch in anticipation of her husband’s arrival at Fiumicino, Rome’s busy airport. At last, she would have a chance to explore this historic city with her dear husband,
John Testrake, Captain of TWA Flight 847, due to land in Rome via a short hop from Athens.
Their long-awaited adventure would take an unexpected turn.
Because on this day, 30 years ago, President Reagan would encounter a stand-off with Hezbollah in
order to save the lives of 153 souls aboard the aircraft.
© 2015 The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
“We are suicide terrorists! If you don’t let us land, we will crash the plane into your control tower,
or fly it to Baabda and crash it into the Presidential Palace!”
~Hezbollah terrorists aboard TWA flight 847
The Morning of June 14, 1985 - ATHENS
Millions of people around the world watched in horror. TWA Flight 847, en route to San Diego from Cairo via Athens, Rome, and Boston was hijacked just moments after takeoff from Athens when two Shia Muslim
gunmen ordered the 727 to divert its flight path to Beirut. Brandishing guns and hand grenades, the terrorists
identified themselves as members of Islamic Jihad, a “holy war” and threatened to blow up the plane if Israel
did not release 700 Shi’ite Muslims held in southern Lebanon.
“He has pulled a hand-grenade pin and is ready to blow up the aircraft if he has to,” reported the
Captain who had 30 years of experience with TWA and also served as a flight engineer in the Korean War. “We
must, I repeat, we must land at Beirut. We must land at Beirut. No alternative.”
But Beirut, not wanting any involvement with the terrorists, attempted to prevent Flight 847 from
landing. Through the Captain’s calm persistence and desperate pleas, the plane did land at Beirut International
Airport where the hijackers released 17 American women and two children. Because the airport had no perimeter security and had been overrun by Islamic militias, it was a simple task to drive right out onto the runway.
Hence, several more Shia gunmen were allowed on board the aircraft.
Midday, June 14, 1985 - ALGIERS
After refueling in Algiers, the aircraft headed for Algeria where 19 American women, one American
child, and three people of other nationalities are released.
President Reagan recorded in his diary:
Friday, June 14
Awakened before 7 A.M. with word that a TWA 727 with a full load of mainly Am. tourists took off from Athens Greece
& was hi-jacked to Beirut. As morning went on it took off for Algiers. In Beirut the hi-jackers—2 armed with handguns
& grenades released 19 women & children. In Algiers the H.J’s demanded release of Shiites held in Israeli jails or they
© 2015 The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
would execute the passengers. Again they released another 21—mostly women & children. In early afternoon (here)
they were in the air & headed back to Beirut.
Morning, June 15, 1985 - BEIRUT
The aircraft returns to Beirut during which time all military passengers had systematically been selected
and beaten. At this stop, the hijackers killed Navy Petty Officer Robert Dean Stethem, 23, by shooting him in
the right temple and dumping his body out of the plane onto the ramp. Then, the terrorists shot him again.
“You see? You now believe it. There will be another in five minutes,” screamed a terrorist over the plane’s radio
as the nightmare rolled on.
To impose further terror, the gunmen delivered 7 passengers with Jewish sounding surnames off the
plan into the hands of comrades, creating a hostage crisis within a hostage crisis. And there was no end in
sight.
From the President’s Diary:
Saturday, June 15
An early call again—the plane had landed in Beirut about 2:20 A.M.—their time. They had shot one hostage in the head
& dumped his body out on the runway. In the confusion there where Nobbi Barries Shiites run the airport we would
learn later that ten more terrorists boarded the plane. Before the night was over they were on their way back to Algiers
where they released several Greeks on the plane in a trade for the one Greek who had helped them in Athens & who
had been arrested. He went on board & joined his evil cohorts. Another 53 hostages again women were released. We’re
down now to about 40 men—mostly American but then they released 10 men. Total on board now 3 crew & 30 men.
And now for the 3rd time back to Beirut. I should have mentioned, on an earlier Beirut stop 10 men with Jewish sounding names were turned over to the Hisballah & the Amal who took them away as prisoners.
“We’re walking on a tightrope.”
~President Ronald Reagan, diary entry commenting on Middle East tension
Afternoon, June 15, 1985 - ALGIERS
The airliner is flown back to Algiers where the hijackers released 64 hostages including five female flight
© 2015 The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
attendants. Morning, June 16, 1985 – BEIRUT
The jetliner returns to Beirut.
At this point, the hijackers released a letter signed by 29 passengers, appealing to President Reagan
to refrain from “any direct military action on our behalf.” At the President’s press conference, he expressed
some hope, “The very fact that it has gone on this long without any of their threats of violence or that general
destruction and massacre have not been carried out, naturally, is encouraging,” he said. When asked about the
possible release of Shi’ite prisoners held by Israelis, he said, “this is a decision for them to make….at what point
can you pay off the terrorists without endangering people from here on …once they find out that their tactics
succeed.”
Thankfully, the remaining passengers are taken off the aircraft but the three crew members remained
aboard.
Afternoon, June 17, 1985 – BEIRUT
On another note, what happened to the 7 hostages held at an undisclosed location by Hezbollah in
Beirut? The Amal leader Nabih Berri (Amal is the Shia Muslim Militia) reported that the hostages had been split
up into small groups to thwart a rescue mission. Robert(Bud) C. McFarlane, President Reagan’s national security adviser, said Berri, “has in his hands the ability to end the hijacking.”
One ailing hostage, Robert Peel Sr. of Hutchinson, Kansas was released.
In his diary, the President wrote:
Monday, June 17
Day started with what’s getting to be my regular early call from Bud. Nobbi (Nabih) Barri has taken the hostages from the
hi-jackers & has them someplace in W. Beirut. His price is release of the 760 Shiites held by Israel. Israel is publicly saying
they will—but the U.S. at the highest level of govt. must ask them to do it. This of course means that we,—not they,
would be violating our policy of not negotiating with terrorists. To do so of course—negotiate with terrorists—is to encourage more terrorism. I suggested that if Israel said to Barri—we were going to release these detainees anyway, we’ll
expedite it if you let the Americans go—no one would be giving in to terrorists. After all Barri took the hostages away
from the hijackers. I just told Bud, “why don’t we ask Israel by saying you kidnapped & are holding 760 hostages—we ask
you to release them in order to free Barri’s hostages.” That way we wouldn’t be dealing with terrorists—just asking that
hostages be freed by both sides.
June 18, 1985 – BEIRUT
The hijackers released two Americans and a Greek while Nabih Berri urges the U.S. to pressure Israel
into releasing 766 Lebanese prisoners, most of them Shias. At his news conference, President Reagan, says any
retaliation “would probably be sentencing a number of Americans to death.”
June 19, 1985 – BEIRUT
The three crewmen were interviewed briefly by an ABC television reporter. “We’re OK,” affirms Captain
© 2015 The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
John Testrake. In his diary, the President wrote:
Wednesday, June 19
Only thing new on hi-jackers was a plane side interview with plane Capt. through the pilot’s window. He confirmed that
the 3 crew members were only ones on plane along with Shiite guards. That Capt. is quite a guy—absolutely unruffled.
June 20, 1985 – BEIRUT
At a chaotic news conference, five hostages appear and appeal to Reagan “at all costs” to refrain from
executing a rescue mission. President Reagan entered his thoughts in his diary:
We called a Security planning session to take up this & our hostages in Beirut. We finally settled on availing ourselves of
the generous proposal by Algeria to ask that the hostages be turned over to them—a face saver for Nabbih Berri. Algeria
wants us to find out what Israel would do with the 766 Shiites if there were no hostages left in Lebanon. We would then
give the answer to that question to the Algerians who would use it in dealing with Nabbih. In the meantime the Israelis
are not being helpful. They have gone public with the statement that they would release their prisoners if we asked them
to. Well we can’t do that because then we would be rewarding the terrorists & encouraging more terrorism.
On this day, Navy Petty Officer Stethem was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
June 23, 1985 – BEIRUT
Israel announces it will release 31 Shia prisoners and Secretary of State George Shultz says he would be
pleased if that led to the release of U.S. hostages. However, Shultz and Israel insist there is no linkage.
The President’s diary entry read as follows:
….met back stage with several families of the Hostages. They are of course uptight & looking for a ray of hope. I tried to
provide that plus re-assurance that we weren’t planning any military actions that could endanger their loved ones. They
seemed very grateful & re-assured. We are proceeding with a plan to have the Algerians intercede & ask that the hostages be turned over to them. In turn they want to be able to tell Berri that once the hostages are free the Israelis plan to
continue returning the Shiites they hold. We were able to get a statement approximating that. F.M. Rabin (Israel) by going public with a statement that the U.S. should ask them to release the Shiites loused things up by establishing a linkage
we insist does not exist.
June 24, 1985 – BEIRUT
Israel releases 31 prisoners but Amal leaders dismiss the gesture as insufficient.
It is easy to note the President’s frustration when you read his diary entry:
After an issues briefing lunch we called an N.S.P.G. meeting re the Beirut situation. Bill Casey feels we must come up with
a fig leaf for Berri or releasing the hostages would cause his assassination by the fanatics. Bill suggested a spokesman
approaching him about offering Israel an assurance of safety in S. Lebanon for which they would free the 700+ Shiites
they are holding. At the same time I’ve urged that we approach Assad of Syria to go to Berri & tell him he can be a hero
by releasing our people or he can be stubborn and we will begin some actions such as closing down the Beirut airport,
closing Lebanons harbors etc. until he releases our people. This is all being staffed out now. I can agree to the need for a
fig leaf but there also has to be a threat of action (nonmilitary).
June 25, 1985 – BEIRUT
© 2015 The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
At the White House, spokesman Larry Speakes announces that President Reagan is considering forcing
closure of Beirut airport and blockading Lebanon if diplomatic moves do not pay off “in the next few days.”
In Beirut, Amal gathered all 37 hostages together to meet two International Red Cross officials and the
three crew members were visited separately.
The President’s diary entry was succinct:
Then an N.S.P.G. meeting on Beirut—I’ve called for action now—beginning with the closing of the Beirut airport which
would cut off a lot of revenue for Berris Amal militia.
June 26, 1985 – BEIRUT
As Berri released hostage Jimmy Dell Palmer, 48, suffering from a heart ailment, the President’s diary
entry is more hopeful:
Then N.S.C. & newest hostage development. A light at the end of the tunnel. Berri (Assads doing) has offered to let the
hostages move to a Western Co. Embassy in Beirut or Syria—supposedly to remain until Israel frees the Shiites it’s holding. We prefer Syria & I have no intention of letting them be held there. The Israelis are already planning to begin returning their prisoners. We want no linkage between what they’re doing & the release of the hostages. Berri released one
today because of a heart condition. We are really optimistic. I’ve just learned that Berri owns a couple of mkts. & some
oil stations here in the U.S.
June 27, 1985 – BEIRUT
Troubled by a growing hostage problem in the Middle East, the president tries to work out a deal in
which seven Americans, kidnapped before the TWA hijacking, would be freed along with the passengers. He
wrote:
Thursday, June 27
One hostage home & lots of Berri talk about the rest going to the French embassy in Beirut or Damascus. No further
word. Berri has said he has no control or influence on the 7 kidnap victims. Quadafi is talking to Iran & Syria about a joint
terrorist war against us.
June 28, 1985 – BEIRUT
The President learned that the hostages were going to be sent to Frankfurt, West Germany via Damascus. But before their departure, they were assembled at a Shia school where Red Cross buses transferred the
32 remaining hostages and for the first time, the three crew members also. He wrote:
Back in Wash. 5:15 P.M. we held an N.S.P.G. meeting. Word came in that our press had been notified by Syria to be in
Damascus the next morning (tomorrow) to see the hostages arrive there. This could be what we are waiting for. We also
launched a plan to strike by air a guerilla base connected with the murderers of our 4 Marines.
Four hostages, however, remained in the custody of Hezbollah.
Late in the day, the State Department says the United States “reaffirms its longstanding support for the preservation of Lebanon, its government, its stability and its security for the mitigation of the suffering of its people.”
June 29, 1985 – BEIRUT
© 2015 The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
The President was beginning to feel relieved. He wrote:
We learned the hostages minus 4 had been moved by Red Cross bus to a bldg. a mile S.E. of the Beirut airport. I was ready
with a statement for the press to be read at 9 A.M. Having breakfast in bed we turned on T.V.—There were our hostages still
in Beirut not in Damascus. Apparently neither Mr. Barri or Assad could spring the missing 4 from the bastardly Hisbollah.
The hours passed & it became apparent there would be no further movement today. Now we pin our hopes on tomorrow.
“The United States gives terrorist no rewards and no guarantees. We make no concessions; we make no
deals. …Terrorists, be on notice, we will fight back against you, in Lebanon and elsewhere.”
~Ronald Reagan, June 30, 1985
June 30, 1985 – BEIRUT
At last, a radical Shia Muslim faction turned over four American hostages to Berri’s Amal militia. All 39
hostages then traveled aboard a U.S. aircraft for a flight to West Germany.
No early calls—but later in the morning word came that the hostages were going to leave in a Red Cross motorcade for
Damascus. It was a long ride—we then were told that celebrations in small villages along their route was delaying them.
About a quarter to 3 our time they arrived at the Sheraton hotel in Damascus.….I spoke to the nation on T.V. from the Oval
office then Geo. took Q’s in the press room. When I spoke our people were just leaving Syrian air space in a U.S. mil. aircraft.
July 1, 1985 - WIESBADEN
The hostages were safe in Wiesbaden but seven kidnap victims were still held. The President continued
his fight:
Awoke with knowledge our people were in Wiesbaden at our air base there. As far as we know now they & some of their
families who flew to Germany to meet them will arrive here tomorrow afternoon. Nancy & I plan to meet their plane. An
N.S.P.G. meeting to plan strategy now. We are limited because the 7 kidnap victims are still being held. I phoned Assad to
thank him & to call upon him to work for their release. He’s the only one who has any possible influence on the fanatics
who did the kidnapping. He got a little feisty and suggested I was threatening to attack Lebanon. I told him nothing of the
kind but we were going to do everything we could to bring the murderers of our young man to justice.
“Although an American lost his life during the hijacking of TWA Flight 847,” the President wrote, “39 others went
home safely. After seventeen days, we had gotten them back without making any deals with the terrorists. It had
been a close call, and America had reason to rejoice when the hostages were freed. But seven Americans were
still captive in Lebanon and I was determined to bring them home.”
July 2, 1985 WIESBADEN
The fearless Captain was reunited with his wife, Phyllis. ``I came to realize God was with me, right at my
shoulder,” wrote the survivor of the 1985 hijacking. ``That flooded me with peace and confidence. There was no
room for fear.”
After the hijacking, he flew a different route: the far-flung outposts of the Mission Aviation Fellowship, a
network of Christian air services for isolated ministries. Eleven years after the hijacking, Captain Testrake passed
away on February 6, 1996.
And the terrorists? One was convicted, served time in a West German prison and was released in a swap
deal. Of the four identified in the incident, 3 remain at large and on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist list. To identify them, would honor them, so we choose to leave them unnamed.
© 2015 The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. All Rights Reserved.